Written by Phillip DeRenzo

Published date May 23, 2025

7 Study Strategies Backed by Real Research (How to Study Better)

Midnight strikes. You’re slumped over your notes, re-reading the same page for the third time, wondering why none of it feels familiar.Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone...

Studies show that rereading and highlighting are among students’ most common study habits. Unfortunately, research finds these familiar techniques are also among the least effective ways to retain information. In one comprehensive review, cognitive psychologist John Dunlosky and colleagues rated popular methods like highlighting, summarizing, and rereading as having “low utility,” while strategies like practice testing and spaced practice earned “high” effectiveness ratings. The problem is that passive review creates an illusion of mastery – the material feels familiar, so we think we know it, even if we’ll forget it by test day. Meanwhile, decades of research by experts such as Robert Bjork, Henry Roediger, and John Dunlosky have uncovered effective evidence-based study methods backed by cognitive science that can dramatically improve learning. Bjork even coined the term “desirable difficulties” to describe how certain challenges (like spacing out practice or self-testing) actually boost memory in the long run by making the brain work a bit harder.

So, what are these superior strategies? Below, we’ll dive into 7 science-backed techniques for students – from active recall to dual coding – that help you study smarter, not harder. For each, we’ll explain the cognitive science behind it, cite a representative study, and give real-world examples of how to retain information when studying using that method. By the end, you’ll have a toolkit of proven tips to stop forgetting what you study and start acing your learning with less stress. Let’s jump in!

1. Retrieval Practice (Active Recall)

Retrieval practice, also known as active recall or the testing effect, is arguably the most powerful study method to improve memory. Instead of passively reviewing material, you actively pull information out of your brain – for example, by quizzing yourself, writing out what you remember, or explaining a concept from memory without looking at your notes. The science here is pretty intuitive: recalling something strengthens your memory of it. Each time you dig up a fact from memory, your brain reinforces the path, making it easier to recall in the future. Conversely, when you just re-read notes, you aren’t exercising your recall muscles – so the knowledge remains weakly encoded.

Decades of research support the benefits of retrieval practice. Pioneering experiments by Roediger and Karpicke found that students who took practice tests remembered significantly more over time than those who only restudied the material. In one striking study, college students who practiced retrieval of science texts a week later scored about 50% higher on retention than students who used an elaborate concept-mapping study method. This was despite both groups performing similarly on an immediate test – the difference emerged after a delay, highlighting how active recall helps improve memory recall over the long term. The students in the retrieval group essentially knew how to stop forgetting what you study by continually practicing memory retrieval, whereas the concept-mapping group’s knowledge faded. Researcher Jeffrey Karpicke noted that learners often misjudge their study techniques; the retrieval group didn’t expect to do better, yet they dramatically outperformed the others. This underscores a key point: what feels easy (rereading) often isn’t effective, and what feels hard (active recall) pays off big – a classic “desirable difficulty.”

How can you use retrieval practice? Here are a few real-world examples and tips:

Quiz yourself regularly: Rather than simply reading over a textbook chapter, close the book and recall the main ideas from memory. You can write down a quick summary or speak it out loud. If you miss something, check the text and then try again. Using flashcards is a great way to implement this – look at the term on one side and attempt to retrieve the definition without peeking. This forces you to actively reconstruct the knowledge, strengthening your memory each time.
Use past exams or practice questions: If you have access to practice problems, old exams, or questions at the end of textbook chapters, use them! Testing yourself under exam-like conditions helps identify what you don’t know and cements what you do know. For example, if you’re studying biology, quiz yourself on key processes (e.g. “How does photosynthesis work? Describe it without notes.”). This technique aligns perfectly with study methods that improve memory recall – you’ll find you remember the material much better later than if you had just reread it.
Teach someone else (or pretend to): Explaining a concept to a friend, family member, or even an imaginary audience is a form of retrieval practice that also checks your understanding. If you can teach a chapter from history without referring to your notes, you’re actively recalling the facts and organizing them coherently – which is exactly what you’ll need to do on test essays. As a bonus, teaching incorporates a bit of self-explanation (another method we’ll cover) along with retrieval.

The key with retrieval practice is consistency. Rather than one big quiz at the end, quiz yourself throughout your studying. It might feel more challenging than re-reading notes, but that desirable difficulty means you’re training your brain. By actively recalling information, you strengthen your memory and pinpoint gaps in your knowledge before exam day. In short, don’t just see if you recognize the material – see if you can remember it*. This is how you study smarter to truly learn information, not just temporarily cram it.

