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Reading Time: 10 minutes Certain sexual assault survivors may experience marginalization based on their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, class, sexual orientation, or gender. Keep these strategies in mind as you support your friend through this difficult time.
Studying much? You might be using the classic moves. You knowârewriting all your notes into a newer, bigger note; highlighting as the new underlining; and my personal favorite, cramming everything into your brain in any way possible. Sometimes those moves work just fine. But what if youâre looking for more than âjust fineâ? And what if you could get there with a little less stress and a little more purpose?
Researchers at Stanford University in California discovered that using some simple tricks made a big difference in how students performed. The research is based on a classic learning theory that seems pretty obvious when you break it down. Itâs called metacognition, and it involves something we could all benefit from: thinking about how we think.
Intrigued? Letâs take a closer look at how metacognition can get you to a better spot with your study habits. Once youâve got the basics down, weâll show you how to use it with real-life tips thatâll help you reap the brain-boosting benefits. Bonus points if you drop the word âmetacognitionâ with your friends when talking about your new secret to study success.
Metacognition is thinking about thinking, says Dr. Veronica Yan, an assistant professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. OK, but what does that actually mean? Itâs taking the time to consider how you think and why the process of reflecting on your thinking can give you some key insights into what youâre learning and what youâre missing. It means thinking through the methods, tools, and resources available to you and deciding which ones can best get you where you want to go.
Still with us? Think about it like this: Textbooks, tutors, academic advisors, past exam questions, and homework assignments are all resources that you can use to studyâbut whatâs the purpose of each of them? How can they help you? And which ones will help the most? Now youâre thinking like someone who thinks about their thinking.
âWe are constantly making decisions, but we arenât always intentional about these decisions,â Dr. Yan says. So how exactly can doing this help?
This is where it gets interesting. Researchers at Stanford University wondered if applying some of the principles of metacognitionâsetting goals, thinking about resources, and crafting a planâwould make a difference in studentsâ test results. They split students into two groups and reminded both about an upcoming exam.
One group just got a reminder. The other received a reminder and were also asked questions about how they wanted to do on the exam and how they were going to prep. The students received questions about their study resourcesâwhich ones they would choose, how they would use them, and why they felt these resources would be helpfulâessentially having them create a study plan. The students who thought through their study plan, or used metacognition like pros, did better on their exams than those who did not map out a plan, according to the 2017 study in Psychological Science. They also reported feeling less stressed during the prep process.
âLearners should take the time to explicitly think through why they want to use each resource for learning,â says Dr. Patricia Chen, a postdoctoral research fellow at Stanford and one of the authors of the study. Bottom line: Itâs about thinking carefully about your resourcesâhow to choose them and how youâll use them.
The best part about the Stanford research, and about metacognition in general, is that itâs simpleâyou can do it yourself by making a plan and setting some goals. And who knows? You may even see the same boost in results. Hereâs how to go about it:
This means ditching your autopilot plan and taking some time to make one that works. Start by jotting down the resources you have access to: books, notes, PowerPoints or class presentations, audio recordings, essay prompts, past quizzes or exams, the syllabus, tutors, classmates, online forums, review sessions, immediate access to the entirety of your professorâs brain, etc. Then list out how those resources could help you craft your plan.
Exam or quiz questions from earlier in the semester
Your prof probably has a particular way of creating test questions, so if youâre looking at an exam from earlier in the semester, itâs likely the upcoming one will follow a similar format or ask questions in a similar way. Use that to your advantage. Practice your responses to the question type and exam format. Just be sure your prof is OK with you using past assessments for study, and steer clear of using materials from past semesters or sections of the class.
âThis allows students to identify in advance which topics they need to spend more time on and which they are already very familiar with,â Dr. Chen says.
Now that you know which resources will work best, itâs time to make it work for you. And that involves making a specific plan. Participants in the Stanford study were asked to do just thatâplan when, where, and how they would use the study resources they identified. We know that worked for them. It can work for you too.
Make a chart that lists out the resources youâre using along with all the dirty detailsâwhen, where, how, and why.
âPlanning is crucial because it helps learners translate their strategies into action,â Dr. Chen says.
It comes back to goal setting. Knowing what youâre looking to get out of your studying can help you get there. Think beyond pure performance here; whatâs the long-term goal of knowing the material? A foot in the door at your first post-grad job? Feeling confident in applying your newfound knowledge? Grad school goals? Keep those in mind too. Write them down, add them to your chart, Sharpie them on your foreheadâwhatever makes them stick.
