Most people study by re-reading notes. It feels productive. It barely works.
The problem with re-reading
Recognizing information (“yes, I remember seeing this”) is a much weaker signal than being able to produce it from memory. Re-reading only trains recognition.
Active recall
Closing the book and trying to write out what you just learned — even imperfectly — builds a much stronger memory trace than passive review.
Spaced repetition
Reviewing material at increasing intervals (a day later, then a week, then a month) fights the natural forgetting curve far more efficiently than cramming.
Putting it together
A simple flashcard habit, reviewed on a spaced schedule, outperforms hours of highlighting and re-reading — for a fraction of the time invested.