Cognition in Class – Cognitive Psychology in Education

April 25, 2026April 25, 2026

Retrieval Practice: Learning that Lasts By: Joshua Frenden

Intorduction

Got a big test coming up? Need to learn something that you’ll be able to remember long term? Retrieval practice might become your new best friend. “Practicing retrieval yields significantly greater long-term retention of the studied materials than just restudying them” (Moreira et al., 2026). This method of retrieval is something that many, including myself, have found to be a very “effective… learning strategy” (Moreira et al., 2026). With the goal of “familiarity and recollection” in mind, retrieval practice might be the study method that you have been missing out on

What is Retrieval Practice?

Retrieval practice, the transfer of information from your long-term memory (LTM) to your short-term memory (STM). The 3 R’s (Recognition, Recall, and cued recall) represent some of the ways that you can effectively recall and access information that has been stored in your LTM. Through your metamemory, which is your personal awareness of memory (not always easily accessible) has a vital role in the retrieval practice process as it allows for you to find the parts of your LTM or STM that you are trying to master or retain, which allows for you to pinpoint and focus studies along with finding “you” specific studying methods to put yourself in the best situation for success.

Why Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice, especially in the context of retrieval for the purpose of memorization for a test or something of that nature, is crucial for people as it leads to higher confidence levels, along with a plethora of different proven tests that show higher retention rates. People don’t realize the true effect of attempting to study and retain information. The method of studying that you use will lead to your confidence and anxiety levels, which, for some, can affect success rates. “Between 10-40% of all students experience some level of test anxiety” (Wood et al.,2016). One study done on 1408 K-12 students yielded the results of “92% of students reported that retrieval practice helped them learn, and 72% reported that preretrieval trial practice made them less nervous” (Agarwal et al., 2014). Methods using retrieval practice have the possibility, if used in the right way, to lead to lower levels of testing anxiety while allowing for better retention levels, higher test confidence, and better understanding of often vital material.

Types of Retrieval Practice

Using retrieval practice is something that you can make unique to yourself, whether through an acronym, song, retention dump, or, as stated by Leonard, methods like making pictures, quick quizzes, flashcards, memory dumps, games, information hexagons, and plenty more (Leonard, 2025). Pictures, either drawn or put close in association with things to remember, will allow for better recall. Quick quizzes allow for immediate results as to whether or not you understood the information. Flashcards allow for immediate restudying or retrieval of past learned information; memory dumps allow you to write down everything about a specific topic, usually one that was just studied. Games, like Kahoot’s, Quizlet’s, etc., allow for fantastic retrieval practices as it makes remembering things fun, as there is a prize or a competition at hand. Finally, an information hexagon (or any shape of your choosing) allows for a fun way to study, close & recall, check and reflect, and repeat & improve, which are some key steps to retrieval practice as stated in the image above. Being able to find different ways tailored to yourself to allow for association, recall, and retrieval is one of the many reasons why retrieval practice methods are vital, especially since more often than not it leads to higher levels of retention along with a more calm and comforting studying environment.

Real Life Retrieval Practice:

Commonly, people think something such as retrieval practice is something that is only good for schoolwork, tests, or things in the classroom. As someone who uses retrieval practice in the classroom, there are also ways to use it in other aspects of life. Just as you would study for retrieval on a test, I, as a baseball player (hitter) will study pitchers. Studying them in the sense of their tendencies, when they throw certain pitches, and where on the plate they try to throw the ball. Being able to recognize (recall) a pitcher’s tendency or habit is something that comes from retrieval practice, pulling out the information from the film that you had watched earlier. The only difference is the level of pressure, one being your grades, and the other being the pressure of having to perform for your teammates and the fans watching you. At the end of the day, whether it is in the classroom or on the field, all you can do is hope your memory can come through in the clutch.

Conclusion

Retrieval practice is one of the most effective strategies when it comes to STM, LTM, and memory in general. The ability to be able to recall information in any means allows for better real-life application of knowledge, whether with your actions, on a test, out on the field, or wherever it applies to you. The ability to adapt and personalize your retrieval practices to your learning style and the way that you retain and remember information is what makes it truly a one-of-a-kind way to study. “Minimal intervention promoted more effective… use of retrieval practice and better retention” (Ariel et al., 2018). Let me leave you with this: Use retrieval practice next time you try to study or remember something. Do so in whatever method is most fun to you, and see how much more you remember.

