Many teachers assume that students have already learned how to study effectively, but after nearly two decades of teaching high school, I’ve discovered that this is often not the case.

When students rely on ineffective study methods like highlighting or rewriting notes, they sometimes start to believe that “studying” simply doesn’t work. By the time they get to my class, I have to dispel these misconceptions before they can embrace more effective strategies. That’s why I make it a point to directly teach study techniques to my sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

In the first month of the school year, I dedicate a substantial amount of class time in my AP Biology course to emphasize study strategies that challenge traditional methods. Even though I’m an experienced teacher, I still feel anxious every year about how students will perform on their first unit exam; the outcome of this exam often sets the tone for my credibility with my students.

If a student follows my guidance but doesn’t achieve their desired result, I risk losing their trust. Success, however, can be transformative—it increases the likelihood that they will apply these strategies across their other classes. The first exam feels like a pivotal moment, shaping the effort I will need to exert to gain the trust of my students throughout the year.

Effective Study Strategies

For about half of my students, AP Biology is their first class that requires significant preparation and study. To help them rise to the challenge, I teach study techniques supported by cognitive science research. These strategies are drawn from the Learning Scientists, a group of cognitive scientists whose mission is to bring their research into real-world classrooms. Here are the six high-impact study strategies they recommend:

1. Retrieval Practice: Actively bringing information from long-term memory into short-term memory.
2. Spaced Practice: Studying in shorter, more frequent sessions rather than cramming in one long session.
3. Dual Coding: Combining words and images.
4. Elaboration: Asking and answering questions to add increasing detail.
5. Interleaving: Switching between related topics or problems.
6. Concrete Examples: Collecting a variety of examples to build meaningful understanding, especially for abstract ideas.

On the first day of class, I assign the video “How to Study Effectively for School or College,” created by the Learning Scientists. This video introduces the six effective study strategies listed above. The next day, in class, I begin with a Pear Deck bell-ringer activity that prompts students to apply the strategies from the video.

As we dive into the biology content, I incorporate dual coding, retrieval practice, spaced practice, and elaboration into our lessons. Every time we use one of the six strategies, I make sure to point it out. For instance, I use a strategy from Mark Enser, based on the BBC Radio 4 show Just a Minute. In pairs, students are given a topic that they must talk about for one minute without hesitation, repetition, or deviation. This activity is a great way to implement spaced practice, retrieval, and elaboration.

Daniel T. Willingham’s book Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy has been an invaluable resource for me in addressing students’ learning misconceptions. I model how to read a college-level textbook, emphasizing that reading for learning is different from reading for pleasure. Learning requires a higher level of focus and interaction with the text, using strategies like elaboration and concrete examples while taking notes.

To help students make reading a more effective learning experience, I advise them not to highlight or copy their textbook or notes. This practice can create a false sense of security, making students overly confident in their understanding of the material—a concept known as the familiarity trap.

The Familiarity Trap is a concept I revisit throughout the year, as it’s one of the most common mistakes students make when studying for exams. When I confer with struggling students, I often discover that this is what’s preventing them from reaching their potential.

As we near the end of the first content unit, I teach a mini-lesson on reorganizing notes and revisit the idea that familiarity does not equate to knowing. Reorganizing notes means students combine their notes from different sources, readings, and lectures. As they reorganize, they look for gaps and generate questions. This process helps students make connections between topics they may have missed the first time.

One method for reorganizing notes is creating a visual map of the brain’s cognitive architecture, which ties back to dual coding. Concept mapping allows students to represent their thoughts spatially, reinforcing what’s already in their brain. I model this with students and give them an activity to create their own maps. For example, students start with the word “microtubules” and connect it to “ribosomes” with an arrow, writing above the arrow how the two concepts are related in their mind. I gradually provide one vocabulary word at a time, and students build their concept map. When the activity is completed, students share their connections with the class.

Inevitably, some students will be disappointed with their score on our first summative exam. To help them reflect on their study habits, I ask them to do test corrections using only their written notes to help correct their wrong answers.

As students correct their responses, they categorize their mistakes using a list of common study errors derived from Outsmart Your Brain. For instance, a student might write, “I was familiar with the topic, but I didn’t memorize it.” This helps students be specific about how their study techniques worked or didn’t work, rather than simply saying, “I didn’t study enough.” My students report that this activity is one of the most powerful things we do because it encourages reflection on both their content knowledge and their approach to preparing for assessments.

At no point during the year do I stop talking about the learning process, intentionally teaching and reinforcing effective study techniques. Helping students trust the process is not just about ensuring their success in AP Biology; it’s about equipping them with the skills and confidence to tackle challenging material in all areas of their education. Preparing for a difficult exam is never easy, but when students see the fruits of their hard work, it’s highly motivating.