Realtyintellectlearn smart: a guide to study techniques

An independent guide to study techniques and self-education. Not an educational institution and not connected with the former site on this domain; we do not sell courses or educational documents.

Terms

Terms

Talk about memory and learning is full of terms that are easy to confuse: review and recall, distributed practice and spaced repetition, working memory and long-term memory. Here you will find short definitions in plain language. They do not aim for the rigour of a psychology textbook, but they will help you read the guide's lessons and methods without a dictionary at hand.

You do not need to know a technique's name to use it. But the precise word helps you notice what exactly you are doing when you study.

— Editor's note

How this section works: terms are grouped by theme — memory, study methods and organisation. The definitions are short and general; each technique is covered in more detail in the lessons and methods.

Memory

Forgetting curve
The pattern described by Ebbinghaus: much of what is learned is lost soon after learning, and then forgetting slows down.
Working memory
The ability to hold and process a small amount of information right now, such as the conditions of a problem while you solve it. Its capacity is limited.
Long-term memory
The store of knowledge and skills that last a long time. The aim of studying is to get material into it and learn to retrieve it from there.
Retrieval
Recall: accessing what is stored in memory. Each successful retrieval makes the next one easier.
Consolidation
The process by which new knowledge becomes stable. Sleep plays an important role in it.
Testing effect
Trying to recall material strengthens memory more than rereading it. Studied, among others, by Roediger and Karpicke.

Study methods

Distributed practice
Sessions on one topic spread out over time instead of one long session in a row.
Spaced repetition
A system of reviews at growing intervals: the better you remember the material, the later you return to it.
Retrieval practice
Any attempt to recall material without prompts: answering questions, flashcards, retelling, solving problems.
Interleaving
Mixing different types of problems or topics in one session so you learn to choose the right approach.
Flashcards
Cards with a question on one side and the answer on the other. A classic tool for self-testing and spaced repetition.
Cornell method
Walter Pauk's note-taking method: a column for key questions, a main area for notes and a summary at the bottom of the page.

Organisation

Pomodoro technique
Francesco Cirillo's technique: working in 25-minute blocks with short breaks between them.
Learning goal
A concrete description of what you should be able to do after a session. It is best phrased as an action: explain, solve, apply.
Review plan
A calendar marking, for each topic, the first pass and the later returns to it.
Weekly review
A short look back at the end of the week: what worked, what did not and what to change in the schedule next.
Break
A planned pause in studying. It helps you stay focused and is not the same as procrastination, as long as it has a start and an end.
  • Lessons

    Short lessons on memory, spaced repetition, retrieval practice, interleaving, reading difficult texts and note-taking.

  • Methods

    Study techniques and what research says about them: practice testing, distributed practice, the forgetting curve, Pomodoro and Cornell.

  • FAQ

    Answers about the guide, about studying and memory, and about exams and motivation.

Sources

  • H. Ebbinghaus, Über das Gedächtnis (1885)
  • Roediger & Karpicke (2006) — research on the testing effect
  • W. Pauk, How to Study in College
  • F. Cirillo — The Pomodoro Technique

Study techniques are described in general terms based on classic work on memory and the research reviews listed in the sources. Choose techniques that fit your task and check what actually works for you.