Make It Stick Summary [8 Tips To Study & Learn CORRECTLY]

Summary

In this video, Brandon Hill presents a summary of the book 'Make It Stick,' which reveals effective learning strategies based on cognitive psychology. He discusses eight key tips for better studying, including avoiding passive methods like highlighting and rereading, and embracing active strategies like retrieval practice, space repetition, and effortful learning. The video emphasizes the importance of challenging oneself, using reflection, and learning from mistakes. Hill encourages viewers to apply these evidence-based techniques to improve memory retention and learning efficiency, whether you're a student or a lifelong learner.

Takeaways

• 📝 Popular learning methods like highlighting, underlining, and rereading are often ineffective and can lead to a false sense of understanding.
• 💎 Retrieval practice, such as quizzing yourself or using flashcards, strengthens memory and helps identify knowledge gaps.
• 💻 Effortful learning, which involves challenging and engaging with the material, leads to deeper and more durable learning outcomes.
• 💵 Spaced repetition involves reviewing information at increasing intervals, which helps move information from short-term to long-term memory.
• 💲 Interleaved practice, mixing different types of problems, improves the ability to discriminate between problem types and apply the right solution.
• 👍 Reflection on learning, including understanding mistakes, is crucial for absorbing material and improving future performance.
• 💳 Building mastery in any field requires a gradual accumulation of knowledge, understanding, and skill, starting with the basics.
• 📱 Acknowledging and learning from mistakes is essential for advancing to higher levels of learning.
• 💉 The book 'Make It Stick' provides practical techniques to learn faster, remember more, and apply knowledge effectively.
• 💊 The counterintuitive nature of effective learning methods challenges traditional study habits and encourages a more active and strategic approach to learning.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the book 'Make It Stick'?

'Make It Stick' focuses on effective learning and memory techniques, drawing from cognitive psychology research to offer practical strategies for improving how we learn and retain information.

Why are popular learning methods like highlighting and rereading considered ineffective?

Highlighting, underlining, and rereading are passive learning techniques. They only promote familiarity with the material rather than deep understanding, leading to less durable memory retention.

What is retrieval practice, and why is it effective?

Retrieval practice involves quizzing yourself on what you've learned, forcing the brain to recall information from memory. It strengthens memory by helping you identify gaps in knowledge and reinforcing neural connections.

How does effortful learning enhance memory retention?

Effortful learning requires more brain power and is more challenging, which makes the learning process deeper and more durable. The brain works harder to retrieve and process information, resulting in better long-term retention.

What is spaced repetition, and how does it work?

Spaced repetition is a learning method that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time. By revisiting material just as you're about to forget it, you strengthen your memory and improve recall in the long term.

What is interleaved practice, and how does it differ from traditional practice?

Interleaved practice involves mixing different types of problems or concepts during study sessions, rather than focusing on one type at a time. This approach helps learners discriminate between different problem types and apply the right strategies when needed.

How does reflection enhance the learning process?

Reflection allows learners to review what they’ve learned, connect new information to prior knowledge, and think about how they can improve in the future. It encourages deeper understanding and better retention of the material.

Why is mastering the basics important in the learning process?

Mastering the basics provides a strong foundation for more advanced learning. Without a solid grasp of fundamental concepts, it’s difficult to progress effectively and achieve mastery in any subject.

How can mistakes be turned into learning opportunities?

Mistakes provide insight into areas where understanding is lacking. By analyzing why a mistake was made and correcting it, learners can avoid making the same error in the future and deepen their understanding of the material.

Who can benefit from the strategies outlined in 'Make It Stick'?

Anyone looking to improve their learning methods can benefit from this book. This includes students, professionals studying for certifications, and lifelong learners who want to optimize their memory and learning processes.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Effective Learning Techniques

The video introduces the book 'Make It Stick', which is based on cognitive psychology research to provide practical techniques for efficient learning and memory retention. The author, Brandon Hill, aims to debunk common yet ineffective learning methods like highlighting and rereading. Instead, he advocates for strategies such as retrieval practice, which involves self-quizzing to strengthen memory connections. The video promises eight tips for effective learning, suggesting that these methods can benefit anyone from students to professionals, and even lifelong learners.

