5 Tips for Forming an Effective Study Group Putting together a study group is a great way to improve your performance in a class—it can also make it much more fun! You’ll be engaging in the subject matter more openly with your peers, instead of locking yourself up in a room to do homework by yourself. People understand things differently from each other. Even if you think you have a firm grasp on a subject, when you hear someone else’s perspective you may see things in a new way. Your understanding will deepen, and your test scores will go up. It’s up to you to join a study group, or to start one yourself. In order to be as effective as possible, follow these 5 tips.
Keep it small A crowded study group can get hectic, and it would be difficult to coordinate everyone’s schedules anyway. Keep it down to 3-5 people; you’ll have plenty of differing viewpoints without there being too much to juggle. Also, don’t form a study group with just your friends. You need to stay focused on the tasks at hand, instead of all the distractions of your social life.
Set goals and guidelines for the group from the beginning Right from the start set a schedule and stick to it. Meet at least once a week, for no more than 2 hours at a time. Your study group will be more effective if you have clear goals going in. Are you simply trying to raise your grade, or are you looking to go above and beyond the required course? Look to your class syllabus as a guide, and don’t be afraid to go to your instructor for input. At the beginning of each meeting, it’s a good idea to identify your goals for that specific study session. You’ll be able to stay on task much easier and get more accomplished.
Be prepared before each meeting Homework and assigned reading should be done before each study session. If each person has done their part by adequately preparing, then your group can really dig into the subject and broaden everyone’s
understanding. If nobody prepares, you’ll end up just having a group homework session.
Have different people lead/teach the discussion for each meeting Your retention of a subject is much higher when you have to teach it to others. It’s a good idea to assign in advance who will teach or lead the discussion each session. When it’s your turn, put together a minilesson and present to the group like you’re the teacher.
Keep it an open discussion Always make sure there’s an open dialogue. Your study group will be the most successful if everyone feels like they can communicate freely and contribute to the discussion. Always seek the opinions and input of your study mates; don’t let anyone fall behind in the discussion. Ultimately, being great at working in a study group prepares you for your future career. Whether you’re studying to get an accounting degree in Logan, or planning on applying for med school, the skills you develop in a study group can be just as beneficial as any class you’ll take. Photo Credit: Farm4, jlpp.org