Study smarter
Study methods that really work
Highlighting and rereading feel productive but do little. These methods have the strongest evidence behind them, and they are built into HighSchoolQ.
1. Practice testing
The idea: Trying to recall an answer, even if you get it wrong, strengthens memory far more than rereading. Researchers call this the testing effect.
How to do it here: Flashcards, true/false, matching and practice questions on every lesson. Say the answer before you flip.
2. Spaced practice
The idea: Spreading study over several days beats one long cram session. Reviewing just as you begin to forget is the sweet spot.
How to do it here: Flashcards bring missed cards back sooner and known cards later. Every lesson has a 3-week plan for your calendar.
3. Many representations
The idea: Seeing an idea as words, a picture, a story and an example gives your brain more routes back to it.
How to do it here: Each lesson pairs a formal explanation with plain English, a diagram and fun comparisons.
4. Explaining to others
The idea: Putting an idea in your own words, out loud, shows gaps that rereading hides.
How to do it here: The “teach it back” prompt and checklist on every lesson. Try it on a parent or a pet.
5. Learning from mistakes
The idea: Being confident and wrong is a powerful moment: those answers get corrected especially well when you see the reason.
How to do it here: Confidence ratings on practice questions, and an explanation for every answer. “Common mistakes” sections on every lesson.
6. Mnemonics and memory palaces
The idea: Acronyms, rhymes and vivid stories help you hold on to lists, orders and rules.
How to do it here: A memory-help section on every lesson, with several styles so you can pick the one that sticks.
7. Mixing topics
The idea: Practicing different kinds of problems together, rather than one type at a time, helps you choose the right method on a test.
How to do it here: Mixed review across topics is on the way for Plus.
A simple weekly routine
- Day 1: Read the lesson, then do the flashcards.
- Day 2: Recall it from memory first. Then check.
- Day 4: Take the true/false and practice questions.
- Day 8: Mix it with older topics and teach it back.
- Day 22: One last quick review before it fades.
A note on fonts
Many students find dyslexia-friendly fonts or extra spacing more comfortable to read. Evidence on which font is best is mixed, so we simply let you choose. Open Reading options at the top of any page.
Where this comes from
- Dunlosky, Rawson, Marsh, Nathan & Willingham (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
- Roediger & Karpicke (2006). Test-enhanced learning. Psychological Science.
- Cepeda, Pashler, Vul, Wixted & Rohrer (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks. Psychological Bulletin.
- Butterfield & Metcalfe (2001). Errors committed with high confidence are hypercorrected. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.