Are you a visual learner? If you learn better by seeing, then here are the best study tips for visual learners!
Sometimes if you struggle with learning or studying, it might have to do with your learning style!
Choosing the right learning style can result in drastic effects and help you absorb information better!
Unsure if you are an auditory learner? If you answer yes to one or more of the questions below, then you are most likely a visual learner.
Do you prefer to visualize examples over listening to them?
Are you a strong organizer?
Do you have a strong sense of color?
Are you more drawn to imagery when learning?
Can you find small differences between similar images quickly?
15+ Useful Study Tips for Visual Learners
1. Utilize Images
Whenever possible, use pictures, charts, and graphs to better comprehend information.
Also, search for visual aids or guides to help with laying out the information.
Visual learners work better with seeing and the more visual information you have, the better.
It can vary from anything from written instructions to colorful images to outlines.
Whichever tool stimulates your visual senses will work for studying better.
Moreover, visual aids can range from anything printed to handmade.
2. Color Code Your Stationary
In addition to visual aids, color coding your stationery is another plus.
If you have several subjects like math, English, history, etc. then you can color code them.
For instance, I have red for math, pink for English, and green for history.
I associate red with apples and it makes me think of splitting them up and sharing them to math.
My favorite color is pink and I left that for my favorite subject in school.
Then, I have green associated with trees and it makes me think of the passage of time and history.
Furthermore, you can assign colors based on your preferences and whatever makes the most sense to you.
Color coding has helped me drastically during my high school and college years.
Instead of digging through my backpack for the correct notebook, I can just pull out what I need based on the color.
**Tip: If you use notebooks, you can organize them based on periods or the time block for each class.
For instance, if I have math, English, then history class, I will order my notebooks in red, pink, then green.
This way, each time I’m done with a class, I can just place the notebook in the back and pull out the notebook in the front that I will use.
3. Sit in the Front
This may seem obvious, but for visual learners sitting in the front is a huge benefit.
You will be able to see the board or the lecture in close view.
In addition, you will be more focused and attentive than sitting in the back.
Plus, you can see pictures, images, and text better in the front than way in the back.
You can also ask questions easily when you are close to the teacher or professor since you are right in front of them.
If you sit in the back, make sure that you can see what is written on the board.
However, if it seems too far, you can either wear contact or glasses or just sit in the front.
If you have assigned seating, you can ask your teacher or professor if you can be placed towards the front.
Interested in more posts like study tips for visual learners? Check out Genius Study Skills for High School Students.
4. Use Study Guides
This may be obvious, but study guides are your best study buddy.
You can include any questions and answers together, highlight important concepts, and ask others for feedback.
Also, you can work on study guides during group study sessions.
This is the time to get feedback, compare answers, and quiz each other.
Use the time wisely and on your own time you can review the study guide.
In addition, the more you contribute to the study guide, the better you will do on quizzes and exams.
This is because you are already interacting with the study guide and using the time to study.
5. Watch Videos
Another useful study tip for visual learners is watching videos.
This may be helpful for many types of learners, but it can help visual learners a lot.
Since imagery and pictures are stimulating, visual learners will do better when there are examples shown visually.
Plus, there will be captions on videos that allow for visually seeing the explanation and images simultaneously.
This will hugely help with studying and learning new information.
Pick videos that have high views, thumbs up, or great comments to decide which ones you want to watch.
You can go through a video first by watching and a second time by taking notes if needed.
6. Draw/Doodle
If I had to pick one tip out of the many useful study tips for visual learners, then drawing and doodling is near the top.
I find that doodling or drawing something small near your notes or lectures will help you retain information better.
If you think that you cannot draw, do not fret.
Your doodles and drawings don’t have to be professional or Michelangelo-level to be considered a drawing.
As long as YOU understand and have a story tied to your notes, the easier it will be for you to study.
Adding meaning to information will help you store that information better in your memory.
7. Create Flashcards
Another awesome study tool is flashcards!
You can get the colorful type to organize your study materials.
For instance, you can write vocabulary terms on green index cards, concepts on red index cards, and miscellaneous formulas on yellow index cards.
Play around with the colors and how you organize your flashcards to maximize the retention period of information in your brain.
If you only have white index cards, you can also use highlighters or colored pens to add color.
It can be a simple swoosh of color on the corner to help you identify the question.
8. Use Lists
If you find yourself having a difficult time remembering simple tasks or large problems, make a list!
