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How To Study: Active Recall – The ‘High Utility’ Technique You Should Be Using

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Summary

This article discusses active recall and spaced repetition as the two most effective methods of revising. Active recall involves retrieving information from memory through testing yourself at every stage of the revision process. Research has shown that testing oneself is a highly effective revision technique, with one study finding that testing oneself just once is more effective than rereading a chapter four times. Strategies for using active recall include making notes with a book closed, writing questions to oneself, and using an online flashcard app.

Q&As

What is active recall?
Active recall is a technique that involves retrieving information from memory through testing yourself at every stage of the revision process.

What evidence exists to support the use of active recall for effective revision techniques?
Research from 2013 which analysed hundreds of separate studies about effective revision techniques concluded that testing, or active recall, is a technique that has ‘high utility’ and can be implemented effectively with minimal training. Studies from 1939 and 2010 provide valuable verification of the effectiveness of active recall, and a study from 2011 showed that the active recall group significantly outperformed the other groups in both the verbatim test and the inference test.

What strategies can be used to apply active recall in studying?
Strategies that can be used to apply active recall in studying include making notes with a book closed, writing questions for yourself based upon the material in the syllabus, and using an app like Anki to create online flashcards.

How does active recall compare to rereading as an effective revision technique?
Testing yourself just once is more effective than rereading a chapter four times. Active recall is more difficult and mentally taxing than rereading, but the harder we have to work to retrieve information, the more effective our brains will become in storing and recalling that information in the future.

What is Anki and how is it beneficial for studying?
Anki is a flashcard app that allows you to create online flashcards which you can use to test yourself in practice sessions. It uses an algorithm built around active recall and spaced repetition and hence learns as you progress through your studies and revision. It is beneficial for memorising particular facts and memorising particular paragraphs that can be slotted into appropriate essays.

AI Comments

👍 This article provides great insight into effective revision techniques and provides strategies for how to make the most of them.

👎 The article provides too much detail and makes it difficult to follow the information provided.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about the study technique called active recall. It's a technique that involves testing yourself at every stage of the revision process to strengthen your memory and recall of information. Research shows that it's a highly effective method for learning and retaining information.

Friend: That's really interesting. What are the implications of this?

Me: Well, the article suggests that active recall is more effective than rereading information multiple times, which is a technique that many of us have used in the past. It also promotes the idea of cognitive effort in revision, and suggests that students should be challenging themselves to actively recall information rather than passively reading it. This could have huge implications for the way we study and learn. It could mean that we can become more efficient in our revision and that we can achieve better results with less time. It also shows that we should be challenging ourselves to recall information, rather than just passively reading it, which could lead to better long-term results.

Action items

Create flashcards using Anki to help memorize facts and paragraphs for essays.
Use the closed book technique to make notes without looking at the book.
Ask yourself questions based on the material you are studying to engage in active recall.

Technical terms

Active Recall: A technique of retrieving information from memory through testing oneself at every stage of the revision process.
Spaced Repetition: A technique of repeating information at intervals to help with memorization.
High Utility: A term used to describe a technique that has been proven to be effective with minimal training.
Verbatim Test: A test that requires the recall of facts.
Inference Test: A test that requires the recall of concepts.
Cognitively Demanding: A term used to describe activities that require mental effort.