Summary of How to study for exams - Evidence-based revision tips

Key Wellness and Productivity Strategies for Exam Revision

• Ineffective Common Techniques:
  • Rereading: Popular but low utility; offers limited retention improvement and is less effective compared to other methods.
  • Highlighting/Underlining: Also low utility; may help with difficult texts but can hinder higher-level understanding and inference making.
  • Summarizing/Making Notes: Mixed evidence; effective only if the learner is skilled at summarizing, which requires training. Often time-consuming and less efficient.
• Highly Effective Technique: Active Recall (Practice Testing)
  • Involves actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it.
  • Strengthens neural connections and improves long-term retention.
  • Supported by numerous studies showing significant improvements (10-30%+) in test performance compared to rereading or passive review.
  • Counterintuitive to many students who tend to prefer rereading; evidence strongly favors Active Recall.
• Specific Strategies to Implement Active Recall:
  1. Using Anki (Flashcard App):
     • Utilizes spaced repetition by adjusting flashcard review frequency based on how well you recall each fact.
     • Particularly useful for memorizing facts, definitions, and study details.
     • Free web version available; popular among medical students.
  2. Making Notes with the Book Closed:
     • Study a topic, then close the book and write down everything you remember.
     • Review the source afterward to fill gaps.
     • Combines Active Recall with self-assessment and spaced repetition.
     • Helps deepen understanding and retention.
  3. Writing Questions for Yourself (Cornell Note-Taking Method):
     • Instead of passive notes, write questions based on the material.
     • Use these questions later for self-testing.
     • Forces cognitive effort and retrieval practice.
     • Proven to be effective in improving exam performance.
• Additional Points:
  • Active Recall is most effective when combined with spaced repetition and interleaved practice (to be discussed in future videos).
  • Students’ intuitive preferences for study techniques often do not align with evidence-based best practices.
  • Enjoyment of note-making or highlighting is fine but should be supplemented with Active Recall for better results.
  • Recommended reading: Make It Stick (book) for deeper understanding of evidence-based study methods.

Presenter:

• Ellie, final year medical student at Cambridge University

Category

Wellness and Self-Improvement

Video