Active Recall
Pulling an answer out of memory instead of recognizing it. The single most effective study technique known.
Active recall means retrieving information from memory with effort, answering before you flip the flashcard, rather than passively rereading or recognizing. A century of memory research shows retrieval practice beats rereading by large margins, an advantage called the testing effect.
The practical rule: always guess before you flip, even when unsure, and let yourself sit in the two-second struggle. The struggle is not a sign you are failing to study; it is the mechanism doing its work.