Why, when and how to revise
This animation explains how you can revise your study material in the most effective manner.
How to revise I just studied and know everything [Ebbinghaus forgetting curve] And it’s gone Forgetting is the default [Table showing that you forget most during the first days] One powerful solution A lot of revision! [The Ebbinghaus table reappears] [Regular revision is included] [ [You forget a lot less]
The power of revision The more the better Let’s look at your brain in a different way Revision = Keeping the path to new info clear
[Explorer cutting a path through the jungle] While studying … [The explorer has found the information] A few days of no revision [The path is overgrown again] You lost your track A few days of revision [The explorer finds the goal again] [The explorer keeps finding the information for three days] Keep revising!
[After a week of revising the path is wider and more solid] [After a month the road is wider and hardened]
Plan revision in! For example 30 minutes When revising similar topics
Interference happens [5 topics are merging and become blurred] Confusion Interleaving helps [Topics separate again] Similarities and differences surface Examine their relations [Topics re-organise]
Interleaving is revising topics in mixed order Massed revision [Topics are studied consecutively] Interleaved revision [Topics are studied in mixed pattern]
[Student with interleaved revision planned out in his/her calendar]
Don’t just re-read! Recognising is easy Let’s do a test. Try to remember the following words
Recycle, advantages, temperature, Expensoplast, durable, solid, popular Do you recognise this word? Advantages Probably yes Recognising is easy Can you remember the 4th word? Probably no Recalling is hard Recognising is easy Recalling is hard Practise recall How? Make up questions Or hide information to test yourself Challenge yourself to make progress Don’t know? Look up the answers
[On day 1 the student cannot recall all of the information] [Several days later the student can recall all of the information] Recheck your book if needed
Revise until no hints are needed Also helpful Making multiple paths [More jungle roads to information] How? Read other literature Use other sources [Youtube or Wikipedia] Revise with others
Revise often Revise actively It does take time, but the effects are clear Before learning and revision [The jungle is overgrown] After a little revision [A path is under construction] After revision with the 3-step model [More jungle roads to information] Ready to go! [Student knows the information during the exam]
This animation explains the best ways to revise your study material, based on scientific evidence about memory and the human brain.
The video recommends regular revision, as well as interleaving, which is revising topics in a mixed order. Feel free to explore this additional information-sheet about interleaving.
Which information was new to you? Do you spend enough time on revision? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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