Top 5 Most Common Study Myths Everyone Believes

The most important thing about studying (or anything!) is understanding what you are doing and why you are doing it. As per research conducted by Top Boarding Schools in Dehradun, many people accept this but don’t understand why it is so crucial. Studying is not for everyone. Some people simply hate it.

It doesn’t come easy for everybody, but that isn’t to say that one does not perpetuate certain myths about the subject. So today, we will explain the most common myths and why they are wrong; so that you can develop a healthy study environment.

Also Read: 6 Myths That Undermine Educational Effectiveness

How Do Myths Spread?

One of the most common ways myths spread is through word-of-mouth. If you hear a story about someone and you think it sounds cool. You might tell your friends. Then your friends tell their friends, who iterate their friends, etc.

Another way myths spread is through media outlets like TV shows, movies or newspapers. For example, if someone makes up a story about how they saw Bigfoot in the woods and then writes a book about it, people might read it and start telling the same because they think it’s interesting.

There are also other ways myths can spread, like when people accidentally believe something that isn’t true (for example, if someone says “the sky is green” and then everyone thinks the sky is green).

The last technique for myths to spread is through faith-based groups.

Myths About Studies

Myths about studying are everywhere. A student or a parent you have heard some myths at some point in your life.

These myths can be hard to shake, but they don’t have to hold you back from achieving your goals. Here are some of the most common myths, with ways to bust them.

There are many myths about studying that everyone accepts. Some of them are just plain silly, while others are useful!

One can predetermine IQ at birth.

The Truth: IQ is not written in stone.

An IQ test measures various skills: language ability, mathematical reasoning, and abstract reasoning. These tests have been used for decades to measure intelligence, but many other factors in someone’s intelligence level.

For example, people who grow up in areas with high poverty tend to score lower on standardised tests than those who grow up in more affluent areas.

In addition, people more likely to experience discrimination tend to score lower on standardised tests than those not targeted by discriminatory practices. These factors can influence an individual’s overall intelligence level in ways that make it difficult for them to perform well on an IQ test as an adult.

As such, it’s impossible for anyone—particularly anyone who doesn’t know you personally—to accurately predict your IQ based on information about where you grew up or how much money your parents made when they were young.

Either your right or left brain predominates.

Fact: The only thing that happens if you’re right-handed is that your right side of the brain is dominant, which means your left side is a little less active than the right. That does not affect intelligence or learning ability. Studies have shown that left-brained people are better at math and logic, while right-brained are better at art and language.

There are faster ways to learn more effectively.

People disproved the learning pyramid myth long ago, but many teachers and students still believe it. According to the hypothesis, humans only retain 10% of the information they read, 20% of the information they hear, 30% of what a pupil sees, 50% of the figures that are seen and heard, 70% of the knowledge one speaks and writes, and 90% of the information they perform or impart to others.

However, the problem with this pyramid is that one has never seen it, and the percentages stated are just fictitious. However, it would be a great tool if it were accurate.

Reading repeatedly and underlining is better for learning.

It’s been proven that highlighting sections, making notes, and underlining are not as effective at helping you remember information as re-reading material and writing summaries.

Why it’s a Myth: The reason we believe is that we think that reading something over and over will stick in our heads better. But what happens is that the more you read something, the more your brain gets used to the knowledge and stops paying attention to it. So when you go back later to try to remember what you’ve read, your brain has already lost interest in recollecting!

You should fully complete a  task before going on to the next one.

When studying, your goal is to understand the material, not just memorise it. You can move on to the next part of the task; when you feel like you’ve gotten the most out of what you’ve learned. That means leaving some incomplete.

Studies have shown that it’s better to have a few different tasks at once. You can switch between them and keep your mind from getting bored or overwhelmed.

Conclusion

We must remember that myths are stories from a narrative or somebody’s perspective. 

Stories can often be wrong because we forget to verify them. And we fail to do research. 

That is how myths spread so quickly and how they become so widespread. And unfortunately, once word-of-mouth becomes popularised, it’s hard to change most people’s minds. So this concludes the five myths series. We hope you’ve learned some helpful tips that bust these five common myths. Have you heard of any other tales? Find out the truth by doing some research!