2. Spaced Repetition

If cramming is your usual go-to, cognitive science has a clear message: there’s a better way. Spaced repetition, or distributed practice, means spreading out your study sessions over time instead of massing them in one burst. Rather than a 10-hour marathon the night before an exam, you’d, say, study for an hour a day over 10 days. This technique leverages the well-established spacing effect – the finding that we retain information more effectively when learning is spaced out, not crammed.

Why does spacing work? After you learn something, you naturally begin to forget it (think of the classic “forgetting curve”). By revisiting the material after some time has passed, you interrupt the forgetting process and strengthen the memory each time. Each review tells your brain, “This information is important, let’s keep it around.” Spacing also forces you to re-retrieve information from memory (tying back to retrieval practice) rather than rely on short-term familiarity. In essence, spaced study sessions repeatedly refresh and solidify the knowledge in long-term memory. Cramming, on the other hand, may get info into your head for tomorrow’s test, but much of it will slip away soon after (the dreaded “I studied this, why don’t I remember it now?” feeling). If actually learning is your goal, spacing out your study sessions is one of the best ways to actually hold onto the material.

There’s no shortage of evidence behind spaced repetition. Psychologists have been exploring the spacing effect since Ebbinghaus first studied memory in the 1800s and hundreds of studies have confirmed it as one of the most consistent findings in the science of learning. These studies, spanning various subjects and timescales, show that students who use distributed practice consistently outperform those who cram in terms of long-term retention. For example, one large-scale study by Cepeda and colleagues found that spacing out learning, even over intervals of several months, significantly boosted the amount of information recalled on final tests. Additionally, a report by Dunlosky et al. identified distributed practice as a “high-utility” technique for learners of all ages, in stark contrast to cramming which often yields only short-lived gains.

Here are some tips to start implementing spaced repetition in practice:

Plan shorter, frequent study sessions: Instead of one huge study block, break your studying into multiple sessions spread over days or weeks. For instance, if you have a test in two weeks, schedule perhaps 30-60 minutes of review each day or every other day, hitting the material multiple times. You might review Chapter 1 on Monday, Chapter 2 on Tuesday, then come back to Chapter 1 on Wednesday, and so on. Regular exposure over time helps you master the content.
Use the 1-2-3-... review rule: Many students use a simple expanding interval system. After you first learn something, review it the next day (after 24 hours), then again 3 days later, then a week later, then maybe 2 weeks later. Each spaced review will be quicker (since it’s refresh, not relearning) and will dramatically slow down forgetting. Let’s say you’re learning new vocabulary. Review it the next day, again a few days later, then once more after a week, and chances are those words will actually stay with you.
Leverage technology: Consider using flashcard apps like Anki or Quizlet, which are built around spaced repetition algorithms. These programs will present flashcards at increasing intervals based on how well you know them – a convenient way to automate your spaced reviews. If apps aren’t your thing, you can mimic this with a paper flashcard system (the Leitner system, which involves sorting cards into daily/weekly/monthly boxes depending on mastery). The point is to keep cycling through material on a schedule instead of waiting until right before the exam.
Avoid last-minute cramming: It’s okay (and normal) to do a final review as the test approaches, but if you’ve been spacing your study, that final review will be reinforcing already well-learned material, not desperately trying to learn everything at once. You’ll feel calmer and more confident because you’ve truly learned the content over time. As the saying goes, space it, don’t race it – your brain will thank you with better recall.

By using spaced repetition, you essentially work smarter, not harder: you’re strategically timing your learning to stop forgetting what you study. It might require a bit of planning and discipline to start early, but the payoff is huge – better retention, less stress, and no more night-before panic. When it comes to ways to study smarter not harder, spacing out your practice is a foundational habit to build.

3. Interleaved Practice

Have you ever noticed how homework problem sets usually have you do the same kind of problem over and over (AAA, BBB, CCC…) before moving to the next type? Interleaved practice takes the opposite approach: mix it up! With interleaving, you alternate between different topics or problem types in a single study session, instead of focusing on just one for a long stretch. For example, rather than solving 10 calculus derivative problems in a row (blocked practice), you might alternate between 3 derivative problems, 3 integration problems, and 3 application word problems in the same session. This strategy might feel more challenging because your brain has to constantly reset and figure out what technique to use – but that’s exactly why it works. By interleaving different materials, you force your mind to stay engaged and choose the appropriate strategy for each problem, which strengthens learning and improves your ability to transfer skills to new situations.

