Active recall is the most effective study technique and helps you remember far more than just reading through your notes. To commit information to your long-term memory, so that you can remember it later (e.g. on a test), you need to retrieve the information from your short-term memory repeatedly. A good way to recall information is to test yourself. Here are a few options for testing yourself:
OPTION #1: Use pre-made practice tests and quizzes
Try online practice quizzes or ask your teachers if they have old versions of tests or quizzes that you can use for practice.
OPTION #2: Make quizzes for yourself or someone else
Can't find practice exams for the class you are taking? Make your own. The process of developing the questions can help you retrieve the information you are studying and commit it to long term memory. Make one for a friend and ask them to make one for you, then switch and see how you do on your practice test.
OPTION #3: Use AI
You can prompt AI to generate a practice test for you or have the chatbot quiz you in a question and answer format, so you get immediate feedback about whether you are right or wrong.
OPTION #4: Use your notes
If you take notes using the Cornell or Two Column notes method, you already have questions to use to help you quiz yourself.
What should you do with your test results?
Examine your test results to determine what you already know and what you need to review further. It is best to do some review before taking the practice tests because you will likely perform better on the practice tests and will find the results more helpful in determining what you still need to study. If you don't do some review beforehand, you will probably perform poorly across several topics and find it difficult to pinpoint what you still need to work on.
