Exam Study Expert: ace your exams with the science of learning

A new school year, university term or exam season is a great opportunity for a fresh start — and that doesn’t just mean buying new stationery.

In this episode, we’re doing a spring clean for your study world: clearing out the physical and digital clutter that can contribute to distraction, overwhelm and mental jumble.

See also:

Ep 198. Stitch In Time - Small Habits for Academic Success https://www.buzzsprout.com/267857/episodes/17802525

Smartphone Spring Clean - 10 Tips To Tame The Tech In Your Pocket
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRAofodn1rY

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Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

*Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams

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*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Today I'm share five powerful mental reframes that reduce exam stress and help you perform when pressure is high. We zoom out from perfectionism, comparison, and frustration with the system, so you can revise with focus and walk into the exam room calmer and more in control.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Today, in the lead-up to exam season, we’re diving right into how to perform well in high-stakes, high-pressure situations with expert Dr Brian Hite.

And who better to ask about high stakes than a stuntman, former army resilience trainer, sports psychologist and coach who specialises in performance under pressure.

Dr Brain tackles exam pressure and tough questions, the 4 important stages of a high-stakes performance, and real-time tools you can use to stay calm: all interspersed with real-life experiences.

Feeling like the stakes are high this exam season? This is the episode you need to hear.

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⭐About today’s guest, Dr Brain Hite:

Dr Brain Hite is a high-stakes performance coach and author, experienced stuntman, and sports psychologist:

🌐Discover more: https://brianhiteglobal.com/

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🎓About Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

🎯 Book 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

📘Get Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book: https://geni.us/exams *

**

Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Got a lot on your plate at the moment? Today we're helping you thrive in a demanding exam season with the help of "the easy button": specific moves you can make to take some of the pressure off in the short-term and free up a little extra time and brainspace to focus on your studies.

Take a listen, and let us know in the comments where YOU'LL be pressing that easy button in future!

Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams*

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Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

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*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Perfectionism can feel like ambition for many students, but it often fuels anxiety, procrastination, and a harsh inner critic that makes studying harder than it needs to be.

We’re joined today by Harvard-trained clinical psychologist, author and perfectionism expert Dr Tara Cousineau, to unpack the psychology and triggers of perfectionism. Dr Tara shares practical skills everyone can employ for putting self-compassion before self-criticism, and learning how to strive for excellence whilst protecting your wellbeing.

This is an excellent advice-packed episode I hope the perfectionists in our Exam Study Expert community will return to again and again, covering everything from working definitions of perfectionism and types of inner critic, to key tools for rewriting your mindset about excellence and progress.

If Dr Tara’s advice has resonated with you, why not share this episode with a friend who’s stuck in overthinking mode, and leave a review so more students can find the show.

👇 I’d love to know: What’s one perfectionist habit you want to loosen this week?

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⭐About today’s guest, Dr Tara Cousineau:

📖 Find her recent book, The Perfectionist's Dilemma: Learn the Art of Self-Compassion and Become a Happy Achiever here: https://geni.us/perfectionist *

📖 Dr Tara’s first book, The Kindness Cure: How the Science of Compassion Can Heal Your Heart and Your World can be found here: https://geni.us/kindnesscure *

🌐Discover more about Dr Tara Cousineau: https://www.taracousineau.com/

🌐And learn more about The Perfectionist’s Dilemma here: https://perfectionistsdilemma.com/

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🎓About Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

🎙️Support the podcast on Patreon and grab exclusive benefits: https://examstudyexpert.com/patreon/

🎯 Book 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

📘Get Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book: https://geni.us/exams *

**

Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Today, I'm sharing one question that cuts through revision stress and helps you decide what to study next: what kind of learning feels most difficult right now?

Tune in to find out why mental resistance is a signal to prioritise that work and how you can, rather than leave it to one side, actually lean into it and do more of the practice that matters most.

