Learning Science — All Articles

Learning science studies how people remember and understand. These articles explain the key findings in plain language and what each one means for how you study.

Showing 45 articles taggedLearning Science.

Page 2 of 4

A biology teacher standing beside a human skeleton model in front of a class
study techniques14 min read

Concrete Examples: A Learning Strategy for Abstract Ideas

The concrete examples learning strategy: why examples make abstract ideas stick, how to compare several, and prompts to write your own in any subject.

A close-up of hands writing notes on colorful sticky pads at a table
learning science12 min read

Spacing Effect: Distributed vs Massed Practice Explained

The spacing effect explained: why distributed practice beats massed practice and cramming, how far apart to space study for your exam date, and a 2-week plan.

A tired student in glasses asleep with her head on a stack of books
memory12 min read

Sleep and Memory: Why Sleep Helps You Remember

How sleep and memory are linked, why all-nighters backfire before exams, whether naps help you learn, and a simple sleep plan for students in exam season.

A young woman in a purple jacket jogging along a tree-lined park path in autumn
wellbeing12 min read

Exercise and Studying: How Movement Helps You Learn

Does exercise help you study? What research says about workouts, memory and focus, the best time to move, and a study-day plan that fits in breaks.

A stressed student covering his face in front of a chalkboard full of trigonometry equations
exam preparation18 min read

Exam Stress and Test Anxiety: What Actually Helps

Why exam stress and test anxiety make you go blank, and what helps: practice tests, reframing nerves, a two-minute exam reset, and when to get support.

Person with an open book resting on their head at a desk covered in notebooks and mugs
productivity17 min read

How to Focus While Studying: 6 Research-Backed Fixes

Can't focus while studying? Why your attention drifts, six fixes including your study space setup, whether where you study matters, and a 50-minute routine.

Student looking at a smartphone behind an open textbook on a desk, a common phone distraction while studying
productivity12 min read

Phone Distractions While Studying: How to Break the Habit

Your phone costs focus even when you ignore it. See the research on notifications and multitasking while studying, and a 2-week plan for phone-free sessions.

Teenager wearing headphones while writing in a textbook next to a laptop, listening to music while studying
study techniques10 min read

Does Music Help You Study? What the Research Says

Should you listen to music while studying? What research says about lyrics, tempo, and task type, why the Mozart effect is a myth, and how to test it yourself.

A student reading a document on a tablet in a classroom with classmates behind her
learning science11 min read

The Learning Styles Myth: Why VARK Doesn't Work

Are learning styles real? What the evidence says about VARK and the meshing hypothesis, why most teachers still believe it, and what helps learners instead.

A hand marking a line of a textbook page with a teal highlighter next to a pair of glasses
study techniques11 min read

Is Highlighting Effective? The Research and a Better Way

Is highlighting effective? Research rates it low utility. See why it rarely helps, when it can, and how to turn highlights into questions you can recall.

A student writing Japanese notes on a tablet with a stylus while another student studies behind her
learning science12 min read

Desirable Difficulties: Why Harder Studying Works Better

Desirable difficulties make studying feel harder but make learning last. See Bjork's examples, the research, when difficulty backfires, and how to use it.

Two students in front of a whiteboard diagram of a paramecium, one explaining it to the other
study techniques13 min read

Feynman Technique: 4 Steps, a Worked Example, Free Template

The Feynman technique in 4 steps, with a fully worked example (why we have seasons), examples from 5 subjects, a template to copy, and why it works.