Spread the same study time over several days instead of learning it all at once
- High value
- Evidence A
- Saves time
- Free
- Takes minutes
- Some willpower
In plain words
The same amount of study time spread over several days is remembered better than the same time done at one sitting. 317 experiments tested this, and the conclusion was consistent. There is also a practical rule: the longer you need to remember something, the longer the gap between reviews should be. If the exam is tomorrow, review today; if it is a month away, go over it again every few days.
- Cost
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Free, and total time does not change. Only the schedule changes: the same 3 hours, split into 1 hour on each of three days. The hard part is starting several days ahead, not leaving it to the last night.
- What you get
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A meta-analysis pooled 184 articles, 317 experiments and 839 assessments of the effect of distributed practice. It compared two things: studying in one block versus in several separate sessions (the spacing effect), and short gaps versus long gaps (the lag effect). The conclusion is that the review gap and “how long you need to remember” together determine retention on the final test: the longer the retention time needed, the longer the review gap that gives the best retention. Another review that evaluated ten common study methods one by one rated distributed practice in the top tier (high utility).
- Notes
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It works best combined with §23.14 (close the book and test yourself): spread the self-testing itself over several days. The material in the Cepeda meta-analysis was mostly things like word lists to memorize, and for complex material it gives no general number of days for the best gap. “The further away the test, the longer the gap” is the rule the original gives; it has no specific schedule. Cramming the night before works at the moment, but you forget fast.
- Evidence grade
- A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.
- Sources
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- Cepeda NJ, Pashler H, Vul E, Wixted JT, Rohrer D (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354
- Dunlosky J, Rawson KA, Marsh EJ, Nathan MJ, Willingham DT (2013). Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
Mentioned in
Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 23, tip 15. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer