NPE Study Techniques and Ideas
If you’re just starting your National Psychology Exam (NPE) preparation, this post has some effective techniques that may help you study. Remember we all learn differently and tailoring your study to what works for you is important. For example, thinking about the time we absorb information best is key. Do you learn better early in the morning or later in the day?
Tips for Retaining Information
Retaining information can be challenging, but these evidence-based techniques can help:
Active Learning: Engage actively with the material instead of passively reading information. This might look like asking questions, making notes, and summarising key ideas in your own words. Take what you are learning about to another person or study groups to deepen understanding.
Mind Maps: Mind maps help you see connections between concepts and make the material more memorable. Create mind maps for each domain or topic to visualise the relationships between different pieces of information. You might like to look at videos on YouTube about how to create a mindmap.
Teaching Others: Teaching NPE material to someone else is a powerful way to reinforce your understanding. This might be forming study groups and taking turns teaching each other different topics to maximise your time or telling your patient dog about the ethical considerations for using hypnosis and related practices. Explaining concepts to others helps clarify your own understanding and identify any gaps in knowledge.
Storytelling: Create stories or scenarios that incorporate the information you’re learning or trying to solidify in your mind. This technique makes abstract concepts more concrete and relatable.
Spaced Repetition: Review information at spaced intervals to enhance long-term retention. This may involve regularly revisiting previously studied material to reinforce your memory or using flashcards.
Practice Questions: Regularly complete practice questions and simulate exam conditions if you can. Practising under exam-like conditions helps you become comfortable with the format and time constraints of answering questions. Regularly completing practice questions helps identify areas where you need further study and improves test-taking skills. We have some great practice questions that allow you to get immediate feedback and under exam-like conditions.
Personal Study Strategies
When I prepared for the NPE, I found mind maps, storytelling, and teaching others to be particularly effective. Here’s how I used these techniques:
Mind Maps: I created mind maps for each exam domain and then for individual topics within them, which helped me visualise and connect different concepts. This was especially useful for understanding complex relationships and processes.
Storytelling: When studying the DSM and specific disorders we needed to have detailed knowledge on I developed stories and scenarios around the information I was learning. This made the material more engaging and easier to remember. I also found drawing Venn diagrams of overlapping disorders and traits helpful to tease ideas that were similar apart.
Teaching Others: I formed a small study group with a work colleague and joined Psychology Squared 10 week NPE study program. My work colleague and I took turns teaching each other different topics and explaining concepts to my peers reinforced my understanding and helped identify any gaps in my knowledge.
Effective preparation for the NPE involves a combination of structured planning, using the right resources, and employing strategies to retain information. We hope the above ideas are helpful in enhancing your study sessions and improve your chances of success. Remember, every psychologist who has passed the NPE started where you are now. With dedication and the right approach, you can pass the exam too.
Have you found any particular study strategies helpful in your preparation for the NPE? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below! Your insights could help fellow provisional psychologists in their journey.