Have you ever found yourself using flashcards to study for a test? Or have you utilized Quizlet’s learn features in the past?
Both studying techniques are variants of the Leitner System (also referred to as the Leitner Method), a system of using flashcards to test active recall and long-term memory (LTM). Flashcards help test long-term memory because they simulate recalling information during a test.
By employing spaced repetition, the Leitner Method enables a student to dedicate different periods to focusing on individual concepts rather than cramming it all into one night of study. This technique helps students avoid mental exhaustion by spacing out concepts.
Background of the Leitner System
The Leitner System was invented in 1972 by German publicist and scientific journalist Sebastian Leitner for more effective learning. The goal of the Leitner Method is to retain as much information as possible in long-term memory, which is done through spaced repetition.
The Leitner Method uses self-testing to evaluate a student’s needs and abilities while studying. Self-testing is a learning strategy in which a student learns the material and then tries to recall as much as they can or answer specific questions without looking back at the information. Studies have found that self-testing is a potent mechanism for learning. In one study, researchers compared students’ test scores in four different studying conditions. Students in Group 1 (study group) read the material once, students in Group 2 (repeated study) read the material four times, students in Group 3 (concept mapping) read the material once and then made a concept map about it, and students in Group 4 (retrieval practice/self-testing) read the material once and then wrote down everything they could remember about it. A week later, all four groups completed a test on the material, and the Retrieval Practice group outperformed the other three subject groups, suggesting that self-testing is a very effective method of revising material.
Employing self-testing in your daily study is incredibly easy. All textbooks have chapter or unit review questions that you can test yourself with after you’ve read the material.
How Does it Work?
If you’re just starting out with the Leitner Method, it’s recommended that you use just three boxes instead of the usual 5. Box number 1 is the default box, the box where all the cards will start off. Based on your recall performance, you can decrease or increase the spacing intervals of each card and ensure that the most challenging flashcards are studied the most often.
There are three flashcard boxes: Box 1, Box 2, and Box 3.
Box 1
Box 1 contains the original group of cards and the cards with the most mistakes (later in your revisional process). Box 1 also comprises new cards added into the system and cards from Box 2 that are answered incorrectly. This box is the “every-day box” or the box you will review every day, as it consists of the most difficult facts and concepts you couldn’t remember on your first few tries. Use the cards in each box like you would use a normal flashcard. If you can answer the prompt correctly, promote the card to the next box, and if you weren’t, move it back to the previous box.
Box 2
Box 2 contains cards from Box 1 answered correctly and cards from Box 3 answered incorrectly. This box is the one you’ll review every other day, as you were able to answer most of these cards correctly at least once. By studying these cards every other day, you are decreasing the frequency of revision of Box 1’s promoted cards. However, Box 2 is also the location of demoted cards from Box 3, increasing the revision frequency of the cards from once a week to every other day.
Box 3
Box 3 holds the cards from Box 2 that were answered correctly and cards from Box 3 that have been answered correctly. These cards are the cards that the student knows the best. You will practice the cards in this box only once a week. This is the crux of the Leitner System: your time is better spent learning the concepts you are unfamiliar with rather than reviewing the information you already know. However, correctly answering a Box 3 card once is not always a sign of mastery, and you should always be able to criticize your answers. You are the tester and the testee at the same time.
In general, every time you get an answer right, you promote the card to the next box. When you get an answer wrong, demote the card to the previous box. At the end of each week, you can see which concepts you need to study frequently and which topics need to be reviewed only once a week.
Spaced Repetition and Active Recall
Spaced repetition is the exact opposite of cramming things into your brain in one sitting. According to E-Student, spaced repetition is a memory technique that involves reviewing and recalling information at optimal spacing intervals until it’s sufficiently learned. Spaced repetition is an integral part of the Leitner System as each box is reviewed at a specific interval. Spaced repetition also uses active recall.
Active recall refers to self-testing and is another crucial part of the Leitner Method. By definition, active recall is a study method that employs information retrieval and repeated testing to improve retention, memorization, and comprehension. It allows the brain to absorb evidence and process it more effectively. Active recall requires the student to actively work with the material and use flashcards in a self-directed manner, which is what the entire Leitner System is built on.
Leitner System Apps
- Cram.com: website
- Simple Leitner Box: iOS (iPhone-specific)
- Anki: website, iOS (Mac/iPad/iPhone), Android, Windows
- Quizlet: website, iOS, Android
- StudyBlue: Android, iOS, website
- StudyStack: iOS, Android, website
tl;dr
The Leitner System is an excellent and efficient method of studying with flashcards. It combines the strength of many top study methods (active recall and spaced repetition). At times, the Leitner System of organizing material can be seen as old-school, but some modern variations are intensely powerful concerning memorization. The main disadvantage of this system used to be the time-consuming process of creating flashcards by hand, but new apps and sites like Anki and Quizlet make the process of creating hundreds of flashcards easy and fast.
The Leitner System stresses spaced repetition and active recall, which ardently helps with memorization and retention in long-term memory. With the boxes, the system retains the principles of studying with flashcards but has a scientifically proven higher efficiency rate. Whether you’re studying for an AP exam a month before or learning a new language, the Leitner Method can help you achieve your academic goals.