âI realized that when I had goals, I did better and got more done. Working at things aimlessly, without goals, has led to poor results, in my experience. The more I reached my goals and saw how they were benefiting me, the better I performed and the more motivated I was.â
âBlair C., fourth-year student, Indiana University Southeast
âGoal setting helps learners clarify exactly what they want to achieve and focuses them on their goal as they plan out their studying,â Dr. Chen says.
Yup, weâre asking you to have a little faith in yourself, and not just because youâre awesome (you definitely are), but because it actually affects how well you do.
Self-efficacy, or simply believing that youâre capable of planning and carrying out the tasks necessary for your performance, was the greatest predictor of college studentsâ achievement and performance, according to a large review of research (Perspectives on Medical Education, 2012).
As youâre working through your study plan, keep track of what youâre getting done. Hit your study session goal for the day? Thatâs a win. Mastered material you didnât quite get last time? That counts too. Come up with a system for tracking them. We like unicorn stickers, but checking things off your to-do list will do in a pinch.
Those small successes are part of your bigger goals, and the more you see yourself moving in the right direction, the more likely you are to believe that you can keep going. The wins you rack up in the process are still there cheering for you when you slip up. So remind yourself of them early and often.
Identifying resources, making plans, setting goals, and knowing you can hit them is an awesome plan of attack, but donât be too hard on yourself if some of the steps are a struggle. You might have to do some finagling to figure out what works best for you. âIt is the responsibility of the learner to experiment and identify what is most effective for themselves and when,â says Dr. Chen. So keep trying, keep track, and let us know how you do.
[school_resource sh101resources=’no’ category=’mobileapp,studentservices, studentsucess, helpdesk’] Get help or find out more
Patricia Chen, PhD, postdoctoral researcher, Department of Psychology, Stanford University, California.
Veronica Yan, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Study smart. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2011/11/study-smart.aspx
Anderson, J. (2017, May 9). A Stanford researcherâs 15-minute study hack lifts B+ students into the As. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/978273/a-stanford-professors-15-minute-study-hack-improves-test-grades-by-a-third-of-a-grade/
Artino, A. R. (2012). Academic self-efficacy: From educational theory to instructional practice. Perspectives on Medical Education, 1(2), 76â85. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3540350/
Chen, P., Chavez, O., Ong, D. C., & Gunderson, B. (2017). Strategic resource use for learning: A self-administered intervention that guides self-reflection on effective resource use enhances academic performance. Psychological Science, 28(6), 774â785. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797617696456
Dartmouth College. (2001). Memory is learning that persists. Retrieved from https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/sites/students_academic_skills.prod/files/students_academic_skills/wysiwyg/retain_information.pdf.
Tanner, K. D. (2012). Promoting student metacognition. CBE Life Sciences Education, 11(2), 113â120. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3366894/
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Student life is full of challenges, sometimes triggering a major case of enough already. Youâre probably aware that the campus offers a bunch of services and resources designed to help you be healthy, resilient, and successful. Do they work? In surveys by Student Health 101, you say yes: These services can make the difference between passing or failing, an A or a B, staying in or dropping out. Students often say they regret waiting until they were in a crisis, and wish theyâd accessed these resources earlier. Some report that for the longest time they didnât know certain types of support existed.
Campus resources are usually available free or at a low cost. Of course, college gym membership, counseling, and so on are not literally free; their cost is covered by your tuition. If you donât use them, youâre not getting what youâre paying for. In a recent survey by Student Health 101, more than three out of four college students said this is even more reason to access these services. If you wait until after youâve graduated to learn yoga or get professional help with your social anxiety, it will likely be costly.
The availability of resources at any given school depends on various factors. To learn whatâs typically available and how can it make your life easier, click on each resource.
Hereâs how to make sure youâre not missing out:
âThe tutoring center has helped me more than words can describe. I finally understand the work Iâm doing, plus itâs free! I went from being an average student to being above average and helping other kids in my classes.â
âFifth-year undergraduate, University of New Mexico
âThey helped me bring my essay writing up to over 80 percent grade-level, elevating my writing ability from high school to university quality in one session.â
âFifth-year online undergraduate, Trent University, Ontario
“Huge! I took a coding class and had no prior programming experience. I was in office hours all the time. Without being able to go to my instructor for help, I would not have done nearly as well in the class as I did.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Missouri University of Science and Technology
“Office hours enabled me to get additional time with my TAs and further understand the material.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
“It’s the difference between passing and not passing classes, going to summer school vs. not going.”
—Third-year undergraduate, California State University, Stanislaus
“Without my advisor, I would be so lost on which classes to take when. She provides me with opportunities outside of just choosing classes to better myself in my career.”
