As thousands of students continue to sit their Leaving Cert exams, revision strategies will be the focus of households across the country.

This week on the Show Me The Science podcast, Professor Luke O’Neill advised on the scientifically proven best ways to study.

“Number one – make sure you have a good plan,” he said.

“Plan what you’re going to study tonight or tomorrow, whatever it is, and sketch it out.

“The reason why a plan is important is it takes some of the fear."

Stressed teen boy studying with laptop while lying on floor

Prof O’Neill also recommended to write things down when studying, rather than just reading out of a book.

“Don’t be just reading the old notes, because you read them before,” he said.

“It’s a good idea to sketch out your notes; in other words, write down some stuff.

“Writing is actually a great way to get stuff into your brain, and just reading isn’t necessarily the most effective thing.”

Mind maps

According to Prof O’Neill, mind maps can be a great way to teach your brain to produce information whenever you think of a certain topic.

“You might put DNA in the middle – which I am obsessed with – and all around the outside arrows to what the DNA is and does,” he said.

“This diagram also goes into your brain and now you can produce that when the time comes to write about DNA.”

Parent taking away smartphone from teenage daughter. Image: Prostock-studio / Alamy Stock Photo

Prof O’Neill advised students not to get annoyed if parents or family asked them about what they’re studying, and instead to use it as an opportunity to test themselves, and further cement their knowledge.

“The act of telling stuff lodges it in your mind,” he said.

“So, explaining things can be a very powerful way to do this.

“This all gives you your best chance of remembering then, when the time comes.”

Prof O’Neill also said that students who study in silence or to music without lyrics are proven to get better results than those who study in noisy environments.

Main image: Luke O'Neill in the Newstalk studio (L) and a students studying (R).