When studying, it is important that we get the most out of what we read. The day after we study, we should be able to recall all those important parts that we need in order for us to pass. After all, we do study so we could familiarize ourselves with topics and understand them, right?

One mistake that people usually do is that they memorize what they study; this would usually end in you forgetting what you read almost immediately after taking your test. For all that time you have spent studying, getting retention out of what you've read should be what you are aiming for. For you to get the most retention out of what you are studying, here are a few things that you could do.

1. When you are reading your textbook or your notes, make sure you understand them.

Don't just read a hundred pages or so just for reading's sake. Seriously, what is the point of going through all those pages when you don't understand them, right?

Memorizing terms and definitions are different from understanding them. Look at it this way, if you took a test and you were asked to make an essay out of what you've understood about something, do you think you could make a good essay out of just memorizing the definition or description of the chosen topic? Maybe you could put in a good sentence or two but perhaps that would already be stretching it. After all, how do you think you could expound on something when you don't even understand it in the first place?

2. If you don't get the hang of it the first time, read it again or review.

Most people think that reading through what you have to study once would be enough to make you pass. Sure that may be the case, but don't you want to score higher on your exams? Reviewing or reading things twice or even thrice can help you do this. It'll help you remember and take note of some things that you could've overlooked the first time you read through your book.

It's really annoying during tests how you're sure you know the answer to one question but you just can't find the right term for it; kind of like it's at the tip of your tongue (or pen, rather) but you just can't seem to draw a bead on it.

3. Take notes whenever you're studying so it would be easier for you to recall things.

Having to check what the definition is for a single term could take a whole lot of searching to do if you have to look it over in a textbook. You'd have to look for the chapter, page number and all that – just for one term. When you study, try to have a pen and paper in hand so you could jot down things that you think are important or if you need to review on this further after you study.