How to Study in a Group (If Necessary)

Colleges have many study groups, but they are not always the most effective way to study. They can easily degenerate into purely social events, and the weaker members of the group can hold everyone else back. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make them work. If you need to be in one (or want to), here are the best ways to study in a group.

Use a research method designed for multiple people

In theory, being around other people who are quietly working can help you reap the benefits of “body doubling,” making you more responsible and productive. Unfortunately, this only works if they don’t turn into real social gatherings where school takes a backseat – which is often the case .

Avoid this pitfall by developing a plan to use group learning strategies, such as:

• Use the puzzle method to quickly understand large pieces of text. Assign each group member a piece of material to study independently, and then take turns teaching each other their section. Using this technique, you don’t have to read the entire chapter, but you will still understand it.
• Likewise, try the Feynman method , which involves working on comprehension and memory by teaching someone a topic as simply as possible. Have everyone take turns “teaching” the concept they are working on, and then open up the discussion so that participants can ask questions that encourage the teacher’s critical thinking and understanding of the material.
• Since spaced repetition is one of the best ways to stimulate active retention , that is, the deliberate retrieval of information from the brain and its transfer to long-term memory, try solving flashcards together. You can (and should) make the cards yourself, but having another person hold the card and discuss the answers with you will maintain the structure of the study session and facilitate discussion that can help you understand the concepts even better.

When not to study in groups

While you’ll likely be bombarded with invitations to study with others, there are times when you should decline. Firstly, it is generally better to study silently . Even if people around you are discussing schoolwork, it’s still a noisy distraction that can easily turn into just plain old conversation. If you need to focus on a topic, it’s probably best to do it yourself.

Conversely, if you already understand a topic, working with people who don’t understand it can frustrate and slow you down. This can create friction and dissatisfaction with freeloaders, which will not help you achieve much. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so if you spend an entire class session developing a concept that is less complex than necessary, you will simply be wasting time.

Only practice in a group when you are confident that you need help and the other participants are willing to carry on and use the group’s check-in system to provide it for you, and when you want to help them as well. Otherwise, it’s better to just have a party without pretense of “studying.”