The 3-Step Active Recall Method
The Levo method
The 3-step active recall method
Re-reading notes is a futile process when your aim is to remember the information and successfully apply it in exam settings. Active recall is the method you use to ensure the information sticks for a long period of time.
But even active recall can be futile unless you have a structured way of implementing it. This is where the 3-step active recall method comes in, a structured method that is signature to the Levo Learning guides.
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Step 1
Answer up to 10 questions cold, closed book, even if you are unsure on the topic.
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Step 2
Answer the same questions again, but open book. Write the correct answer down even if it seems pointless.
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Step 3
Repeat as step 1 and answer the questions closed book again.
There should be a difference between what you get right in step 1 and what you get right in step 3.
Memorisation, then application
Marks are given for applying content to the question that has been set, which cannot happen while the content is still being looked up. Step 1 shows what is actually held.
Step 2 puts the correct wording in front of you while the gap is still fresh. Step 3 repeats the cold test, and the difference between the first and third attempt is the part that has moved.
Every question in the guide is paired with its answer in the same document, so step 2 is done from the guide itself rather than from a separate set of notes.
Where the method is used
Every Levo A-Level guide is a set of questions with their answers, grouped by topic and subtopic, built to be worked in these three passes.
Questions about active recall
What is active recall?
Active recall is retrieving information from memory rather than reviewing it. Answering a question without your notes is active recall. Reading the same page again is not.
Why is re-reading not enough?
Re-reading is a futile process when your aim is to remember the information and successfully apply it in exam settings. Recognising a page as familiar is a weaker claim than producing the answer cold.
How many questions should I do at a time?
Up to 10. The set is small enough that step 2 and step 3 follow while the first attempt is still fresh.
Why answer open book in step 2?
Writing the correct answer down while the gap is still fresh is what fixes it. It is worth doing even when it seems pointless.
How often should I repeat the three steps?
Return to a set after a gap rather than repeating it the same hour. Anything you got right cold in step 1 can be left for longer than anything you needed the open book pass for.