Study Notes Template: Learn by Recalling, Not Rereading
Most note templates help you copy information. This one helps you remember it. You write what you recall with the source closed, explain it in simple words, write questions to quiz yourself and schedule spaced reviews.
Uses retrieval practice and spaced review, two of the best-supported study techniques. See the sources
Fill it in here
- Key ideas from memory, in your own words. Check the source afterwards and fix the gaps.
- How would you explain this to a 12-year-old? Where do you get stuck?
- Write questions now. Answer them later without looking.
- In 1 day
- In 1 week
- In 1 month
Start writing and you can save it to Brain Dump as a note.
When to use it
- Right after a lecture, chapter or video
- When preparing for an exam
- Learning anything you want to still know in a month
What it's based on
Uses the two best-supported study techniques: recalling from memory (practice testing) and spacing reviews out over time, plus explaining it in your own words. Rereading and highlighting help much less.
Research-backed
Built on a technique that's been tested in published studies. The sources below say how strong that evidence is.
Fill it in from memory; copying from the source loses the benefit.
Sources
How to use it well
Read or watch first, then close the source
Write the key ideas from memory. It should feel a bit hard, that's the point
Check the source afterwards and fix the gaps
Explain it like you would to a 12-year-old. Where you get stuck is what to study
Tick off reviews after 1 day, 1 week and 1 month
FAQ
Reviews of learning research rate rereading and highlighting as low utility. Recalling from memory and spacing reviews out are rated high.
No. Cornell notes organize what you write during class. This template is for what you do after, which is where most of the remembering happens.
Keep it in Brain Dump
Start a note from this template in your browser, or on iPhone, iPad and Mac. It's there whenever you need it again.
Start writing free
