Study Dilemma

[Graphite]

During a day of study I always wonder, is it better to re-study the same topic or move onto the next topic then study the previous topic again tomorrow. The question really is, would the information be retained better, when it is rehearsed twice consecutively or better when there is interruption (from memorising new information in another topic) then re-studying the previous topic?

It would be interesting if some efficient students actually know the answer to this

[yearningforsimplicity]

Restudying a certain topic would consolidate that information better and make it more resistant to forgetting so I think the info would be retained better that way Though usually if you study the topic efficiently in the first place (such as through the "teaching" method - where you teach or pretend to teach someone else what you're learning) then you wouldn't have to study that topic "twice consecutively" as such So it really depends on what study methods you use as well

[Graphite]

Yeah sometimes I use the teaching method - on and off. But I always have the tendency to go forward so I feel that I've done more work or learnt more. While if I restudy the same thing, I feel I'm still behind although in reality, if I remembered nothing from the previous topic then I'll probably have to restudy it later - which is why I ask whether it would have better retention to restudy immediately after or like say a few days after. But yeah, it seems to be much of a mentality thing giving greater motivation to move ahead than the study the same thing again.