Make It Stick

Question 1

What is one of the best habits a learner can instill in herself?

Answer 1

Regular self-quizzing to recalibrate her understanding of what she does and does not know

Question 2

What is the benefit of effortful retrieval

Answer 2

The greater the effort to retrieve learning, provided that you succeed, the more that learning is strengthened by retrieval.

Question 3

Why is delayed retrieval practice more effective than immediate practice?

Answer 3

Delayed retrieval practice strengthens long-term memory.

Question 4

Why is repeated retrieval practice effective?

Answer 4

It makes memories more durable, produces knowledge that can be retrieved more readily, in more varied settings, and applied to a wider variety of problems.

Question 5

Why is cramming ineffective?

Answer 5

It quickly fades, even though it may produce good result on a test. Conversely, retrieval practice produces long term results.

Question 6

How many intermediate tests does it take to increase final exam scores?

Answer 6

Just a single test produces a large improvement. The more tests are added, the more scores increase.

Question 7

What is massed practice?

Answer 7

The single-minded, rapid-fire repetition of something you’re trying to burn into memory, the “practice-practice-practice” of conventional wisdom

Question 8

How much spacing is needed for “spaced practice.”

Answer 8

Enough time needs to elapse that a little forgetting sets in.

Question 9

What is “the familiarity trap”

Answer 9

The feeling that you know something and no longer need to practice it.

Question 10

What is interleaving?

Answer 10

Switching between two or more subjects during practice.

Question 11

When should you switch between interleaved subjects?

Answer 11

Before each practice is complete.

Question 12

Primary benefit of varied practice?

Answer 12

It helps learners build an ability to assess changing conditions and adjust responses to fit.

Question 13

What is the difference between varied practice and blocked practice?

Answer 13

Blocked practice: practicing different subjects in the same order every time. Varied practice: mixing up the order each time.

Question 14

Is long-term memory capacity limited?

Answer 14

No. The more you know, the more possible connections you have for adding new knowledge.

Question 15

What two practices help locate and recall long term memory

Answer 15

Repeated use (to keep retrieval routes strong) and retrieval cues that can reactivate memory.

Question 16

What practice helps reconsolidate long-term memories?

Answer 16

Effortful retrieval after some time has elapsed.

Question 17

How does effortful retrieval help with context?

Answer 17

It helps integrate learning into mental models, in which a set of interrelated ideas or a sequence of motor skills are fused into a meaningful whole that can be adapted and applied in later settings.

Question 18

How does generating the wrong response to a question help?

Answer 18

So long as corrective feedback is provided, it leads to better learning and longer retention.

Question 19

How can you avoid the illusion of false knowledge?

Answer 19

Get feedback from instructors or peers and simulations of the real environment.

Question 20

Define metacognition and its relationship to learning

Answer 20

What we know about what we know. Learning to be accurate self-observers helps us to stay out of blind alleys, make good decisions, and reflect on how we might do better next time.

Question 21

Instead of rereading, what should become your primary study strategy?

Answer 21

Retrieval practice: self-quizzing or retrieving knowledge and skill from memory.

Question 22

What is “elaboration” in the context of studying?

Answer 22

Elaboration is the process of finding additional layers of meaning in new material. A powerful form of elaboration is to discover a metaphor or visual image for the new material.

Question 23

What is “generation” in the context of learning?

Answer 23

Generation is an attempt to answer a question or solve a problem before being shown the answer or the solution.

Question 24

What is “calibration” in the learning process?

Answer 24

Answering all the questions on a quiz instead of just reading the question and going with the belief that, “you know that one.”

Question 25

Explain “reflection” in the context of learning.

Answer 25

Reflection involves retrieval (What did I do? How did it work?) and generation (How could I do it better next time?), invoking imagery and mental rehearsal.