Study questions and answers

Why doesn’t rereading notes work well for exams?

Rereading mainly builds familiarity. The page looks known, so you feel ready. Exams ask you to retrieve ideas without the page in front of you. Recognition and recall are not the same skill.

A major review by Dunlosky and colleagues (2013) rated rereading and highlighting as low utility for durable learning, while practice testing and distributed practice rated higher. Closing the notes and trying to explain or answer questions is usually a better use of time.

Limit: right before a test, a quick reread can still help short-term performance. For remembering days later, self-testing beats passive review.

How do you use flashcards effectively?

Put a clear prompt on one side and the answer on the other. Look at the prompt, attempt the answer from memory, then check. Reading both sides without retrieval is just rereading on small cards.

• Keep one idea per card.
• Rewrite definitions in your own words when you can.
• Missed cards return sooner; easy cards wait longer (Leitner-style spacing).
• Add a short example when the concept allows it.

University study guides (for example Birmingham City University’s flashcard advice) stress active recall and spaced review rather than passive flipping.

What is spaced repetition and how do you use it?

Spaced repetition means reviewing material at increasing intervals instead of cramming it into one block. It builds on the forgetting curve: memory access fades over time, and a well-timed review strengthens it.

A simple starter schedule after first learning: next day, about 3 days, about 1 week, about 2 weeks. Bring failed items forward. The exact numbers matter less than spreading reviews and testing yourself each time.

Supported by distributed-practice research summarised in Dunlosky et al. (2013) and practical revision guides from universities.

Is practice testing better than highlighting?

For longer-term retention, usually yes. Retrieving an answer strengthens memory more than marking text (the testing effect). Highlighting can feel productive while leaving weak recall.

Classic work by Roediger and Karpicke (2006) showed retrieval practice often outperforms restudy on later tests. Dunlosky et al. (2013) listed practice testing among the most useful techniques students can apply themselves.

After a quiz, log mistakes and retest them sooner. Mix formats (short answer, multiple choice, true/false) so you are not only recognising one exam style.

How can I turn class notes into quiz questions?

Work from your own sheet, not a random topic list:

• Turn headings into questions (« What is…? », « How does X differ from Y? »).
• Pull out definitions, dates, formulas, or vocabulary pairs.
• Write a short answer in your own words.
• Check against the notes, fix errors, then retest without looking.

If you already photograph worksheets, an app like ScanPlay can extract pairs and generate games (flashcards, quizzes, listening). You can edit cards before you play so the questions stay accurate.

How long should a study session be?

There is no universal perfect length. In practice, short, regular sessions (often about 10–25 minutes) beat one long cram for durable memory, because spacing and attention hold up better.

Time matters less than method: retrieve, check, schedule the next review. Fifteen minutes of active recall usually beats an hour of passive rereading.

If an exam is imminent, you may need longer blocks. Still split them with self-tests instead of continuous rereading.

Paper flashcards or an app: which is better?

Both work when you use active recall. Paper is distraction-light and encourages handwriting. Apps help with portability, scheduling reviews, and varied modes (quiz, listening).

Pick based on your constraint: commute time, card volume, need for audio. The tool does not memorise for you. The effort of answering before checking does.

How should I revise vocabulary for a language exam?

Treat each item as a mini quiz: prompt on one side (word, phrase, or cue), production on the other (translation or short sentence). Prioritise misses, then space reviews.

Practice both directions and multiple formats (write, recognise, listen) so you do not only recognise words in a list. A sample sentence usually sticks better than a bare gloss.

ScanPlay offers several modes from a scanned vocab sheet (flashcards, quiz, listening, typing), which helps when your list already lives on paper or in a textbook photo.