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Gavin
Student
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What are the best study methods for different types of courses?
What are the best study methods for more memorization heavy courses and what are the best methods for math classes? #Fall25
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Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
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Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
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Wong’s Answer
Hi Gavin. Different classes require different study methods, and choosing the right one can make learning much easier. As a former math teacher, I've seen many students struggle simply because they used the wrong study method for the type of course they were taking.
For classes that require a lot of memorization such as biology and history, active recall and spaced repetition work best. Active recall means testing yourself instead of just rereading notes. You can use flashcards, quizzes, or even cover your notes and try to explain the ideas from memory. Spaced repetition means studying the same material several times with breaks in between, slowly increasing the time between review sessions. This helps the information stay in your long-term memory. It also helps to make visual tools like charts, mind maps, or timelines, because they show how ideas connect. Another great method is teaching the material to someone else, or pretending to teach it. If you can explain it clearly, you truly understand it.
Math classes, however, need a very different approach. As I often told my students, you cannot learn math by just reading the textbook or watching someone else solve problems. Math is a skill, and the only way to build a skill is by practicing. Work through many problems on your own, starting with easy ones and moving toward harder ones. If you get stuck, pause and try to figure out the exact step that is confusing before checking the answer. This helps you become more aware of your thinking, which makes you better at solving new problems. Keeping a "mistake notebook" can also help. Write down the problems you got wrong and a short note about what went wrong. Reviewing this regularly helps you avoid repeating the same errors. Most importantly, you should focus on understanding why each method works instead of memorizing formulas. When you understand the idea behind a formula, remembering it becomes much easier.
For classes that require a lot of memorization such as biology and history, active recall and spaced repetition work best. Active recall means testing yourself instead of just rereading notes. You can use flashcards, quizzes, or even cover your notes and try to explain the ideas from memory. Spaced repetition means studying the same material several times with breaks in between, slowly increasing the time between review sessions. This helps the information stay in your long-term memory. It also helps to make visual tools like charts, mind maps, or timelines, because they show how ideas connect. Another great method is teaching the material to someone else, or pretending to teach it. If you can explain it clearly, you truly understand it.
Math classes, however, need a very different approach. As I often told my students, you cannot learn math by just reading the textbook or watching someone else solve problems. Math is a skill, and the only way to build a skill is by practicing. Work through many problems on your own, starting with easy ones and moving toward harder ones. If you get stuck, pause and try to figure out the exact step that is confusing before checking the answer. This helps you become more aware of your thinking, which makes you better at solving new problems. Keeping a "mistake notebook" can also help. Write down the problems you got wrong and a short note about what went wrong. Reviewing this regularly helps you avoid repeating the same errors. Most importantly, you should focus on understanding why each method works instead of memorizing formulas. When you understand the idea behind a formula, remembering it becomes much easier.