Highlighting Important Information Before doing this, it's necessary to read and understand the text. You need to know how to select information so you don't end up highlighting the whole book. Only highlight important parts and keywords. It might seem like a very simple technique, but it's usually very useful because you've selected the most relevant information. Also, by highlighting it, it becomes much more visual and facilitates the memorization process.

Making Your Own Notes Summarizing the important things in your own words makes it easier to understand what you are studying. It can be either on paper or digital. However, using paper is always recommended. Also, to make it more visual, it's advisable to use different colors.

Mind Maps This helps to summarize and organize ideas. It can be done on paper or digitally.
If you choose the digital option, we recommend these websites that can be used for free:

• Draw.io (This is our favorite, it has many functions and you don't need to register) https://www.diagrams.net/

• Canva https://www.canva.com/

• XMind https://xmind.app/

• MindMup https://www.mindmup.com/

Guide to making a mind map:

• Prepare the materials. The minimum needed to do it on paper is a sheet of paper (preferably horizontal) and a pencil or pen, but we recommend using highlighters or markers to make it attractive and make you want to study more. If you do it digitally, you only need an electronic device.

• Define the central theme. Write the main theme in the center of the page. It can be a keyword or an image that represents it. Surround it with a circle, cloud, or box to highlight it.

• From the central theme, draw lines or branches (choose the format you like best) towards the main ideas. Remember to use keywords, short phrases, or images.

• Continue adding more branches from the main ideas to the secondary ones.

Flashcards or Leitner Method If instead of a text you have to learn vocabulary words or an important date, this is a good technique. With them, you can memorize things in a didactic and entertaining way.
What do they consist of? Cards that have a question or a keyword on one side and the answer or a definition on the other. You can make them digitally or on paper. For the digital option, we recommend these websites/applications. If you want them to be generated with AI from a text you give them, choose Thea https://www.thea.study/. However, if you prefer to make them yourself, the best option is Anki https://apps.ankiweb.net/.
Once you have created the flashcards, divide them into three boxes. The flashcards in the first box are the ones you know best, and you will review them once a week. The ones in the second box are the ones you know more or less, and you will review them every 2-3 days. Finally, in the third box, you will put the ones you don't know, and you will review them every week. As you learn, you have to move the flashcards from the third box to the second and from the second to the first. The goal is for all the cards to reach the first box.

Exercises and Practical Cases There are people who don't find reading and making outlines helpful for understanding the subject. Some need to apply the theory. Thinking about how the content might appear and asking yourself questions that could be on the exam is a good way to better assimilate the theory. This way, by answering the question without using the book, you can get an idea of how much of the material you know. In subjects like Mathematics and Physics and Chemistry, we recommend using this technique. Finally, if you are in high school, you can use Bertoblog, where you have many solved exercises, with a special emphasis on exercises to prepare for the university entrance exams. https://bertoblog.com/

Mnemonic Rules There are several methods to make your own mnemonic rules:

• Make words with the first two letters of each word you have to learn. For example: Hydrogen, Carbon, and Nitrogen: HICARNI.

• Use phrases, acronyms, or rhymes. For example, to remember the planets, you can use "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles" (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).

Organize Studying Create a calendar to organize what you are going to study each day and thus arrive on time for the exam. It is not enough just to do it; you also have to make an effort to comply with it. That is why you have to do it with realistic objectives; for example, you are not going to learn 10 topics in one afternoon. Everything has to be well distributed, and we must ensure that it fits everyone's needs.

Pomodoro Technique The Pomodoro Technique is a time management technique that helps improve productivity and concentration and reduce mental fatigue. This method is based on dividing work into time intervals called "pomodoros," working for x minutes followed by a short break. After completing four pomodoros, a longer break is taken. With this table, you can see how much rest you need to take according to the time worked:
| Work Time | Rest Time | | :------------------------ | :-------- | | 25 minutes (most recommended) | 5 minutes | | 40 minutes | 10 minutes | | 50 minutes | 15 minutes |

Feynman Method The Feynman Method is a learning technique designed to understand any topic deeply and simply, improving long-term retention and memory. Its basic principle is that if you cannot explain something simply, then you do not understand it well enough.
Guide to using it:

• Choose a topic you want to learn and write it on a blank sheet of paper as if you had to teach it to someone else.

• Imagine you are explaining the concept to a 6-year-old. Use simple words and avoid complicated technical jargon.

• Once you have written the explanation, check that everything is correct and correct anything that is not.

• Try explaining it to a friend, family member, or in front of a mirror. If you get stuck on a part or use difficult words, it means you do not yet fully understand the concept. Go back to your study sources and review those parts.

80/20 Rule We recommend using this technique when you have started studying with little advance notice because it improves productivity, decision-making, and efficiency. By identifying the few key actions (20%) that generate 80% of the results, you can optimize your time and resources to achieve more with less effort.
Guide to following this technique:

• Analyze the study material. Ask yourself the following questions: What are the most frequently asked topics in previous exams? What concepts appear most often in classes or books? What are the key points that explain most of the topics?

  • Example: If you study mathematics, prioritize the most common formulas and problems instead of trying to learn all possible exercises.

• Identify the most important 20%. Define which key concepts explain most of the content. Reduce extensive material to summaries with the most valuable information.

  • Example: If you study history, instead of memorizing exact dates of all events, focus on the most relevant causes and consequences.

• Now that you know what to study, use effective strategies to focus on what is important. You can use techniques explained in this application: Pomodoro, mind maps, Feynman…

Interleaving Interleaving is a learning technique that consists of mixing different types of problems or topics in a study session instead of studying a single topic continuously. This method is widely used in education and cognitive training because it improves long-term retention and the ability to apply knowledge in varied situations.
Guide to using Interleaving:

• Identify related topics. Look for subjects or types of exercises that can be mixed, that is, that are related to each other. Do not mix math exercises with geography vocabulary; instead, mix different types of math problems.

• Alternate topics in study sessions. Instead of studying one topic for 30 minutes, divide that time between several topics.

An example of a study session with this technique:

• 5 algebra exercises

• 5 geometry exercises

• 5 trigonometry exercises

• A break and repeat the cycle

SQ3R Method The SQ3R method is a study technique that improves comprehension and retention of information when reading academic texts or books. Its name comes from the acronym of its five steps: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.
Guide on how to use the SQ3R method:

• Survey: Before reading, quickly scan the text: look at titles, subtitles, highlighted words, graphics, and summaries. This will give you a general idea of the content.

• Question: Turn the titles and subtitles into questions. For example, if the topic is "The water cycle," you could ask yourself: What are the stages of the water cycle?

• Read: Read the text with the aim of finding answers to your questions. Do it attentively, focusing on the main ideas and taking notes.

• Recite: Without looking at the text, try to remember and explain in your own words what you have read. This reinforces memory and helps you identify which parts you need to review.

• Review: Go back and review the material, making sure you have understood and remembered the key points."