So, how do top students learn efficiently? The book Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown gives us five proven strategies backed by deep research.
If you intrested on reading the book and diving deeper into these strategies, grab your book from the card below
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1. Retrieval Practice: Actively Pull Information from Your Brain
The first strategy is retrieval practice. It means pulling information out of your brain by asking questions like "What are the main steps of photosynthesis?" It feels hard at first because you struggle to remember, that's exactly when you start learning and using the machine in your head. You can apply this by using flashcards, which are small cards that help you remember information by putting the question on one side and the answer on the other side. Or explaining concepts to your friend, or even to the walls if you don't have friends. This strategy will definitely work for everyone unless your brain structure is different, and I'm sure it's not.
2. Spaced Practice: Learn Over Time, Not in a Marathon
Cramming all day may show quick results, yes, but we do not recommend it because it's not effective for long-term memory. When exams comeout you'll forget 80% of what you've learned. Instead, use Spaced practice strategy, which is better and way more effective than cramming because it spreads topics over days or weeks or even months. In other words, instead of studying one topic for 3 hours in one day, study it one hour today, one hour two days later, and one hour next week, and try to increase the time between sessions gradually. Over two hundred research shows the effectiveness of this strategy.
You can use a calendar or study app to schedule your spaced sessions. Each return to the information makes it stick.
3. Interleaving: Mix Topics to Strengthen Your Brain
most student study one topic until the end, then jump to another one. This traditional approach is not effective because it consumes all your motivation and energy. Interleaving involves mixing problems or topics within a single session. For example, you have two sessions to study maths and physics, rather than covering all math topics in one session and then physics topics in another. Try to mix things up by studying half of the math topics and half of the physics topics each session. And of course, you can apply this to multiple topics and different situations. This amazing strategy forces your brain to recognize connections between subjects, improving problem-solving and long-term retention.
We recommend starting small by rotating 2 to 3 subjects per session, then you can expand later depending on your needs
4. Concrete Examples: Turn Abstract Ideas into Memorable Stories
Abstract concepts are very difficult to remember because the brain lacks a visual representation of them. Linking abstract ideas to real-world examples or experiences is highly recommended, especially for theory-based subjects. Let's clarify this more with an example.
Instead of memorizing that world war 2 lasted from 1939 to 1945, try to imagine a tank with a large number painted on it. At the start of the war, the tank showed 39. As the war goes on, the number on the tank changes, and by the end of the war, it shows 45.
Every time you want to memorize an abstract concept, ask yourself: “Can I picture this? Have I seen this happen in real life?”
Instead of memorizing that world war 2 lasted from 1939 to 1945, try to imagine a tank with a large number painted on it. At the start of the war, the tank showed 39. As the war goes on, the number on the tank changes, and by the end of the war, it shows 45.
Every time you want to memorize an abstract concept, ask yourself: “Can I picture this? Have I seen this happen in real life?”
5. Elaboration: Explain Concepts in Your Own Words
Elaboration is the bridge between memorizing and understanding. It means taking what you've learned and explaining it to a friend or even yourself, using your own words.
After learning Newton’s laws, ask:
- If I push this cart, what happens?
- Which forces are acting?
Conclusion
Learning does not fail because students lack intelligence. It fails because most people learn ineffective techniques. The strategies in "Make It Stick" show that learning smarter leads to better performance than learning harder. These methods may be more challenging at the start, but the struggle means that the learning is happening effectively. With regular application, your confidence will increase, and you'll see better results.Start small. Start with one strategy today. In time, even the smallest differences will completely change your learning habits.
