Make it Stick

“Learning that is easy is like writing in sand”

After reading the book Make it Stick I decided to write this post with the key point I found important. I hope they can be helpful for you as well.

1. self-quizzing:

• Studies confirm that you retain more information by making little quizzes than re-reading your notes because minds are in a constant stage of forgetting.

“The effort of retrieving knowledge strengthens it’s staying power”

After watching a video o reading something ask yourself this 3 questions in order to help you keeping in mind what you just learned:

Key ideas? New ideas? Utility?

2. Interleaving:

• Randomize similar phrases of what you're trying to learn.
• It’s better if you divide the tasks, switch the activities that you're trying to learn. Do not stick only with one.

3. Spacing:

• Space repetitions is better than mass repetition. Mix different concepts, the new ones with the old ones.
• Make a list of key concepts and only go through it when you're trying to explain something.

None of this 3 steps are easy and it shouldn't be. In order to stick new knowledges to our brain we need to work hard to keep them there.