Spaced repetition means coming back to the same material at growing intervals, instead of once the night before. A schedule is enough to do it: a few review days, and something to test yourself with on each. This guide gives you the schedule to copy. For the test, a Diaposi mock exam gives you new questions on the same chapters each time you sit it.
Why does spacing beat cramming?
Cramming works for tomorrow and fails for next week. When you return to material after you have started to forget it, pulling it back takes effort, and that effort is what makes it stay. The same hours, spread out, hold more than the same hours in one night. The catch is that spacing needs a plan, because nobody does it by accident.
What schedule can you copy?
Count from the day you first study a chapter:
- Day 1. First review, the same day or the next morning.
- Day 3. Second review, with the notes closed.
- Day 7. Third review, as a short test.
- Day 14. Fourth review, mixed with other chapters.
With four weeks to the exam, every chapter gets all four. With two weeks, drop the last review and start today. With one week, do days 1, 3 and 7 on the chapters that carry the most marks.
What do you do on a review day?
Test, do not reread. Answer questions on the chapter first, then open the notes only for what you missed. Use new questions each time, or you will be reviewing the questions and not the chapter. Adjust as you go: a chapter you miss comes back sooner, one you know can wait.
The method for each review is active recall with lecture notes, and the full process is in how to make a practice test from your notes.
How a Diaposi mock exam helps
This guide gives you the dates. Diaposi gives you the test for each one. A mock exam covers the chapters you choose, and each time you sit it again you can ask for new questions on the same chapters. Chapters you have practised show your last grade out of 20, so on a review day you see at a glance which ones need the work.
The mock exam is part of Diaposi, the EdTech platform for interactive and measurable learning. Discover the self exam
Frequently asked questions
How many days before an exam should I start spaced repetition?
- As early as you can. Four weeks allows four reviews of every chapter. With less time, keep the gaps and cut the number of reviews, starting with the chapters worth the most marks.
What if I miss a review day?
- Do it the next day and keep the following gaps as planned. A late review still counts. A skipped one does not.
Is Diaposi free?
- Yes. Diaposi is free, and there is no paid plan today.