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Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams

*

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Many of the students and scholars I speak to struggle with stress, anxiety and overwhelming emotions: about exams, assignments, academic pressure or feeling behind.

So today we're chatting with Dr Jennifer Veilleux, clinical therapist and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Arkansas.

Dr Jenn explains all her key practical strategies, rooted in scientific research, that can make up an effective emotional toolkit for students.

We explore how acknowledging, understanding and regulating your feelings can improve your mental health, your exam performance and your enjoyment of academic life at school or university.

Listen in to discover when to listen to your feelings, when to calm them, and how to stop anxiety and procrastination from running the show.

👇Your post-listening task: leave a comment and tell us which of Jenn’s strategies you think will help you in your studies today.

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⭐About today’s guest, Dr Jennifer Veilleux:

📖 Find her book, Open to Emotion: How Acknowledging, Understanding, and Regulating Your Feelings Can Improve Your Mental Health here: https://geni.us/drjenn

🌐Discover more: https://emotioncentered.com/

📱Explore Dr Jenn’s recommended app How We Feel, here: https://howwefeel.org/

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🎓About Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

🎯 Book 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

📘Get Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book: https://geni.us/exams *

**

Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Everything's a u shaped curve: don't work too hard, but not too little either, for best results.

Explore how understanding this "sweet spot" principle can help you find the balance in your study routine, as well as get the right balance in other areas of your study strategy too, such as how many spaced repetitions are optimal for you, or the right mix of different study methods for your needs.

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Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams

*

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Unlock the secrets behind how a top student in Australia crushed his finals and secured a top 1% score in his state — and learn exactly how you can apply his disciplined strategies to your own exams. Harry's journey proves that success isn’t just about talent; it's about precision, routine, and metacognitive awareness.

We break down:
- The role of consistent daily habits in high-stakes exams
- How to use spaced retrieval practice effectively
- How to track exam practice and "vibe"

Tune in to see how disciplined consistency, metacognitive awareness, and smart practice can transform your results too.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Small can be mighty when it comes to setting the right study goals, especially at first! Learn why consistency is queen, and how a "do-able come rain or shine" study routine is the key to building and maintaining momentum in your learning, and maximising your progress in the long-run.

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Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams

*

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

What if the fastest way to learn better is to understand why and where learning breaks down?

In this episode, I’m joined by leading UK educator and author Alex Quigley to unpack his eight predictable failure points that derail studying — and the practical, research-backed strategies that fix them.

Failure is normal. Success comes from recognising the signals early and responding with the right tools: retrieval practice, spaced learning, improved planning and evaluation, and metacognitive reflection of your studying.

If you want to study less but learn more, this episode shows you how to close knowledge gaps, balance your confidence and find the motivation to turn struggles into steady progress.

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⭐About today’s guest, Alex Quigley:

Alex Quigley is a well-known figure in UK education: author of several popular books & a monthly column for the Times Educational Supplement, he's a former teacher who now works at the Education Endowment Foundation.

🌐Discover Alex’s blog and resources at: https://alexquigley.co.uk/

📖 Grab a copy of his book Why Learning Fails (And What To Do About It) right here: https://geni.us/alexquigley

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Also mentioned:

Graham Nuthall, The Hidden Lives of Learners: https://geni.us/hiddenlives

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🎓About Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

🎯 Book 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

📘Get Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book: https://geni.us/exams *

**

Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

What if improving results across an entire school came down to a handful of simple learning habits, done well, every day?

In this episode we sit down with two headteachers from top-performing UK schools – Andy Green (Copleston High School) and Peter Lee (Q3 Academy Langley) – to discover how the science of learning effectively has influenced their leadership, teaching approaches, and the learning experiences of their students when put into practice across an entire school community.

We unpack how clear routines in the classroom, research-led CPD, well-communicated simple revision strategies, and a tight teaching playbook can improve engagement, consistency and exam results school-wide.

