Active Recall
Rereading feels productive but rarely builds durable memory. Active recall — retrieving instead of reviewing — is one of the best-evidenced techniques in learning science. Here’s why, and how to do it.
Spaced Repetition: The Evidence-Based Method for Retaining Anything
Spaced repetition is the most evidence-backed learning technique available — and the one most systematically ignored. The Cepeda et al. (2006) meta-analysis of 317 experiments confirms it outperforms massed practice across all conditions. But the mechanism most people miss is that the benefit comes from the retrieval attempt, not the re-exposure. This guide covers the neuroscience, the correct Anki implementation, the 85% accuracy calibration rule, the sleep integration that multiplies retention gains, and the cholinergic supplement stack that supports memory encoding.