05:01

🔄 Implementing Spaced Repetition and Interleaved Practice

This segment delves into two advanced learning techniques: spaced repetition and interleaved practice. Spaced repetition involves reviewing material at increasing intervals, which is beneficial as it strengthens memory through effortful retrieval. Interleaved practice, on the other hand, recommends mixing different types of problems within a subject to improve discrimination and problem-solving skills. The video also emphasizes the importance of reflection in learning, suggesting that it aids in memory and understanding. Lastly, it advises building a strong foundation of basics before advancing to more complex concepts and learning from mistakes as a pathway to improvement.

Keywords

💡retrieval practice

Retrieval practice is the process of recalling facts or concepts from memory to reinforce learning. In the video, it is described as a technique that involves quizzing oneself or using flashcards to actively recall information. This technique is central to the theme of improving memory retention, as it helps identify what you know and what you need to review, thus strengthening memory pathways.

💡effortful learning

Effortful learning refers to the idea that the more difficult a learning task is, the better and more durable the learning becomes. The video emphasizes that learning requires active engagement and challenging exercises for optimal memory retention. It suggests avoiding easy methods like rereading and instead focusing on harder, more engaging tasks.

💡space repetition

Space repetition is a learning strategy that involves reviewing information at increasingly longer intervals to combat forgetting. The video explains that this method reinforces memory by allowing for some forgetting, which then challenges the brain to recall the information, making it stronger over time. This technique is linked to the idea of efficient and long-term learning.

💡interleaved practice

Interleaved practice is the approach of mixing different types of problems or subjects during study, rather than focusing on one type at a time. In the video, the example of geometry practice illustrates this, where instead of repeatedly solving one type of problem, you switch between different problem types, which improves problem-solving skills and retention. This method is presented as more effective than focused, repetitive practice.

💡reflection

Reflection in learning involves pausing to think critically about what has been learned, what could be improved, and how knowledge connects to previous experiences. The video suggests that reflection helps solidify learning by identifying areas of misunderstanding and giving deeper insight into the material. It plays a key role in the process of active learning, ensuring that new information is absorbed more thoroughly.

💡mastery

Mastery refers to the gradual process of accumulating knowledge and skill to achieve expertise in a subject. The video emphasizes that mastery is built on a foundation of understanding and is not achieved through shortcuts or rushing through material. Mastery involves starting with the basics and progressively developing deeper insights, a key theme in the video’s discussion of effective learning strategies.

💡mistakes

Mistakes in the learning process are seen as valuable opportunities for growth and deeper understanding. The video advises that instead of simply noting when an answer is incorrect, one should reflect on why it was wrong and learn from it. This aligns with the overarching message of effortful learning, where mistakes play an important role in improving memory and learning outcomes.

💡highlighting/underlining

Highlighting and underlining are traditional but ineffective study methods that the video argues do not promote durable learning. These passive techniques, mentioned as being deceptive, may make you feel familiar with the material, but they do not contribute to a deeper understanding. The video recommends replacing these methods with more active learning strategies like retrieval practice and effortful learning.

💡effortful retrieval

Effortful retrieval is a combination of effortful learning and retrieval practice, where learners focus on the most challenging aspects of their study material to improve memory retention. In the video, it is illustrated by focusing on difficult flashcards that take more cognitive effort to recall, thereby enhancing learning. This technique is designed to promote a more active engagement with the material.

💡cognitive psychology

Cognitive psychology is the field of psychology that studies mental processes such as learning, memory, and problem-solving. The video mentions that 'Make It Stick' draws on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology to offer evidence-based strategies for better learning. The connection to cognitive psychology is key, as it underpins the scientifically backed advice for improving memory and learning efficiency presented in the video.

Highlights

The most popular learning methods are often the least effective.

Book 'Make It Stick' provides practical techniques for better learning and memory.

Best learning methods are counterintuitive.

Avoid ineffective methods like highlighting, underlining, and rereading.

Passive learning doesn't result in durable memory.

Retrieval practice, like quizzing yourself, is an effective learning strategy.

Retrieval practice helps identify knowledge gaps and strengthens memory.

Effortful learning leads to deeper and more durable memory.

Learning is more effective when it's challenging.

