Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice is the broader research framework behind active recall and testing effects. The key insight: every time you successfully retrieve a memory, you make it stronger and more accessible. Practice tests, flashcards, brain dumps, and free recall exercises all count. A 2006 Roediger and Karpicke study showed that students who took practice tests retained 80% of material after one week, versus 36% for those who re-studied. The testing effect is one of the most replicated findings in all of cognitive psychology.