Importance of spacing effect in studying chemistry

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Importance of spacing effect in studying chemistry

What is the spacing effect in studying chemistry?

Studying chemistry and especially at O-Level and A-Level, requires a plan. This is because of the complexity of the concepts involved. The spacing effect is one of the best ways to go with your chemistry subject. The spacing effect is also known as spaced repetition or spaced practice. It means learning and reviewing your study material in bites within a particular time interval.

Spaced repetition was discovered by Herman Ebbinghaus and published a detailed book about it in 1885.  The author suggests that active recall with increasing time intervals reduces the probability of forgetting the information. When it comes to studying chemistry, students need to use the spacing effect to retain most of the content.

What does spaced repetition do to your chemistry studies?

First, the spacing effect allows you to retain much content. If you want to do your best in chemistry, apply the spacing effect. This is because JC chemistry involves a lot of calculations, equations, and theories to capture. Therefore, it is crucial to study the subject systematically.

According to cognitive science, the spacing effect within the optimal time intervals is a crucial factor in retaining information. This is how your memory functions to encode memories. Therefore, your ability to remember the concepts you are studying in chemistry depends on the number of times you review your notes.

After attending your school sessions and chemistry tuition classes, use the spaced practice to study your notes. Review your study material twice or thrice within a week. When you apply this method in studying chemistry, you will realize that the content sticks in your mind well.

For instance, let’s take the mole concept in chemistry. It is a topic that requires a lot of effort to have it at your fingertips. You can plan yourself and, during the first day, you work on the formulas and calculations involved. Then after one day, you review the theories of the mole concept. After another one day, you look at the experiments involved in moles. Within a week, you will have covered a whole topic.

Secondly, the spacing effect in studying chemistry allows you to manage time. After you have taken your notes properly at school and chemistry tuition centre, plan on how to read. Use the spaced repetition method to cover your revision. You will realize that before the exam bell rings, you will have revised all the content. This is because the spaced repetition method allows you to retain the concepts without forgetting much and, hence you spend little time at one point.

How do you apply the spacing effect in studying chemistry?

First, consider the time you have before you sit for your upcoming test. This will help you come up with a spaced repetition plan for all the concepts you should have captured. As a result, you won’t be under pressure when your exam is around the corner.

On the first day, you can attend private chemistry tuition for an hour or two. Then take a break to allow your mind freshen up. Then on the third day, you can take another one hour and a half to study chemistry. You can have a group discussion with your classmates.

Afterward, skip a day and then, on the fifth day, have some time in studying chemistry. Within a week, you will have covered a lot. When your exam time comes, spend an hour or so before to review what you have been learning.

When you enter the exam room, you will be smiling because you have all the concepts at your fingertips. This is how you can make studying chemistry simple and easy for you.

Avoid cramming when studying chemistry. It is not an advisable way of content retention. This is because information fades away from your mind after a short period. Start your revision early enough using the spaced practice to avoid the last-minute rush.

Most students who cram chemistry concepts find it hard to tackle complex concepts. This is because they are not in a position to remember all they learned. They forget a formula or a theory that needs to apply, and therefore, they can’t handle the whole question.

Also, cramming is time consuming in the long run. If you apply it in studying chemistry, you may have to re-learn everything each time you have an upcoming test. Therefore, it is necessary to use a method that makes you retain a lot of knowledge to allow you to have a simple time in your revision.

Spaced repetition flashcards

There are different apps you can use to apply the spacing effect in studying chemistry. First, you can use Anki. It is one of the most popular spaced repetition apps used. Most people use it in their studies and share decks. Also, you can easily install it in your Windows, OS X, Linux, iPhone, or Android. Creating cards using the app is simple. These cards will help you to apply the spacing effect in your studies.

Besides, you can use the Brainscape app. It is a flashcard that allows you to track your progress in studying chemistry. Also, it ensures that you have read the concepts thoroughly. As a result, you retain most of the content at a time. The app is simple to use, and to apply images, upgrade to the Pro Version.

Another great choice of flashcard in studying chemistry is Quizlet. It is similar to paper flashcards. Once you sign up, the app allows you to create cards on the topic of your choice. Also, the app has a variety of options you can choose to use. You can have ‘flip’ the cards option to mimic studying paper cards. Besides, you can use games or fill-in-the-blank tests.

The spacing effect is an excellent way of studying chemistry. It makes you enjoy revising your chemistry tuition notes without much pressure. Apply it as soon as the school semester kicks off. It will allow you to cover every topic on time and, therefore, do your best in chemistry.

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