Space repetition involves reviewing information at increasing intervals.

Interleaved practice mixes up different types of problems for better learning.

Reflection is a form of practice that aids learning and memory.

Mastery is a gradual accumulation of knowledge and skill.

Learn from mistakes to build bridges to advanced levels of learning.

The book debunks popular learning myths and equips readers with proper tools.

The book is recommended for students, professionals, and lifelong learners.

Free access to the book is provided through a link in the description.

Transcripts

- You might be surprised to know

that the most popular learning methods

are some of the worst ways to learn something.

In this video, I'm gonna share a summary

of the book, "Make It Stick",

and then share eight tips on how you could learn

and study correctly.

Let's get into it.

(upbeat music)

What's up everyone?

This is Brandon Hill

and welcome back to my channel

where we share content to help young professionals

develop personally, professionally and financially.

One series of this channel is analyzing popular books

and extracting the top takeaways

that you all should know about.

So be sure to check out my book reviews

and analysis playlist for other books that we've covered.

Let's jump into the summary.

"Make It Stick", gives readers

the holy grail of learning and memory.

This book draws on recent discoveries made

in cognitive psychology and offers practical

and concrete techniques to learn faster,

learn more and forget less.

The authors share tons of facts

that are backed by research

and they give you actionable steps

that you could take to start implementing.

A big point made in "Make It Stick"

is that the best learning methods

are often counterintuitive.

This book will debunk

the most popular methods for learning and memorization

and it'll equip you with the proper tools.

I would strongly recommend this book

to anybody who is interested in learning more effectively

and more efficiently and using their brain

to their full capacity.

You could be a student or a professional

that's studying for a certification

or maybe just a lifelong learner.

But this book could help anybody out.

If you want to read, "Make It Stick",

I'll put a link down in the description

where you could access the book.

And if you want this book for free,

I'll also leave a link to a 30 day free trial to Audible,

where you could sign up and have one free download.

Let's get into the eight tips now.

Number one is to avoid ineffective learning methods,

such as highlighting, underlining,

and rereading notes and texts.

So some of the most common study strategies out there

include highlighting, underlining

and rereading over and over again.

The authors of this book state

that although these are the most popular methods,

they are some of the least productive methods.

Highlighting and underlining are passive forms of learning

and don't result in durable memory.

Rereading your notes and textbooks

is also a form of passive learning

and it's extremely time consuming.

The authors talk about that when you use these methods,

you could actually deceive yourself into thinking

that you're grasping what you're reading,

but in actuality, when you're rereading notes

over and over again, all you're doing is becoming familiar

with the text instead of actually understanding

the underlying concepts.

Tip number two is to implement retrieval practice.

One of the several effective learning strategies

that are shared is retrieval practice.

Simply put, retrieval practice involves quizzing yourself.

You're recalling facts or concepts from your memory.

For example, if you're reading through a book,

you could stop in the middle of a section

and ask yourself, what did I just read?

This forces you to use your memory

and recall what you're learning.

Another example of retrieval practice

is the use of flashcards.

On one side of a flashcard, you have a question

and on the back, you have an answer.

When you study using flashcards,

you read the question and on the front

and you try to say the answer out loud or in your head

before you flip it over and check it.

The book mentions two profound benefits

of retrieval practice.

One is that it tells you what you do know

and what you don't know and therefore,

you know what to study and focus on.

Number two, recalling what you've learned,

causes the brain to reconsolidate a memory,

which strengthens its connection to things

that you already know and it makes it easier

to recall it in the future.

So basically, your memory's becoming better

every time you do it.

Tip number three, embrace effortful learning,

and stay away from easy learning.

One counterintuitive insight that the book states

is that learning is deeper and more durable

when it's effortful.

Basically when learning is more difficult

and demands more brain power, it'll be more effective

and you'll have a better memory of that topic.

A quote from the book reads that

"Learning that is easy is here today and gone tomorrow."

When you study, you want it to be challenging.

This may take longer, but you'll learn better in the end.

In the previous tip, we talked about retrieval practice.

Combining tip number one with retrieval practice

and this current tip with effortful learning

results in another concept called effortful retrieval.

