You can absolutely enhance your memory retention of what you read by applying the principles from ‘Make It Stick’. To achieve better memory retention, shift from passive reading to active, effortful learning strategies that create more lasting memory traces. Intelligent, hard work from your brain is more effective than prolonged effort.
You’ve probably experienced this: finishing a chapter, closing the book, and realizing you can’t easily explain the main points or details. This outcome isn’t a reflection of your abilities but rather a typical result of how our brains process information during passive reading. The Mirage of Comprehension
When you read something fluently, especially if it’s well-written, your brain creates an ‘illusion of knowing’ because the information is right there in front of you. As your eyes move across the page, the words make sense in the moment. The feeling of familiarity and comprehension is often fleeting and doesn’t translate into long-term recall.
In exploring effective strategies for retaining information from reading, you may find it beneficial to also consider the article on the fusion of books, which discusses how synthesizing ideas from multiple sources can enhance understanding and memory. This approach complements the techniques outlined in “How to Use Make It Stick to Remember What You Read,” as both emphasize the importance of active engagement with material. For further insights, you can read the related article here: The Fusion of Books: Uncovering New Perspectives Through Synthesis.
It’s similar to recognizing a face in a crowd versus being able to describe it in detail an hour later without looking. The brain isn’t actively working to retrieve or encode the information deeply. The Downsides of Rereading
‘Make It Stick’ identifies rereading, the most common study strategy, as one of the least effective. Although it seems productive to highlight as you read, the real reinforcement of knowledge primarily comes from rereading, which strengthens the illusion of knowing. Rereading makes the material more familiar, but this increased familiarity doesn’t translate into a deeper understanding or the ability to recall it independently. Your brain doesn’t need to work hard to recall; it simply recognizes.
It’s similar to tracing over a pre-drawn line rather than drawing it from memory. To truly remember something, your brain needs to engage in a bit of struggle. The most powerful technique advocated by ‘Make It Stick’ is retrieval practice. It’s not simply reading; it’s about actively pulling information out of your brain, which is the process of remembering. With each successful retrieval of information, you reinforce the neural pathways tied to that memory, easing future recall.
Incorporating Retrieval Practice in Your Reading
Avoid waiting until the end of a book to test your understanding. Implement retrieval practice during your reading sessions. After reading a paragraph, subheading, or short section, pause and self-quiz after closing the book or looking away. Following this, summarize the main points in your own words.
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| Technique | Description | Benefit | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retrieval Practice | Actively recalling information from memory instead of rereading. | Strengthens memory and improves long-term retention. | After reading a chapter, close the book and write down key points from memory. |
| Spaced Repetition | Reviewing material at spaced intervals over time. | Prevents forgetting and reinforces learning. | Review notes after 1 day, then 3 days, then 1 week. |
| Interleaving | Mixing different topics or subjects during study sessions. | Improves ability to differentiate and apply concepts. | Study vocabulary, then math, then history in one session. |
| Elaboration | Explaining and describing ideas in your own words. | Deepens understanding and creates connections. | Summarize a concept and relate it to personal experiences. |
| Generation | Attempting to answer questions or solve problems before being taught. | Enhances learning by engaging active problem-solving. | Try to predict the outcome of an experiment before reading results. |
| Reflection | Reviewing what was learned and considering how it applies. | Consolidates learning and identifies gaps. | Write a brief summary of what was learned and how to use it. |
Think about asking yourself questions like:
What is the central idea of this section? What are the key terms presented here, and what do they mean? How does this tie in with what I already understand or have previously encountered? Can I articulate this concept to another individual? Don’t simply agree; try to vocalize the answers or write them down.
Creating the answer is crucial. While reading, actively generate questions based on the material. Imagine you’re creating a quiz for another person. Try to answer those questions without looking at the source material.
By doing this, you engage more deeply with the material and pinpoint key information. Use flashcards not just for definitions but also for more. Prepare cards with a concept on one side and explanations, examples, or connections on the reverse.
Instead of merely memorizing definitions, try to explain the concepts from memory. After reading a chapter, leave the book aside and write down everything you can recall. Just get it all out without worrying about order. Next, compare what you’ve recalled to the actual text.
This will instantly reveal what you remembered well & what needs more work. In mind mapping, initiate with the central topic and expand outward with key ideas and supporting details from memory. Productive Failure is a powerful tool in learning.
Don’t be intimidated by the struggle or errors during retrieval practice. ‘Make It Stick’ stresses the vital part ‘productive failure’ plays in learning. If you attempt to retrieve information but can’t, & then look it up, the subsequent encoding becomes much stronger. Your brain, having actively confronted the challenge, is now more attentive and ready to embed the correct answer deeply.
It’s like a mental itch that needs to be scratched; discovering the answer brings a much more satisfying & lasting relief.
‘Make It Stick’ covers more than just retrieval, highlighting strategies that make new information more meaningful and accessible. Integrating New Information with Existing Knowledge
Elaboration is about connecting new information to your existing knowledge to provide meaning. Our brains are naturally inclined to recognize patterns; the more connections you can make between new information and your existing knowledge, the stronger the memory will become. Consider how this new concept relates to something you’ve experienced in your life or observed in the world.
