Preparing for Tests and Exams
As we approach the end of the semester, many students are preparing for semester tests and examinations.
One purpose of these assessments is to give students, parents and teachers a clear picture of what a student knows and can do.
An additional benefit is that the process of revising for tests and examinations helps students to embed their knowledge in long-term memory.
Given that knowledge is what we think with, having knowledge stored in long-term memory is extremely helpful for subsequent learning and thinking.
Retrieval Practice
A key method for revision is retrieval practice, the process of forcing yourself to recall knowledge without referring to notes or other guides.
For example, if you are trying to commit capital cities to memory it can be helpful to test yourself with questions like, what is the capital of France? or, what is the capital of Eritrea?
The act of successfully retrieving information strengthens long-term memory, which is what makes this such an effective revision strategy.
Cue Cards
Many students have found cue cards to be a useful tool for revision. To experience the benefits of cue cards, it is important that students first try to retrieve the answer before flipping the card.
If you see the card, Country: Eritrea on one side and then flip start to the other side to see City: Asmara, you have not actually retrieved anything, and this alone is unlikely to help embed this into your long-term memory.
If, on the other hand, you write down the country, Eritrea, on a piece of paper now, and then in five minutes try to remember its capital city, you will be doing genuine retrieval practice.
One final point about cue cards is that students can sometimes think that ‘doing cue cards’ involves constructing hundreds of cards, dutifully copying out pages of their notes.
In fact, it is the act of testing yourself (or having someone else test you) on the contents of those cue cards which is of most benefit in strengthening long-term memory for tests and examinations.
Bryn Humberstone
Associate Head of the Crowther Centre, Director of Teaching and Learning.