Why Studying Like a Journalist Could Be the Key to Passing Your Exam

You’ve been studying for months. You’ve highlighted all the important sections. You have stacks of flashcards. But when you reach the critical thinking practice questions — your brain goes completely blank.

Sound familiar? You're not alone. 

Here’s why that’s happening: Memorization only takes you so far.

Today’s certification exams — especially at the higher levels like the WSET Level 3 or Master Sommelier — aren’t just asking what you know. They’re asking what you understand. 

Can you explain the cause and effect? Can you connect the dots across concepts? Can you apply your knowledge under pressure?

Whether you're preparing for a sommelier exam, a wine theory test, or another certification, it’s not just testing your ability to memorize wine facts. 

It's testing how you think.

When I coach clients who are studying for important exams, I always give them practical tools to incorporate critical thinking while they study. 

Here are seven strategies I teach to help you think like an investigative journalist — so you can feel more confident in your exam.

1. Flip the Script: From Memorizer to Investigator

When I first start working with a new client, they often approach their studies the same way they've been taught in school: like a memorizer. As a memorizer, you tend to ask straightforward questions like: “What’s the answer?”

But the problem is that today’s exams are actually testing something deeper. They're trying to figure out if you know: “Why is that the answer? What’s behind it? What would change the outcome?”

And here’s the good news: you already have the ability to answer those kinds of questions — you just need to flip the lens.

What if you approached studying the way an investigative journalist approaches a story?

Journalists don’t take facts at face value. They ask:

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

They stay curious — not just compliant. And that’s the mindset shift that unlocks deeper learning, stronger retention, and way more confidence on exam day.

If you’re studying for a wine certification, remember: understanding the “why” behind the wine is what separates a good answer from a great one.

2. Question Everything: Why Passive Study Doesn’t Cut It

In school, we were taught to study passively: read, highlight, repeat. But passive input doesn’t build understanding — and it definitely doesn’t help you apply what you’ve learned under pressure.

I've worked with students preparing for CMS, WSET, and other beverage certifications who had beautiful, color-coded flashcards… but still felt completely unprepared for their exams. They had the information, but they didn't know how to use it. 

But once we start adding questions like “Why?” and “What if?” to the back of each card, the real study strategy shift happened. Their brains stopped scanning for the “right” answer and started exploring the meaning behind it.

That’s when confidence starts to grow — and you finally feel prepared to face those tough critical thinking questions. 

3. Use the DIG Framework to Think Like an Expert

The DIG Framework is the core strategy I teach students who are ready to go deeper when they study. This three-step approach helps you switch gears from memorizing to understanding. 

Here’s how it works: 

D – Discover the Facts: What do I already know? Clarify the key concepts, terms, and data.

I – Investigate the Relationships: How do these things connect? What causes what? What are the tradeoffs or exceptions?

G – Generate Meaning: Why does this matter? What’s the takeaway? How could it change?

Let’s say you're prepping for a wine theory exam, and the question is: "Why would a wine producer in Burgundy be more likely to use stems in their Pinot Noir over a producer in Russian River Valley?"

Here’s how we’d DIG into it:

• D: Identify the key facts — region, grape, climate, winemaking choices.

• I: Explore how stems leach potassium, raise pH, and impact texture and acidity.

• G: Ask what that means for the wine’s style and structure, and how those decisions are shaped by tradition, climate, and intent.

Now we’re not just naming facts — we’re understanding them and applying them. And this kind of analysis is essential if you're aiming to pass the WSET Level 3 (or above) or preparing for a sommelier certification.

4. Train Your Brain to Be Curious

A lot of students tell me: “I’m not naturally inquisitive. I just want to pass.”

Fair enough. But here’s the thing: Curiosity is a skill — and just like any skill, you can get better at it.

You don’t have to become someone who questions everything overnight. You just have to start asking “Why?” more often. And then keep doing it. 

The more you ask “why”, the more your brain learns to look beneath the surface.

Better yet, you can build a “curiosity habit” into your study sessions. Whether you're reviewing a wine exam study guide or summarizing tasting notes, try asking: 

• Why is this true?

• What’s the exception?

• What would change the outcome?

That’s how curiosity becomes second nature. (And by the way, it makes learning much more enjoyable along the way!)

5. Check If You're Actually Understanding What You Study

Once you know the difference between learning facts and learning how to apply them, check in with yourself regularly to make sure you're studying deeply enough.  

Here are some red flags that might be a sign you need to get more curious in your studies:

• You can list facts, but can’t explain the why behind them.

• You freeze when asked to analyze, compare, or explain.

• You give short answers instead of fleshing out ideas.

These are the kinds of signals I see all the time in students preparing for beverage certifications, especially WSET Diploma exams. If that’s happening, don’t panic. It just means your study method is focused on input — not integration. And that’s something we can fix by digging deeper. 

6. Lean Into What Makes Your Brain Different

If you’re neurodivergent (especially ADHD), traditional study methods may have always felt off — or even impossible.

The good news? This investigative, question-based style often fits the way your brain naturally operates.

ADHD brains are often wired to challenge assumptions, dig deep into areas of interest, and reject surface-level answers. That’s exactly what critical thinking exam questions are asking you to do.

So instead of working against your brain, now we’re working with it.

7. Start Small: Make Just One Tiny Shift Today

You don’t need a total study overhaul to start thinking more critically. Here’s one quick shift you can try in your next session:

When you learn a new fact, ask…

• Why is this true?

• What’s the exception?

• What does it affect?

• What would change it?

Whether you're brushing up for a wine exam, doing flashcard review, or outlining your next study plan, this one shift trains your brain to move from memorization to connection and mastery.

Remember — You’re Closer Than You Think

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like something just isn’t clicking — you’re not broken. You’re probably just using a study method that wasn’t built for your brain.

The good news? You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Download my free Memory Boosting Workbook to start building a study approach rooted in neuroscience, strategy, and your unique learning style.

Or join us in group coaching where we practice these exact skills together. You'll learn the best way to study for certification exams with less stress and more clarity so you can get your optimal performance.

You don’t have to memorize more. You just need to learn how to think critically, like someone who can figure out anything.

And that’s something you can build, one question at a time.