Help! I forget everything during the test.
Two things can lead you astray if you only read or watch review materials. First, you may recognize the information. This can lead to a false sense of confidence. Recognizing something is different from understanding it. It's also different from storing it away and accessing it later. There's a difference between seeing a car in the garage and your parents' giving you the keys to drive it.
How It Works
Identify What To Memorize
First, you will need to determine what to memorize. That means surveying the notes, PowerPoint slides, study guides, and other resources from your course. This technique works well with many different formats. I use it most often with lecture notes, textbook notes, and PowerPoint slides.
The important part is selecting the resources that are most likely to cover the information on your exam. In general, the resources from your class are the best reflection of what your teacher wants you to know and understand. Study guides are also useful when they come from your teacher. You can always use outside resources to supplement your studying, but the majority of your time should be on thing that came from your teacher.
In general, I don't recommend using this technique with textbooks, videos, and podcasts. A textbook exists to help you understand the material. It's not designed to help you memorize the material. Instead, you'll be better off by writing up notes for the chapter. If the chapter comes with a summary at the end, that can also be useful. Otherwise, you'll spend a lot of time memorizing filler, and the process will be slow and inefficient. This method can work with videos and podcasts, but it requires rewatching or listening to the original several times. That's typically slower than using notes on the video or podcasts as a primary resource.
During this step, it's also helpful to be realistic about what you can accomplish. I budget 2 minutes for a PowerPoint slide and five minutes for a page of notes.
Review Information
Here's where we're going to shake it up a bit. Like before, you're going to read through your notes. But this time, only read through one page at a time. Once you finish review that one page, you'll go on to the next step. This should take no more than three minutes. If it takes longer than that, you can focus on a half-page at a time to make things more manageable.
While you look over your notes, take particular note of any information that you believe may be more important. This could be information that your teacher said would be on the exam. If you've seen information in multiple places, that's also a promising sign. For example, you might read about Thomas Paine in your textbook, review that information in a class lecture, and then read part of his pamphlet Common Sense. Finally, headings and chapter titles are designed to point towards key information.
This is also the step where you should make sure your notes make sense. It's common to make errors when taking notes. Dropped words, misplaced punctuation, or the wrong name can make the meaning of your notes unclear. If this happens, no worries. Take a minute to reread that section of the textbook or do a quick Google Search. This will get you back on track. As a bonus, the process of fact-checking information makes it more likely that you will retain that information later.
When I am reviewing my notes, I often read this information out loud. There are a number of benefits. First, when I read silently it's easier to gloss over the details. Reading out loud helps me catch errors. Reading out loud also improves how well we remember information. If you'd like to learn more about how reading out loud can help you improve your AP scores, click here!
Recall the Information
Flip the page over or cover the page so that you can't see the information. Now you can't read the information. This means that you can actively test how well you can remember that information and explain it. Think about what was on the other side of the page. Then, actively list and explain the information that you just reviewed. Like before, this is a quick processes. I usually take about two to three minutes per page.
This will be more effective if you write down, draw, or say the information out loud. This helps us slow down and consider what we're learning. It also engages multiple senses in the activity, and that also improves memory.
Once you get stuck, move on to the next step. Speed (and accuracy) are measures of mastery. On your exam, you'll have a limited amount of time to come up with an answer. So there's no reason to agonize over things that you forget. Forgetting is necessary for understanding and memory. It's not bad to forget something, it's just information you can use in the next step. For example, you may need to spend extra time reviewing that information. Sometimes this is a sign that you don't really understand it, so it's harder for your brain to connect this information to other things you know. Either way, you'll use your time most effectively if you move on.
Reflect
Next, flip the page over so you can see your notes again. Scan the page. Ask yourself the following questions.
