Top 5 Revision Strategies That Actually Work

(Hint: passive reading isn’t one of them)

If your idea of revising is highlighting your textbook or re-reading notes, it’s time to level up. Research shows that the most effective way to retain information long term is through active recall — a method that forces your brain to retrieve information from memory rather than just recognise it.

Why does this matter? Because recognition (what happens when you re-read or re-watch material) creates a false sense of confidence, while recall strengthens your memory and helps it stick.

Here are 5 proven active recall strategies that actually work:

1. 🟨 Flashcards with Spaced Repetition

Digital flashcard tools like Anki, Quizlet, or even handwritten index cards are brilliant for active recall. The key is using spaced repetition — reviewing cards at increasing intervals to fight forgetting. Create questions to test your knowledge and try and do these weekly.

Each time you review a flashcard just before you’re about to forget it, you strengthen the neural pathway associated with that memory. This active recall process enhances long-term retention and makes it easier to retrieve information under pressure — like in an exam.

Tip: Stick to one question per card and focus on clear, concise answers.

2. 🔁 Blurting

After reading a section, close your notes and write down everything you remember. Then, check what you got right or missed. This raw brain dump forces you to actively retrieve information, and the review process helps fill in gaps.

Try: Setting a timer for 10 minutes to blurt out a topic before checking your notes.

3. ❓Practice Questions & Past Papers

The holy grail of exam prep. Doing exam-style questions not only tests what you know, but helps you learn how examiners want you to answer. Aim to do them closed-book first, then mark and reflect. When I was studying, I used to compile explanations of questions I got into a word document. I printed this document off and would revise the correct reasoning, so that I recalled it for the next time I was asked a question like that.

Bonus: Use examiner reports to see common mistakes and model answers.

4. 🧩 Teach the Topic

If you can explain a concept to someone else — clearly and confidently — you know it. Teaching is a powerful way to identify what you don’t fully understand. You don’t need to sound eloquent or like an expert – but make sure you cover the essential elements of the topic and ask the person you’re teaching to tell you whether they understand your explanation

No one to teach? Record yourself explaining a topic or write a “teach-back” summary in your own words.

5. 📝 Brain Dump Maps

Like blurting, but visual. Take a blank page and try to map out all the key points of a topic from memory. Then go back and layer in the missing pieces using your notes. It may be wise to keep your previous brain dump maps and sort them into piles by topic. This way, you can check whether the missing pieces you forgot are becoming fewer the more you revise.

Why it works: You actively recreate your understanding, and the process of drawing helps you connect ideas.

Final Thought 💡

Don’t just study harder — study smarter. Every method above relies on retrieving knowledge, not just reviewing it. If your revision doesn’t feel a bit uncomfortable, it probably isn’t pushing your memory to grow.

Looking for high-quality revision notes to pair with your active recall strategy?
Check out what’s available on Study Climb — all student-written, instantly downloadable, and perfect for building your own flashcards or practice questions.