# Active Recall, the Testing Effect & Overcoming the Illusion of Competence > Master Active Recall, the Testing Effect & Overcoming the Illusion of Competence with 32 active-recall flashcards covering core definitions, equations, mechanisms, and high-yield problem solving. - **Canonical URL:** https://flashcards.world/flashcards/sets/387aa548-4bba-4a69-aea5-6a1f746f7a33/ - **Markdown URL:** https://flashcards.world/flashcards/sets/387aa548-4bba-4a69-aea5-6a1f746f7a33.md - **Level:** basic - **Languages:** en → en - **Total Cards:** 32 ## Flashcards (32 Cards) | # | Front (Term / Prompt) | Back (Definition / Answer) | Example | Multiple-Choice Options | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | What is transfer-appropriate processing? | Memory performance depends partly on the match between the mental operations used during learning and those required at retrieval. | | | | 2 | What is the generation effect? | Generating information can improve later memory compared with reading it. The benefit depends on the material and task. | | | | 3 | What is the hypercorrection effect? | In some experiments, feedback corrected high-confidence errors more successfully than low-confidence errors. It is an observed effect, not a guarantee for every learner. | | | | 4 | What useful role can rereading play? | It can clarify material and repair gaps. Combine it with later recall checks rather than treating familiarity as proof of learning. | | | | 5 | Why give an answer before revealing the back of a card? | It makes the recall attempt assessable and reduces the temptation to count a familiar-looking answer as one you independently knew. | | | | 6 | What is overlearning? | Continuing to practice after reaching a chosen performance criterion. Its value depends on the task and delay; it does not replace spaced practice. | | | | 7 | How should a tip-of-the-tongue response be scored on a recall card? | Do not count a feeling of knowing as a complete answer. Check the target and review it again later. | | | | 8 | What is encoding specificity? | A retrieval cue is useful to the extent that it matches how the information was encoded. | | | | 9 | What evidence is more useful than a daily card-count streak? | Accurate recall after delays and successful use of the knowledge in relevant tasks. A streak measures participation, not mastery. | | | | 10 | When is a learning difficulty desirable? | When the extra effort supports later learning. Confusion or a task beyond the learner's current knowledge is not automatically beneficial. | | | | 11 | What is retrieval practice? | Trying to recall information before checking a source, then using feedback to confirm or correct the answer. | | | | 12 | How can a learner study meaning instead of appearance? | Explain the concept in their own words and connect it to an example, then check the explanation against a reliable source. | | | | 13 | What does self-explanation add to a worked example? | The learner explains why each step follows and connects it with underlying principles, then checks those explanations. | | | | 14 | Does knowledge from cramming necessarily disappear after 48 hours? | No. There is no fixed expiry time. Retention depends on the material, prior knowledge, practice and later opportunities to retrieve it. | | | | 15 | How does the Bjorks' theory distinguish storage strength from retrieval strength? | Storage strength describes how well information is learned; retrieval strength describes its current accessibility. These are theoretical constructs, not direct brain measurements. | | | | 16 | How does recognition differ from free recall? | Recognition identifies previously encountered information among presented options. Free recall generates studied information without item-specific prompts. | | | | 17 | Is working-memory capacity a fixed number for every task? | No. Estimates depend on the task, how information is grouped, prior knowledge and the method of measurement. | | | | 18 | How can the cue column in Cornell notes support retrieval? | Cover the notes, answer the cue questions from memory, then uncover the notes to check the responses. | | | | 19 | When can an unsuccessful problem-solving attempt support learning? | When suitable follow-up instruction and feedback help the learner compare the attempt with a sound solution. Failure alone is not sufficient. | | | | 20 | What does SQ3R stand for? | Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review: a structure for previewing material, asking questions, reading and checking recall. | | | | 21 | What is metacognitive calibration? | The agreement between a learner's confidence and actual performance. Delayed tests can help reveal overconfidence or underconfidence. | | | | 22 | What is the fluency illusion? | Mistaking the ease of rereading familiar material for the ability to recall or use it without help. | | | | 23 | How does intrinsic cognitive load differ from extraneous load? | Intrinsic load relates to interacting elements of the material and the learner's expertise. Extraneous load comes from avoidable presentation or task demands. | | | | 24 | Does retrieving one item always improve memory for related items? | No. Related information may benefit or face retrieval competition; the result depends on the material and retrieval conditions. | | | | 25 | What is the testing effect? | Practicing retrieval can improve later retention compared with restudying. Its size depends on the task, timing and learning conditions. | | | | 26 | Why might a vocabulary learner practice both card directions? | Recognizing a target-language word and producing it from a meaning are different tasks. Success in one direction does not guarantee success in the other. | | | | 27 | How can a textbook section become a closed-book recall exercise? | Read for understanding, close the text, recall the main ideas, then reopen it to check and correct omissions or errors. | | | | 28 | How does pretesting differ from the forward testing effect? | Pretesting asks about material before it is studied. The forward testing effect concerns how testing earlier material influences learning of later material. | | | | 29 | Why test recall after a delay? | A correct answer immediately after study may reflect temporary accessibility. A delayed check provides different evidence about retention. | | | | 30 | What is a schema in learning? | An organized knowledge structure that links related information and helps interpret new material or solve familiar kinds of problems. | | | | 31 | Why check feedback after a recall attempt? | To identify errors and compare the response with a reliable answer. An attempted retrieval does not guarantee that the recalled information is correct. | | | | 32 | Does a difficult-feeling study session prove that learning improved? | No. Perceived effort alone is not a learning measure; check later recall and application. | | | --- Study this deck interactively with FSRS-6 spaced repetition, audio review, and multiple-choice mode at [Flashcards World](https://flashcards.world/flashcards/sets/387aa548-4bba-4a69-aea5-6a1f746f7a33/).