Sources

Ariel, R., & Karpicke, J. D. (2018). Improving self-regulated learning with a retrieval practice intervention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 24(1), 43–56. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000133

Agarwal, P. K., D’Antonio, L., Roediger, H. L., McDermott, K. B., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Classroom-based programs of retrieval practice reduce middle school and high school students’ test anxiety. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 3(3), 131–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmac.2014.07.002

Leonard, D. (2025, July 25). 15 quick (and Mighty) Retrieval Practices. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/quick-and-mighty-retrieval-practices/

Moreira, B. F. T., Pinto, T. S. S., Starling, D. S. V., & Jaeger, A. (2026, April 24). Retrieval practice in classroom settings: A Review of Applied Research. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2019.00005/full

Wood, Sarah G., et al. “Test Anxiety and a High-Stakes Standardized Reading Comprehension Test: A Behavioral Genetics Perspective.” Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, vol. 62 no. 3, 2016, p. 233-251. Project MUSE, https://dx.doi.org/10.13110/merrpalmquar1982.62.3.0233.

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025

“Why I Forgot Stuff During the Test After Studying Really Hard”

By Walter Medrano

Have you ever studied really hard for a test, but when you sit down to take it, your mind just blanks out and you notice that you’re not as confident as you were while studying? That’s happened to me more than once. I’d study in my dorm, feel super confident, and then get to the classroom and suddenly forget everything. I used to think it was just nerves or stress, but it turns out there’s actually a reason this happens, and it’s called the encoding specificity principle. It may sound scary at first but it’s actually pretty cool once you understand it.

April 27, 2025April 28, 2025

Studying hard but forgetting fast? Interference might be at fault

By Danika Apostolovich

Introduction

Have you ever wondered why you might have studied hard for an upcoming history exam, making sure you focus on the dates, people involved, and what countries might be involved within a war, just to completely blank and forget all of the details about what you studied when the exam is given out? This is especially frustrating when you know you put in the effort to do well on the test. Let me tell you, in college this especially gets hard when you have to balance so many different things on a daily basis.

Well Did you happen to also study for that spanish test that you have the next period after? As it turns out, the material from studying for that spanish test wound up interfering with your ability to accurately remember what you studied for the history exam.

This post will dive deeper into interference theory, specifically retroactive and proactive interference. So that when you are about to go on to your first semester of college, you can know how to avoid this unfortunate circumstance of forgetting info and instead replace it with better study techniques!

April 27, 2025April 28, 2025

How Your Personal Experiences Help You Gain A Better Understanding When Learning Something New

By Raquel Frakes

Introduction

Going to school at any age requires us to learn new things every day. At times, it is hard to remember every topic or concept you have learned. College is a whole different ballgame, where learning and obtaining new information are crucial for our futures. College can be difficult because of other obligations or even jobs, so it is essential to find a successful method to recall information that you have learned. The Self-Reference Affect is one of those successful methods.

April 27, 2025April 28, 2025

Clarity: Making Sense of Your Mind in College

By Jordyn Coppejans

Elaborate is what we constantly hear. Did you know we have a great elaborate machine in our brain that takes up what we experience and combines it? Our mind reconstructs what we experience and makes it different, but still lets us retrieve the right information for a deeper understanding of knowledge, like collage.

First, let’s dive into Elaborative Rehearsal, which uses meanings and connections to help transfer information to long-term memory. “Generating questions makes you think hard about the material and fosters comprehension (B. Wong,1995). Additionally, answering questions such as “Why is this true? Or what parts of this page are new to me? will help you to learn because it connects what you are learning to what you already know.” (Putnam et al.,2016) Looking at that quote, you can see that comprehension is done by connections and not just by memorizing information.

April 27, 2025April 28, 2025

Serial Position Effect- The Middle Child of Memory

By Alyssa Bundren

Think of the last test you took. Was there a question on that test that you could not remember even though you knew it was in the study guide? Was it in the middle of the study guide rather than the beginning or end? This is the Serial Position Effect. As described, the Serial Position Effect is the tendency to remember information from the beginning or the end but to forget information. While this may seem straight forward, it can actually be quite complex and effect people more often than you would think. But do not worry, we’re gonna talk about it.

April 27, 2025April 28, 2025

Don’t space out in class, space out your study time

By Elly Jones

Don’t exhaust yourself, use the spacing effect

It is easy to fall victim to procrastination and decide to cram a study session right before an exam. Procrastinating will only give you mediocre scores and a whole Lotta stress. Our brain can memorize information much more successfully when studying is spaced out across hours, days, or even weeks. Studying too much over a short period can lead to overstimulation of neurons and mental fatigue. If you want to get great exam scores while still being able to go out and enjoy yourself try out the spacing effect. Even if you only study for ten minutes every day for a week, you’ll have more success in memorizing the implementation than you would if you studied for two hours only once. You don’t have to give up your weekends to succeed.

April 27, 2025April 28, 2025

What to remember things? Try the Levels of Processing!

By Ryan Bell

Do you want information to process better and stay in your LTM (Long Term Memory)? Well, all you have to do is follow the Levels of Processing Theory. The Levels processing Theory says the depth of processing information has a big impact on how well it is remembered.