Interleaving is another example of Bjork’s “desirable difficulties” in action. When you mix up practice, you don’t get in a groove of doing the exact same thing (which can become mindless). Instead, each time you switch topics, you have to retrieve the relevant approach and pay attention to what you’re doing – which means you’re not just rote repeating procedures. This helps you learn how to differentiate between problems and apply the right solution method, a critical skill especially in math, science, and other problem-solving domains. Cognitive scientists have found that while students often feel like they learn better with blocked practice (because it’s easier in the moment), they actually perform better after interleaved practice, when tested. The short-term struggle yields long-term mastery.

Research backs the benefits of interleaved practice across various fields. A classic example comes from sports: in one study, college baseball players practiced hitting different types of pitches (fastballs, curveballs, change-ups). One group used blocked practice (e.g. 15 fastballs, then 15 curveballs, etc.), while another group’s batting practice was interleaved (pitch types mixed randomly). The result? During a later test simulating a real game (where pitch type is unpredictable), the interleaved group’s hitting performance was significantly better than the blocked group. Even though interleaving made practice harder (the batters couldn’t “get in a rhythm” on one pitch), it better prepared them for the actual game conditions. The same principle applies to academic learning. For instance, in a study with college math students learning to calculate volumes of different geometric shapes, those who practiced interleaved problem sets (mixing different shape problems) scored much higher on a test one week later than those who did each type of problem in a separate block. The interleaving group had an effect size of d = 1.34 over the blocking group – a huge gain, meaning they outperformed a large majority of the blocking group. Interleaving helps because it not only spaces practice (you naturally leave a gap when you rotate topics, aiding memory), but it also improves discrimination skills – you learn to recognize “what kind of problem is this and how do I solve it?”.

How can you use interleaved practice? It can be applied in various ways:

Mix problem types or subjects: If you’re studying math, don’t do all your algebra problems, then all geometry, then all calculus. Shuffle them: solve a geometry problem, then a calculus problem, then an algebra problem. This way, each problem forces you to recall the right strategy from scratch. Similarly, when studying for a science exam, instead of focusing an entire hour on Chapter 1 then an entire hour on Chapter 2, interweave them – spend 15 minutes on Chapter 1, then 15 on Chapter 2, then maybe 15 on Chapter 3, then loop back. This trains you to switch gears and keeps you actively thinking.
Use random practice sets: Many textbooks have mixed review questions that draw on multiple chapters or skills – these are gold for interleaving. You could also create your own “mix & match” set of flashcards or problems. For example, if you’re learning a foreign language, instead of drilling all vocab first then all grammar exercises, alternate between vocabulary, grammar, and reading practice in one session. It might feel less “orderly,” but you’ll remember more when it counts.
Simulate real-world conditions: In real life and exams, problems don’t announce themselves as “use formula X now.” Interleaving prepares you for that. So when studying, practice like you play: jumble topics so you have to figure out the approach on the fly. If you’re a music student, practice pieces in a rotated order rather than the same sequence every time, to better retain your skills. If you’re prepping for a standardized test with multiple sections (math, reading, writing), intersperse mini-sections in your study sessions. This way, you learn to adjust to different tasks quickly, just as you’ll have to on test day.

At first, interleaving can feel frustrating – you might feel slower or less competent because you’re constantly resetting. But take heart: that’s the productive struggle that means you’re really learning. Over time, you’ll notice you can tackle a variety of questions more flexibly. Interleaved practice is a prime example of science-backed techniques for students that may not be intuitive but yield substantial benefits. In the long run, it helps you study smarter, not harder by ensuring you can apply your knowledge in any order, not just in a familiar sequence.

4. Elaborative Interrogation

Ever get to a fact in your notes and wonder, “Hmm, why is that true?” If so, you’re already leaning into this next technique. Elaborative interrogation is a fancy term for a simple but powerful habit: asking “why” and “how” questions about what you’re learning. Instead of memorizing a fact in isolation, you prod it with questions like, “Why does this make sense? Why would this be true? How does this work?” By answering these questions (even if only by reasoning it out yourself), you connect new information to what you already know, creating a richer, more memorable understanding. In other words, you’re elaborating on the material, not just accepting it at face value.

