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Introducing: the study cycle

It is likely that at Ohio State you will be challenged academically more than you ever have before.

Here's the scoop: You can achieve your academic goals at Ohio State but you may need to adjust or overhaul your studying strategy. 

How many of these behaviors do you use when you are in a very challenging class?

Study cycle actions

  • I always preview the material that will be discussed before I go to class. 
  • I go over lecture notes or problems as soon as possible after lecture to rework them and note areas I am having difficulty with.
  • I try to do my homework without using example problems as a guide or copying answers from my class notes or textbook. 
  • I regularly go to office hours or group study sessions to discuss and explain problems or questions about the homework. 
  • I rework all of the homework problems and questions before a test or quiz. 
  • I spend some time studying for this class at least five days per week (outside of class). 
  • I know the syllabus for this class and I have a plan to steadily make progress on assignments as their due date draws near (rather than hurrying through at the last minute).
  • I use deep processing strategies to read the text or rewatch lecture videos after each class. 
  • I participate in a study group where we do homework and quiz ourselves on the material. 
  • I learn the material by teaching it to my classmates.
  • I realize that I can still do well in the class even if I sense that I have less preparation and experience than my peers at the beginning of the class.
If you are in a class that is challenging you, adopting these study cycle strategies is going to be necessary in order to succeed in that class.

Understanding the study cycle

Metacognition refers to the processes used to plan, monitor and assess one's understanding and performance. In this video, Saundra McGuire, professor of chemistry and director of Louisiana State University's Center for Academic Success, addresses a class of chemistry students at LSU, speaks to a class on the topic of metacognitive learning strategies. 

Ohio State's Dennis Learning Center is built on metacognitive among other learning strategies. We encourage you to check out their offerings to see what you might benefit from: