May 29, 2013 | Quebec

Better Memory Doesn't Simply Mean More Rereading

Understanding a concept during class is one thing. Being able to remember it several days or weeks later is another.

As an exam approaches, it can be tempting to reread your notes several times and hope the information will eventually stick. However, being familiar with material does not necessarily mean you will be able to recall it when you need it.

Research on learning has highlighted the effectiveness of strategies that require students to actively retrieve information from memory and space their study sessions over time.

There is obviously no method that will allow you to memorize everything instantly. However, a few strategies can make studying much more active and help you gradually strengthen what you have learned.

1. Try to Remember Instead of Simply Rereading

One particularly useful strategy is to close your notes and try to recall the information from memory.

This is known as active retrieval.

After studying a section, you could close your notebook or document and ask yourself:

• What were the three main ideas?
• Can I explain this concept in my own words?
• Which points can I name without looking?
• Which part do I still have difficulty explaining?

You can then reopen your notes, check your answers, and fill in what you missed.

This method has two advantages. It exercises your ability to retrieve information and helps you see what you actually know. Research shows that repeated retrieval, particularly when spaced over time, can improve longer-term retention.

2. Space Out Your Review Sessions

Studying for several hours the night before an exam can make you feel as though you have accomplished a lot. To remember the material for longer, however, it is generally better to revisit concepts several times rather than concentrate all your studying in a single session.

This is the principle of spaced repetition.

You do not need a complicated schedule. For example, you could study a concept once, briefly review it the following day, try to retrieve it from memory a few days later, and then review it again before the assessment.

Research in cognitive psychology shows that spacing study sessions can support longer-term retention compared with concentrating study into a single session.

The important thing is to start early enough to retrieve the information several times.

3. Turn Your Notes Into Questions

Class notes can be used for more than simply rereading.

Try turning important headings, definitions, and concepts into questions.

Instead of rereading:

“The three steps in the process are...”

turn the information into:

“What are the three steps in the process?”

Then try to answer without looking at your notes.

Flashcards can be particularly useful for definitions, vocabulary, steps in a procedure, or other information you need to recall quickly.

Practice tests and self-assessment questions are also forms of active retrieval. Even when you answer incorrectly, the exercise helps you identify concepts you need to review.

👉 Learn more: How Can You Take Effective Notes in Class?

4. Explain the Material in Your Own Words

Another way to check whether you truly understand a concept is to try explaining it simply.

Imagine you have to teach the concept to someone unfamiliar with the subject. Can you explain it without reading your notes? Can you give an example? Can you connect it to something you studied previously?

If you constantly need to refer to your material to continue your explanation, you have probably identified an area that needs more review.

Rephrasing also forces you to go beyond memorizing information word for word. The goal is not simply to recognize the words from your course, but to understand the concept well enough to reconstruct and explain it.

5. Organize Information to Make Connections

Not all material is memorized in the same way.

For some content, a list of questions and answers may work well. For other material, it may be more useful to create a comparison table, a timeline, a diagram, or a concept map.

These tools become particularly valuable when they require you to think about relationships between ideas rather than copy your notes.

For example, you could ask:

Which concepts belong to the same category?

How are they different?

Which step comes before another?

Which cause produces which effect?

A concept map can itself become an active retrieval exercise if you try to reconstruct it without looking at your notes and then compare your version with the original material.

6. Alternate Between Concepts and Types of Exercises

Studying the same material for an extended period is not always the best strategy.

Interleaving involves alternating between different topics, concepts, or types of problems during your study sessions rather than repeatedly practising the same exercise. This strategy can require you to determine for yourself which knowledge or method you need to use.

This does not mean constantly jumping from one subject to another without a plan. The effectiveness of interleaving can vary depending on the subject and the degree of relatedness among the concepts.

The goal is to prevent studying from becoming entirely mechanical.

7. Identify What You Haven't Mastered Yet

A good study session should not simply confirm what you already know.

It should primarily help you identify what you do not yet know well enough.

After an active retrieval exercise or a short test, you could divide concepts into three categories:

I can explain this without help.

I understand this, but I'm still unsure.

I need to review this concept.

You will then know where to focus your next study session, rather than starting over with all the material.

This approach can also make your review sessions more efficient as the exam approaches.

👉 Learn more: How Can You Stop Procrastinating While Studying?

8. Avoid Learning Everything at the Last Minute

Waiting until the night before an exam greatly limits your ability to space out your review sessions.

A more gradual approach allows you to alternate between learning, retrieving, checking, and reviewing information.

For example:

First exposure: understand the material and organize your notes.

Next review: try to recall the main ideas without looking.

A few days later: answer questions or review important concepts.

Before the assessment: focus your efforts on the material that remains difficult.

The combination of active retrieval and spaced practice is particularly well supported by learning research.

Build a Study Method That Works Over Time

You do not need to use every possible study strategy at once.

You can start by closing your notes after studying a section, recalling the main ideas, checking what you forgot, and returning to different types of exercises. This approach can be complemented.

The most important thing is to make studying an active process rather than reducing it to rereading. Memorizing takes time and effort, but a structured approach can help you spend more of your time on strategies that genuinely support learning.

FAQ

1. What is the best way to remember what you learn?
There is no single method that works for every subject. However, active retrieval and spaced repetition are among the strategies with strong scientific support. They involve recalling information without looking at your notes and repeating this process at different times.

2. Is it useful to reread your notes several times?
Rereading can help you review material, but it does not always show whether you will be able to recall the information without help. After reading, it can be useful to close your notes and try to reproduce what you remember.

3. Are flashcards effective for memorization?
They can be when you use them to test yourself rather than reread the answers. Try to answer before turning over the card, then return to the questions you found difficult later.

4. Do you need to memorize your courses word for word?
Some information may require precise memorization, such as vocabulary or certain definitions. For more complex concepts, it is generally important to understand the relationships between ideas and be able to explain and apply them.

5. Why is it better to study over several days?
Spacing out study sessions allows you to revisit information at different times and strengthen your memory for it. Spaced practice is associated with better long-term retention than concentrating all your studying into a single session.

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