This episode is slightly different to our normal fare, but it is packed with practical insights. Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, parent or student, you’ll come away with concrete ideas for building a culture of effective learning – in the classroom and at home.

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Three invitations for (UK) educators:

1. Come and watch me teach (revision strategy workshop)

Want to see what expert revision strategy training actually looks like in a real classroom? Come and watch me in action delivering a revision strategy workshop in a school near you.

2. Take part in the Revision Census

I’ve surveyed the revision habits of over 75,000 students in the UK to date. Want an insight into the habits of your own students? Participate in the Revision Census and get a clear, data-rich picture of your students’ current habits, what’s working well, and where the biggest opportunities for improvement lie.

3. Work with me (student workshops + teacher CPD)

Level up on learning science across your whole school: sign up for high-impact revision workshops for students and CPD for teachers in your own school.

If any of these sound useful for your school, get in touch with Katie at katie@examstudyexpert.com and we’ll get the ball rolling.

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🎓About Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

🎯 Book 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

📘Get Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book: https://geni.us/exams *

**

Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

What is metacognition? And how can you use it to plan smarter, reflect on exams and evaluate your daily learning with clarity?

We’re joined by Nathan Burns, aka Mr Metacognition, to explore his favourite stackable metacognitive learning strategies that will have you reflecting on and improving your studying at home and in the classroom – from this moment, right through exam season and beyond.

Discover how to think metacognitively about:

• answering questions carefully
• pre-exam season revision as a whole
• post-exam and post-mock reflections
• monitoring how your learning is going

👇 Your post-listening task: leave a comment and tell us which strategy you want to implement – or use already!

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⭐ About today’s guest, Nathan Burns:

Nathan Burns (aka Mr Metacognition) is an author, educator and expert on metacognition, who offers comprehensive metacognitive training programmes in schools across the UK.

🌐 Discover more: https://www.mrmetacognition.com/home

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🎓 About Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

🎯 Book 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

📘 Get Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book: https://geni.us/exams *

**

Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Join William for a quick pep talk on showing due respect to the exam you're sitting, with surprising benefits for your motivation, enjoyment of the study process and even your end result.

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Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

* Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams

*

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

In this episode, learn how to conquer distraction and build a healthier relationship with technology using quick wins for a digital detox.

Our guest is digital detox expert, technologist and TEDx speaker Colin Corby. We explore how constant digital distractions affect attention span, deep learning, reading comprehension, critical thinking, sleep, and productivity — especially for students.

Colin shares practical, realistic digital detox strategies, quick wins and fun micro-challenges you can apply immediately to areas including environments, routines and social accountability.

Your post-listening task: share your own digital detox intentions in comments below for that accountability, our best encouragement and support.

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About today’s guest, Colin Corby:

• Discover more resources on his website: https://thedigitaldetoxcoach.com/

**

About Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

• BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

• Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams *

**
Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

In today’s mini episode we’re taking a look at the surprisingly helpful question of what you do on your study breaks.

Choosing the right break activities can help you return to work on time, ready to go again, perhaps with some fresh insights and certainly some fresh energy.

The wrong break activity can suck you into a spiral of procrastination that turns a 10 minute breather into 50 minutes of doom scrolling.

Choose a smarter break with the 10 ideas we share today for a smarter study break.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

A short trailer episode for new listeners to get a taste of the show.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

To kick off the new year we’re sitting down with neuroscientist, international speaker and author Dr Sarah McKay to translate decades of neuroscience research into straightforward tactics students can use today for better sleep, enhanced focus and improved grades.

Dr Sarah McKay has a distinguished career as one of Australia's best known science communicators. She's passionate about translating brain science into practical strategies to improve health, well-being, and performance. Sarah boasts a PhD in neuroscience from Oxford University, has presented on ABC Catalyst (the only science show on primetime TV in Australia), authored several books on brain health, given a fascinating TEDx talk on napping, and is regularly quoted in media around the world.

