Realtyintellectlearn smart: a guide to study techniques

An independent guide to study techniques and self-education. Not an educational institution and not connected with the former site on this domain; we do not sell courses or educational documents.

Resources

Useful resources

There is more learning material today than anyone could get through in a lifetime, and the main difficulty is not finding it but choosing. In this section we describe the main types of resources for study and self-education and explain what each is good for. We deliberately do not name brands or platforms: what matters is understanding which tool you need and being able to check its quality yourself.

A good learning resource does not promise you will learn everything in a week. It tells you honestly who made it, what it is based on and how much work it will take from you.

— Editor's note

How this section works: we list the types of resources — libraries and catalogues, open online courses, flashcard apps, timers, study groups and popular science sources — and describe how each one is useful. We do not name or rate specific services, platforms or educational institutions.

Types of resources

Six types of resources that independent study is usually built from.

Libraries and online catalogues

Public and academic libraries give access to textbooks and reference works, and online catalogues help you find a book or article on a topic. Librarians can often suggest where to start.

Topics

Open online courses

Useful when you need structure: a syllabus, lectures, assignments. Check whether the course includes practice and knowledge checks rather than just videos, and who wrote it.

Topics

Flashcard apps

Flashcard apps remind you which cards are due for review. That is convenient but not essential: the same system works with paper cards in a box.

Practice

Timers

An ordinary timer helps you work in blocks and take breaks on time. You do not need a special app: a phone timer or a kitchen timer will do.

Methods

Study groups

Studying together helps you keep pace, explain material to each other and test yourselves. It works best when the group has agreed on goals and ground rules.

FAQ

Popular science sources

Books and articles for a general audience help you get into a subject. Check whether the author cites research and separates facts from personal opinion.

Terms

How to check the quality of a course or material

  • The author: do they have experience in the field, and can their qualifications be verified
  • Sources: does the material cite books and studies that you can find and read
  • Updates: when was the material created, and has it been revised since
  • Reviews: only count those you can verify, such as discussions in open communities, not anonymous glowing quotes
  • Free content: can you see the syllabus and sample lessons before you spend time or money
  • Promises: "guaranteed results", "learn it in a week" and "no effort needed" are a reason to be wary, not to sign up
  • Topics

    Studying at school and university, adult self-education, languages, exams and professional skills, plus the article catalogue.

  • Practice

    Hands-on tasks: a two-week review plan, flashcards for self-testing and the warning signs of passive rereading.

  • FAQ

    Answers about the guide, about studying and memory, and about exams and motivation.

Sources

  • Dunlosky et al., Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques (2013)
  • F. Cirillo — The Pomodoro Technique

Study techniques are described in general terms based on classic work on memory and the research reviews listed in the sources. Choose techniques that fit your task and check what actually works for you.