Students take a mock exam with similar material to test their knowledge.

Rated as high utility. Practice testing is broadly applicable to types of material, and ages and abilities of learners. Moreover, it is one of the least time-consuming habits and evidence shows that practice testing is very effective in boosting academic performance.


Practice Testing

Long-term recall is improved when studying is broken up into many short sessions rather than long concentrated ones (memory consolidation is improved). 

Spacing effect

High utility learning strategies have generalization results, meaning that they benefit many students of different ages and abilities. Research has also shown they are effective in boosting academic performance
- Practice Testing
- Distributed Practice (Spacing)

High utility learning strategies are recommended for all students


Concordia College - Moorhead

Learning strategies are essentially different methods of studying or various types of study habits. Dunlosky et al. categorized each study habit into one of three utilities based on generalizability and effectiveness (if it really improves learning): high, moderate and low.

Learning Strategies

Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi-org.cordproxy.mnpals.net/10.1177/1529100612453266


Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and  Educational Psychology

High Utility Learning Strategies

Moderate utility learning strategies show some generalization across a few variables but the efficacy of boosting academic performance is limited.
- Elaborative Interrogation
- Self-Explanation
- Interleaved Practice

Recommended for certain students/learning situations

Moderate Utility Learning Strategies

Low utility learning strategies have limited benefits and performance is not consistently improved with these habits.
- Summarizing
- Highlighting and Underlining
- Keyword Mnemonics
- Imagery Use
- Rereading

Low utility learning strategies are not recommended for any students.

Low Utility Learning Strategies

Photographs of students engaged in studying are often used as visual aids to illustrate the application of various learning strategies and study techniques.

Visual Representation of Studying

The effectiveness of any study strategy is highly individual. It is crucial for a learner to identify and apply techniques that are personally effective, as a method that is successful for one person may not be suitable for another.

Personalizing Study Strategies

A student is preparing for a major final exam. Their primary study method involves rereading their textbook and class notes multiple times over the two days leading up to the exam. While reading, they use a highlighter to mark passages they believe are important. The night before the exam, they plan to stay up late to review all the highlighted sections one last time.

Based on principles of effective learning, critique this student's approach. Identify two specific weaknesses in their plan and propose a more effective alternative for each weakness. Justify why your proposed alternatives would likely lead to better learning and long-term retention.

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