Clustering: The Science-Backed Method of Information Simplification

First, begin with simple, easy-to-understand information.
Then, build to complex, detailed information.

Finally, re-simplify the information so you can remember the general ideas no problem, and cue your own memory for the difficult stuff.
On test day, instead of racking your brain for information that may or may not be there – or even worse, feeling like you just can’t grasp what you’re looking for, even though you know it is there – you can calmly organize your thoughts and let the answers flow. It’s like filling in a crossword puzzle: As more words are entered, it gets easier and easier to recognize what is missing.

For this approach, there are five easy-peasy, quick-and-simple (yet effective!) steps:

Simple → Complex → Simple

Consult the syllabus – yes, they really can be useful!
Trust me, that course outline might seem like a waste of paper, but it will really help you get an idea of the extent of the course’s material. Plus, how much simpler can it get?? Sometimes just reading the order that the chapters are covered in can give you a broader sense of how the material will progress. No more questions like, ‘When will I ever use this again??’ (the answer might be: Next week!). In most of my university courses, later chapters required a concrete understanding of the earlier ones. Stay on top of things from the beginning and it will be a much smoother ride.

Simple → Complex → Simple
Take notes in class – with a buddy!

In my experience, taking notes during a lecture can be a bit hectic, especially if the professor talks about more than what’s on the slides. There is a beautiful invention that I wish I’d known about earlier in my degree which can help you get the most complete, stress-free notes possible: GoogleDocs! Find a friend in the class and create a combined document for notes. Then, decide who will keep track of the slides and who will write down what the professor is saying. When it comes time to study, you’ll both have stellar notes with no blank spaces!

Refer to the textbook – please don’t read the whole thing!

Now that you have flawless notes, use them as a guide for your studying. If there is something you don’t quite understand or that isn’t easy to remember, the textbook can be a saving grace. Imagine it like a story book: Each chapter is filled with storylines surrounding each of the main topics of the course. The textbook can give you context surrounding the ideas in your notes, which can be a lot easier to remember than just lists or bullet points of information. If you feel you already have a good grasp on an idea, skip that section! In general, I find it’s more beneficial to understand a wide range of simple concepts than only a few very detailed areas of a test. (Partial points, my friend! It all adds up!)  More on Studying your Textbook  How do you read a textbook – a Quick Survey

Simple → Complex → Simple
Summarize the ideas – keep it short and sweet!

Now that you have a broader understanding of the information, it’s time to break it back down. I don’t know about you, but being overwhelmed with details going into a test usually ends up in me drawing a complete blank. Don’t waste all that hard work! This is the part where highlighters, colour-coding, and sketching usually come into play. Whatever works for you, simplify the details into basic concepts. Quick outlines of important diagrams or charts can help with remembering the more complex versions. Bullet points can really help shorten long paragraphs into manageable pieces. Remember, keep it short and sweet!

Cluster the information – easy-peasy!
Now here’s the gamechanger: Instead of stopping at the summary, really break those ideas down into bite-sized pieces. And I mean super simple – try to put each idea or piece of information into one word. Then, cluster those words into categories (concepts) so you can easily remember which ideas belong together. Clustering is a science-based way to easily remember complex information (thank-you psychology!). Typically, I find 4-6 words per cluster works best, with lots of symbols and shorthand.

Here are three examples of clusters from my dreaded Neurobiology course (which I got an A+ in, thanks to this method!):

Graded potentials
Dendrites
EPSP ↑ AP
IPSP ↓ AP

Action potential
Axons
Resting potential (↓)
Depolarization (↑)
Potential spike (↑↑)
Hyperpolarization (↓↓)

Conduction properties
Myelination
Insulation
Saltatory conduction
Nodes of Ranvier

And that’s all there is to it! Yes, there is a bit of work involved… but that’s a bit of a given, and it will all pay off in the end. The biggest benefit of this method for me has been the amount of information I still remember even after the test is over. This has been especially helpful for getting into a research position and feeling confident during final exams. Breaking things down and taking the time to understand the course material properly the first time saves a lot of time and energy that might otherwise go into re-learning it or cramming the night before! And hey, it’s backed by science… so what’s not to love?

From one student to another, happy studying!

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