Students spend countless hours studying, often using ineffective techniques. Here are five methods that cognitive science research consistently shows work.
1. Practice Testing (Active Recall)
Testing yourself is one of the most powerful learning strategies. When you retrieve information from memory, you strengthen the neural pathways that store it.
Effect size: g = 0.81 (large)
How to use: Use flashcards, practice problems, or simply close your book and try to recall what you just read.
2. Distributed Practice (Spacing)
Spreading your study sessions over time beats cramming, even with the same total study time.
Effect size: g = 0.61 (medium-large)
How to use: Study a topic multiple times with gaps between sessions, rather than all at once.
3. Interleaving
Mixing different topics or problem types during study sessions improves discrimination and transfer.
Effect size: g = 0.67 (medium-large)
How to use: Instead of doing 20 problems of one type, mix different types together.
4. Elaborative Interrogation
Asking "why" and "how" questions while learning creates deeper understanding.
Effect size: g = 0.42 (medium)
How to use: For each fact you learn, ask yourself why it's true and how it connects to other knowledge.
5. Self-Explanation
Explaining concepts to yourself (or others) reveals gaps in understanding and strengthens learning.
Effect size: g = 0.49 (medium)
How to use: After learning something, explain it out loud as if teaching someone else.
What Doesn't Work
Rereading and highlighting, while popular, show minimal benefit in research. Your time is better spent on active techniques.