Best study techniques: Spaced Practice

This video is part of a series of best study techniques according to research. In this video, we look at spaced practice, a learning strategy that involves breaking up information into bite-sized pieces and studying them over a longer span of time. Unlike cramming, where information is quickly reviewed in a short period, spaced practice allows the brain to recover and consolidate information between sessions.

Research cited

Ebbinghaus, H. (1885/1964). Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.

Carpenter, S. K., Wiseheart, M., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369–378.

Cepeda, N. J., Vul, E., Rohrer, D., Wixted, J. T., & Pashler, H. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psy-chological Science, 19(11), 1095–1102.

Chen, O., Paas, F., & Sweller, J. (2021). Spacing and interleaving effects require distinct theoretical bases: A systematic review testing the cogni-tive load and discriminative-contrast hypotheses. Educational Psychology Review, 33(4), 1499–1522.

Rawson, K. A., & Kintsch, W. (2005). Rereading effects depend on time of test. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 70–80.

Weinstein, Y., Sumeracki, M., & Caviglioli, O. (2018). Understanding How We Learn: A Visual Guide (1st ed.). Routledge. doi.org/10.4324/9780203710463