The cognitive science behind elaborative interrogation is that it prompts deeper processing. When you generate an explanation for why something is true, you have to engage with the content, infer relationships, and link it to prior knowledge. This creates multiple cues and mental associations for the information, making it stickier in your memory. It’s a bit like planting a new fact into a web of existing knowledge – the more connections, the sturdier it is and the easier it is to retrieve later. Elaborative interrogation essentially treats learning as an active, inquisitive process rather than a passive one.

What does the research say? Studies have shownsignificant learning gains when students are prompted to explain why facts are true, compared to students who simply read or review the material. In one classic experiment, college students were given a list of factual statements about Canadian provinces (e.g., “British Columbia has the highest percentage of its population in labor unions”). One group was prompted to answer “Why would that be the case?” for each fact – essentially coming up with a plausible explanation – while another group just read the statements and tried to remember them. The result: the elaborative interrogation group had much better recall of the facts later on. Simply asking “Why might that be true?” and generating an explanation (e.g., “Maybe because British Columbia has a lot of forestry and mining jobs which are often unionized”) led to deeper memory encoding than rote memorization. Importantly, the explanations don’t have to be perfect – even attempting to explain engages the mind beneficially. Other research by Pressley et al. found that elaborative interrogation helped students remember arbitrary facts (like random pairings of people and actions) far better than if they just read them, because the “why” questions forced students to link the new information with something sensible in their own knowledge. Dunlosky’s review rated elaborative interrogation as a moderately effective technique, noting it works best when you already have some base knowledge to connect to (it’s easier to generate explanations if you’re not completely clueless about the topic!).

How can you put elaborative interrogation into practice? Here are some examples:

Probe with “why” while reading: As you study your textbook or notes, make it a habit to pause after each key fact or concept and ask, “Why is this true? Why would this happen?” Then attempt to answer in your own words. For instance, if you’re learning in psychology that “sleep helps consolidate memory,” ask “Why does sleep improve memory?” – you might reason, “Well, maybe because the brain strengthens connections during sleep.” The act of reasoning it out helps anchor the concept. If you’re reviewing historical events, ask “Why did this battle turn out the way it did? Why did this historical figure take that action?” Even if your answer isn’t fully complete, the process makes the material more meaningful and thus a study method that improves memory recall for those facts.
Connect to prior knowledge: A big part of elaboration is linking new info to things you already know. So when asking “why,” also ask, “What does this remind me of? Does it fit a pattern I’ve seen before?” For example, if you just learned a scientific principle, consider if it’s analogous to something in everyday life. (“Oh, the way electricity flows in a circuit is kind of like water flowing in pipes – that’s why increasing voltage is like increasing water pressure.”) These analogies serve as elaborate cues that make recall easier later.
Use “because” to explain: A practical tip: when taking notes, don’t just write down what is true – add a clause that starts with “because” to capture why it’s true. If your textbook says “Exercise improves mood by releasing endorphins,” note it as “Exercise improves mood because it releases endorphins (feel-good chemicals).” That single word “because” forces you to record an explanation, which doubles as elaborative interrogation. If the material doesn’t provide an explanation, try to guess or infer one. Even a guessed explanation can help; you can always verify later.
Study with a friend and ask each other “why” questions: Sometimes explaining out loud to a peer who asks “why does that work?” can reveal gaps in understanding or spark deeper thought. If you and a classmate quiz each other on material, include “why” follow-ups. (“The formula gives us X – but why does that formula make sense?”) It turns rote Q&A into a more elaborative, discussion-based review.

By constantly pushing yourself to explain why, you transform learning from memorizing isolated dots into seeing the bigger picture. You’ll find that you understand and remember the material much more deeply. Elaborative interrogation essentially teaches you to be curious and analytical with what you study, which not only helps you recall facts for the test but also builds a richer understanding. It’s a prime example of studying smarter – you invest a bit more thought up front, but you reap the rewards of stronger memory and comprehension.

5. Dual Coding

They say “a picture is worth a thousand words.” When it comes to studying, there’s truth to that old adage. Dual coding is the strategy of combining words and visuals when you learn, so that information is encoded in your brain in two forms: a verbal form and a visual form. The idea comes from psychologist Allan Paivio’s Dual Coding Theory, which argues that our brains have separate channels for processing verbal information (like text or speech) and visual information (like images, diagrams, charts). If you engage both, you essentially create two memory traces for the concept instead of one – doubling the ways you can remember it later. In practical terms, dual coding means learning with both words and pictures. That could involve drawing a diagram to illustrate a written concept, studying an infographic or timeline that pairs facts with visuals, or even just mentally visualizing what you’re reading. It’s a way to make abstract or dense information more concrete and memorable.

Why is dual coding one of the best study techniques for students backed by research? First, visuals can simplify complexity. A well-chosen diagram or metaphorical picture can instantly clarify a concept that might take paragraphs to explain in text. (Think of the classic “flow of electricity is like water in pipes” diagram, or a timeline of historical events – one glance can contextualize a lot of details.) Second, as mentioned, visuals create additional memory cues. There’s a robust finding in psychology known as the picture superiority effect: people tend to remember pictures better than words. When you have both, you get the benefit of the picture’s memorability and the verbal detail. In multimedia learning research, Richard Mayer and others have shown that students learn and recall more when content is presented with relevant visuals alongside text, compared to text alone. For example, one of Mayer’s studies found that when learners read a scientific passage with an illustrative diagram, they performed much better on subsequent problem-solving and recall tests than those who read the passage without a diagram. The visual component helped them grasp the material more deeply and remember it longer. The dual-coded information (words + images) basically had two “hooks” in memory instead of one.

It’s important to note that dual coding isn’t the same as learning styles (the debunked idea that some people are “visual learners” etc.). Rather, dual coding works for everyone as a general principle: combining modalities enriches learning. The visuals should also be meaningful – e.g. a schematic of a process, a chart of relationships, a metaphorical picture that captures an idea – rather than just decorative. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be an artist to use dual coding effectively. Even simple sketches or seeing a concept in graph form can do wonders for understanding.

How can you use dual coding while studying? Here are some approaches:

Draw it out: Incorporate simple drawings, mind maps, stick figures, or flowcharts into your notes. For instance, if you’re learning about cell biology, sketch a cell and label its parts as you write about their functions. If a process has steps, draw a flow diagram with arrows. Studying literature? Sketch the plot arc or make a comic-strip summary of key scenes. Don’t worry about artistic quality – even a rough sketch that only you understand can cement the idea. The act of drawing engages you and creates a visual memory.
Use infographics and charts: When available, take advantage of graphs, timelines, tables, or infographics that present information visually. If your textbook has figures, don’t skip over them – study them and relate them to the text. If it doesn’t, consider making your own quick chart. For example, if you need to compare several theories, create a table or Venn diagram to visually organize the differences and similarities. This kind of dual coding (text + diagram) will help you recall the comparisons more easily later.
Leverage imagery for abstract concepts: For abstract ideas, come up with a visual analogy or symbol. Learning about memory systems in psychology? Perhaps imagine memory like a computer (encoding = typing info in, storage = saving to hard drive, retrieval = opening a file) – create a visual metaphor in your mind or on paper. Studying vocabulary in a new language? Picture a vivid scene or image for each new word (this is essentially the idea behind the keyword mnemonic, which is another, though less universally effective, technique). By pairing the concept with a mental image, you give yourself an extra cue.
Watch and create visual resources: Sometimes a short video or animation can illustrate a concept far better than words. Resources like CrashCourse, Khan Academy, or educational animations often employ dual coding by combining spoken explanations with rich visuals – these can reinforce your learning (just be sure to engage actively, not watch passively). Additionally, you might try concept mapping tools or simply sticky notes on a wall to map ideas spatially. For example, write key terms on sticky notes and physically arrange them on your wall or desk to form a visual map of how concepts connect. That spatial layout becomes a visual memory in itself.
Use color and format: Even simple uses of color or formatting in your notes can tap into dual coding. Highlight or underline key points in different colors, or use colored note cards for different topics – the color can serve as a visual cue. Or organize information into structured diagrams (hierarchies, cycles, parts of a whole) rather than just linear text. These techniques combine words with a visual element (structure or color) to make recall easier.