Why It Works
Retrieval Practice
This method encourages you to bring information from your memory to mind. This process is called retrieval practice (or active recall). This method of memorizing things has been rigorously studied for decades. It is one of the most effective ways to improve your memory. In fact, a recent study found that a single session of retrieval practice led to memory improvements that could last up to nine months! Multiple session of retrieval practice can lead to improvements in recall that last for years.
That means that using retrieval practice doesn't just help you with this test. It helps you on the AP exam in May. It helps you when you take a similar class in college. It helps you if you hear someone mention a related topic at your first job or internship. Very few study strategies cause this kind of compounding benefit. A little investment today will make your life easier for years.
Low Requirements
One of the best parts of this strategy is that it doesn't require a lot of inputs. Flashcards can take so long to make that you don't get to use them. That robs you of the benefit of using them for retrieval practice. Study guides can have the same problem. This method is great because it allows you to use existing resources. This method also doesn't require another person. Having a classmate, friend, or family member quiz you is a great way to do retrieval practice. But another person may not be available. This is a great technique to use in that circumstance.
Fast
This method is also relatively fast. Let's face it, our time is limited and there are many competing demands on our time. The faster a technique is, the easier it is to work into our busy schedules. This also means we can commit a large amount of information to memory in a short period of time.
It also helps with motivation. People generally feel more motivated when they experience fast feedback loops. In other words, we tend to like it when we get rewarded for something without a lot of effort or delay. That's one of the reasons why rereading your notes is so tempting. It's low effort, and flipping the pages feels like progress. The additional steps in this process require only a few minutes of your time, and you get rapid feedback on your progress. That translates into better outcomes because you have a better understanding and motivation.
When It Doesn't Work
Videos and Podcasts
It's difficult to use this method with videos and podcasts. In theory, you could watch part of the video, pause it, recall the information, and then rewind the video to see if you remembered it. In practice, this is too many steps and it takes too long. It's unlikely you'll stick with it. If you do, you probably won't get as much time to review diverse topics.
There are a few things that can overcome this barriers. Many podcasts and videos come with transcripts. You could use the transcript to skim through the information the second time. This would save you from listening to the whole thing again. Alternatively, you could create your own notes. This would allow you to use the same procedure as before. A final option is listening or watching at 1.5x or 2.0x the normal speed. This would allow you to review the same information quickly. Just take care not to go so fast that you can't digest if you properly understood the information.
Feeling Self-Conscious
This strategy requires testing your knowledge and articulating it in some way. Sometimes, this makes people self-conscious. If you're saying it out loud, you might worry about other people hearing you. If you're writing it down, you still have to confront what you do and do not know.
If this is you, there are a couple things to think about. First, having knowledge and insight is always better than lacking that information. Yes, it can be uncomfortable to confront our weaknesses and failings. Exactly zero percent of people enjoy that. However, it is will be far more uncomfortable if you realize the truth while taking your exam or when the grades come back. If you are brave now, you can correct your errors before they get permanently placed in the grade book. I promise you that's worth it.
If you're nervous about saying things out loud, here are a few tricks. First, look for a place where other people won't be able to hear you. You could play white noise or run a fan as well. This makes it more difficult for anyone to hear you. You can also recruit a pet. Pets naturally put us at ease, and they won't judge you if you forgot who Mansa Musa was. (There's a quick refresher here, if you need it.) Their presence can take a lot of pressure off.
Finally, there's no evidence that talking to yourself is a sign of a mental health issue. It's a normal human behavior that thousands of people do every day.
I help ambitious students improve their skills and master the AP exam. Learn more here!
You may also like these articles!
All blog posts are licensed using a CC-BY-SA 4.0 license. You are free to copy or share this information in any form. You may also adapt and build upon this material for commercial and noncommercial. If you chose to share, adapt, or use this information, you must give credit to Spring Learning Services, LLC and indicate if changes were made. All material must be shared using the same terms
This material is based on my experience working in education for the past decade. The views expressed on this page are my own. AP® and Advanced Placement® are trademarks registered and owned by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this site.