Active recall: what it is and how to study with it

By the Sendy team, students who built Sendy | Updated October 26, 2026

Active recall is studying by pulling information out of memory instead of putting it back in. You close the notes and answer a question, explain a concept or work a problem, then check. Each successful retrieval makes the memory stronger and easier to reach on exam day, which is why practice testing beats rereading in study after study.

A graded practice test with feedback on each answer — A practice test is active recall with a check built in: answer from memory, then see exactly what was right. From the demo account.

What the research says

In a well-known experiment, students who read a passage once and then tested themselves remembered more a week later than students who read it several times (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006). A large review of study techniques rated practice testing as one of only two methods with high usefulness across ages, subjects and test formats. The other was spacing study out over time (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).

Rereading and highlighting feel productive because the material looks familiar. Familiar is not the same as recallable, and the exam asks you to recall.

Five ways to use it

Practice tests. The closest thing to the exam. Take them under real conditions and mark them honestly.
Flashcards, with the question on one side. Say the answer before you flip.
The blank page. After a lecture, write everything you remember, then compare with your notes and fill the gaps in another colour.
Teach it. Explain a concept out loud to someone, or to yourself, without notes.
Cover and recall. Cover the answers column of a key terms table or the cue column of Cornell notes and answer from memory.

Making it work

Struggle a little. If every answer comes instantly, the questions are too easy. Effortful recall is what builds memory.
Always check. Recall without feedback can lock in a wrong answer. Mark yourself straight away.
Space it. Recall the same material again after a day, then a few days, then a week.
Start early. Use it from week one, not only in the final week.

A week with active recall

After each lecture, do a ten minute blank page. At the end of the week, take a short practice test on that week. Every weekend, redo the cards you missed from the past two weeks. The exam study plan builds this into the weeks before a test.

Sources

Roediger, H. L. and Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249 to 255.
Dunlosky, J. and colleagues (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4 to 58.

Questions students ask

Is active recall better than rereading?

Yes, for remembering on a test. Retrieving information strengthens memory more than reviewing it again, even when rereading feels more comfortable.

How long should an active recall session be?

Short and often beats long and rare. Ten to thirty minutes of recall, followed by checking your answers, is plenty for one topic.

What is the difference between active recall and spaced repetition?

Active recall is how you study: by retrieving. Spaced repetition is when: at growing intervals. They work best together.

Can flashcards be active recall?

Yes, if you answer before you flip. Reading both sides is just rereading.