Resources › For Students and Parents Study Tips for Better Grades Study Tips for Better Grades What Kind of Learner Are You? Quiz: What's Your Learning Style? Study Strategies for Every Learning Style Tips for Kinesthetic Learners Tips for Visual Learners Tips for Auditory Learners Why Math Is Hard for Some Learners Creating Your Study Space How to Create an Ideal Study Space How to Make a Small Space Productive for Studying Best Pandora Stations for Studying Best Spotify Stations for Studying Essential Study Skills How to Find the Main Idea of a Passage How to Use Sticky Notes to Remember What You Read Why Taking Notes in Class Is So Important How to Outline a Chapter How to Make Vocabulary Flashcards Breaking Bad Study Habits 5 Bad Study Habits and How to Fix Them How to Avoid Distraction and Stay Focused Quick Fixes to Improve Your Grades When to Study How Long Should I Be Studying? How to Study for an Exam in Two Days How to Study the Night Before a Test How to Cram for a Test How to Prepare for Different Kinds of Tests How to Study for Objective Test Questions How to Study for Fill in the Blank Tests How to Study for Multiple Choice Exams How to Study for Open Book Exams Share Flipboard Email Print By Kelly Roell Kelly Roell Education Expert B.A., English, University of Michigan Kelly Roell is the author of "Ace the ACT. " She has a master's degree in secondary English education and has worked as a high school English teacher. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on October 23, 2018 Your class schedule changes year after year, but the study skills necessary for success always remain the same. Whether your upcoming test is tomorrow or in two months, these study tips for better grades will put you on track for academic success. Discover Your Learning Style Educational theorists have discovered something you might already know: people learn in different ways. You may be a kinesthetic learner who learns best by doing, a visual learner who prefers to pick up information by reading a textbook, or an auditory learner who retains information presented orally. Not sure about your learning style? Take our learning style quiz to identify your best study environment. Then, find out how to tailor your habits to suit the way you learn. Optimize Your Study Space Everyone studies differently. Are you distracted by noise or motivated by upbeat background music? Do you need to take breaks or do you work best when you can focus for several hours at a time? Do you study better in a group or by yourself? By answering these and other questions, you can create a study space that works for you. Of course, not everyone is able to design an ideal study space, so we've also provided strategies for studying in small spaces. Learn Key Study Skills Every class is different, but key study skills always remain the same: finding the main idea, taking notes, retaining information, and outlining chapters. Once you've mastered these and other fundamental skills, you'll be prepared to succeed in virtually any class. Break Bad Study Habits It's never too late to break bad study habits. Read up on the most common bad study habits and learn how to replace them with smart, science-backed strategies. Plus, discover techniques for staying focused during a study session, which will lay a solid foundation for future success. Know When to Study Whether you have just a few minutes to prep for your vocabulary quiz or months to prepare for the SAT, you'll need to know how to establish a workable study schedule. After all, a last-minute cram session should be structured differently than a multi-day study calendar. No matter how much time you have to study, these strategies will help you make the most of it. Understand Different Test Types Multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, open book — every type of test brings its own unique challenges. Naturally, each one of these test types warrants a unique set of study strategies. That's why we've assembled study techniques for the different types of tests you're most likely to encounter. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Roell, Kelly. "Study Tips for Better Grades." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/how-to-study-for-a-test-quiz-or-exam-3212082. Roell, Kelly. (2023, April 5). Study Tips for Better Grades. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-study-for-a-test-quiz-or-exam-3212082 Roell, Kelly. "Study Tips for Better Grades." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-study-for-a-test-quiz-or-exam-3212082 (accessed June 7, 2023). copy citation Featured Video