Recognition is not retrieval
A highlighted page can feel familiar without being available in an exam. Recognition asks whether an answer looks right. Retrieval asks you to generate it with fewer cues.
Start by turning headings into questions. Hide the source and answer in your own words. Then check for omissions, not just general similarity.
Build prompts that demand thought
Weak prompts ask for trivia-sized fragments when the exam expects explanation. Match the prompt to the performance.
- Definition: What is it, and what distinguishes it?
- Process: Reconstruct the steps and explain why the order matters
- Essay: Build a thesis and three-part outline from the question
- Quotation: Recall the wording, context and analytical use
- Oral response: Explain the idea aloud without restarting
Add spacing after the first success
One correct answer is not mastery. Return after a delay, then extend the delay when recall remains strong. If you fail, correct the gap and shorten the next interval.
Cueable combines active practice formats with FSRS scheduling, so the method does not collapse into endless manual planning. You can import cards, practise in different shapes and let the schedule respond to your history.
Score honestly
Ask whether you could produce the answer independently and completely. ‘I would have known it with a hint’ is useful diagnostic information, but it is not the same as recall. Honest scoring makes the future schedule more useful.