By making personal connections, abstract ideas become concrete & memorable. Try to draw analogies and metaphors to explain complex ideas by comparing them to something simpler or more familiar. Consider how you might describe a computer’s RAM by comparing it to a desk that’s a mess but allows for quick access, in contrast to a filing cabinet (hard drive), which is slower. Don’t just read or hear examples; actively create your own to deepen your grasp.
Even if a book offers examples, don’t forget to devise your own. This method ensures you understand the concept sufficiently to apply it in practice. Visualize yourself explaining the content to a novice, such as a child or a friend unfamiliar with the subject. What steps would you take to simplify, clarify, and make it more understandable?
It often highlights gaps in your knowledge and forces you to clearly express the main ideas. Mixing Concepts: A Fresh Approach
Interleaving entails mixing different subjects, topics, or problem types within a study session rather than focusing intensively on one topic. When it comes to reading, this might involve:
Switching Between Chapters/Books: Instead of reading one book straight through, read a chapter from one book, then a chapter from another related book, or even review material from a different subject. Within a chapter, if it covers several distinct concepts (e.g., different historical figures or events in a history book), don’t focus only on one concept after the other.
As you progress through the chapter, compare & contrast the different concepts. Avoid sticking only to self-quizzing; vary your retrieval methods. Engage in mind mapping, construct flashcards, or try to teach the material to someone else. The immediate benefit of interleaving isn’t always obvious; it might feel harder initially because your brain has to constantly switch and retrieve different rules or frameworks. The struggle it causes is precisely what makes interleaving effective.
It assists your brain in learning to differentiate concepts, strengthen connections within each concept, & determine when to apply specific knowledge. It encourages flexible understanding instead of rigid, context-dependent recall. Spaced repetition, a crucial strategy from “Make It Stick,” entails revisiting material at progressively longer intervals instead of cramming everything just before you need it. Exploring the Forgetting Curve and Optimal Spacing
The “forgetting curve” illustrates how quickly we forget new information if we don’t actively try to remember it. Spaced repetition directly addresses this issue.
The aim is to retrieve information when you start to forget it. It provides a mild challenge, making retrieval more effortful and thus strengthening memory more effectively than if you retrieve it too soon (when it’s too easy) or too late (when it’s completely forgotten). Tips for Scheduling Your Reading Reviews
Initial Review: After finishing a chapter or section, do some immediate retrieval practice (as discussed above). To implement short-term spacing, make sure to review the material either later today or tomorrow.
Solidifying the initial memory encoding occurs with this first repetition. Reviewing again in the medium term should occur a few days later, for example, 3-5 days. For long-term spacing, schedule reviews a week or two later, and then again a month later and so on. As each successful retrieval strengthens the memory, the intervals between reviews become progressively longer, delaying further reviews. You don’t need complex software; however, flashcard apps like Anki are excellent.
You might also opt to use a calendar or a simple notebook. If you recall something successfully, plan the next review for a slightly longer interval. If you struggle or fail to recall, schedule its next review for a sooner interval. Integrating Spacing into Your Reading Schedule
Instead of reading a new chapter daily, allocate some sessions to reviewing material you’ve read before.
For example, on Monday you read Chapter 1 and do retrieval practice. On Tuesday, for instance, you read Chapter 2 and perform retrieval practice. On Wednesday, you review Chapters 1 and 2 briefly before reading Chapter 3. Thursday involves reviewing Chapters 1 and 2 again, with a focus on areas of difficulty, followed by reviewing Chapter 3 and reading Chapter 4.
This method ensures that information isn’t just coming in one ear & going out the other. The phrase ‘Make It Stick’ subtly highlights the importance of your attitude towards learning. It’s not just about technique application; it’s about comprehending learning processes and welcoming the struggle. Adopt the Challenge
If learning seems too easy, chances are you’re not learning effectively. Struggle and effort are often the hallmarks of true learning and memory formation.
If you find a concept difficult or struggle to recall something, view it as an opportunity for better learning, not a sign of failure. Changing this perspective is important because it drives you to engage with the more effortful, yet more effective, methods. Analyze Your Learning Process
Regularly set aside time to consider how you are learning & remembering. What worked? Which methods of retrieval helped you comprehend and remember certain concepts? What proved difficult?
Where did you find things hard, and why? Was it because the material was inherently difficult, or because your approach to learning wasn’t suitable for that content? How can you enhance your learning? Change your approaches according to your reflections.
To improve, try creating richer examples, explaining the concept to someone, or changing the frequency of your review sessions. Being aware of your own thinking and learning, a practice known as metacognition, serves as a powerful tool for ongoing improvement. It shifts you from being a passive consumer of information to an active, strategic learner who continually refines their methods for learning new things. Understanding that learning is a process of creating and strengthening memory traces through effortful engagement allows you to remember what you read far more effectively and for a longer period.
