Study Smarter, Not Longer: Two Proven Habits That Keep Students on Track
Most students study the way they were never taught not to: they reread their notes, highlight the textbook, and cram the night before. It feels productive. The research says it mostly isn't.
What the research found
In 2013, a team of cognitive psychologists led by John Dunlosky of Kent State University reviewed hundreds of studies on ten popular study techniques. Their report, published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, rated only two techniques as highly useful across ages, subjects and types of tests (Association for Psychological Science):
- Practice testing. Quizzing yourself with flashcards, practice problems or end-of-chapter questions.
- Spaced practice. Spreading study over several short sessions instead of one long cram session.
The same review rated highlighting, rereading and summarizing as low-utility techniques. They aren't useless, but they produce much less lasting learning for the time they take.
Why these two work
Pulling an answer out of memory strengthens it far more than looking at it again. And when practice is spaced out, a little forgetting happens between sessions, so each recall takes effort and makes the memory stronger. Cramming can get a student through tomorrow's quiz, but the material is often gone by the final exam.
How to use them at home
- Turn notes into questions. After class, write 3 to 5 questions on the day's material and answer them the next day without looking.
- Quiz, don't reread. Before a test, cover the notes and explain each topic out loud, then check what was missed.
- Start early, study in short bursts. Four 20-minute sessions over a week beat one 80-minute session the night before.
- Mix old with new. Add a few questions from earlier units to each session so older material stays fresh.
- For young kids, make it a game. Flashcards, "teach it back to me" and quick car-ride quizzes all count as practice testing.
The takeaway
Staying on track is less about studying longer and more about studying in ways that stick. Pick one habit to try this week, and add the next once it feels natural.
Sources
- Association for Psychological Science, “Which Study Strategies Make the Grade?” (2013)
- 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.
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