1. Active recall: retrieve, don't reread
Pull knowledge out of memory without looking, for example with practice questions or past papers. According to a major review by Dunlosky and colleagues (2013), one of the most effective techniques there is. More in the guide to active recall.
2. Spaced repetition: review with gaps
Study the same material several times with growing gaps rather than all at once. Together with active recall, the best-supported method. More in the guide to spaced repetition.
3. Interleaving: mix topics
Work through practice questions from different chapters in mixed order. Harder than blocks, but closer to the real exam, where questions aren't sorted either.
4. The Feynman technique: explain it simply
Explain a topic as if teaching someone with no background. Where you get stuck is your gap. Back to your notes, then explain again.
5. Ask why
For every fact, ask: why is this so? How does it connect to what I already know? Such links make knowledge more stable and help especially with comprehension questions.
6. Analyse your mistakes
When you get something wrong, don't just memorise the answer. Understand why yours was wrong and why the right one is right. With multiple choice, that goes for every option. This is exactly where KnowFi helps, with reasoning from your notes.
7. Study with a plan and breaks
A simple plan, fixed study blocks with breaks and enough sleep. Sounds obvious, but it decides whether the other methods get used at all. There is a template in the guide Study plan for exam season.
And what helps less
Highlighting, rereading and copying out summaries feel productive but, according to research, achieve little if they are all you do. Use them at most as preparation for the methods above.
Updated 11 November 2026