Retrieval practice versus generating mnemonics: Implications for study strategy use in chemistry.

Abstract

Many researchers and educators have strongly advocated for utilizing retrieval practice to improve student learning and grades. Yet, the mnemonic consequences of retrieval practice have almost exclusively been compared to rereading, which is a passive, ineffective study strategy. Across two experiments that each included 69 college student participants conducted in the 2022-2023 academic year, we tested how practice retrieving chemistry concepts impacts memory and transfer compared to generating mnemonics (and rereading). Learning was assessed either after 5 min or 2 days. Practicing retrieval and generating mnemonics both bolstered memory and transfer compared to restudying but did not yield different test performance from each other. Practicing retrieval took about half as much time as generating mnemonics, revealing its efficiency for learning complex concepts. However, participants rated generating mnemonics as more effective than practicing retrieval. We discuss the implications of these results for learners' study and for theories of retrieval practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).