L·02
Learning & Memory
Spacing
The same total study time, spread out, produces far more durable memory than massed together.
- Evidence
- proven
- Topic
- Learning
- Things to do
- 3
- Read
- 1 min
provenHow strong is the evidence?
Tested again and again, by different people, and it keeps coming out the same. You can lean on this.
- Cepeda et al., Psychological Bulletin, 2006
- meta-analysis of 254 studies, 14,000+ participants
Why it works
Forgetting a little before you retrieve makes the retrieval effortful, and the effort is what does the encoding.
What to do about it
- Optimal gap is roughly 10–20% of how long you want to remember it: a year's retention wants a gap of about a month.
- Use an app for facts (Anki, or a plain dated list). Use a calendar for skills.
- Revisit notes at day 1, day 7, day 30, day 90 — then leave them alone.
Where people go wrong
Cramming, which genuinely works for a test in the morning and is genuinely worthless by the following month.
Where this fits in your day
After reading
Close it and write what you remember. Diarise a revisit at day 7 and day 30.
Read next
- Retrieval Beats ReviewTrying to recall something strengthens memory far more than reading it again. Rereading mostly builds confidence.proven
- InterleavingMixing problem types during practice feels worse and performs better than doing them in blocks.proven
- Guess Before You're ToldAttempting an answer before learning it improves later retention — even when the guess is wrong.solid
- Ask Why It's TrueAsking “why would that be the case?” while reading beats any amount of summarising.solid