By engaging both your verbal and visual faculties, dual coding helps ensure you really get the material (because you’ve processed it in more than one way) and that you have multiple memory hooks for it. When you go to recall it, you might remember the image you drew which then helps you reconstruct the written details, or vice versa. It’s a versatile strategy for any subject – whether it’s drawing diagrams of historical battles for history class, sketching molecular structures for chemistry, or mapping out theories for psychology. Plus, it can make studying more enjoyable and creative. So the next time you’re studying a tough concept, try to see it as well as read it – a little doodle could make a big difference.

6. Concrete Examples

Abstract concepts can be difficult to grasp and even harder to remember. That’s where concrete examples come in. This technique is all about taking an idea that’s abstract or theoretical and illustrating it with a specific, real-world example. By grounding abstract concepts in something tangible and familiar, you make them easier for your brain to latch onto. For instance, the concept of “opportunity cost” in economics might feel abstract, but if you think of a concrete example – like “if you spend an hour watching Netflix the night before an exam, the opportunity cost is an hour of study time you gave up” – it suddenly becomes more understandable and memorable. Concrete examples basically bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Why do concrete examples work? One reason is they provide meaning and context. Our brains remember stories and concrete details better than dry principles. An example paints a picture of how a concept plays out, which often engages emotion or visualization, aiding memory. Also, examples can clarify the concept by showing its boundaries and applications, helping you understand not just what it is but how it works. This is especially helpful when learning something abstract like a scientific principle, a math concept, or a philosophical theory. It’s one thing to read a definition; it’s another to see it in action. By using concrete cases, you attach the abstract idea to a familiar frame of reference in your mind.

Research supports the value of concrete examples for learning. A study by Rawson et al. (2015) found that students who studied concepts with multiple concrete examples understood them better and were more able to recognize and apply the concepts in new situations. In fact, a replication study in 2022 confirmed that the use of concrete examples significantly enhanced learning of abstract ideas, with students performing better on tests of those concepts (effect size d ≈ 0.30, a meaningful improvement). The critical finding was that students could more easily transfer their knowledge – they recognized the concept when it appeared in a different form, likely because the examples had illustrated various facets of the concept. By contrast, students who only read abstract definitions often struggled to apply them beyond rote situations. Another reason examples help is they can dispel misconceptions – a concrete example can show a common mistake or extreme case, helping learners refine their understanding. That said, there is a caveat: examples should be varied. If you only ever see one example of a concept, you might latch onto surface features of that example and miss the core principle (this is sometimes called the problem of inert knowledge). So, the best practice is to study multiple concrete examples that illustrate the concept in different ways. This helps you abstract the underlying idea correctly.

How can you incorporate concrete examples into your study routine? Try these ideas:

When you learn a new concept, immediately think of an example: After reading a definition or theorem, ask yourself, “Can I think of a real-world example of this?” For instance, if you just learned the concept of classical conditioning in psychology, you might recall the classic example of Pavlov’s dogs (bell rings, dog salivates) as a concrete example. If none is given, try to create one from your own experience or imagination. The act of generating your own example is even more powerful. Say you’re learning about Newton’s First Law (inertia) – you could think, “Oh, that’s like when a car suddenly stops and my body lurches forward because it wants to keep moving.” Now you have a personal concrete example; later, recalling Newton’s First Law will be easier because your brain also brings up that vivid scenario.
Collect examples from class or readings: Professors and textbooks often provide examples – don’t skim over these! Write them down and note how exactly they illustrate the concept. If your math book shows how a formula is used with specific numbers, study that example problem step by step. If your business class gives a case study of a company to illustrate a theory, pay attention to the details. These examples are anchors for the abstract ideas. Sometimes it's useful to tabulate them: e.g., make a small list in your notes like “Concept X – example 1, example 2, example 3,” so you have multiple reference points.
Create analogies or metaphors: An analogy is basically a type of concrete example that parallels the concept. If you’re struggling with an abstract idea, ask “What is this similar to in real life?” For example, if you’re learning about data structures in computer science, you might compare a queue to people waiting in line (first in, first out), or a stack to a stack of plates (last in, first out). These analogies take something abstract and make it concrete through a familiar situation. They not only help you remember but also check your understanding – if you can devise a sensible analogy, you likely grasp the concept.
Apply the concept to solve a real problem: Sometimes you can create a concrete example by applying what you learned. If you learned a formula in physics, plug in actual numbers and compute a scenario (e.g., “if I throw a ball at X m/s, how far does it go?”). If you learned a grammar rule in French, write a couple of sample sentences that use that rule in a meaningful context. These specific applications serve as concrete examples demonstrating the concept in action.
Be wary of only superficial examples: Ensure the example truly ties back to the core idea and isn’t just tangentially related. For example, if you’re learning a broad concept like “sustainability,” one example might not capture it fully, so gather a few different ones (maybe an example of sustainable farming, an example of sustainable energy, etc.) to cover the scope. Variety prevents you from overfitting your understanding to just one scenario.

