Student protocols / Memory · Intermediate · 11 min

The Spaced Repetition Protocol

Schedule your reviews at expanding intervals so information sticks with less total study time.

What it is

Spaced repetition means studying a topic, then coming back to it after a gap instead of going over it again straight away. Each return is a short test of what you still remember.

Why it works

A review of hundreds of memory experiments found that spreading study sessions apart gives better recall later than the same amount of study in one block (Cepeda et al., 2006). The best gap depends on how far away the test is: in a study of more than 1,350 people, it was about 20-40% of the time to a test 1 week away, and a smaller share for tests further away (Cepeda et al., 2008).

Who it is for

Anyone with more than a few days before an exam, and anyone who studies a topic once, feels fine, and then finds it gone a week later.

Step-by-step implementation

  1. List every topic you need for the exam.
  2. Study each topic once, ending with a short self-test.
  3. Put a review on your calendar: with an exam a week away, about 2-3 days later.
  4. At the review, test yourself first with your notes closed, then check.
  5. Topics you got wrong come back sooner; topics you knew can wait longer.

Practical example

Your exam is in 7 days. You study genetics on Monday and test yourself on it again on Wednesday, instead of rereading it on Tuesday. The free Revision Timetable Maker does this timing for every topic.

Recommended routine

  • Daily: start with a 10-minute self-test on what you studied 2-3 days ago.
  • Weekly: a mixed self-test across every topic so far.
  • Before the exam: every topic has had at least one spaced review.

Key takeaways

  • Same hours, spread over more days, gives better memory.
  • The gap depends on how far away the exam is.
  • Every review is a self-test, not a reread.

Sources

Go deeper: The Exam Week Kit · €12,95