Textbooks can be scary. By the time you have finished a chapter, much of the content you have read is blended into a broad, murky mess in your mind. This can be problematic when trying to study, or when trying to recall information while taking a test. One way to help yourself understand and remember the reading is to self-test yourself on the information as you go. But what does that really mean?

Here I give you a step-by-step guide that will lead you through reading, note-taking, formulating questions, and practicing retrieval. These steps can deepen your understanding of any text and help you study more effectively.