How to study smarter with Microsoft Copilot

Hello! I'm Ivana, a neuroscience student and content creator. I'm dedicated to helping you excel in your exams and discover joy in learning.

Today, I'm excited to introduce you to your ultimate study buddy, Microsoft Copilot. Let me share four powerful ways you can use Copilot to make studying a breeze.

Master mnemonics

Ever used "ROYGBIV" to remember the colors of the rainbow or "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally" for the order of operations in math? These are mnemonics, and they leverage our brain's love of associations to enhance memory.

Mnemonics are super useful, but they aren’t always easy to come up with—especially during the stress of exam season.

This is where Copilot comes in. Head to http://copilot.microsoft.com, select a conversation style (I prefer “balanced”), and ask Copilot to help you create mnemonics to help you remember details you’re studying. It's fast, easy, and effective.

In the example below, I'm asking Copilot to help me remember the four stages of sleep for my upcoming exam.

Prompt: Create a mnemonic device to help me remember the four stages of sleep

The results:

Clarify complex concepts

As students, we constantly receive information from professors and textbooks, but some topics can remain elusive. That’s why Copilot's ability to re-explain concepts to suit your unique learning style is invaluable. Sometimes, a fresh perspective is all you need to fully understand a subject.

For example, I asked Copilot to simplify how the neuropeptide hypocretin is involved in narcolepsy. To help keep the explanation as simple and concrete as possible, I added, “Explain as you would to someone with a limited background in the subject.” (“Explain as you would to a five-year-old" also works great).

Prompt: Simplify how the neuropeptide hypocretin is involved in narcolepsy. Explain as you would to someone with a limited background in the subject.

The results:

Make custom flashcards

While flashcards are a fantastic study tool, creating them can be daunting. So, I used Copilot to set up a virtual flashcard system.

You can specify exactly how many cards you need and what concepts should be covered. Copilot will hide the answers, revealing them only when you select the corresponding flashcard number. This tailored approach saves hours and lets you focus more on reviewing than on preparing materials.

Prompt: Create a set of flashcards based on the following study materials: [paste in notes, an outline of lecture slides, or other materials from the course].

The results:

Develop practice tests

Practice makes perfect, especially in subjects like math and physics where applying knowledge is key. Copilot can generate customized practice tests tailored to the number of questions, difficulty level, and detail required.

Prompt: Create a practice test based on the flashcards we just generated.

The results:

I recommend completing the test as if you were in a real exam setting before checking the solutions. This strategy not only prepares you for actual exam conditions but also strengthens your application skills where resources might be scarce.

If you have an exam coming up, remember–you know much more than you think! Give these tips a try, and see how Copilot can transform your study sessions and help you ace the test.