Here's a step-by-step process to effectively study a 200-word topic for exams,
keeping in mind your goal for motivation and help with daily goals:
Phase 1: Understanding & Initial Breakdown (5-7 minutes)
1. Read Actively (1-2 minutes):
○ Read the entire 200-word topic through once, focusing on
understanding the main idea. Don't worry about memorizing yet.
○ Motivation Tip: Tell yourself, "My goal right now is just to get the gist. I
can do this!"
2. Identify Key Concepts/Keywords (2-3 minutes):
○ Read it a second time, this time highlighting or noting down 3-5 crucial
keywords, names, dates, or phrases that seem central to the topic.
These are the pillars.
○ Motivation Tip: Think of these as the "cheat codes" to unlocking the
whole topic.
3. Formulate a Core Question (1-2 minutes):
○ What is the single most important question this 200-word piece
answers? Or, if it's descriptive, what is its primary focus? Writing this
down helps solidify your understanding.
○ Motivation Tip: This question becomes your mini-test, helping you
stay focused.
Phase 2: Deep Dive & Association (8-10 minutes)
4. Break Down into Chunks (3-4 minutes):
○ Since it's 200 words, it likely has 2-4 distinct paragraphs or sections.
Break it down into these smaller, manageable chunks.
○ For each chunk, identify its mini-main idea. How does it contribute to
the overall topic?
○ Motivation Tip: "I'm not eating the whole elephant at once; I'm tackling
one small, digestible bite."
5. Explain in Your Own Words (3-4 minutes):
○ Without looking at the text, try to explain the entire topic, or at least its
key concepts, out loud to yourself or even to an imaginary friend/pet.
○ Then, go back and compare your explanation to the original text.
Where did you miss something? What did you get right?
○ Motivation Tip: This is where you become the teacher! Teaching helps
you learn twice.
6. Connect & Associate (2-3 minutes):
○ How does this 200-word topic connect to other things you already know
in the subject? Does it fit into a larger timeline, a broader theory, or a
specific problem?
○ Create a mental image, a short story, or a mnemonic device to help
you remember the key points.
○ Motivation Tip: Make it stick! The more connections you make, the
stronger your memory will be.
Phase 3: Review & Reinforce (5-7 minutes)
7. Flashcard/Self-Quiz (3-4 minutes):
○ Write a few questions based on the key concepts you identified in step
2.
○ On the other side of a physical or digital flashcard, write the answers in
concise points.
○ Quiz yourself repeatedly until you can recall the answers easily.
○ Motivation Tip: Short bursts of self-testing are super effective! Each
correct answer is a win.
8. Condense to Core Notes (2-3 minutes):
○ Can you summarize the entire 200-word topic into 2-3 bullet points or a
single, very short paragraph (30-50 words)? This forces you to distill
the essence.
○ Motivation Tip: This is your ultimate shorthand for exam recall. If you
can get it down to this, you've mastered it.
Daily Goal Integration:
● Set a Timer: Dedicate 20-25 minutes specifically to one 200-word topic using
this method. Breaking it down into small, timed segments makes it less
daunting.
● Track Your Progress: Check off each step as you complete it. Seeing your
progress can be highly motivating.
● Reward System: After successfully studying a topic, give yourself a small,
non-food reward (e.g., 5 minutes of your favorite music, a quick stretch break,
a sip of a nice drink).
● Consistency is Key: Even if you only have time for one topic a day, doing it
consistently builds momentum.
By following this structured approach, you'll not only understand the 200-word topic
deeply but also build confidence and create effective study habits. You've got this!
