Exam Study Expert: ace your exams with the science of learning

Join us for another episode in our popular Student Stories series, featuring Dr Frank Douglas, a scholar for whom education was pivotal in his life's journey.  From his beginnings in Guyana to his work in global pharma leadership, we'll follow Frank's journey of "bouncing forward": of scholarships and hard work, undertaking a PhD in America, facing racial discrimination in...

Sometimes less just really is more! We're exploring the value knowing when to let things go. We're stopping, dropping, trimming and de-prioritising to make space for the things that matter most.  So today, we’ve got three solutions for when three key areas of life get overwhelming and out of balance:  Self-care Study strategies  Study tasks ** Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psycholo...

Social connections are critical for mental and physical wellbeing, and they significantly impact academic performance. Dr. Kimberly Horne shares evidence-based insights on nurturing friendships even during busy periods of study and examination preparation. • Loneliness affects concentration, GPA, and even immune system function • College social terrain differs dramatically from high school, requir...

Enter Zettelkasten: a powerful and sophisticated note-making system for more advanced users. A secret superpower to help you be more productive, cut procrastination, have more and better insights, and streamline the research/writing process. Here to teach us how to use the strategy is Dr Sönke Ahrens, author of How To Take Smart Notes and widely regarded as the world's top authority on the ar...

We explore five essential habits that can transform your academic performance by taking small, consistent actions throughout your studies rather than cramming at the end. Doing these little things well from the beginning will make your academic life significantly easier when exam time arrives. • Stay organised as you go along – identify and remove your specific bottlenecks to staying organised • L...

First broadcast as Episode 154, we're revisiting this epic interview with giant of the "science of effective study" world, the great Professor John Dunlosky. In today's must-listen episode, we discover: Why learning should be challenging A taxonomy for thinking about 10 popular study strategies - which work best, and for what? How to master "successive re-learning" Pl...

Charlie Colenutt shares his journey from disillusioned lawyer to author, exploring what makes work fulfilling based on interviews with 100 people across diverse professions. You'll learn: •How the most satisfied workers can see clear, immediate results from their efforts • That career satisfaction shows little correlation with income beyond meeting basic needs • Many fulfilled workers had exp...

A simple daily practice to have happier, more productive days: gratitude journalling for students. * Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress. BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwi...

Happiness isn't just about feeling good – it's about living in alignment with your values and purpose while managing inevitable stress more effectively. • Stress is the primary barrier to happiness, hijacking your brain and making good decisions difficult • Toning your vagus nerve through humming, breath work, movement, connection and nature helps reset your nervous system • Self-care do...

Discover the power of clear purpose and a compelling vision with today's double bill episodes featuring two guests: Ian Chamandy and Steve Gamlin. *** First, we dive into the world of purpose with coach, entrepreneur and author Ian Chamandy: Unpack the value of having a really clear view of your purpose in life and as a scholar Learn how to distil that purpose into helpful statement Discover...

The psychological principle of "Cognitive Load Theory" has considerable power to understand how our brain thinks. There are some fascinating and powerful applications when you're taking exams to help your brain thinking smoother and faster. Discover five of my favourite exam-hall tips and tricks to help your brain work faster, make fewer mistakes, and score more marks when it matter...

Join the University of Oxford's Lecturer in Study Skills Dr Alix Hibble for a next-level masterclass on the academic writing process. Discover how you can save considerable time AND produce significantly better end results with a better strategy for reading, researching, outlining and writing your essays and dissertations. A must-listen for anyone with any kind of writing to do as part of the...

Learn how to overcome procrastination when working on large academic projects with today's guest, Dr Alison Miller. https://www.theacademicwritersspace.com/ * Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress. BOOK 1:1 COACHING to su...

Meditation has some fantastic benefits for scholars, including: - Wellness benefits: managing stress, nerves, anxiety and more - Productivity benefits: boosting focus and increasing your output each day But it's not always easy to fit into our busy lives. Our guest today shares a wealth of ingenious tips and tricks for integrating mindful moments to give you a boost throughout your day and at...

Top tips and tricks to get the most out of your flashcard training (testing) time, to accelerate your learning and maximise your knowledge retention. Resources mentioned today: >> Work with me 1-on-1: https://examstudyexpert.com/coaching >> VIP supporters' club Patreon: https://examstudyexpert.com/VIP >> What to do the day before an exam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwrk...

Part 4a the Flashcard Mastery Course.  Today: the common trap of making a large set of flashcards without testing them, why we commonly get into this situation, and what to do about it. * Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress....

Part 3 of 4 of the Flashcard Mastery Course.  Today: Part 3: Advanced Tips & Hacks for Flashcard MAKING - how to get more efficient in your flashcard making process, clever tricks for specific learning challenges. Bonus material and more on the Exam Study Expert Patreon: >> https://examstudyexpert.com/VIP/ Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a...

Part 2 of 4 of the Flashcard Mastery Course.  Today: Flashcard Fundamentals - why use them, and the basics of good technique COMING UP: - Part 3: Advanced Tips & Hacks for Flashcard MAKING - how to get more efficient in your flashcard making process, clever tricks for specific learning challenges - Part 4: Advanced Tips & Hacks for Flashcard TRAINING - getting more from the all-important t...

Welcome to the first in a special four-part audio course on how to learn ultra-effectively by mastering the flashcards, not the only effective study strategy, but my personal favourite and a huge listener favourite among our listeners too.  Today: discover the science that underpins the power of the flashcard. Coming up: - Part 2: Flashcard Fundamentals - why use them, and the basics of good techn...

I'm in philosophical mood today, exploring the big reasons for the Exam Study Expert mission, and exactly what we hope to help you with! Whether you're brand new to the show or a regular listener, I hope you find fresh inspiration and maybe a a few questions clarified in today's audio essay. * * Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skill...

For regular listeners, a brief update after a couple of unannounced weeks off-air, what happened, and when we'll be back in action (spoiler alert: v. soon!!). Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

This week on the show: Top tips for learning for high stakes exams Maintaining your sense of self-worth and protecting your mental health 4 top tips for keeping test-taking nerves at bay Advice for prospective / current nursing students Our guest today is Dr Morgan Taylor, an experienced advisor to nursing students. Today's conversation is mainly quite general and non-nursing specific, and re...

Today, we're talking neurodiversity in education. Whether you're a student with a neurodiverse brain, a parent to one or a teacher to one, today's episode is rich on practical advice to help you navigate the specific challenges you might have in the education system at school and college! My guest today is Christopher Wyatt, a diagnosed Autistic with ADHD as well as physical disabil...

How to concentrate on your studies? I’m going to be talking to one of the world’s leading authorities on how to manage your attention, and focus on what really matters to you, Professor Stefan van der Stigchel. We’ll be walking through an entire day of concentration to show you step-by-step what you can do to help maximise your focus, including: “Attention rituals” – learning from Darwin and Beeth...

Today, Nkechi L Ifediora joins us to break down her ABCD principles of smarter living: Assess / acceptance Boundaries Community Decision making Nkechi is a doctor, director, Mum, executive coach, writer and influencer, who's built a large following through her practical and compassionate advice on living smart. Join Nkechi's 50,000+ followers on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nkech...