What is spaced repetition and how should students schedule review sessions?

• A. Reviewing all material in one long session before the exam
• B. Spaced repetition spaces review sessions over increasing intervals to improve long-term retention. Schedule brief reviews after 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, etc., aligning with exam dates
• C. Skipping reviews to save time
• D. Focusing only on difficult topics without schedule

Answer: (B)

Spaced repetition is a study method that spaces review sessions over increasing time intervals after you first learn something, so you’re prompted to recall it just as you’re about to forget. Start with a quick refresher after about one day, then again after a few days (around three), then after a week, and so on, adjusting the gaps based on how well you remember and how close your exam is. This pattern taps into the forgetting curve and strengthens memory through retrieval practice, which is more effective than cramming. Plan your calendar to revisit material multiple times before the exam, letting practice accumulate gradually so the material stays fresh without burnout. The other approaches miss this built-in scheduling: reviewing everything in one long session is massed practice and tends to fade quickly; skipping reviews loses the chance to reinforce learning over time; and focusing only on difficult topics without a structured plan neglects broad, evenly spaced coverage.