Exam Study Expert: Study Tips And Psychology Hacks To Learn Effectively And Get Top Grades

The second instalment of our summer "When I Grow Up" series, helping you decide on the path you want to take through education and life, equipping you with the practical tips and drive to get you where you want to go.Today, Dylan Morris talks about studying at Yale, Cambridge and Princeton, getting into these elite universities, and succeeding in the competitive and intellectual world of research science.Contact Dylan at dhmorris@princeton.edu, and see https://eeb.princeton.edu/people/dylan-h-morris for more details about him and his work.*ABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.”BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/Or read my exam technique book today at https://geni.us/exams *As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qual

Welcome to a very special series of episodes on Exam Study Expert, where we're unpacking the lives of individuals who have achieved success in a certain field, figuring out what motivated them when they were at school and university, finding out what they chose to study and why, and learning their top tips for success in their own field, or in life generally.Today: the most inspiring story I've had the privilege of telling here on the podcast, the tale of a boy from a Fijian village with no electricity or running water, who grew up to be a highly respected business leader managing several hundred thousand employees and advising government on economic development.His story beautifully illustrates the power of education to unlock opportunity for anyone, no matter what your background. If you are looking for a role model who achieved great things in life despite total absence of privilege, and remained kind, humble and generous throughout, look no further than Josaia Mar.*ABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsw

Are you doing a PhD, or considering doing one some day in the future?We interviewed six current and former PhD candidates at some of the world's great universities - Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton - to get the low-down on what it's really like. They share some great wisdom, sometimes with the benefit of a little hindsight, for how to approach your PhD to make life that bit easier.If you're in the middle of a PhD or about to start one, you'll learn a highly actionable set of tips for:- Managing your time- Setting goals- Staying positive- Coping when the going gets tough (because it will)If you're thinking of doing a PhD one day, our guests today offer a rare insight into what doctorate research is really like - find out what you're getting into before you take the plunge!*From this episode: If you'd like to contact video game designer Emma about her research, she is on Twitter @EmmaJoyReay.If you'd like to connect with me on Twitter for more productivity tips and to let me

Strategies for dealing with test-day nerves and exam-week anxiety: discover the counterintuitive science behind “the butterflies”, and learn to tame them, with these seven strategies from psychology. This episode draws on nearly a decade of research into the art and science of getting the best possible mark on exam day, which underpins our new book, Outsmart Your Exams, which is available here: https://geni.us/examsABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.”BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/*As an Amazon affiliate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases of books and other products we link to. This may generate a small amount of income for us, but has no impact on what products we and our guests choose to reco

Ever wondered how to get the most marks you can in multiple-choice papers? Tricks to improve your guessing, what the science says about strategies for maximising your mark on multiple-choice, and avoiding traps the examiner might set for you: it’s all in here. This episode draws on nearly a decade of research into the art and science of getting the best possible mark on exam day, which underpins our new book, Outsmart Your Exams, which is available here: https://geni.us/examsABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.”BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/*As an Amazon affiliate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases of books and other products we link to. This may generate a small amount of income for us, but ha

Today's episode features a panel of guests: teachers, professors, tutors, even students, sharing some of their favourite exam-taking strategies, together with some of my own all-time top tips for exam week and the exam hall.An ingenious set of techniques to help maximise your mark in the exam itself.Learn more about Outsmart Your Exams, the first book from Exam Study Expert, at https://geni.us/examsABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.”BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/*As an Amazon affiliate, we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases of books and other products we link to. This may generate a small amount of income for us, but has no impact on what products we and our guests choose to recommend to you

Learn more about Outsmart Your Exams, the first book from Exam Study Expert, at https://geni.us/examsIn this episode, discover the three golden principles for great exam technique, and along the way, pick up a host of "trade secret" test-taking strategies which you can use right away for higher marks in your exams.Principle 1, The Principle of the Aggregation of Marginal Gains: learn how doing the little things unusually well can add up to a big advantage on test day.Principle 2, The Elimination of Surprise: because forewarned is forearmed. Principle 3, Going The Extra Mile: discover the areas you can go further and faster than most of your classmates.This episode draws on nearly a decade of research into the art and science of getting the best possible mark on exam day, which underpins our new book, Outsmart Your Exams, which is available here: https://geni.us/examsABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independent researcher a

