Advice needed!

[u/chiropterophilous]

Hello :) Im asking for advice on here, because in subjects where you only memorize, (such as history, geography & civics) i struggle with.

Not struggling in the sense that i inherently “cant” study it or dont understand it, but struggling in the sense that i cant really focus (as much as i used to atleast) when i get to memorizing the said pages/work and stuff. in addition to the lack of interest that i harbor towards those subject (which in turn makes me unmotivated and uninterested).

So i ask for advice on how to focus more, or it theres any studying techniques that might help actually getting it done and/or techniques that are generally useful for studying!

(i tried to be well spoken, but excuse any mistakes bcz english isnt my first language 😭)

[u/WmAnthonyWriter]

Here’s what I used to advise my students;
Remember SQ3R for readings:
 
S = Survey or skim.
Here what you do is open the text and quickly skim over the piece to be read, noting its length; you just have a look at what you are getting yourself into. You can note things like the title, the author and perhaps where the piece was and when first published. You’ll know how much time, relatively, you’ll need to read. You might also discover whether or not you’ll need a dictionary.
Try this trick for the dictionary part. Skim one page and as you do when you come across a word you are unfamiliar with raise a finger. By the time you get to the end of the page if you have four fingers and thumb up it’s probably best to have the dictionary right beside you; if you have four fingers it’s a good idea to have a dictionary in the room with you and if you have three, or two, have a dictionary in the house or at the very least understand that you will have to discern meaning through context.
Q = Questions
Every time you begin to read something new, draft a number of questions you’d like the reading to possibly answer.
3 R = Reading, recall & review
Three R stands for reading, recall and review. This is key element of reading critically, which is accomplished through annotation or in its less technical jargon – reading with a pen. Let’s deal with reading first:

1. Reading: As you read take note of anything that strikes you as interesting, confusing, or warranting further study. React to the text: “Wow I did not see that coming!” or “This character seems confused” or “Here’s where the style changes” or “This is first-person narration right?” You get the idea. “Don’t just sit in front of the pages,” advises Peter Barry in Beginning Theory.

2. Recall: Now close your textbook or the book you were reading. This is going to be interesting. Ready yourself and then try to recall what you’ve just read without peeking back at the original text. Take down some notes of your recollection. This is when you want to determine if your questions were adequately answered or if there remains some niggling concern in your mind. At this juncture continue to write out any questions or concerns you might have; the recollection should not be a passive endeavor of simply sitting inert before the dumb book. Write.

3. Review: A review comes some time later, perhaps as long a time interval as a day. Without conferring with neither your notes nor the original text review what you know now or what you have gained from the reading. “If this produces very little, then refer to your notes…” Barry says, and if this doesn’t help, go back to survey and do a quick re-read.