Active recall: how to study from your notes, not just reread them

What is active recall?

Active recall is the practice of retrieving information from memory without looking at the answer first. You might answer a flashcard, write what you remember on a blank page, explain an idea aloud or solve a problem without consulting a worked example.

It differs from rereading because you have to produce an answer, not simply recognise one. Birmingham City University’s revision guidance describes the same cycle: put your sources away, recall what you have learned, then compare your response with the original.

Reading still matters. You need an initial understanding before testing yourself. Active recall is not a replacement for learning the material; it is a way to check and practise what you can retrieve afterwards.

How to do active recall with lecture notes

Choose a short section and read it for meaning. Identify the main idea and ask what question an examiner could use to test it. Then cover the section and answer that question in your own words.

After your attempt, check the source. Separate what you got right from what you missed, and correct the gap. If you could not begin, revisit the explanation, make the question smaller, and try again later. Looking at the answer immediately turns the exercise back into reading.

1. Read one short section until you understand its main point.
2. Write two or three questions about the important ideas.
3. Close or cover your notes and answer from memory.
4. Check your answer against the notes and correct omissions.
5. Return to the difficult questions in a later session.

Three ways to practise — with or without an app

Flashcards work well for focused questions. Put the question on the front and the answer on the back, and say or write your response before turning the card. Avoid giving yourself credit merely because the revealed answer looks familiar.

A blank-page recall exercise works well for connected ideas. Write a topic heading, put your notes away and draw the relationships you remember. Compare your map with the lesson, then add the missing links in a different colour.

Practice questions work well for application. If your exam asks you to calculate, argue or interpret, use tasks that require those skills. Remembering a definition is useful, but it does not automatically prepare you to write an essay or solve a new problem.

Common mistakes that make recall less useful

Do not test yourself on information you have never understood. If you cannot explain why an answer is correct, go back to the lesson before trying to memorise it.

Avoid prompts so broad that you cannot tell whether your answer is complete. Replace ‘Explain the nervous system’ with several focused questions. At the same time, do not reduce every subject to isolated facts: include comparison and application questions when the course requires them.

Check errors instead of practising them repeatedly. An incorrect answer needs feedback from a reliable source. Feeling that a session was difficult does not by itself tell you whether you learned the right thing.

Use Prepin Quiz to make the routine easier to repeat

Start with an existing public deck in Explore, or build your own study resources from notes in a Study Hub. Review generated cards for accuracy before treating them as revision material.

During Smart Review or Swipe, attempt the answer first and rate it honestly. Use quizzes for a second check, especially when you need to connect ideas rather than recall single facts. Keep the source notes nearby for correcting mistakes, but out of view while answering.

Once the routine feels manageable, space your sessions across several days. Active recall is about what you do during a review; spaced repetition is about when you return to it.