Article: What's the best way to learn? Psychologists tackle studying techniques. Flashcards
What are the two best ways to study for tests?
Taking practice tests and doing distributed practice are the two best ways to study.
Instead of re-reading notes and so on, what should students do to prepare for tests.
Instead of re-reading notes or texts, students should take practice tests and do distributed practice to prepare for tests.
What is distributed practice?
Distributed practice is repeating study activities over time. In other words, regular revision of some sort.
For example, you might review your flash cards on a weekly basis. Or, you might do practice questions every couple of weeks.
What is elaborated interrgation?
Elaborated interrogation is asking yourself why something is true as you study.
For example, you might ask yourself why practice testing helps learning more - and come up with the answer that the work of remembering strengthens your memory and understanding.
Re-reading is an _______ way to study.
Re-reading is an ineffective way to study.
What common ways to study are ineffective?
Re-reading, summarizing, and highlighting are common but ineffective ways to study.
What kind of benefits do re-reading and and highlighting bring?
Re-reading and highlighting bring minimal benefits in terms of learning and performance.
A new study says _______ and ______ work the best to improve learning.
A new study says doing practice tests and distributed learning are the best ways to improve learning.
What is practice testing?
Practice testing is simply self-testing of class material. It may be in the form of quizzes, flash cards, or literally taking practice tests.
Why could flash cards could be a really good way to study?
Flash cards could be a really good way to study as they can be a way to do practice tests and to do distributed practice.
Why is re-reading so ineffective?
Re-reading is probably ineffective because….
Firstly, most students are almost certainly not engaging in elborative interrogation as they read.
Secondly, and most importantly perhaps, student confuse “comprehension” and / or recognition with learning. Just because they understand and recall seeing their notes or texts, they think they have “learned” the content.
Which study technique “tricks” students into thinking they have learnt the material?
Which study technique “tricks” students into thinking they have learnt the material?
Re-reading“tricks” students into thinking they have learnt the material. This is because. students can confuse “comprehension” and / or recognition with learning. Just because they understand and recall seeing their notes or texts, they think they have “learned” the content.
Why is taking practice tests so effective?
Taking practice tests is effective because the “work” of recalling information strengthens your memory of it.
Why is distributed practice so effective?
Distributed practice is so effective because spaced retrieval of information strengthens of memory of the material.