For example, you might create a flashcard deck

on a certain topic that you're studying

rather than practicing all the flashcards

that you know by heart, you should focus on the flashcards

that are challenging to you and take more effort

and brain power to recall.

When the mind has to work, the learning sticks better.

Tip number four, implement space repetition.

Space repetition is a studying technique

that involves repeatedly reviewing information

that you want to memorize

at gradually increasing time intervals.

The objective is to review material

just as you start to forget about it.

You practice space repetition

by studying something multiple times

while progressively increasing

the time between each session.

Imagine that you have 15 financial formulas to memorize

for a test in the future.

You would start by studying

all 15 of those formulas on day one.

After the first time you study the formulas,

study again the next day,

then study the formulas four days later,

then again, seven days later and so forth

until the information is permanently stored

in your long term memory.

Space repetition works because the periodic practice

allows for a little bit of forgetting to happen.

This little bit of forgetting is good

because when you practice again,

it will be more difficult

for you to retrieve that information.

That's where the effortful retrieval comes in,

that we just talked about.

The retrieval routes of the pathways in your brain

will strengthen and the material

will crystallize in your memory.

Number five is to implement interleaved practice.

So it turns out that practicing a single concept or skill

over and over again, until you have it down,

isn't as effective as mixing up your practice

and varying it with other types of different,

but related problems.

To help illustrate what this means,

the authors give an example of studying geometry.

If you're studying geometry,

you shouldn't just practice a bunch of problems

that have you calculate the area of a pyramid.

Instead, you should interleave your practice.

And you could do this

by studying a variety of geometry problems,

instead of just working on practice problems,

where you calculate the area of a pyramid,

you could mix up other types of problems,

such as calculating the area of a sphere or a cube

or a rectangle and mixing it all together.

And having those problems shuffled.

By mixing up the problem types

that you work on within a subject,

you'll become better at discriminating

between one problem type and another.

When given a problem, you'll be better equipped

to tell what type of problem it is

and how you should tackle that problem.

And this is beneficial

because this is how you would encounter a problem

in real life or on an exam.

Number six is to reflect when learning new things.

In "Make It Stick", the authors talk about reflection

being a form of practice.

Reflection can involve several cognitive activities

that can aid your learning and memory.

They include retrieving knowledge from memory,

connecting what you are thinking about to new experiences

and visualizing and mentally rehearsing

what you might do differently next time.

If you don't stop every now and then to reflect,

you could be missing out on these critical benefits.

It might seem inefficient to take breaks for reflection,

but if you skip out on reflection

and you just continue reading your notes and textbooks,

you may not fully absorb the material.

Also, if you're studying and you get a question wrong,

reflect on why you got it wrong.

So you don't make that same mistake again next time.

Number seven is to focus and build upon the basics

while on the road to mastery.

The authors of "Make It Stick" talk about how mastery

in any field from cooking to chess to brain surgery

is a gradual accumulation of knowledge,

conceptual understanding, judgment and skill.

Mastery requires you to have the possession of knowledge,

as well as a conceptual understanding

of how to use that knowledge.

Before you run, you need to learn how to walk.

And before you walk, you need to learn how to crawl.

Crawling, when it comes to learning

is mastering the basics and the fundamentals.

Don't try to advance too quickly

without learning the basics first.

Once you have the basics mastered,

you have a solid foundation to advance to the next level.

Finally, tip number eight.

Don't just acknowledge your mistakes, but learn from them.

When learning is effortful

and you're using all of these effective study strategies,

you're going to make a lot of mistakes.

When studying, don't just check to see

if you got an answer wrong or not.

A mistake is an opportunity to learn and improve.

The book says that making mistakes and learning from them,

builds bridges to advanced levels of learning.

So see your mistakes as lessons.

Analyze what you got wrong and why you got it wrong.

If you can understand what led you to an incorrect answer,

you'll know not to make that same mistake again.

That wraps up the eight tips on how to learn

and study correctly from the book, "Make It Stick".

And I highly recommend that you read it.

Again, to read this book,

I'll put a link in the description

for where you could access the book on Amazon

and if you want this book for free,

I'll also leave a link in the description

for 30 day free trial to Audible,

where you could get one free download when you sign up.

In the meantime, I'll get working on the next video for you.

I'll see you then.