What Is Levels of Processing Theory?

Levels Processing Theory is the theory that assumes that deeper, more meaningful engagement with information leads to better memory retention compared to shallow processing that focuses on surface details. It is also the idea that the way information is encoded affects how well it is remembered. The deeper the level of processing, the easier the information is to recall. With Levels of Processing Theory, there is some Circular reasoning, in the context of levels of processing, refers to the flawed argument where the premises are used to support the conclusion, and the conclusion is also used to support the premises, creating a loop without providing independent evidence for either.

April 27, 2025April 29, 2025

Doing Well on Tests: Stories to Remember

Do you struggle remembering everything discussed in the presentation throughout the lecture? You’re not alone. Let’s take a closer look, using the Narrative Rehearsal Hypothesis, at how translating your study notes into stories can aid in improving your information retention skills.

What is Narrative Rehearsal Hypothesis?

The Narrative Rehearsal Hypothesis makes it that we are able to remember events more easily when we place them into a narrative consistent with the events. This is because the story makes the events more memorable. Taking advantage of the fact that our minds naturally like to work with and memorize information that is presented in story format, this technique takes advantage of our natural instincts. You will need to translate your study material into a narrative. You’d rather concentrate on identifying the central ideas or themes that are contained in the material you are reading and not on memorizing certain facts. This will enable you to comprehend the material better.

Build a Narrative:

1.Apply new information to a story that you are currently telling.

2.If the story you are telling is more imaginative and stimulating, your memory will be better at remembering the information you are telling.

3.Incorporating the feelings is important simply because our brains can remember things that have emotions behind them better. Trying to include feelings in your tale is something that you should attempt to do if you wish it to be remembered better.

4. Rehearsing the story, as it helps to make your memories and your brain become more strongly linked, remembering the story and telling it to yourself a few times is an effective way of strengthening these links.

If you also wish to explain the ideas to another individual, you can tape yourself and listen back later.

Examples from Out in the Real World

Studying the American Revolution? Instead of memorizing dates and names, you can spend time building a story that is centered around important people and events. Imagine, for example, that George Washington is a stubborn hero who is faced with challenges, and that each one of those challenges is a turning point along his journey to independence.

The Current Evidence Served by Science

It has been demonstrated through the application of research that narrative rehearsal is a powerful means of improving memory. The outcome of a study carried out by Gagnon and Dixon (2008) discovered that the implementation of collaborative storytelling resulted in improvement in the ability of the participants’ to recall information.

The More General Advantages Outside of the Examinations

The goal of the Narrative Rehearsal Hypothesis is not limited to just enhancing your performance on tests. Instead, it can enhance your overall learning and your ability to retain information. What you are doing is taking the information and converting it into stories. By utilizing this method, learning is made more fun and less overwhelming.

Final Thoughts

In the end, learning does not have to mean staring blankly at a pile of flashcards or rereading the same notes over and over. By turning your study material into stories, you’re not just memorizing, you’re challenging your brain more deeply and more meaningfully. The Narrative Rehearsal Hypothesis reminds us that our brains are wired to remember stories, especially when we rehearse them with emotion and structure. So the next time you’re cramming for a major test, give it a try. It might be the lifesaver you need to get learning to work better, and even kinda fun.

References

Field, B. (2021, November 17). How storytelling is good for your mental health. Verywell Mind. Retrieved April 27, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/how-storytelling-is-good-for-your-mental-health-5199744

Gagnon, L. M., & Dixon, R. A. (2008). Remembering and retelling stories in individual and collaborative contexts. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 22(9), 1275–1297. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1437

Jarrold, C., & Tam, H. (2010). Rehearsal and the development of working memory. Taylor & Francis, 191–214. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203845837-15

Piroelle, M., Guette, C., & Abadie, M. (2024). EXPRESS: The Role of Articulatory Rehearsal in Short-Term False Memories during Aging. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/17470218241269320

Rock, I. (1957). The role of repetition in associative learning. The American Journal of Psychology, 70(2), 186–193. https://doi.org/10.2307/1419320https://www.jstor.org/stable/1419320

April 27, 2025April 28, 2025

Misinformation – How the Brain Tricks Itself

By Ethan Blackowicz

Introduction
You’re feeling on top of a course- You don’t need to do anything else, procrastinating on studying before the night of an exam because it’s easy to remember. You feel the answers coming to you so easily, and feel on top of the world…and then the grade comes back, and it’s a D. How does this happen? You look at the course material, and realize tiny differences here and there. Sometimes you might recall these differences, and inwardly sigh for not remembering them in the moment, but other times you might not even recall seeing this information. This effect is called the misinformation effect. A method in which the brain tricks itself over time, with the original memory of happenings being distorted by new experiences.(4) It sounds wide-ranging, and it is.