# Recall before you reread

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://adhd100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://adhd100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://adhd100.jock.pl/self-test-what-you-study/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-29
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-29, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 55 of 100 in the list: https://adhd100.jock.pl/#self-test-what-you-study

Test what you can remember first, then let the answers tell you what to look at again.

**The number:** Quizzing yourself: small to medium learning gain in general student samples (SMD 0.499) ([Psychological Bulletin, author-hosted full text, 2021](https://www.rongjunyu.org/_files/ugd/7b277c_c3a0d8bcdd924857ac911612ad3d6621.pdf))

## The evidence

- How sure: Certainty of evidence: Not rated. Measured in the general population; we say so because ADHD trials of this do not exist or are too small.
- Evidence grade: B. Grade B: trials in ADHD with low certainty, or strong general health evidence with a sourced reason it matters more with ADHD.
- Basis: General classroom meta-analysis: 222 studies, 48,478 students, g 0.499; no source GRADE rating or ADHD subgroup estimate.
- Outcome: learning in general classroom samples
- Comparison: testing or quizzing vs varied control learning conditions
- Benefit: 47/100. The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.

## Why it matters

In a meta-analysis of classroom studies, testing improved learning by Hedges' g 0.499 compared with a range of control conditions. That's general student evidence, it does not show a separate ADHD effect, and the score gap is not a percentage rise in grades. NHS information describes ADHD making it hard to concentrate and organise study, and a short self-test with feedback gives study time a clear job.

## How to do it

1. Pick a small piece of material where you can check the answers.
2. Close or cover it, then answer a few questions from memory.
3. Check your answers and fix mistakes straight away.
4. Later, go back to the questions you couldn't answer yet.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 1 minute: Without looking, say one fact you studied recently. Then decide how you'll check it later.
- 5 minutes: Cover a short piece of study material, recall its main point and check your answer.
- 15 minutes: Answer a few low-stakes questions, check them and mark what needs another attempt.
- 30 minutes: Study one small topic using repeated recall and correction, then schedule a later revisit.

### What it looks like

- After a paragraph, cover it and explain its main point before checking.
- Use a few practice questions, then correct the answers you missed.

### Common mistakes

- Reading an answer feels like knowing it. Try to recall it before you look.
- A hard self-test becomes a judgement of ability; use missed answers to choose what to revisit.

### A structured start

**Give study a feedback loop**

1. Turn one small topic into checkable questions.
2. Practise recalling answers and correcting mistakes.
3. Revisit the questions that still need work.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [Memorization Strategies](https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/enhancing-your-memory/), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Learning Center

## Sources

- [Testing (Quizzing) Boosts Classroom Learning: A Systematic and Meta-Analytic Review](https://www.rongjunyu.org/_files/ugd/7b277c_c3a0d8bcdd924857ac911612ad3d6621.pdf), Psychological Bulletin, author-hosted full text, 2021 (Tier 2 study)
- [ADHD in adults](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/adhd-adults/), NHS, 2025 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [Memorization Strategies](https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/enhancing-your-memory/), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Learning Center, 2026 (Tier 3 secondary)

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General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.

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Reuse: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/