Most students study by re-reading and highlighting. Research says these are among the least effective methods. Here are 5 that work.
1. Active Recall
Test yourself instead of re-reading. Close your textbook, write everything you remember, check what you missed.
50%more retention vs re-reading
#1rated by cognitive scientists
0special tools needed
2. Spaced Repetition
Review at increasing intervals: Day 1, Day 3, Day 7, Day 14, then monthly.
3. The Feynman Technique
1
Write the topic
e.g. Newtons Second Law
2
Explain simply
No jargon. If you cannot explain it simply, you do not understand it.
3
Find the gaps
Where you got stuck = what to restudy.
4
Simplify again
Repeat until crystal clear.
4. Practice Testing
Past papers force your brain to retrieve under pressure.
5. Interleaving
Mix topics in one session: 1hr calculus, 1hr trig, 1hr algebra.
Effectiveness Comparison
Study Method Effectiveness
Based on Dunlosky et al. (2013)
Put these methods into practice
Past papers, practice questions, and study guides for active learning.
Was this article helpful?