What it is
Turn your notes into questions, teach the material aloud, or redraw diagrams from memory — active review beats passive rereading.
When to use it
Within 24 hours of taking notes and again before tests.
How to do it
- Cover the right column; answer cue questions from memory.
- Explain the summary to an imaginary student in 60 seconds.
- Redraw key diagrams on a blank page.
Common mistakes
- Highlighting as a substitute for thinking.
- Reviewing only the night before.
- Copying notes neatly without testing recall.
Your 1-minute action
Cover your notes and answer 3 cue questions out loud.