Why practice papers work
Decades of learning research, in five findings.
01
Re-reading feels better today. Testing wins next week.
Students who tested themselves remembered far more a week later, even though re-reading looked better at first.
Share of material recalled
02
Practice works best in the exam's format, with answers.
Across hundreds of classroom studies, both made practice measurably more effective.
Format
Feedback
Effect size (g): the learning gain compared with not doing the practice.
03
Mixing topics makes maths stick.
Year 7 students who practised mixed problem types almost doubled their score on a test two weeks later.
Test score two weeks later
72%
Mixed problem types
38%
One type at a time
04
Researchers rate practice testing among the very best.
Of ten common study techniques reviewed, only two earned the top rating.
High utility
- Practice testing
- Distributed practice
Moderate utility
- Elaborative interrogation
- Self-explanation
- Interleaved practice
Low utility
- Summarising
- Highlighting
- Keyword mnemonics
- Imagery for text
- Re-reading
05
classroom studies
students
One verdict
Regular testing lifts learning, in maths too
The catch: someone has to write the papers
And Australian teachers are already stretched.
55hours a week
The average NSW teacher's week in term.
McGrath-Champ, Wilson, Stacey & Fitzgerald (2018), Understanding Work in Schools, report to the NSW Teachers FederationShared, ready-made assessments would save teachers about three hours a week. Grattan Institute, 2022
How the research shaped Testifi
- Testing beats re-readingFresh papers on demand, so there's always something new to practise on
- Exam format helps moreEvery paper in HSC layout, with HSC command words and marks
- Worked answers help moreA worked-solutions PDF with every paper
- Mixed topics stickMix outcomes across topics and shuffle the order
These studies are about practice testing in general, not about Testifi. Read the how it works page for what Testifi does.
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