So we’re in expert hands for this jam-packed episode, where Sarah and I dig into everything from nutrition to naps, and digital distractions to self-reflection. We map out:

• a simple brain model: bottom up, outside in and top down
• the 7 basics that affect your brain health: food, movement, sleep, light, phones, socialising and attention
• how food impacts the sweet spot for learning: alert but calm

• why sleep hygiene is so important for your brain health
• how strategic naps help you to reset and focus
• why phones are attention magnets and how to contain them
• how to contain your phone to boost your attention and working memory

• brain-healthy learning models with spaced repetition and retrieval practice
• the impact of metacognition with quick & kind “vibe” reflections after mock exams
• rehearsing emotional regulation for tough exam moments

Find out more about today’s guest, Dr Sarah McKay:

• Discover more resources on her website: https://drsarahmckay.com/

• Find Sarah’s TEDx Talk, “Indulge your neurobiology” here: https://youtu.be/xiXZVDKRe00?si=a-8ggcZK8wewmX-q

• Grab a copy of her book Brain Health For Dummies at https://geni.us/drsarahmckay *

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Find out more about Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

• Support the podcast by joining our patrons at: https://www.examstudyexpert.com/patreon

• BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

• Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams *

**
Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

Today, we're turning good intentions and a long list of things you need to do or should do or would like to do into consistent action!

Key ideas today include:
• fresh start effect as useful motivation
• split goals into one-off and ongoing tasks
• schedule one-off tasks in the diary
• design daily habits with clear what, when, and why
• use weekly blocks for deep, flow-based work
• set seasonal habits around exams or deadlines
• share your habit plan for accountability
• simple homework to lock in your cadence

Your homework: take a second to drop your intention in the comments: what are you going to do, is it every day or every week, for how long, at what time, and what's your why for it?

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Hosted by William Wadsworth, memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams

*

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).

In this final very special episode to round out 2025, we welcome world-renowned personality expert Professor Brian Little to help us answer the question: who are you really?

As one of the great scholars of our time in the field of personality psychology, Professor Little's wonderfully engaging teaching style has also won him “favourite teacher” accolades at Harvard and found him described as a cross between seeing Robin Williams and Einstein on stage.

Professor Little helps us explore how your personality traits, character and goals interact to shape your learning, engagement, memory, attention and ability to flourish. We connect the Big Five personality traits with study strategies, teaching craft, and the real costs and benefits of acting out of character. With plenty of concrete examples to help you approach life in personal projects in a way that suits who you are.

Plus a whole segment especially for educators looking for novel ways to engage every student, especially those who are struggling.

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Find out more about today’s guest, Professor Brian Little:

• Discover more resources on his website: https://www.brianrlittle.com/

• Find Brian’s TED Talk: “Who are you, really? The puzzle of personality” here: https://youtu.be/qYvXk_bqlBk?si=QAWWBgh1HT0yDqtV

• And his talk for TEDxOxbridge here: https://youtu.be/NZ5o9PcHeL0?si=MPZRzgPDoZM1B84K

• Dive into Professor Brian Little’s bestselling book, Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being right here: https://geni.us/memyselfus *

• Or find yourself in his second book, Who Are You, Really? The Surprising Puzzle of Personality here: https://geni.us/whoareyoureallylittle *

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Find out more about Exam Study Expert:

Hosted by [William Wadsworth], memory psychologist, independent researcher and study skills coach. I help ambitious students to study smarter, not harder, so they can ace their exams with less work and less stress.

• BOOK 1:1 COACHING to supercharge your exam success: https://examstudyexpert.com/workwithme/

• Get a copy of Outsmart Your Exams, my award-winning exam technique book, at https://geni.us/exams *

**
Podcast edited by Kerri Edinburgh.

* As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on suggested books.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Or just want to say "thanks" - send me a text message (I read them all!).