Active recall improves long-term retention for learners across different ages and abilities.

Is it true that active recall improves long-term retention for learners across different ages and abilities?

Unclear. Several small studies and one systematic review report that active recall or retrieval practice improves long-term retention, but each covers only a single narrow population (higher-education students, medical students, undergraduates, or one Grade 12 class), so the claim's breadth across ages and abilities is only partially supported.

Verdict: PARTIAL LEAN · 4 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Xu, J., Wu, A., Filip, C., Patel, Z., Bernstein, S. R., Tanveer, R., Syed, H., & Kotroczo, T. (2024). Active recall strategies associated with academic achievement in young adults: A systematic review.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.010

Comparative effects of test‐enhanced learning and self‐explanation on long‐term retention. (2013). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.12141

T., S. P. & T., F. L. (1972). Acquisition and Long-Term Recall of Text Surrounding Complex Relational Sentences.. eric.ed.gov. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED064262

Studying the Benefits of Active Recall in learning Physics Formulas at Young Achievers’ School. (2025). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.62225/2583049x.2025.5.5.4900