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The blurting method: a simple way to revise with recall

TutorAura guide · Updated

Blurting is a revision technique where you write down everything you can remember about a topic on a blank page, without looking at your notes, and then check what you missed. It's popular with GCSE and A level students because it needs nothing but paper and a pen, and it shows you exactly what you don't know yet.

It works because it's a form of retrieval practice: pulling information out of memory strengthens it far more than reading it again.

Key takeaways

  • Write everything you remember on a blank page, notes closed.
  • Check your notes and add the gaps in a different colour.
  • Blurt the same topic again a few days later.
  • It works because it's retrieval practice, not rereading.

How to blurt, step by step

  1. Pick one topic, small enough to blurt in 10 to 15 minutes (for example "the causes of World War One" or "photosynthesis", not "all of biology").
  2. Close your notes and write down everything you can remember: facts, keywords, diagrams, equations, examples. Don't worry about neatness.
  3. Open your notes and compare. Add what you missed or got wrong in a different colour pen.
  4. Focus on the coloured bits. They are your gaps.
  5. Blurt again in a few days on a fresh page. Over time the coloured ink should shrink.

Why it works

In a well-known experiment, students who read a passage and then practised recalling it remembered much more a week later than students who spent the same time rereading it, even though rereading felt more effective at the time (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006). A large review of study techniques rated practice testing as one of only two "high utility" methods and rated rereading and highlighting as "low utility" (Dunlosky et al., 2013).

Blurting is practice testing with no questions needed. See active recall for the wider idea.

Blurting by subject

  • Sciences: blurt processes and required practicals, including labelled diagrams.
  • History: blurt causes, key dates and the evidence you'd use in an essay.
  • English literature: blurt quotations for a character or theme, then the analysis of each.
  • Maths: blurting suits formulas and methods, but you also need to do questions. Pair blurting with past paper practice.
  • Languages: blurt vocabulary for a theme in both directions.

Make it part of a plan

Blurting works best when it's spaced: blurt a topic, then return to it after a few days, then after a week. Put blurting sessions into your revision timetable, and turn the gaps you find into flashcards with our flashcard maker so you review them regularly.

Common mistakes

  • Peeking. A quick look turns it back into rereading.
  • Topics that are too big. You'll write a little about a lot and learn nothing deeply.
  • Not checking. The value comes from finding and fixing the gaps.
  • Copying the notes out neatly afterwards. Spend that time on the gaps instead.
  • Only blurting. Exams test applying knowledge, so finish with exam-style questions.

Frequently asked questions

What do I do with the gaps I find?

Relearn them from your notes, then turn each gap into a question on a flashcard. Next time you blurt the topic, check whether those gaps have closed.

Is blurting good for GCSE and A level?

Yes. It suits content-heavy subjects such as biology, chemistry, history, geography and religious studies, where you need to recall a lot of facts and explanations. Pair it with past paper questions so you also practise applying what you know.

How long should a blurting session take?

Around 10 to 15 minutes of writing, then about the same again to check against your notes and fill gaps. Choose a topic small enough to fit.

Is blurting better than making notes?

For remembering, usually yes. Making notes is useful the first time you learn something, but writing from memory is a form of retrieval practice, which research rates far above rereading or copying notes.

Can I blurt out loud instead of writing?

Yes. Explaining a topic aloud from memory is also retrieval practice, and it's close to the Feynman technique. Writing makes the gaps easier to see and check.

Sources

  1. Test-Enhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention. Psychological Science (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006).
  2. Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Dunlosky et al., 2013).

Keep reading

Active recall: the study technique that beats rereading

Why testing yourself beats rereading, and five practical ways to do it for any subject.

Spaced repetition: how to remember more by studying less at once

Why spreading study over time beats cramming, and a simple schedule you can start today.

Free flashcard maker with spaced repetition

Paste a list to make cards, then study with Leitner boxes so missed cards come back more often.

How to make a GCSE revision timetable you'll actually follow

Count your weeks, rank topics, plan short spaced sessions across subjects and leave room for rest.