Do you relate to any of these problems below?

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Ineffective Study Techniques

Spaced Revision to the rescue

Spaced Revision: The Universal Study Technique

Addressing bad studying habits in Indian Education

Picture this, you have an important test coming up in a few days. You’re trying to concentrate in your lectures, taking down every word your professor says. But somehow, after days of cramming and re-reading, you still fall short when you answer your test. We know, we’ve all been there. In the bustling world of Indian education, studying techniques like rote learning, rereading, cramming, and copious note-making are emphasized and encouraged. They’re techniques most of us have grown up with, but they might not be as helpful as they say.

"In the bustling world of Indian education, studying techniques like rote learning, rereading, cramming, and copious note-making are emphasized and encouraged."

The Ritual of Rote Learning Rereading, Cramming, and Note-Making: The Usual Suspects

Rote learning is the go-to strategy for the majority of Indian students. This includes sleepless nights, and tiring days of reading and re-reading. Trying to learn something “by heart”. Unfortunately, no amount of heart and soul you put into cramming tons of information will help you truly retain, comprehend and remember your material effectively. The fatal flaw in these methods lies in their superficial nature. Rote learning might help in short-term memorization, but it often lacks the depth needed for true understanding. Sure, you could recite a fact or two, but can you apply them? Or understand the underlying concepts, and make them a part of our knowledge arsenal? The moment your knowledge is not in use, forgetting it is your brain’s next step. “Unused knowledge is like an abandoned tool; its purpose unfulfilled, its potential wasted." – Albert Einstein Okay, but… now what? Thanks for asking. Here is something you could try instead…

“Unused knowledge is like an abandoned tool; its purpose unfulfilled, its potential wasted." – Albert Einstein

Spaced-out revision. In short

Fundamentally, the method of spacing out revision is like giving your brain a breath of fresh air amidst the suffocation of cramming. Spaced revision is a simple yet revolutionary concept that revolves around spreading out your study sessions over time. Simply creating flashcards to help jog your memory through spaced out intervals in time will help you retain and even apply all that you are learning.

Knowledge needs to be laid out brick by brick, meticulously and with intention. Rereading may give you a sturdy structure temporarily, but it lacks the cement of comprehension. Spaced repetition, on the other hand, involves revisiting information at intervals. It's the equivalent of reinforcing the structure with a powerful adhesive, building habit strength in your brain.

Use your time effectively.

Your time as a student can be fleeting. Spaced repetition stands out as a time-efficient study technique. Instead of investing hours in a single session, you can distribute your efforts across days, weeks or months, making learning more manageable and effective.

Why Haven't We Been Taught This?

Good question. Why aren't these study skills ingrained in our education system? The answer might lie in our relationship with tradition and culture. Two ideas that are the very backbone of our way of living and identity. Rereading is easy, cramming provides quick results, and note-making feels productive– techniques that have snuck into our studying practices through generations. Spaced repetition, though backed by science, demands a shift in mindset and an acknowledgment that effective learning requires time and patience. That being said…

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." – B.B. King

The journey from rote learning to effective study habits involves unlearning and rebuilding. A shift from familiarity to intention and efficiency. An intention to truly learn, retain and apply information with an efficiency that doesn’t drain your energy or cause your mind to zone out. To build your own stronghold of knowledge that no one can take from you and can last you for years to come. No matter how tough your exams are!

Understanding memory and the forgetting curve

A large chunk of students suffer from one very fundamental problem— forgetting. After a couple of days of procrastination, you gather up all your wits to put your head down and bury yourself in textbooks, absorbing information like a sponge. Yet, as time passes, the details start slipping away, leaving you grasping at fragments of an equation floating around in your brain. “What was the formula of circle? or "When did First World War Start” You have reached Forgetting Curve station. Welcome. Let us show you around.

Ok, why do I keep forgetting things ?!

The forgetting curve is a concept first introduced by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus. It charts the rate at which we forget newly learned information over time. What it reveals is that our memory retention declines rapidly after learning, with the sharpest drop occurring within the first hour. That’s not too surprising is it?

Memory formation involves a complex system of neurons and synapses in our brain. Everytime you learn something new, your brain forms neural connections, etching the information into your memory. However, with time, these connections weaken without regular reinforcement and little by little, they slip away from your memory. Though this may seem like a mammoth of a problem, do not panic, it has a very simple solution.

"Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn't know before you learned it." – Maya Angelou

Enter Spaced Revision

Who we are and how we can help you.

A key player in your battle against forgetting is spacing out your studying and revision sessions. This can be done seamlessly with comprehensive flashcards. Studying and learning doesn’t have to be stressful. It takes time. Studies indicate that frequent exposure to new information with Active Recall has the potential to slow down the forgetting curve. So with the right information at the right time, you’ll be set to remember for a lifetime. If only there was something to do that for you.

How it works.

Using the principles of spaced out studying, Spaced Revision provides you with flashcards at regular intervals to review and reinforce what you've learned. By spacing out your revision sessions, Spaced Revision ensures that your memories are not only retained but strengthened over time.

We also get that repetition alone is not enough. So, we’ve designed a system that can calculate optimal intervals between study sessions, allowing your memory to consolidate effectively. With each spaced revision session, you're not just revisiting information; you're cementing it into your long-term memory.

With Spaced Revision, the days of cramming and forgetting are behind you. Say goodbye to good old Forgetting Curve station and walk down Memory Lane with us. A place where you can leave out the stress of frantically flipping through pages, and take some time to breathe while you study. We can help you outsmart the curve and retain knowledge for a lifetime. Oh, and the first world war was from 1914 to 1918 between the Allies and the Central Powers and A=πr2 Thank us later.

Big Brain energy only: Why Spaced Revision can be a gamechanger in your studying routine…

In a competitive, crowded landscape, being a student can be overwhelming. We get it. But it can only be overwhelming when you don’t have the right tools to help you get through your day-to-day life as a student. A good night’s sleep for starters, good food and a bit of fresh air, can make all the difference.

Most students spend exam week with scheduled cramming sessions and days trying to rote learn an entire syllabus. But, much to their surprise (not to our surprise) those may not be the most helpful ways to study.

If you’re reading this you’ve been here, too, and maybe you’re looking for a way around this. That’s great! Here’s what could help you…

Try Spaced Revision

Spaced repetition is a study technique that involves reviewing material at gradually increasing intervals over time. Instead of cramming all your studying into one intense session, spaced revision spreads out your learning sessions, allowing your brain to better understand and retain information. This method is based on the principle of the spacing effect, and active recall. It suggests that spaced-out repetition leads to better long-term retention compared to massed repetition. At Spaced Revision, we help you do just that.

Active Recall ? What is That

Active recall is a study technique that involves actively retrieving information from memory instead of passively reading it. It's different from rote memorization and encoding, which are inefficient ways of learning.

Active recall strengthens the neural pathways associated with the information you're trying to remember. This makes it easier to recall the information in the future, even after a long period of time has passed.

It may feel difficult and counterintutive in the beginning but will transform your life.

Why You Need This…

One common pitfall to avoid as a student is the familiarity trap. This occurs when you start to feel familiar with the material and assume you no longer need to review it. “I saw a diagram of the nervous system once, I must definitely know how it works. Right?” No, not really. However, research shows that continued practice and repetition are essential for long-term retention. So, even if you think you know your material, revisiting it at spaced intervals is vital to solidifying it into your memory.

Think of Spaced Revision as the antidote to all this. By spacing out your study sessions, you give your brain multiple opportunities to encode and consolidate information into long-term memory. We, at Spaced Revision, create flashcards to reinforce your knowledge and provide them to you at regular, spaced-out intervals. This approach not only helps you remember information more effectively but also enhances your ability to recall it when needed. This can also make learning more fun, and competitive with yourself.

So, flashcards. Do they actually help?

Short answer– yes. Long answer– here’s why. Flashcards are a simple yet powerful tool for reinforcing your learning through active recall. By creating flashcards with key concepts, definitions, or questions on one side and their corresponding answers on the other, you can test yourself (active recall) on the material in a structured and efficient manner.

Flashcards work hand in hand with spaced revision, as they provide a convenient way to review information at spaced intervals. Incorporating flashcards into your study routine can help you reinforce your learning, identify areas of weakness, and track your progress over time.

A dynamic duo

Spaced Revision facilitated by flashcards are the tools you need to reach your potential as a student. Your brain gets a safe space to grow at its own pace, retaining information day by day for the long haul (and not just until breakfast).

Give yourself a break from exam stress for a while. Try switching up your studying to Spaced Revision, your brain will thank you!