To Really Learn, Quit Studying and Take a Test

Taking a test is not just a way of measuring what students know. It is one of the most powerful ways to learn -- and it beats several better-regarded study techniques. That is the conclusion of research by Purdue psychologists Jeffrey Karpicke and Janell Blunt, published in the journal Science.

In two experiments, 200 students studied science texts. One group studied by drawing concept maps -- diagrams linking ideas and relationships together. The other group read the passage, put it away, and practiced recalling what they had just read. Right after studying, both groups remembered about the same amount. But when they returned a week later, the group that had practiced retrieval retained about 50 percent more than the concept-mapping group.

Retrieval practice also won on deeper questions. The final test included inference questions asking students to connect ideas that were not stated outright in the material, and the recall group outperformed the concept-mapping group there too.

The twist is that most students predicted the opposite. Having the material in front of them while making concept maps made them feel they knew it better. "Students do not always know what methods will produce the best learning," Karpicke said. "It may be surprising to realize that there is such a disconnect between what students think will afford good learning and what is actually best."

The practical takeaway is simple and free: after reading a chapter, close the book and quiz yourself. Actively pulling information out of memory does more for long-term learning than re-reading or elaborate note-making.

Source: ScienceDaily summary of the Science paper