—Third-year undergraduate, Northern Michigan University
“Attending academic advising made an incredible difference in relieving the stress of picking courses and making important choices regarding my studies and undergraduate career.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Trent University, Ontario
“My academic advisor helps identify a balanced combination of courses so that my course load is not overwhelming.”
—Fourth-year online undergraduate, Florida International University
“It made a world of difference between me going to grad school or not going… between succeeding and failing at the process.”
—First-year graduate student, California State University, Stanislaus
“I wish I had started taking advantage of the recreation center and gym earlier, especially while access is free. Exercise is so important to staying healthy and happy, but I didn’t realize how big of an impact it can have.”
—Third-year undergraduate, Texas Christian University
“Changed my lifestyle and health habits completely.”
—First-year graduate student, University of North Dakota
“It made a huge difference! Taking time between classes to work out helped me recharge and let me be ready to learn.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of Guelph, Ontario
“It’s great to have free access to fitness equipment. It made a huge difference in my fitness and stress level.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Ferris State University, Michigan
“Having a gym close by is game-changing!”
—Third-year undergraduate, Queen’s University, Ontario
“Getting support from librarians and library staff has saved me hours of work on papers and projects.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, Michigan Technological University
“I rented textbooks from the library, which saved me a lot of money.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, University of Windsor, Ontario
“The library made a huge difference. It was a place of quiet where I could put 100 percent of my focus into my work. The people within the library also helped to bring my papers to the next level.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Concordia University of Edmonton, Alberta
“The friendly support of our librarians in helping me find journal articles through the library’s online databases made a huge difference in my being able to complete my research well.”
—Second-year graduate student, Arkansas Tech University
“It changed everything. I finally felt like I was on an even playing field with my peers and didn’t have to stress that my condition was setting me back any more.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Stanford University, California
“I got sick with mono and didn’t go for help, and my grades went down. I wish I would have said something sooner to get time to finish school work.”
—Third-year undergraduate, Michigan Technological University
“Disability services made a massive difference. I probably wouldn’t have made it through university without their support.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador
“The Accessibility Resource Center: The accommodations they allow for me are amazing and have greatly helped me succeed in courses.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of New Mexico
“I have ADHD and never wanted to be one of those students who gets extra time and help... So I’ve never gotten help that I probably need. I haven’t overcome it and it’s probably negatively affecting me.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
“The counseling center helped me more than any paid therapist ever has. They helped me nearly overcome my phobia and deal with substance abuse and sexual assault.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of Memphis, Tennessee
“It made a huge difference in helping me understand myself and relate easier to fellow students.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Berea College, Kentucky
“There is a good chance I wouldn’t be in university right now without it.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, University of Windsor, Ontario
“Instead of focusing on me and my problems, I took advantage of group therapy, which allowed me to be a part of other people’s struggles and hear their experiences, difficulties, failures, and losses (and have them experience mine as well). I was able to see, learn from, grow, and get back to living my life.”
—Third-year graduate student, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, New York
“It made a tremendous difference in teaching me valuable lessons on controlling anxiety.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, Michigan Technological University
“I went through an incredibly difficult family emergency while in a very demanding program. Counseling helped me understand and work through the emergency and also provided support when I struggled academically, allowing me to carry on.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Trent University, Ontario
“The health center saved me a lot of money, because I don’t have good insurance coverage.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, University of West Georgia
“Excellent system, easy to access, and the doctors are very friendly. I wish I didn’t have so many hesitations and went to them sooner.”
—Third-year undergraduate, Mount Royal University, Alberta
“I love the free things they give out.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, California State University, Channel Islands
“It was so great to have assistance on campus and at such great prices for college students! I appreciate it so much!”
—Second-year undergraduate, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
“The health center provided me with that-day doctor appointments, which minimized the amount of time I spent out of class sick.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, University of Wyoming
“Make use of small amounts of time you get in the day to access career support. This can make an enormous difference in how prepared you are.”
—Third-year undergraduate, University of Miami, Florida
“It helped me a lot in preparing for job interviews and fixing up my résumé, and the facility is really great about [facilitating] different opportunities and connections.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island
“Using this service allowed me to apply to summer jobs, confident that my documents were professional and appealing to potential employers.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, University of New Brunswick
“The Career Advancement Center allowed me to practice my interviewing skills with mock interviews and how to appropriately answer questions.”
—First-year graduate student, Midwestern University, Illinois
“It’s always nice to clear your head and speak to an actual person, and then be able to get back to schoolwork.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island
“RAs are incredibly important and useful. They’re the first person I go to with basically any question, and because they are older students, they can answer (honestly, too) any question that you can come up with.”
