Testing effect

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/testing-effect

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the core principle?Actively retrieving information from memory enhances long-term retention more than passive study
2. What is the cognitive processes?Strengthens neural pathways, promotes deeper encoding, and aids in identifying knowledge gaps
3. Why does taking tests help us remember better?Taking tests forces your brain to look for information, which strengthens the memory paths and makes the information easier to find later.
4. How does the testing effect work in the brain?When you try to remember something, your brain reactivates the neural pathways that hold that memory, making those connections stronger and easier to use again.

Retrieval practice: The cognitive act of actively recalling information from long-term memory.