Retrieval Practice
📋 What it is
Closing the book and pulling the answer out of your own memory — the single strongest study move.
🗣️ Coach says
Re-reading feels like learning but mostly isn’t. Retrieval is closing the book and trying to REMEMBER. It feels harder — that struggle IS the learning.
🧠 Memory hook
Close it, then recall. If your eyes are on the answer, it’s not retrieval. Say it first, THEN peek.
😂 Giggle
Why did the flashcard go to the gym?
To work on its recall!
😲 Whoa!
Getting a question WRONG and then seeing the answer often helps you more than getting it right easily — the failed reach primes your brain to grab it next time.
✅ Quick check: Which builds memory more: re-reading your notes, or covering them and writing what you remember?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
Covering + writing from memory — that’s retrieval practice, the testing effect. Re-reading is the weak one.
Pulling it OUT of memory strengthens it; putting it back IN by re-reading barely does.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Read a page, close the book, and write everything you remember. THEN check. The gaps show you what to practise.