Test yourself instead of rereading
Pulling an answer out of your memory makes it stick far better than reading it again.
PsychologyHow to studyAbout 3 min: 2 reading, 1 practiceUpdated
Educational, not medical or mental-health advice.
- Explain what retrieval practice is
- Say why testing yourself beats rereading
- Turn any lesson into a 5-minute self-test
How to study: lesson 1 of 5
- How to study
- Test yourself instead of rereading 3 min
- Space it out 3 min
- Mix your practice 3 min
- Focus in short sessions 3 min
- Make a study plan you will keep 4 min
Try first
You haven't learned this yet, so guess. Guessing before you read helps the explanation stick. Nothing here is scored.
Already know this? Take a 3-question check and skip ahead.
Get all three right and the lesson is marked done.
Pairs with OpenStax, Psychology 2e, chapter 8 (Memory), section 8.4 "Ways to Enhance Memory"; Dunlosky et al. (2013)
What it is
Retrieval practice means testing yourself: closing the book and trying to recall what you just learned. Flashcards, practice questions and "write down everything you remember" all count.
The effort of pulling something out of memory is what strengthens it. Rereading feels easier, but that ease is the problem: the page is in front of you, so your memory never has to do any work.
Quick check
Tap an answer to check it.
Which of these is retrieval practice?
- Rereading puts the answer in front of you, so memory does no work
- Copying is still looking, not recalling
Show answer
Writing down what you remember with the book closed. Retrieval means pulling it out of memory yourself.
Why it matters
It is one of the best-tested study methods there is. In a well-known study by Roediger and Karpicke (2006), students who read a passage and then tested themselves remembered more a week later than students who reread it instead. The rereaders did better on a test five minutes later, but forgot faster. In a follow-up experiment, students who only reread predicted they'd remember more, but remembered least.
A big review of study methods (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013) rated practice testing as one of only two techniques with "high utility". Rereading and highlighting came out low.
Source: Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255, Experiment 1.
Text description
Bar chart. 5 minutes, reread: 81%; 5 minutes, tested: 75%; 2 days, reread: 54%; 2 days, tested: 68%; 1 week, reread: 42%; 1 week, tested: 56%.
Worked example
You have just read a lesson on compound interest. Instead of reading it again:
- Close the page.
- On paper, write the formula and explain it in one sentence, as if to a friend.
- Do the lesson's quiz without looking.
- Open the page and check. Anything you missed goes on a "misses" list for tomorrow.
That takes about five minutes, no longer than a reread.
Common mistake
Peeking too soon. If you look at the answer the moment it feels hard, you skip the struggle that does the work. Give yourself a real try first, even if you get it wrong. Getting it wrong and then checking still helps you learn.
Key terms
- retrieval practice
- recalling information from memory, e.g. by testing yourself
- rereading
- going over material again; feels familiar but builds little lasting memory
- high utility
- Dunlosky's top rating for study methods that work widely
Practise the key terms
Tap a card to turn it over. 3 cards.
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| retrieval practice | recalling information from memory, e.g. by testing yourself |
| rereading | going over material again; feels familiar but builds little lasting memory |
| high utility | Dunlosky's top rating for study methods that work widely |
Practice
Quick quiz
Tap an answer to check it.
Which helps you remember more a week later?
- Rereading feels familiar but fades fast
- Highlighting was rated low utility
Show answer
Reading once, then testing yourself. Testing yourself makes your memory do the work; that is what makes it last.
Why can rereading feel better than it is?
- Rereading takes less effort, which is the problem
- Speed isn't the issue; familiarity is
Show answer
The text is in front of you, so it feels familiar. Familiarity is not the same as being able to recall it on your own.
In short
- Testing yourself makes memory do the work, and that makes it last.
- Rereading feels easier but fades faster (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006).
- Practice testing is one of two "high utility" methods (Dunlosky et al., 2013).
- Try hard before you peek; checking after a wrong try still helps.
Mastery check
Answer without looking back. Score 80% or more and the lesson is marked done. Your result is kept only in this browser.
Check yourself
Answer in your head first, then open the answer. Nothing is saved.
What is retrieval practice, in one sentence?
Show answer
Recalling information from memory, for example by testing yourself, instead of reviewing it again.
In Roediger and Karpicke's study, which group remembered more after a week?
Show answer
The students who tested themselves.
Name two ways to do retrieval practice.
Show answer
Any two of: flashcards, practice questions, writing down what you remember, explaining it out loud without notes.
Further reading
- Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255.
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58.
- OpenStax, Psychology 2e, section 8.4, free online.
Finished? Mark it done to fill in your leaf on the Psychology map.