Active recall - the best way to study

Active recall is the most effective method of learning. If we want to learn more things in less time, then this is the way to do it.

Most students approach learning by reading notes, underlining, or making summaries. These methods are very passive. We don't need to put in too much effort while doing them. We feel very productive, but when we look back at what we have actually learned, the answer is often not much. These methods are much worse than active recall, so it's time to abandon them and replace them with a better approach.

So what is active recall?

Active recall is a learning method where we learn by testing ourselves. It turns out that just reading something does not lead to knowledge that we can then write down on an exam. Our knowledge is created by trying to recall a piece of information from memory. The longer we spend trying to remember something, the more connections are formed in our brains. The more of these connections, the better we will master that thing.
The simplest way to do this is: read a section of material in a book, close the textbook, and then repeat what you remember in your own words. Try to remember as much information as possible, and if you can't, don't immediately go back to the textbook and reread it. Try to recall the information for as long as possible with the textbook closed. The more you try and strain your brain, the stronger the connections formed in your mind. This means that you will be able to use the knowledge better and retain it for longer.Testing has a similar effect on the brain as lifting weights has on muscles. The more we try, the more capable we become.