Grab a sticky note or a sheet of paper and jot down as many tasks as you need to finish within this week.
Then, sort through them and place the most urgent tasks on the top.
Work on the smaller, but more urgent tasks first before moving on to larger tasks.
Also, check off each of the tasks that you accomplish to give you a sense of satisfaction.
However, do not overwhelm yourself with a bunch of lists.
The last thing you want to do is create a lot of lists and end up not accomplishing any of the tasks.
Instead, limit yourself to working on three to five tasks per day out of the long list of things that you have to do.
9. Print Lecture Slides
Do you feel rushed when taking lecture notes?
Are you scrambling to get every single word down, but unable to?
Well, you should try to print your lecture notes ahead of time!
This way you will be able to jot down notes while reading off of the slides.
Not only will you save time, but also save energy from looking up and down from the desk and board.
Moreover, you can review the lecture slides ahead of time to get a better idea of the concepts and lessons taught that day.
**Tip: Try to print your notes double-sided to save paper and trees!
10. Annotate Your Notes
Instead of just taking notes, try to go an extra step further.
After you take notes, go back and annotate them.
For instance, highlight or use symbols to emphasize important ideas.
Go over your notes and try to extend your understanding.
Answer any questions you have with the notes you took and seek help from others.
Use the resources that you have to the best of your ability.
The idea of annotating your notes is to interact with them more.
11. Use Symbols
Similar to the tip above, use symbols for your notes!
You can come up with symbols that work for you.
Some ideas are:
- boxes
- underlining
- star
- squiggly lines
- circles
Then, you can assign meaning to the symbols.
For example, you can box questions, underline vocabulary terms, star important concepts, add squiggly lines to information that is good to know, and circle difficult ideas.
Play around with how you decide to add symbols to your notes to get the most out of it.
12. Transcript
Visual learners also do better when reading text instead of hearing the words.
You can try to get a transcribed version of the lecture or ask for slides ahead of time.
Also, you can record and then have the recording transcribed to text.
It will be easier to highlight, annotate, and interact with the text.
You can organize the notes by separating them with headers, subtext, and added interpretation.
Make the transcript into your notes that you can use and understand better.
Moreover, you can add images and drawings to enhance your notes and make information more memorable.
Later, you can read over your notes while listening to the lecture for enhanced studying.
Interested in more content like study tips for visual learners? Check out How to Study Last Minute and Still Ace Your Test.
13. Organize Your Notes
Color is an important aid for visual learners, but so is organization.
It will be much more helpful to have your notes organized and color-coded to help with studying.
You can color code your notebooks and supplies.
Next, organize your notes based on the subject.
If you use notebooks, then separate your notes in different colors.
However, if you use a digital device, then make sure your notes are organized in separate folders for easy access.
One way you can organize your notes is through years or school level.
An example by year:
- 2019-2020
- 2020-2021
- 2021-2022
- 2022-2023
An example by school level:
- 9th grade
- 10th grade
- 11th grade
- 12th grade
Then, within the year or school level, you can branch it out to separate subjects or teachers’ names.
Try whichever method works best for you and use it to help you organize your notes.
And if you take notes on loose-leaf paper make sure you keep them together with a paper clip, binder clip, or folder.
14. Study On Your Own
Another simple study tip for visual learners is that they learn better on their own versus in a group.
If you find yourself focusing better alone, then you should study on your own more often.
Also, you will probably work better in a quiet area as compared to a noisy background.
However, this does not mean that you should miss out on group study sessions.
You can section out time for your personal study session and spend less time on group study sessions.
Plus, you can use group study time to ask questions that you don’t know or compare answers to problem sets that you have them before.
It’s a great time to review and go over problems during group study sessions and practice what you learned on your own time.
If something is not sticking, try to seek help or go back to the problem later.
Sometimes a fresh mind will help you solve a problem better than just sitting and staring at it.
15. Create Your Own Test/Exam Material
Another awesome tip for visual learners is to make your own test, quiz, or exam materials.
Plus, you can alter how you present the question or content to make it the most memorable for you.
For instance, you can come up with your skit or play to act out historical events for a history test.
Another idea is to draw out a scene of things to remember and add meaning to them.
You can use mind maps to help you with organizing information and memorizing them.
Also, you can give a lecture to your pet, sibling, or stuffed animal.
Try to explain concepts more easily and if you can then that means you are solid!
Test which study tips work for you and make sure to try them out!
Hopefully, these study tips for visual learners are helpful and work for you!