Rachael Williams joins us to talk about dealing with emotion and anxiety in our studies, how to combat procrastination, and get through exam season. A fascinating interview packed with very practical tips: from developing your own personal mission statement, to how to optimise your daily routine, to how to discuss exams and stress with your family, to how standing like a superhero can make you feel like one!Links and resources mentioned in this article:- Three-minute breathing space video (or search YouTube for more) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iebciuBXCh4- The Calm or Headspace apps if you want to give mindfulness practice a go: https://www.calm.com/ / https://www.headspace.com/- Rachael Williams is happy for you to get in touch directly at info@thelivingroom.uk.com*If you'd like to know more about truly effective study and revision techniques, start here: https://examstudyexpert.com/memorisation-techniques-for-exams/Download Exam Study Expert’s guide to using learning science to learn faster and re

In this episode, we’re delighted to welcome Dr Adam Putnam, who is an assistant professor at Furman University, to share his fascinating insights about:- Mnemonic techniques: widely misunderstood but can be powerful tools- Retrieval practice, and how to implement it effectively- A psychologist’s perspective on the art of focus and productivity.*Links and resources mentioned in this episode include:(These show notes also available at: https://examstudyexpert.com/adam)Adam recommended a couple of great books in this episode if you're interested in the art of working more productively, or learning more about mnemonic techniques:·        “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity” by David Allen (available from Amazon https://geni.us/davidallen)·        “Your Memory: How it Works and How To Improve It” by Kenneth Higbee (available from Amazon https://geni.us/yourmemory) You can find Adam online at www.adamlputnam.comFor more information about first-letter mnemonics (acronyms): https://examstud

10 "study hacks" to get you better exam results, faster, including:- Engineering your environment for success- How re-planning your schedule to REDUCE your work hours can help you achieve MORE each day- How to do high-intensity "memory workouts" to make exam day feel easy- How to manage your diary and why it pays to help your friendsLinks and resources mentioned in this episode:- The Exam Study Expert blog, www.examstudyexpert.com- Episode 7 of the Exam Study Expert podcast, with Yana Weinstein-Jones- Episode 4 of the Exam Study Expert podcast, with Joachim Cassel- The D'Nealian pen gripDownload Exam Study Expert’s guide to using learning science to learn faster and remember more than ever before, at  https://examstudyexpert.com/freetips*ABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less

Today we’re talking languages: tricks for memorising your vocab lists more easily, how to get your head round the grammar, and some handy exam technique tips to make sure you get the highest possible grade in your exams.I’m joined by my friend Joe Hytner, an extremely experienced Classics teacher and private tutor. Joe is a Latin and Greek specialist, but many of his expert tips would apply equally to French, Spanish, German or any other modern language.Links and resources mentioned in the episode:- For high-quality tuition in any subject, check out Joe and his team at www.titaniumtutors.co.uk (in-person in the UK, or online worldwide)- For John Taylor books, try his Latin to GCSE Part 1 (https://geni.us/latin1) and Part 2 (https://geni.us/latin2).- For free Eton Greek grammar exercises: www.etoncollege.com/GreekProjectDownload Exam Study Expert’s guide to using learning science to learn faster and remember more than ever before, at  https://examstudyexpert.com/freetips*ABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Fou

Today's episode features Professor David Rowland, Professor of Music at the Open University and Director of Music at Christ's College, Cambridge University.If you're not a musician, you might like to skip straight to 13.27 for an interesting 10-minute chat about performance anxiety and strategies for shining under pressure in exams, interviews and high-pressure situations of all kinds, drawing on best practice from the worlds of sport and music.If you are a musician or have music exams of any kind, listen from the beginning for a fascinating conversation covering:- The art of practice, and why people sometimes mistook Rachmaninov for a beginner- The value of going for a walk, and a trick for high performance borrowed from the world of sport- Minimising surprises on the day, and adding up the marginal gains- Getting comfortable in the exam / audition / recital, and staying focused- Tips for academic music exams and dissertations: answering the question, reading more widely, and good exam techniq

Yana is a respected researcher in the field of how to learn effectively, and brilliant teacher on how to apply the science to the question of how to study.In this stand-out episode, we cover the science of how to study with six learning strategies you should have in your toolkit, including practice testing, spaced repetition and distributed practice, explaining how to apply each technique in practice.We also discuss self-care: looking after yourself to maintain your physical and emotional health, to make sure you’re keeping life and studies in balance.*Links and resources mentioned in this episode:If you’d like to read more about the strategies discussed in today’s episode, her book “Understanding How We Learn: A Visual Guide” comes with our highest recommendation: For listeners in America: https://www.yanaweinsteinjones.com/yanaboutique/understanding-how-we-learnFor listeners in the UK and elsewhere: https://amzn.to/2ZjpGvd*You can find Yana:On her website at www.yanaweinsteinjones.comOn Twitter @doctorwhy f