Using concrete examples makes your studying more relatable and practical. It’s like turning abstract bullet points into mini stories or scenarios your brain can visualize. When exam time comes, you might find that recalling the example also triggers the memory of the principle itself. Over time, as you master the concept, you can abstract away from the examples – but until then, they are your training wheels that make learning smoother. So the next time you’re faced with a tough theory, don’t just circle it in your notes – give yourself a for-instance. It’s a simple step that can greatly enhance comprehension and retention.

7. Self-Explanation

Last but certainly not least: self-explanation – basically, talking yourself through the material. This method involves explaining concepts, solving processes, or ideas in your own words as you learn, as if you were teaching it or as if you need to clarify it for yourself. Self-explanation often happens naturally (“OK, so this equation is saying that force equals mass times acceleration, meaning if I increase mass… then force...”), but you can also deliberately prompt it. It’s similar to elaborative interrogation but broader: while elaborative interrogation often centers on “why” questions for facts, self-explanation can include “how” questions, making sense of each step of a solution, or connecting pieces of information together out loud or in writing.

The power of self-explanation comes from making the implicit explicit. Often when we study, we think we understand something because we followed the solution or nodded along to the text. But unless we can articulate it ourselves, that understanding might be superficial. By explaining it, you expose the logical flow and also reveal any gaps in your knowledge. Cognitively, self-explanation forces you to integrate new information with what you already know, and to monitor your understanding actively (a bit of metacognition). It’s a form of retrieval practice as well, because you’re recalling the content to explain it, and an elaboration, because you’re expanding on it. In short, it’s a powerhouse technique that combines many good principles.

What does the research say about self-explanation? A lot! Studies by Michelene Chi and others have shown that students who frequently self-explain while studying learn significantly more and solve problems more effectively than those who don’t. For example, Chi et al. (1994) observed students studying physics textbook passages: those who spontaneously paused to explain the material to themselves (e.g., explaining the rationale behind each step in a worked example) scored much higher on problem-solving tests later than students who just read through passively. In fact, even the number of self-explanations a student generated correlated with how well they did – more explaining, better learning. This is often called the self-explanation effect. It’s been replicated across different subjects and ages. For instance, in math problem solving and computer science learning, giving elaborate explanations (to oneself or others) has been linked to higher achievement. One study cited by researchers found that in cooperative learning settings, the student who took on the “explainer” role benefited more than the one who just listened – teaching someone else is really a form of self-explanation paired with retrieval. Moreover, experiments have shown that even when students are prompted to self-explain (told to explain steps of examples), their understanding improves over those who are not prompted. The benefits hold true for high- and low-ability learners alike, and for both straightforward recall and deeper conceptual understanding. In short, making yourself “your own teacher” through self-explanation is a universally helpful strategy.

So how can you practice self-explanation? Here are some ways:

