Want to know how to implement the 2 3 5 7 revision method? Or whether it’s even worth your time? Here is your ultimate guide to the new tik tok study trend.
Exam revision can be stressful if you aren’t sure how to do it right. Time is precious! You’ve got plenty to revise for and little time, so who wouldn’t want a revision method that doesn’t waste time and gets results? Once a university student myself, now a practicing teacher, I am all about getting the best, evidence-based methods to increase your test results.
Here we are going to dissect the latest tik tok trend of the 2 3 5 7 revision method, and see if this is truly the best revision method for you this exam season.
This post is all about the 2 3 5 7 revision method and whether it meets the tik tok hype!
The 2 3 5 7 Revision Method
What is it?
The 2 3 5 7 revision method outlines which days to study for an upcoming exam/test. It is used to plan out when you will study for your future exam, with the numbers signifying your planned studying days. The revision method works backward, with each number signaling the number of days before your exam. If none of that made sense to you, try this example:
Imagine your exam is on the 20th of January.
Step 1: Go backward 2 days. This means you will study on the 18th of January.
Step 2: Work backward another 3 days. This means you will study on the 15th of January.
Step 3: Again, move backward another 5 days. This means you will study on the 10th of January.
Step 4: Finally, move 7 more days backward. Your study date will be on the 3rd of January.
And voilà! Just like that, you have a study plan. Do you feel organized? Look at the dates you have notated. For the example given, the plan would be to start studying on the 3rd of January, then the 10th, then again on the 15th, and then finally on the 18th before you have your exam on the 20th.
What is the theory behind it?
While I’m not completely sure who invented the 2 3 5 7 revision method or even started the tik tok trend in the first place, I can only presume it was made with the theory of ‘the forgetting curve’ in mind. If you’re new to the forgetting curve, let me provide you with a brief rundown.
The forgetting curve is a theory created by Ebbinghaus which states that humans forget knowledge as time passes by. Seems logical, right? If you looked at some german words once in the hope that you will recall them again in a year, the likelihood of you feeling disappointed in your memory is high. In fact, you’ll probably resort to making up some words in the hope that they ‘sound’ german. Unfortunately, this would also probably not go well in your german oral exam. This is why understanding how memory works is important; work with your memory rather than against it.
According to Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve theory, our memory knowledge declines quickly, forgetting up to 50%-60% of what we learn within the hour (read more here), and a whopping average of 70% within 24 hours. The odds are certainly not in our favor.
So why 2 3 5 7 days as a revision method?
There are specific evidence-based revision techniques that do help combat our quickly forgetting memories. One of these is called spaced repetition. Spaced repetition is the idea that you repeat something over a spaced interval. Imagine you’re trying to learn what the French word for ‘dog’ is (chien). Rather than saying ‘chien’ to yourself 4 times in a row, spaced repetition might mean you integrate other words in between (similar to the essence of ‘cue cards’). Spaced repetition also can happen over longer periods; you could revise the word ‘chien’ at breakfast time, and then several hours later, at dinner, revise it again. Leaving these gaps or intervals of time gives your brain time to forget. This may sound confusing, but in a way, we actually want our brain to forget a little (but not completely!), as studies show, the harder our brain works to recall that word or memory, the stronger the neuron connection will be for the future and thus the more likely it will be held in our long-term memories.
Spaced repetition is known to be an effective way to revise. For example, a study showed that integrating spaced repetition, or rather long intervals between repeated testing of content, was 200% more effective in retaining knowledge long term over those that repeated the words to themselves within the one revision session.
In short, I don’t think space repetition is particularly groundbreaking. Let’s be honest, we have all been told that cramming is bad and that we should revise in gradual stints leading up to our exam. Still, sometimes statistics are a refreshing reminder that it is so much more effective to space out our studying than enduring a long, jarring (and probably mentally scarring) cramming session the night before. The idea is to work smarter not harder.
It is the theory of spaced repetition that comes to mind when seeing the tik tok trend of 2 3 5 7 revision method. This method is on the basis that you plan revision or study on varying days leading up to your exam, and thus, creates some space of time between your studying
So, is the 2 3 5 7 revision method actually effective?
Is it evidence-based? Well partially, but not completely. Yes, it integrates spaced repetition which is evidence-based, but the specific intervals it suggests are not. In fact, in a way, its suggested intervals almost go against research. As stated earlier, when you first learn something, it’s likely you will forget up to 70% of it within 24 hours, so waiting a whole week for your second revision session is less than ideal. Instead, we should start with shorter spaced intervals and gradually space them over longer periods as we progress in time. In other words, don’t underestimate the importance of revising something within the same 24 hours. You’d be better off revising more frequently when initially learning the content so that you’re not a victim to the forgetting curve, and then use longer periods of spaced repetition to really cement the knowledge into your long-term memory.
I feel the idea of 2 3 5 7 was rather a neat way to promote planned studying and revision leading up to an exam, which hey, definitely has its positives. If you’re someone that usually crams and is wanting to actually be systematic with your revision before an exam and feels like you could thrive off some guidance and structure than maybe this would work for you! Maybe just add in some extra sessions earlier on (i.e. within the first 24 hours etc.).
If you are already pretty good with organizing your time and planning out study sessions at least a week prior to an exam, then I don’t think this tik tok trend will be particularly worth your time. Plan your sessions prior if that works for you, but choose times that just suit within your schedule within mind spaced repetition! I don’t believe any revision schedule is particularly better than another, just as long as it works for you and your actual revision sessions incorporate evidenced-based revision strategies. As long as you’ve got some effective ways to study, honestly, you can’t go wrong!!
What are some other ways I can revise?
If you are interested in understanding how to make your study sessions the most effective they can be, stay tuned. I will be writing several guides on my most recommended revision practices so that you can start studying with greater efficiency, and getting better results for shorter periods of studying!