Observe yourself when you deal with something new, and notice the methods you use to study. Use this information to get a tentative idea of your personality type. For example, if you learn from diagrams and charts, you are most likely a visual learner. If you can grasp things fast when they are explained to you, and you often say, "It sounds as if..," you are likely to be an auditory learner. If you use physical touch a lot and need to get your hands on tasks, you are probably a kinesthetic learner.
Take the learning style questionnaire available on websites such as North Carolina State University's (see Resources). Answer the questions accurately and submit them to obtain your learning-style report. Use this assessment to know your personality type.
Use the techniques learning experts recommend for your personality. If you are a visual learner, study from diagrams, photograph and flow charts. If you are an auditory learner, listen to lectures or audiotapes to understand the topic better. If you are a kinesthetic learner, prepare a model or use role play to study the topic.
Find an approach that works best for you. Studying in a group will work if you are an active learner, but not if you are reflective and prefer to think things out for yourself. If you are a systematic person, follow a logical sequence while studying topics, linking concepts to each other. However, if you get lost when there is too much detail, concentrate on reading a chapter summary before beginning each section.