Short term recall vs long term understanding#
The generally accepted wisdom about learning is that it is through repetition. The retention of knowledge scales proportional to the number of times it is read. This wisdom is flawed. A rote approach to study only works in the short term - I know this from my days spent cramming for tests at University. Cram for a test and the knowledge disappears as quickly, if not faster, than it went in. There is a fundamental difference between the ability to recall facts and deep understanding of a topic. Nevertheless, the ability to recall is the bedrock on which this deep understanding can develop. Some of the most effective ways to learn something, and retain it long term are:
- Spaced Repetition
- Frequent Quizzes/ Tests
- Layering multiple topics of study over a longer time horizon, rather than focusing on one thing at a time.
Self testing is your friend#
The positive effect from routine quizzing and tests of recall cannot be understated. The core concept of this is that engaging your brain in the process of recall strengthens the neural paths that it traverses in order to do so, and makes information ‘more sticky’ for the long term.
Flashcard method#
This is something I used while studying for my A-Levels but lost touch with thereafter. Anecdotally, It allowed me to store and reliably retain and recall information with more efficiency than learning by rote. The method, which I have simplified compared to the one in the book, is as follows:
- Make flashcards containing questions and answers about a topic
- Answer the questions, and separate into two piles: questions you got correct, and questions you did not.
- Repeat step 2, but only for the questions you got wrong
- Repeat step 3 until all have been answered correctly
- Repeat steps 1-4 as needed. Some useful links pertaining to the creation and use of flashcards:
- With Anki you can create and learn flashcards. There are options to set the spaced repetition algorithm to maximise recall compared to my rudimentary method above.
- Revisely / NoteDeck use AI to assist with the generation of cards, removing some of the tedium from the process.
Make it hard#
You absorb material better when it is right at the boundary of your ability to understand it. That is, when things are hard, the brain needs to work more. The more the brain works the more likely the information is to be retained.
It is important to reiterate that if something is too hard to comprehend at all then it will not be of benefit to the learner, as they will be unable to integrate it into their system of prior knowledge. We should aim for the ‘sweet spot’ of difficulty.
A potential pitfall of this method of learning is that positive feedback is delayed, and the learner can become frustrated when they do not see instantaneous results. So it is harder to remain motivated to tackle problems in this way. Knowing that learning is improved when things are hard may help to immunise yourself from this motivation killing effect.
Mix it up#
It is better to interleave different topics and practice regimens to solidify overall retention and improve recall.
The book cites a study from baseball whereby balls are pitched to one group of batters consistently and in the same way, and another group at random (mixing up fast balls, curve balls, splitters etc). The group who faced consistent pitches ended up with an illusion of mastery, as they were able to build the information in their short term memory more quickly and therefore appeared to be outdoing the random pitch group during training. Over time it was clear that the group who faced random pitches were able to outperform the consistent pitch group as the training was more similar to a real match situation (you don’t know which pitch you’re going to face).
The book illustrates that the interleaving itself also has a positive effect on learning, although there is a psychological aversion to it due to the learners perceiving slow overall progress.
Use Mnemonics#
Mnemonic is a general term for tricks or devices used to aid memory. These include:
- Acronyms - ROYGBIV (colours of the rainbow)
- Acrostics - “My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Noodles” (order of the planets in the solar system)
- Music - The alphabet song
- Models - Magic triangle for Ohm’s law
- Visualisation - The mind palace/ method of loci