The two learning techniques with the strongest evidence are testing yourself and spreading practice out over time. The most popular ones, rereading and highlighting, feel productive but do much less. This piece is part of our guide to habits and learning.
Which study techniques work best?
A 2013 review in Psychological Science in the Public Interest rated ten common techniques. "Practice testing and distributed practice received high utility assessments" because they benefit learners of different ages and abilities and improve results across many kinds of tests, including in real classrooms.
| Technique | Rating in the review |
|---|---|
| Practice testing (self-testing, flashcards, recall) | High |
| Distributed practice (spreading sessions out) | High |
| Summarizing, highlighting, rereading, keyword mnemonics, imagery for text | Low |
Why do rereading and highlighting not work well?
They are easy and familiar, which makes material feel learned when it is not yet retrievable. The review notes that "Most students report rereading and highlighting, yet these techniques do not consistently boost students' performance", and suggests "practice testing instead of rereading."
How do you put this into practice?
- Close the book and recall. Write or say what you remember, then check.
- Use flashcards or practice questions instead of a final reread.
- Space your sessions. Several shorter sessions over days beat one long session the night before.
- Protect your sleep. Short sleep hits attention hardest; see how to improve focus.
Do brain-training apps help you learn?
Not in a way that carries over. Practice improves the specific thing you practise; our article on focus covers the evidence that working memory games do not improve wider skills. Time is better spent practising the thing you actually want to learn, ideally as a regular habit; the if-then habit planner helps you schedule it.
