Active recall: stop rereading, start retrieving

Most of us study by rereading notes and highlighting the important bits. It feels productive: the page looks more and more familiar each time. The trouble is that recognising something on a page is not the same as being able to remember it in an exam hall.

What active recall is

Active recall means pulling information out of your memory instead of putting it in again. Close the book and try to write down everything you know about a topic. Then open the book and check.

Psychologists call the benefit the testing effect, and it's one of the most consistently replicated findings in learning research: practising retrieval leads to better long-term memory than spending the same time restudying.

Ways to practise it

• →Blank page: write down everything you remember, then fill the gaps from your notes.
• →Flashcards: answer before you flip — no peeking.
• →Practice questions: do past papers without your notes open.
• →Teach it: explain the topic out loud to a friend, or to your wall.