—Fifth-year undergraduate, University of North Dakota
“I worked at the Solution Center, which answers the campus main line and also is the IT Help Desk. Being a freshman, I learned a lot about deadlines, how things work, where to find information. I just learned about all my resources and what to do when I have issues with something. I basically learned everything about campus, and it helped so much.”
—Second-year undergraduate at California State University, Channel Islands
“Residence Life has been the most useful resource for advice on all sorts of matters. They became my most trusted mentors on campus.”
—Second-year graduate student, Emory University, Georgia
“My scholarship advisor has been a valuable resource, not just academically, but emotionally. He has helped talk me through all of the ups and downs and put things into perspective.”
—Third-year undergraduate, California State University, Stanislaus
“The financial aid advisors are a great help; you realize the breakdown of a survival budget throughout school, until you get to where you want to be in life.”
—Second-year student, Elgin Community College, Illinois
“The financial aid office made a big difference in the amount of assistance I receive.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Cambrian College, Ontario
“Finance services can help you get a jump on financial opportunities on and around campus, such as work-study, job openings, and budgeting.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate student, Clemson University, South Carolina
“Student employment [opportunities at my school were] the top reason why I decided against transferring.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Endicott College, Massachusetts
“The gender equity center changed my perspective, provided support and education, and allowed me to connect with the campus community.”
—Fourth-year undergraduate, Boise State University, Idaho
“The international student office provides me with the information that I need for work and study permits.”
—Recent graduate, Fleming College, Ontario
“One girl was harassing and bullying me. The police took the situation very seriously and took me to meet with the dean. I received a no-contact order with that student and have yet to hear from her since.”
—Second-year undergraduate, Indiana University Southeast
“It helped me with my sexual assault case and made me feel like my situation mattered.”
—Fourth-year online undergraduate, University of North Dakota
“I was 20 and a student during winter term [when I was sexually assaulted]. It made me feel powerless. I had tried to be his friend. I reported to my area coordinator and then later the public safety staff. I had to give a statement at the student board. Took three months to come up with a verdict.”
—Undergraduate, Oregon
These responses came from students at numerous colleges and universities across the US and Canada. Some of these resources may be available at your school.
Danielle Berringer, administrative support, Accommodated Learning Centre, University of Lethbridge, Alberta.
Burress, H. (2015, January 19). What factors affect the cost of a personal trainer? Angie’sList.com. Retrieved from https://www.angieslist.com/articles/what-factors-affect-cost-personal-trainer.htm
Colorado Mesa University. (2015). Mentoring. Retrieved from https://www.coloradomesa.edu/student-services/diversity-and-health/mentoring.html
Costa, C. D. (2016, January 1). Why a gym membership is usually a bad investment. Money & Career CheatSheet. Retrieved from https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/why-a-gym-membership-is-usually-a-bad-investment.html/?a=viewall
Georgia State University. (n.d.). Nutrition consultations. https://recreation.gsu.edu/fitness/fitness-center/nutrition-consultations/
Hobart and William Smith Colleges. (2011). Treatment providers in the community. Retrieved from https://www.hws.edu/studentlife/pdf/psychotherapists_community.pdf
Hobart and William Smith Colleges. (2016). Sexual misconduct resources and support. Retrieved from https://www.hws.edu/studentlife/titleIX_office.aspx
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (2015, May 5). Primary care visits available to most uninsured but at high price. Retrieved from https://www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2015/primary-care-visits-available-to-most-uninsured-but-at-a-high-price.html
Lifecoach.com. (2016). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from https://www.lifecoach.com/coaching-faqs
NCSU Libraries. (n.d.). Technology lending. Retrieved from https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/techlending
MacDonald, J. (2015, December 31). Financial planners: Not just for millionaires anymore. Bankrate.com. Retrieved from https://www.bankrate.com/finance/savings/financial-planners-not-just-for-millionaires-anymore-1.aspx
Student Health 101 survey, July 2016.
Sundberg, J. (n.d.). Is a career coach worth the money? UndercoverRecruiter.com. Retrieved from https://theundercoverrecruiter.com/career-coach-worth-money/
University of Lethbridge. (2016). Resources. Retrieved from https://www.uleth.ca/counselling/content/u-l-resources
The University of Maine. (n.d.). Financial resources for students. Retrieved from https://umaine.edu/sss/finances/
University of Notre Dame. (2016). Want to mentor? Retrieved from https://careercenter.nd.edu/alumni-mentor/want-to-mentor/
University of Washington. (2014). Undergraduate advising. Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/finding-help/study-centers-and-tutoring/