Explain steps in worked examples: When studying solved examples (say, in math, physics, or chemistry), don’t just read through the solution. Pause at each step and explain why they did that. For example: “They set these two equations equal because they’re finding the intersection… then they solved for x by doing this… that makes sense because…” Doing this in your head or aloud transforms you from a passive reader into an active learner. If you can’t explain a step, that flags a point to review.
Summarize paragraphs or topics in your own words: After reading a section of your textbook or notes, close the book and summarize out loud (or in writing) what you learned, as if teaching an invisible class. Imagine you have to convey the main idea and how the concepts connect. For instance, “So in this section, Darwin’s theory of natural selection basically says that because individuals vary and some variations confer an advantage, those individuals reproduce more, thereby the traits become more common. The key points were variation, competition, and heredity...” – explaining it like this ensures you truly understand the logic of the concept. You’ll notice quickly if you’re parroting words without understanding, because you’ll get stuck or the explanation will sound nonsensical – which is exactly when you know to go back and clarify.
Use the Feynman Technique: This popular method is essentially guided self-explanation. You take a concept and attempt to explain it in simple terms, as if teaching a newbie. Write it down on a blank sheet as if giving a mini-lesson, using plain language and even drawings (dual coding!). Whenever you struggle, it shows a gap – go back to the source, fill the gap, then continue your explanation. Finally, review your explanation to ensure it’s clear and accurate. The Feynman Technique is basically formalized self-explanation, and it’s extremely effective for pinpointing misconceptions and solidifying understanding.
Answer “how” and “what” questions: We talked about “why” in elaboration, but for processes and problems, “how does this work?” or “what is the reasoning here?” are central. If studying an algorithm in computer science, you might self-explain by tracing through an example and explaining how each step transforms the input. If studying an event in history, explain the sequence of events (“First A happened, which led to B, and as a result C occurred…”). Essentially, narrate the cause-effect or the logic. This not only helps memory but ensures you see the connections among pieces of information.
Explain to others or rubber-duck it: Find a study buddy and take turns explaining concepts to each other. Or, if no one is around, employ the classic rubber duck debugging approach from programming – explain the problem or concept to an inanimate object (yes, talk to a rubber duck or your pet or an empty chair). It sounds silly, but articulating your thoughts as if someone is listening can clarify your own understanding. Teaching is often the best test of knowledge. As the saying goes, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

In sum, self-explanation turns studying from a one-way intake into a two-way dialogue – even if that dialogue is just you with yourself. By actively explaining and questioning during learning, you’re doing the mental heavy lifting that creates strong, durable learning. It’s a technique that integrates many of the earlier methods: you practice retrieval (by recalling info to explain it), you elaborate (by making connections and inferences), sometimes you generate concrete examples or dual-coded sketches in the process, and you certainly expose what you don’t know (so you can fix it). It might feel awkward at first to basically “talk to yourself,” but you don’t necessarily have to speak out loud (though that can help). The key is the mindset of explaining rather than memorizing. Adopt that, and you’ll find your understanding deepens and your ability to recall and apply knowledge skyrockets.

Your Brain Will Thank You Later

By now, you’ve seen a common theme: the most effective study strategies aren’t about putting in more hours mindlessly – they’re about using active, thoughtful techniques to engage your brain. These seven methods – retrieval practice, spaced repetition, interleaving, elaborative interrogation, dual coding, concrete examples, and self-explanation – are proven approaches that help you study smarter, not longer. Instead of rote memorization or last-minute cramming, they encourage you to work with the material in deeper ways, whether by actively recalling it, connecting it to prior knowledge, or explaining it in your own words. The result is that you actually learn and retain the information, rather than forgetting it a day later. In other words, quality of study beats quantity of study every time.

As you reflect on your own study habits, be honest: how many of these techniques do you currently use? Many students realize that their default methods (like rereading notes or highlighting textbooks) fall into the “low-utility” category, while the best study techniques for students backed by research might initially feel unfamiliar or even counterintuitive. The good news is, it’s never too late to change your approach. Try incorporating just one of these science-backed techniques into your next study session. For example, you might start by swapping out passive review for a round of active recall using flashcards, or by spacing your study sessions across the week instead of doing it all in one go. Notice the difference it makes in what you remember a few days later. Then, gradually layer on another technique – perhaps add dual coding by sketching some diagrams, or practice elaborative interrogation by asking “why” as you read. Over time, you can build a robust study routine that combines these methods (they complement each other well) and truly improves your memory recall and understanding.

Remember, studying smarter doesn’t necessarily mean studying harder. In fact, you might find you can spend less total time on studying because the time you do invest yields more durable learning. It’s about making each session count. No more staring at the textbook in a daze for hours with little to show for it – instead, you’ll be actively engaged and seeing progress as you can recall and apply what you learned. So, pick a technique and give it a go! Your future self – acing exams with confidence and actually retaining the knowledge for beyond the test – will thank you. And whenever you’re curious about effective learning or any other research-proven tips, remember to search smarter with iAsk — explore research-backed answers, fast, and keep leveling up your learning toolkit. Here’s to studying smarter, not harder, and to lifelong learning made more effective (and enjoyable) by cognitive science-backed strategies. Good luck, and happy studying!