Studying Tips: How to Use Active Recall to Study for Exams Effectively

By WR!TERS@WORK

You might be pulling all-nighters just to end up with unsatisfactory grades in your examinations. This could be owing to ineffective methods of revising, like re-reading your textbook from the first page to the last, highlighting “keywords” which end up being more than half of each page, or rewriting your notes to make them more aesthetic. Instead, to increase your revision efficiency and effectiveness, active recall is a more suitable strategy that you should employ.

The traditional way of passive learning involves absorbing information when learning in a classroom, but active recall uses a different approach. With active recall, you can try to retrieve information from memory by testing yourself throughout different stages of revision. This way, the content learnt is more likely to be retained in your long-term memory and you can easily identify topics that you require more understanding in, focusing your attention on these areas of weakness.

As such, we will explain how you can effectively utilise Active Recall to help you prepare your revision for your upcoming English examinations.

1. Closed Book

If you have the habit of writing and organising your own notes, refrain from copying directly out of the textbook. Rather, take some time to consolidate your learning – reading and understanding the materials beforehand. After which, put the textbook aside, try to recall and write down the key points and main concepts, including as much as you can remember. Then, reopen your textbook and change into a different coloured pen to add on any other information you may have missed. For subsequent study sessions, you can do the same with other topics and even when revisiting older ones, aim to recall a higher percentage of information each time.

2. Ask Yourself Questions

The Cornell Note-Taking method is a popular technique used by students worldwide – having a designated column at the side to write down any questions based on the material taught in class. This forces our brain to actively engage with the information we are learning and form links between them when recalling a fact. After class, take time to clarify these doubts with your teacher or use reliable online resources to find your answers.

Now, preparation for Secondary School English Paper 1 can be done this way too, when learning how to structure an argumentative essay, and the key components of it. Some examples of questions include:

• “Teenagers are able to cope well with difficulties in life.” Do you agree?
• A person’s age is not an indication of maturity. What is your opinion?
• To what extent do you agree that young people today are selfish and only concerned with their own happiness? Give reasons for your view.

The typical format for an argumentative essay starts off with an introductory paragraph, followed by a body paragraph on your Supporting Argument (SA1). Then, a paragraph on the Counter Argument (CA) and another paragraph on the Rebuttal (R) is included. Finally, include your SA2 and finish off with a conclusion. It might seem confusing at first when your teacher first introduced it to you, but remember to take notes actively and write down your questions like “How do I write an effective rebuttal to tear down the opposing argument?” or “How should I engage the marker in my introduction to leave a good first impression?”

3. Use Flashcards

Flashcards are one of the simplest ways for you to test yourself on your understanding of the topics tested in the examinations. It is particularly useful for subjects that require you to memorise hard facts, or particular paragraphs that can be used in your essays. What you can do is write out the question or key terms on one side, and include the answer with an explanation on the back. When testing yourself, do not be afraid if you are not able to produce the answer immediately, as each time you make a mistake, your brain will make a more conscious effort in trying to remember that piece of information the next time you review it.

You can also separate your flashcards into different piles after reviewing it, with those that you are 100% confident in, 50%, followed by less than 20%. Review these separate piles at different frequencies, looking through the cards you are least confident in more frequently, perhaps on a daily basis. Combining active recall with spaced repetition is one of the ways you can maximize your yield when using flashcards for your revision.

In conclusion, active recall is one of the most effective memory recall techniques that most top students use during their exam preparation. This high utility strategy might be mentally taxing, but it is the very reason why our brains will be conditioned to remember the information much easier in the future. If you are keen on learning about more study tips to maximise your revision, do check out our other blog articles!

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is It Possible to Fail O-Level English?

It is possible to fail O Level English, which is the minimum requirement to further your education in a Junior College. O Level English is a compulsory subject and it is essential for every student to pass this subject if they want to have a good prospect of further education.

2. How Can I Improve My English Skills for O-Level?

First, students should look at practice workbooks for O Level English and ascertain what they need to know about the exam structure. Next, students should engage with previous past year papers to familiarize themselves with the required skills. Lastly, students should learn how to write essays and integrate all the technical aspects of the English language, such as grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation to craft essays which are greater than the sum of its parts.

3. Is Singapore O-Level English Difficult?

The O-Levels English exams is a demanding undertaking for all students who pass through Singapore’s education system. Students schooled in Singapore can speak and handle communication in English generally well but only the top 20% are able to score A1 for O-Level English yearly. To excel in Singapore O-Level English exams, students need to master different exam strategies and learn to write with sophistication. One should adopt an intentional multi-pronged strategy that blends on-paper learning with soft skills.

4. Is Passing O-Levels Challenging?

Achieving success in O Levels isn’t arduous if the student knows the syllabus and puts hard work and effort into studying for all their subjects equally.

5. What is the Passing Grade for O-Level English in Singapore?

To pass an individual O-Level subject, students must attain at least C6 (6 grade points) or above. The highest grade a student can attain is A1 (1 grade point). The Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O-Level) examination was introduced in 1971.