The latest in revision techniques — what the research actually says (and how to use it)

Exams don’t reward how long you stare at a page — they reward what you can bring back to mind when it matters. Fortunately, over the past few years, the evidence on how people learn best has become clearer. Below, I’ve pulled together the most robust, recent findings and turned them into practical steps you can use this week — whether you’re helping Year 11s, coaching a stressed A-level student, or revising yourself.

The headline — what really works (short version)

1. Active retrieval beats passive review. Practising remembering (quizzing yourself) improves retention far more than re-reading notes. sciencedirect.com

2. Space your practice. Revisiting material across increasing intervals (spaced repetition) leads to stronger long-term memory than massed cramming. PubMed

3. Mix it up. Interleaving different topics or problem types helps you learn to apply knowledge flexibly. It often slows initial fluency but boosts later performance. PMC

4. Use words and pictures. Combining verbal explanations with well-designed visuals (dual-coding) helps students build richer memory traces — but keep cognitive load low. Frontiers

5. Make learning a little challenging (but not impossible). “Desirable difficulties” — retrieval effort, spacing, variable practice — help long-term learning when used carefully. Feedback and calibration matter. PubMed

Those five points are the foundation. Below, I explain them a little more and show how to turn them into a revision plan.

Why these work — briefly, in plain language

• Retrieval practice builds memory by forcing your brain to reconstruct information, which strengthens the connections and highlights gaps you need to fix. Tests aren’t just assessments — they’re powerful learning events. sciencedirect.com

• Spacing gives your brain time to forget a bit between sessions, which makes the effortful re-retrieval more potent. The longer the desired retention, the longer the spacing intervals should be. PubMed

• Interleaving trains discrimination (which method to use, which rule applies) because your brain has to select between related ideas rather than repeatedly practising the same one. That selection is the skill that shows up in exams. PMC

• Dual coding lets you access ideas through two routes (verbal and visual), so if one pathway is fuzzy the other helps you reconstruct the idea. Be careful — poor visuals or cluttered diagrams add load and hurt learning. Frontiers

• Desirable difficulties are not “make it harder for the sake of it”. They’re well-chosen struggles (harder retrieval, interleaving, spacing) that pay off later — but only if you correct errors and get feedback. PubMed

How to convert this into a revision routine (simple, evidence-based)

Use this four-step pattern for each topic or unit.

1) Learn — quickly, actively
Read your notes, watch a short video, listen to audio revision or follow a worked example. Then close the book and write (or say) a quick summary from memory — a mini retrieval right away.

2) Test yourself (retrieval practice)
Use short, low-stakes quizzes: flashcards, past-paper questions, or cover-up-and-recall. Aim for free recall where possible (write an answer before checking notes). When you check answers, give immediate corrective feedback — it boosts the effect of retrieval. SpringerLink

3) Space & repeat
Revisit the same material the next day, three days later, then a week later, then two weeks, then a month — lengthen the gap as the material sticks. Use an SRS app (Anki, Quizlet’s spaced mode) or a simple calendar.

4) Interleave
Instead of studying one type of problem for an hour, mix questions from several topics or skills every 20–30 minutes. This builds discrimination and transfer.

If you have ADHD — how to make these revision techniques actually work for you

If you’re living with ADHD, the study techniques above still work — but they need to be adapted. The problem isn’t the science; it’s the execution. Below are clear, practical changes that make retrieval practice, spacing, and interleaving usable, rather than torturous.

1. Build tiny, fierce sprints (not long sessions)

• Aim for 15–25 minute focused sprints (Pomodoro style) rather than hour-long sits. Short is sustainable and wins momentum.

• Each sprint = 5 min quick review → 15 min retrieval practice (no notes) → 5 min correction/reflection.

• Use a visible timer (such as a phone, kitchen timer, or analogue clock). The timer gives permission to start and stop.

2. Reduce start-up friction

• Make starting the session as easy as possible: have a “revision kit” ready (a charged device, headphones, a timed question set, and water).

• Keep your most used resources in one folder/desktop so you don’t lose time hunting.

• Use one app or one set of flashcards only — fewer choices = less avoidance.

3. Make retrieval multisensory

• Say answers out loud as well as writing them. Record yourself and play back on the walk to school.

• Use coloured pens, simple diagrams, index cards, you can physically shuffle — movement helps memory.

• Explain a concept to an imaginary student, a pet, or a friend (the Feynman technique). Teaching is high-impact retrieval.

4. Chunk + interleave (but keep variety)

• Break topics into micro-chunks (one chunk = one concept + one example). Each sprint tackles a chunk.

• Interleave different chunks across sprints so you’re practising discrimination, but never mix more than 3 other topics in one sitting — too much choice drains focus.