We welcome college professor Jessica Shields, who also runs collegestudysmarts.com, to share her considerable wisdom on how to be productive and stay motivated with your studies. We’ll be covering:·        Study motivation: finding your get up and go·        How to overcome procrastination·        How to stay off Netflix and YouTube when you’re trying to study·        Planning your time through the term·        Time management for students·        Good study habits·        The boost you need to NOT leave everything to the last minute!·        Effective note taking methods (including an ingenious trick that I only learned in this conversation!)Links and resources mentioned in this episode:You can find Jessica at www.collegestudysmarts.com The “quizlet” flashcards tool is available at www.quizlet.com Download Exam Study Expert’s guide to using learning science to learn faster and remember more than ever before, at  https://examstudyexpert.com/books-and-guides/free-study-guides/*ABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadswort

Our guest this week is Mr Salles, the “slightly awesome” English teacher, from the YouTube channel “Mr Salles Teaches English” (www.youtube.com/user/dominicsalles/).“Slightly” awesome is underselling it: Mr Salles is an expert English teacher, who has spent years figuring out the secrets to success in English exams, and developing a set of seriously impressive formulas and strategies to help students dramatically exceed their expectations in the exam.If you’re studying for high school English exams, you’re in the right place – this episode is packed with tips and strategies for:-        How to write well, and train yourself to be an accurate writer-        How to approach creative writing questions-        Strategies to revise for English language-        Putting yourself in the top few percent of students in 19th century literature questions by understanding the “five big ideas” that defined the age-        Exam technique secrets for English exams-        Inside the mind of the examiner, and how to turn it t

If you want to be good at math(s), or if you're already feeling in control and want to take your math(s) to the next level, you're in the right place! Join Joachim Cassel, one of the UK's most experienced math(s) tutors, as we talk about preparing for high school math(s) exams:The right mindset to have for learning mathsWhat to do if you don't understand mathsThe art of slowing down, and how to trust the process (like you're an NBA superstar!)How to remember what you've learned, and how to practice truly effectivelyHow to revise maths / how to review mathExam technique for mathematics exams and testsTips for recalling tricky equations / formulas in the examGetting on the examiner's good sideMaking sure you get every mark you deserveADVANCED STUDY: for anyone interested in taking their mathematics further, beyond school, how to apply for courses at University / College, and what it's like*Links and resources mentioned in this episode:"Mathematics: a very short intro

"It's not about studying more, it's about studying smart". The common theme this week is how to be a good student - maybe even a truly outstanding student - through creativity, critical thinking, how to study smart, and how to improve memory. Join me and my guest Dr Marie Buda, who shares her considerable expertise on:- CREATIVITY: as an innovation consultant by day, Marie has some fascinating thoughts on how to be more creative as a student, in drawing together ideas and making new ones.- CRITICAL THINKING: in her spare time, Marie coaches students on critical thinking: the art of thinking deeply, logically and critically about information we're presented with, and how and when to impress your teacher, examiner or admissions tutor by challenging accepted wisdom with critical thinking.- GOOD STUDY HABITS: keeping on top of your life and your studies, time management for students, and staying in control- WAYS TO IMPROVE MEMORY: Marie's PhD was on memory, and we geek out on some fa

How to study effectively for exams and get brilliant grades: learn better and faster than ever before through the two most powerful principles of learning and memory known to science.In this solo episode, I will break down the two most important principles of learning science that every student needs to know, but very few are actually using. When you DO start to apply these techniques, hundreds of scientific studies have shown improvements by a whole grade or more. All just by studying smarter, not harder.Links and resources mentioned in this episode:And if you're feeling REALLY keen and would like to find out more about the science behind this episode, this is a good place to start: http://www.indiana.edu/~pcl/rgoldsto/courses/dunloskyimprovinglearning.pdfDownload the full-colour guide we've made to accompany this episode, absolutely free, at https://examstudyexpert.com/freetips*ABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independen

We're delighted to welcome Lucy Ratcliffe, mindset and performance coach to elite performers, to share her incredible wisdom with us, and show how students at school, college and university how to stay positive, believe in yourself, and conquer exam nerves and anxiety. In this episode:Finding your way in life: the confidence to just go and ask for what you wantHow to find the motivation to succeed at school and in your studiesFiguring out what drives youOvercoming self-doubt and exam anxietyDialling up positivity, and growth mindsetPerforming under pressure, dealing with exam-day nervesGoing outside your comfort zone and building competenceHead to www.idology.eu to find out more about Lucy's work.*ABOUT YOUR HOST: William Wadsworth, Founder & Learning Scientist at Exam Study Expert“Memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.”BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge