We all know that we should use smart study strategies for learning. But what is the science behind effective study strategies? The tips below come from scientific studies that examine the difference between memorizing for short term and learning for the long haul.

　　我们都知道要采用聪明的学习策略，但是这背后的科学内涵是什么呢?下面给出了几条通过研究短期记忆和长期记忆间的区别而得出的学习秘诀。

　　1. Quiz Yourself Daily

　　每日监测自己

　　Studies have shown that the best way to remember the information you've read or studied is to test yourself. Why? It seems that the mere act of pulling information out of your brain and tucking it away again works like a sort of "body-building technique" for memories. Through a process called retrieval practice, it seems that information becomes sturdier and more embedded.

　　研究表明，要记住所学过的知识的最好办法就是检测自己。为什么呢?因为从大脑中把信息提取出来的行为就像锻炼身体一样在锻炼记忆力。通过这种检索训练，信息可以被更牢固地掌握。

　　2. Reduce Your Cell Phone Use

　　减少使用手机

　　It should come as no surprise that spending too much time on the cell phone can affect your grades. But the relationship between phones and grades is not simple; it’s not just a matter of time spent wisely (or not).

　　无须大惊小怪，我们都知道花太多时间在手机上会影响成绩。但是手机和成绩间的关系可不简单，可不仅仅和时间是否花得明智有关。

　　Studies show that there is a relationship between cell phone use, anxiety, and student performance.

　　研究表明在手机使用频率、焦虑程度、学业表现这三者中存在关联。

　　Increased time on the phone seems to be linked to increased feelings of anxiety, and that leads to lower student performance.

　　花在手机上的时间越多就越焦虑，随之，成绩就会下降。

　　Another relationship has been noticed between increased time on cell phones and a decrease in physical activity. Students who spend more time on phones, in other words, tend to be less active - which also causes a buildup of stress and anxiety.

　　研究还发现，玩手机的时间越多，参加体育活动的时间就越少。换言之，喜欢玩手机的同学都比较宅，这也会增加压力与焦虑。

　　In fact, science also suggests that students who take part in aerobic exercise benefit from better long term memory. It’s just a good policy to limit time on cell phones and increase physical activity.

　　事实上，科学家还发现参加有氧锻炼的学生更容易形成长期记忆。因此，减少使用手机的时间，增加体育锻炼的时间会是一个好主意。

　　3. Stop Trying to Memorize

　　不要再死记硬背

　　Memorization is a skill that comes in handy for short term memory. But short term memory is only good if you’re cramming for a test. Long term memory is the goal for truly learning from the material that you cover in class.

　　死记硬背对短期记忆来说很有帮助。但是短期记忆只是为了临时抱佛脚之用，变成长期记忆才真正学习掌握了课堂知识。

　　A recent study shows that memorization impairs your ability to recall details - and that can be a problem if you’re taking a test with essay or multiple choice questions!

　　最近的一项研究表明，死记硬背会降低你记忆细节的能力，如果考试要求写问答题或是多选题，那你就麻烦了!

　　To commit information to your long term memory, you will need to venture beyond memorizing facts. You must strive to gain a meaningful understanding of concepts beyond the words and names on your list of terms. Long term memory comes from getting active with material and studying the same information several times over a few weeks.

　　要形成长期记忆，你不仅仅要记住信息。你还要掌握除了词语和人名之外的信息，试着去理解它们代表的概念。长期记忆来自积极利用材料并且反复学习。

　　4. Use Music and Actions

　　听音乐、动手写

　　The more active you become when it comes to studying, the more you will be able to commit the information to memory. If you’re studying foreign language it seems that singing is helpful.

　　学习的时候越积极，记下的知识就越多。如果你在学一门外语，唱歌大有裨益。

　　Singing new vocabulary taps in to your auditory learning skills, according to one study. It’s certainly worth a try!

　　根据一线研究显示，把新单词唱成歌曲可以开发你的视听学习技能。这值得一试!

　　Another study shows that you can benefit by taking your class notes by hand instead of using a keyboard to type your notes. The act of writing words out by hand enhances the comprehension of concepts. In one study, students who took notes on a computer could recall facts as well as those who used hand-written notes, but they could not grasp concepts nearly as well as the pen-and-paper students.

　　还有研究表明不用电脑，而用手抄笔记也有收获。手写笔记可以加深对概念的理解。一项研究显示，用电脑做笔记的学生也可以跟手写笔记的学生一样记住知识，但是前者对概念的理解不如后者深。

　　5. Use a Sleep Strategy

　　使用睡眠策略

　　Common sense tells us that students need to get enough sleep to perform well in school. But there are some surprising findings when it comes to how and when we sleep, as it pertains to our ability to learn. It’s not about the amount of sleep you get, necessarily. The timing of your sleep patterns also matters.

　　常识告诉我们学生需要充足的睡眠才能在学校表现良好。但是，科学家给出了一些令人惊讶的发现，告诉我们如何根据适合我们学习能力的原则来选择睡眠时间以及睡眠方式。

　　A regular bed time is important, but students with later bedtimes have lower grades than students with earlier bedtimes.

　　规律的作息很重要，但是规律的晚睡所带来的成绩却不如规律的早睡来的好。

　　When you sleep right before study time, the information seems to sink in as you sleep and soak into your long term memory. Sleep actually reinforces learning.

　　学习前小睡片刻更容易记住知识，并形成长期记忆。睡眠确实有助于学习。

　　The information will transform from short term memory to long term learning if you go straight to bed after reading. However, if you start reading Facebook posts or do any pleasure reading between study time and sleep time, you stop the potential for learning while sleeping.

　　如果阅读后倒头即睡可能可以把阅读时的短期记忆变成长期记忆。但是，如果在学习后准备睡觉前刷一刷脸书或者干别的有趣的事，你就失去了在睡眠中学习的机会。

（编辑：何莹莹）