Why should you combine study techniques?

Why is one technique not enough?

Think of learning as three tasks. First you need to understand the material. Then you need to work with enough focus to actually get through it. Finally you need to remember it over time, so that it is still there when the exam comes. A technique that is strong at one of these tasks is often weak at the others.

Flashcards are a good example. They are effective for remembering terms, but they help little if you never understood the context those terms belong to. The Feynman technique is the opposite: it reveals gaps in your understanding, but gives you no plan for when to review. If you only use one of them, you miss what the other contributes.

Research points in the same direction. Reviews of study techniques show that self testing and spreading review over time work particularly well, but both assume you have something to test yourself on. Understanding has to come first.

Three phases the techniques fit into

The simplest approach is to sort the techniques by what they do. That makes it easier to choose the right tool at the right time:

• Understand: SQ3R gives structure when you read a long chapter, and the Feynman technique forces you to explain in your own words. Both are used when the material is new.
• Stay focused: Pomodoro splits the work into short sessions with breaks in between. Interleaving mixes related topics or problem types, so you have to think about which approach fits.
• Remember: Active recall means retrieving what you know without looking at your notes, for example with flashcards or a quiz. Spaced repetition makes sure you do it again at increasing intervals.

The phases overlap a little. A Feynman explanation is also a form of retrieval, and a quiz can reveal that you have not understood something. That is fine. The point is that you know why you are using a technique right now.

How to build a study session, step by step

Here is a session of roughly two hours that uses all three phases. The times are only suggestions, so adjust them to the subject and to how you feel that day.

1. Start with a 25 minute Pomodoro and read the new chapter with SQ3R: skim, ask questions and read with those questions in mind.
2. Take a short break, then explain the hardest topic with the Feynman technique. Note where your explanation stalls, and go back to the text there.
3. Use the next session for interleaving: mix problems or questions from this chapter with something you worked on last week.
4. Finish with flashcards or a short quiz without notes, and add what you did not know to your review plan for the next few days.

One technique or a combination

The time you spend does not need to grow. You simply spread it across several kinds of work, so that you understand, practise and remember. It also makes the work less monotonous, and motivation is easier to keep up when a session has some variety.

How do you choose the right combination for a subject?

Subjects with a lot of text and theory, such as history, education or law, often benefit most from SQ3R and Feynman at the start, followed by flashcards for key terms. Subjects built on calculation and problem solving, such as mathematics and economics, gain a lot from interleaving, because you have to choose the method yourself instead of repeating the same type of problem.

Your needs also change during the semester. Early on you spend most time understanding, while review and self testing take up a larger share as the exam approaches. It is therefore useful to look at what you actually need each week, rather than following the same pattern all the time.

Common mistakes when combining techniques

The most common mistake is taking on too much at once. Six new techniques in the same week quickly turn into more planning than studying. Start instead with two that complement each other, such as Feynman and flashcards, and add a third once they feel natural.

Another mistake is skipping the last phase. Many students understand the material well after a good session, but forget to review it. Much of the work then fades within a few weeks. Set aside time for review when you plan the session, so it does not become something you only hope to fit in.

Gjør dette nå

• Sort the techniques by whether they help you understand, stay focused or remember.
• Use at least one technique from each phase during the week.
• Finish every session with a short self test without notes.
• Add what you did not know to a review plan.

FAQ

Kilder

• Dunlosky et al. (2013): Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques
• Rohrer and Taylor (2007): The shuffling of mathematics problems improves learning
• Cepeda et al. (2006): Distributed Practice in Verbal Recall Tasks

Combine the techniques on your own syllabus

Pick a subject and use SQ3R, Feynman, focus timers, flashcards and review on your own notes. Try Aria free for 7 days.