Why Research on Study Techniques Matters
Most students develop their study habits through trial and error — or by copying what seems normal. But in 2013, educational psychologist John Dunlosky and colleagues published a landmark review in Psychological Science in the Public Interest that systematically evaluated ten common study techniques based on decades of controlled research. Their ratings — high, moderate, or low utility — remain the clearest guide available to learners of any age.
The findings challenge many popular habits. Techniques that feel productive often produce weak results. Techniques that feel difficult often work the best. Understanding why this gap exists helps learners make smarter choices, regardless of subject or grade level. For a deeper dive into specific methods, see our field guide to research-supported study methods.
High-Utility Techniques: What the Evidence Supports
Practice testing (retrieval practice) earns the top rating. Rather than reviewing notes, learners attempt to recall information from memory — through flashcards, self-quizzes, or written summaries without looking. Each retrieval attempt strengthens the memory trace, making future recall easier. This is sometimes called the testing effect, and it holds across ages, subjects, and academic levels.
Spaced practice means distributing study sessions across days or weeks rather than massing them in a single long block. The intervals force repeated retrieval, which compounds retention. Cramming produces short-term recognition but poor long-term recall.
Interleaved practice involves mixing different topics or problem types within a single session, rather than working through one type exhaustively before moving on. Research on math learning, in particular, shows that interleaving — despite feeling harder — leads to better performance on later tests.
| Technique | Evidence Rating | Best Use Case | Common Mistake | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Testing | High utility | Any subject requiring recall | Treating quizzes as evaluation only | |
| Spaced Practice | High utility | Long-term retention | Cramming everything into one session | |
| Interleaved Practice | High utility | Math and mixed-topic review | Blocking subjects for false confidence | |
| Elaborative Interrogation | Moderate utility | Science and conceptual content | Stopping at surface-level 'why' | |
| Self-Explanation | Moderate utility | Problem-solving and reading | Explaining only what's already clear | |
| Re-reading | Low utility | Initial familiarity only | Mistaking recognition for recall | |
| Highlighting/Underlining | Low utility | Identifying key terms | Highlighting too broadly | |
| Keyword Mnemonics | Low-moderate utility | Vocabulary in new languages | Over-applying to complex ideas |
Moderate-Utility Techniques Worth Using Strategically
Elaborative interrogation means asking and answering why a fact is true, rather than simply recording it. For example, instead of writing "warm air rises," a learner would explain the density and pressure mechanisms behind it. This builds conceptual networks that support both understanding and recall.
Self-explanation involves narrating your reasoning as you work through problems or read new material — similar to the Feynman Technique. It catches gaps in understanding that passive review misses. Both elaborative interrogation and self-explanation require prior knowledge to work well, making them most useful once a learner has a foothold in the material.
Make Quizzes Your Study Tool, Not Just a Test
Instead of waiting for a teacher-assigned quiz, build your own. Write questions as you read, then answer them from memory an hour later. Free tools like index cards, blank paper, or low-cost flashcard apps can all support this. The act of retrieving information — not just reviewing it — is where the learning happens.
Low-Utility Techniques: Why They Feel Effective but Aren't
Re-reading is the most commonly reported study strategy among college students, yet it consistently ranks as low utility. Re-reading builds familiarity — the sense that material feels known — but familiarity is not the same as retrievable memory. When asked to recall information later without the text present, re-readers perform no better than those who read once.
Highlighting and underlining share the same weakness. They can help a learner identify key terms during an initial read, but using them as a primary study strategy adds little. The act of marking text requires almost no mental effort and produces shallow encoding. Common myths about learning extend to study habits too — many deeply held beliefs about how to study lack scientific support.
Feeling Productive Isn't the Same as Learning
Re-reading and highlighting are comfortable because they feel like progress. Familiarity with material on the page can be mistaken for actual retention. Research consistently shows that these strategies produce much weaker long-term recall than retrieval-based methods. If your current study session feels effortless, it may not be working as hard as you think.
Putting It Together: Matching Techniques to Goals
No single technique fits every situation equally well. For vocabulary and fact memorization, practice testing is hard to beat. For semester-long courses, combining spaced practice with periodic retrieval sessions builds durable knowledge. When preparing for exams that mix problem types, interleaved practice prepares learners for what they'll actually face.
One practical approach: convert notes into questions immediately after class, then return to those questions in spaced intervals — two days later, then five days, then twelve. This simple system incorporates three high-utility strategies at once. For a structured way to organise these principles into an actual session, see our guide on building a study session that actually sticks.
If you're newer to deliberate studying, our complete starting point for new learners offers a broader foundation to build from.
High
Evidence rating for practice testing
A widely cited 2013 review by Dunlosky et al. in Psychological Science in the Public Interest rated practice testing among the highest-utility study techniques across diverse learner groups.
Low
Evidence rating for highlighting alone
The same Dunlosky et al. review found highlighting and underlining to be among the least effective standalone strategies, despite being the most commonly used by students.
1.5×
Retention boost from interleaved vs. blocked practice
Studies on mathematics learning suggest interleaved practice — mixing problem types — can lead to substantially better long-term test performance than blocked practice.
