Why Re-Reading Notes Doesn't Work (And What to Do Instead)

Your child sits down with their notes. They read them once. Then again. Maybe a third time. They close the notebook feeling confident: "I know this."

Test day comes. They bomb it.

Sound familiar? You're not alone. Re-reading is the #1 most common study strategy among students (Karpicke et al., 2009). It's also rated as one of the least effective by learning scientists (Dunlosky et al., 2013).

The Illusion of Competence

When you re-read something, your brain recognises it. That recognition feels like knowing. But recognising is not the same as remembering.

Recognition says: "I've seen this before."
Recall says: "I can retrieve this from memory without help."

Exams test recall, not recognition. Your child might recognise every word in their notes — and still not be able to answer a single question about them.

Psychologists call this the illusion of competence. It's the reason students say "I studied for hours" and still fail.

What Actually Works: Active Recall

Instead of putting information in by reading, pull information out by testing yourself.

Close the book. Ask: "What do I remember?" That struggle to retrieve — that's where learning happens.

Roediger and Karpicke (2006) tested this directly. Students who practiced retrieval remembered 80% after one week. Students who re-read? Just 36%.

More than double the retention. From the same material. The only difference was how they studied.

What Actually Works: Spaced Repetition

Active recall tells you how to study. Spaced repetition tells you when.

In 1885, Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered the forgetting curve — we forget roughly 70% of new information within 24 hours. But if you review at the right intervals, you can flatten that curve.

Spaced repetition algorithms calculate the optimal time to review each piece of information — right before you're about to forget it. Each successful review pushes the next one further out: 1 day → 3 days → 7 days → 21 days → 2 months.

Eventually, information moves into long-term memory with minimal effort.

The Study Tier List

Based on Dunlosky et al.'s comprehensive 2013 meta-analysis of study techniques:

🟢 Highly effective:

• Practice testing (active recall) — testing yourself on material
• Distributed practice (spaced repetition) — spreading study over time

🟡 Moderate:

• Interleaved practice — mixing different topics
• Elaborative interrogation — asking "why?" and "how?"

⚪ Low effectiveness:

• Re-reading
• Highlighting
• Summarisation
• Keyword mnemonics

The two best methods — active recall and spaced repetition — are exactly what flashcard apps are built for.

How to Apply This

For Parents

1. Stop quizzing from the textbook. Use flashcards instead — they force recall.
2. Short sessions, spread out. 15 minutes a day beats 2 hours the night before.
3. Let the app schedule reviews. Spaced repetition apps handle the "when" automatically.

For Students

1. Close your notes. Write down everything you remember. Check what you missed.
2. Use flashcards. Front: question. Back: answer. Test yourself.
3. Trust the algorithm. When a spaced repetition app says "review this today," do it.

This is Why We Built Versed Learn

Versed Learn combines active recall (flashcards) with spaced repetition (FSRS algorithm) in an app designed for neurodivergent learners. Dyslexia fonts, ADHD-friendly break reminders, gamification that actually motivates, and a parent dashboard so you can track progress.

Your child doesn't need to study harder. They need to study smarter.

References

• Dunlosky, J. et al. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58.
• Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249-255.
• Karpicke, J. D., Butler, A. C., & Roediger, H. L. (2009). Metacognitive strategies in student learning. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23(6), 837-843.
• Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Über das Gedächtnis. Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot.