SIXTH FORM: Spaced retrieval

Spaced practice is the opposite of cramming. Students often end up cramming for their assessments. However, if you space out your study over time instead, you will be learning more for the long-term, rather than just forgetting most of the information soon after the test.

If you think you don't need that information again, you are probably mistaken! Most of what we learn would be useful to remember in the future - for example, the next class might build on the previous class, and if you've forgotten everything from that previous class, you will have to re-learn a lot of information.

You can't decide to space out your studying at the last minute. You have to plan ahead and schedule spaced study sessions.

But, it's important to be realistic! Don't plan to study for an unrealistic amount of time, or you will be frustrated by your inability to reach your goals. It's also important to adjust your study schedule if it doesn't work for you.