Distributed practice

A spaced study schedule, planned backward from the exam date Write the exam date at the end of a calendar and work backward, giving each topic several short returns instead of one long session. Research on spacing found that recall was best when the gap between sessions was about 10 to 20 percent of the time until the test, so with four weeks to go, coming back to a topic every three to six days is a reasonable rhythm. Distributed practice was one of only two strategies rated most effective in a major review of study methods, alongside practice testing. Leave a spare slot every few days, because a schedule with no slack falls apart after the first bad evening.