Six Effective Techniques To Study History

We all have seen students in the worst possible shape during their semester whenever they encounter a seemingly challenging subject. It becomes tough to learn a subject if you don’t find joy in it. That said, history is anything but boring! 

History is a rich subject that is littered with countless details. Names, dates, places, events- there’s just so much information and context. And studying such a subject is no ordinary feat. It requires a unique set of skills to analyze and retain information. However, with a few simple tips and tricks, you can overcome this hurdle. 

We all know basic techniques such as having a schedule, planning, staying consistent while studying. But history subject requires specific techniques to make it enjoyable and easy to learn, for example, making a map in your head. This article aims to discuss a few different methods you can adopt to make learning easier. So let’s begin!

Make Notes in Chronological Order

Compiling all the gathered information in a sequence can make the memorization process much more manageable. So while taking notes, try to put them in chronological order. It also gets easier to look for specific information in your notes when they are organized. If you’re enrolled in a bachelor of arts in history online, this is even easier to do. Since you’re already studying on your laptop, firing up a text document and typing things is more straightforward than manually writing stuff down on papers and then rummaging through them later. The ctrl+F key is a blessing!

Prepare Flashcards

But if you still insist on writing things down manually, flashcards are an excellent option. Flashcards are helpful when you have to memorize dates, names, or details about an event. Practicing with flashcards and linking keywords with the information makes it easily recallable. In addition, you can make the whole experience more fun and engaging to enhance the learning process. For example, you can use colored flashcards to differentiate between events or historical periods. Having various details of an event on similar colored flashcards can help you mentally link all the information with one event. 

There are also many websites available that allow you to make digital flashcards and quizzes. You can create these flashcards with customizable colors and designs. If you do not want to make your flashcards, many are already available on the site, and you can search existing flashcards. And if you STILL want to experience the joy of flipping them through your fingers, print them out.

Stick to Just the Facts

There are so many important details when you finally sit down to studying history. Hence, it would help to stick to only the critical facts and ignore the fluff. Try to focus on dates, location, prominent people involved in an event, and outcomes. Sticking to a few relevant details will reduce the amount of information that you need to retain. 

Create a Mind Map

Once you’ve filtered out all the crucial information, create a mindmap to summarize everything for your convenience. For this purpose, start by writing/typing the primary purpose of your mindmap and the event you are focusing on. Then, add branches to the central concept to include names, dates, locations, etc. If other events happened as a consequence of the main event, include them in the mindmap. Finally, make a separate box of all the causes and effects. You will eventually have a complete map of the impact of a historical event and everything involved in it. To make learning more manageable, you can add colors and pictures to aid visual learning. Having such a map ready for all the historical events can make it easier for you to explore one topic thoroughly. 

Use Videos

Studying history does not necessarily mean that you must stick with books and endless walls of text on your laptop. Instead, you can get a little creative by including TV programs, series, and documentaries into your study routine. Videos make it easier to digest and retain information.

However, while they convey some truth, their primary purpose is to entertain and thus might be fabricated.  Therefore, it is best to view/read multiple sources. Use AV aids to trigger your enthusiasm about specific historical events. You can then take the assistance of your history books to research the facts.

Take More Quizzes

Practice is critical when it comes to studying history. Hence, it would help if you jogged your memory now and then by taking quizzes. In addition, your quiz evaluation can help you pinpoint the topics that need more attention while helping you memorize all the facts. 

Another benefit of taking quizzes is that it instantly helps you practice recalling dates, events, names, and facts. This can help you a lot during your interviews or when you study advanced history. You won’t have to go back to research every name or event, as you will be able to recall it instantaneously. 

Conclusion

History is not a dry subject if you know how to study it properly. This article went over a few tips that can make the learning process more engaging and manageable.  Make notes in chronological order and use flashcards more often. Also, supplement your textual learning with video to quickly familiarize yourself with information. Always double-check facts. Create a mindmap if there’s too much information. And last but not least, enhance your memory and recall abilities by taking quizzes.