Why Your Child’s Study Habits Are Probably Wrong — And What the Science Says to Do Instead

You have encouraged your child to re-read notes and highlight key passages - the study habits most of us grew up with - so it is disheartening when all those hours do not show up in their marks. The uncomfortable truth is that these familiar methods create an 'illusion of knowing' while doing very little to build real learning. Drawing on the bestseller 'Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning', this article explains the three-part process of genuine learning that actually lifts exam scores in the Selective Test, OC test and NAPLAN.

The Problem with Traditional Study Habits

When preparing for competitive Australian exams like the Selective High School Placement Test, Opportunity Class (OC) test, NAPLAN, or scholarship exams, parents often encourage their children to adopt traditional study habits.

These usually include:

• Re-reading textbooks and class notes multiple times
• Highlighting key passages in bright colours
• Cramming the night before a major test

While these methods feel highly productive and familiar, cognitive science reveals a surprising truth: they are among the least effective ways to learn.

In the groundbreaking international bestseller Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, cognitive scientists Henry L. Roediger III and Mark A. McDaniel, alongside writer Peter C. Brown, dismantle these common study myths. Roediger and McDaniel, both esteemed professors at Washington University in St. Louis with decades of research in human memory, provide compelling evidence that the most popular study strategies produce only an “illusion of knowing.”

The knowledge gained through these passive methods is shallow, easily forgotten, and highly unlikely to hold up under the pressure of a high-stakes exam room.

The Three-Part Process of Genuine Learning

To understand why traditional study habits fail, it is helpful to look at how the brain actually processes and retains new information. The authors of Make It Stick outline a three-step learning process that every student must navigate successfully:

1. Encoding: When a child encounters new information—such as a complex mathematical formula or a new vocabulary word—the brain receives chemical and electrical charges that create a memory trace in short-term working memory. However, these traces are highly fragile. Without further action, most encoded information is quickly forgotten.
2. Consolidating: This is the crucial phase where material is moved from short-term to long-term memory. During consolidation, the brain reorganises the new memory traces and connects them to existing knowledge, giving the information context and meaning. This process strengthens and stabilises the memory, making it a permanent part of the child’s intellectual toolkit.
3. Retrieving: The final and most important step involves fetching the consolidated material from long-term memory when it is needed. Every time a child actively retrieves information, the memory trace is strengthened and reconsolidated. This continuous cycle of retrieval and reconsolidation is the true engine of long-term academic success.

The Danger of “Easy” Studying

The fundamental flaw in traditional study methods like re-reading and highlighting is that they bypass the retrieval process entirely.

When a child reads a chapter for the third time, the text feels incredibly familiar. The brain registers this fluency and tricks the student into believing they have mastered the material. The authors refer to this dangerous phenomenon as the “illusion of knowing.”

Because the learning felt easy, the child assumes it was effective. However, as the authors note, “Learning is deeper and more durable when it’s effortful. Learning that’s easy is like writing in sand, here today and gone tomorrow.” When exam day arrives and the textbook is no longer in front of them, the child suddenly discovers that familiarity is not the same as mastery.

Evidence-Based Strategies for Exam Success

If re-reading and highlighting are ineffective, what should Australian students be doing instead? Make It Stick outlines several highly effective, research-backed strategies that parents can implement immediately:

• Retrieval Practice: Instead of passively reviewing notes, students should actively test themselves. Taking practice tests forces the brain to retrieve information from long-term memory, which simultaneously reveals knowledge gaps and strengthens the memory of what is known. You can learn more about this crucial technique in our dedicated guide: The Most Powerful Study Tool Your Child Isn’t Using: Practice Tests.
• Spaced Practice: Rather than cramming all study into a single, exhausting session, learning should be spread out over days and weeks. Allowing a little forgetting to occur between sessions makes the brain work harder to retrieve the information next time. We explore this further in Why Cramming Doesn’t Work — And How Spaced Study Beats It Every Time.
• Interleaving: This involves mixing different subjects or problem types within a single study session. Interleaving teaches children how to identify different types of problems and select the correct strategy to solve them—a vital skill for the Selective and OC tests. Read more about this approach in How Mixing Up Study Subjects Helps Your Child Score Higher.
• Elaboration and Reflection: These techniques involve explaining concepts in their own words and thinking critically about past mistakes. These strategies form a comprehensive toolkit for academic success, which we detail in How to Help Your Child Study Smarter, Not Harder.

Applying the Science with TestMagic

Transitioning from passive study habits to active, effortful learning requires a shift in mindset for both parents and students. It is important to remember that if studying feels difficult, it is likely working. Embracing these “desirable difficulties” is the key to building the robust knowledge required for competitive Australian exams.

At TestMagic, our online practice platform is built entirely around these proven cognitive science principles. By providing realistic, timed practice tests for the Selective Test, OC test, and NAPLAN, we naturally facilitate retrieval practice, help students calibrate their true knowledge levels, and allow parents to easily implement spaced and interleaved study schedules.

By aligning your child’s preparation with the science of successful learning, you give them the best possible foundation for exam day confidence and success.

For more insights into creating the optimal conditions for your child’s success, explore our previous article on how The Right Study Environment Enhances Academic Results.