5. Use movement & environment to regulate focus

• Pair hard tasks with movement: stand at a high desk, do 5 squats between questions, or pace while rehearsing answers.

• If silence is a problem, try low-level background music that aids focus (instrumental, steady rhythm) or white noise.

• If public spaces help, do a sprint in a café or library for the gentle social pressure.

6. Harness hyperfocus positively

• When you catch hyperfocus, celebrate it — but plan it. Use it for the hardest chunk of the day and set alarms to stop.

• Keep an urgent “wrap-up” checklist so you don’t get pulled into another rabbit hole.

7. Make feedback immediate and obvious

• After every retrieval sprint, mark answers and correct them immediately. Seeing progress reduces discouragement.

• Keep a small visible progress chart (streaks, ticks) — we respond well to short-term rewards.

8. Use external accountability

• Do a weekly check-in with a study buddy, tutor or coach (10–15 minutes). A body-double can get you started and keep you honest.

• Share a short plan in the morning: “I’ll do 3 sprints on Topic X by 2pm” — then confirm at the end of the day.

9. Technology that helps (pick one or two)

• Spaced repetition apps (Anki, Quizlet) automate the spacing schedule — set small daily targets.

• Focus apps/timers (Forest, Simple Pomodoro) to lock distractions for short sprints.

• Voice notes (phone recorder) for on-the-go retrieval. Listen while walking.

10. Manage overwhelm and emotion

• If a topic feels impossible, switch to an easier micro-win for one sprint. Small wins build confidence.

• Practice a quick grounding routine before study: 3 deep breaths, a small stretch, and a 30-second plan aloud. This calms the overactive brain.

11. Ask for reasonable adjustments (don’t be shy)

• If exams or mocks are approaching, discuss access arrangements with your teacher, such as extra time, a separate room, the use of a laptop/word-processor, or rest breaks.

• Get any agreed access arrangements documented early — it’s often paperwork, not a personal favour.

Sample ADHD-friendly 1-week revision scaffold (exam in 4 weeks)

• Daily (Mon–Fri): Morning — 2 x 20-minute sprints (different topics). Afternoon — 1 x 20-min sprint + 10 min audio recap on walk.

• Tue/Thu evenings: 30 min mixed past-question set (timed 20 mins) + 10 min correction.

• Sat: 3 short mock sprints (30 mins total) with 1 full-past question under exam conditions.

• Sun: Light review, organise cards, plan next week. Celebrate one tangible win.

Quick ADHD revision checklist

• Timer set? ✅

• Sprint goal clear? ✅

• Materials ready? ✅

• Reward planned after the sprint? ✅

• Immediate correction at hand? ✅

• Buddy/check-in scheduled? ✅

A final, compassionate note

ADHD doesn’t mean you can’t revise effectively — it means you need different scaffolds. The methods science recommends (retrieval, spacing, interleaving) are powerful — but they work best when adapted for ease of start-up, movement, immediate feedback, and frequent small wins.

Practical drills you can start today

• 30-minute “retrieval sprint”: 10 min review, 15 min timed self-test (no notes), 5 min feedback & correction. Repeat next session with slightly bigger gaps.

• Create mixed practice sets: make a 20-question test covering three topics you’ve studied recently. Do it under exam conditions once, then review.

• Dual-code your notes: for each concept, write a one-line definition and draw a simple graphic beside it (flowchart, diagram, timeline). Keep visuals simple. Frontiers

• Pretest yourself before reading a chapter: attempt a few questions on the topic you don’t know. The act of guessing (pretesting) often boosts later learning when you receive feedback. Journal of Cognition

Common traps & how to avoid them

• Rereading = illusion of mastery. Highlighting and re-reading feel productive but they’re weak learning activities. Replace passive review with active recall. sciencedirect.com

• Overload with visuals. Dual coding helps — but only if visuals are purposeful and uncluttered. Aim for clarity, not decoration. Frontiers

• Desirable difficulties without feedback = frustration. Make sure mistakes are corrected. Practice that produces repeated errors without explanation wastes time. sciencedirect.com

A sample 6-week revision scaffold (exam in 6 weeks)

Week 1–2: Learn units, daily retrieval sprints, and start creating flashcards.
Week 3–4: Shift to spaced review (every 3–4 days), interleaved practice sets, dual-coded summaries.
Week 5: Full past-paper simulations (timed), review errors with targeted retrieval.
Week 6: Spaced low-stakes quizzes, light interleaving, confidence boosting by reviewing strongest retrievals.

Final thought

Studying smarter isn’t about discovering a magic trick — it’s about choosing learning activities that force your brain to work at the right things: retrieving, discriminating, and connecting. Make your revision active, space it out, mix it up, and use clear visuals where they help. Do that consistently and the grade is likely to follow the learning.