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Make It Stick cover art

Make It Stick

Written by: Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel
Narrated by: Qarie Marshall
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Publisher's Summary

To most of us, learning something "the hard way" implies wasted time and effort. Good teaching, we believe, should be creatively tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier.

Make It Stick turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Many common study habits and practice routines turn out to be counterproductive. Underlining and highlighting, rereading, cramming, and single-minded repetition of new skills create the illusion of mastery, but gains fade quickly. More complex and learning come from self-testing, introducing certain difficulties in practice, waiting to re-study new material until a little forgetting has set in, and interleaving the practice of one skill or topic with another. Speaking most urgently to students, teachers, trainers, and athletes, Make It Stick will appeal to all those interested in the challenge of lifelong learning and self-improvement.

©2014 Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Editorial Review

New research suggests that the ways in which we are currently learning are in fact not enough. The strategies we use for acquiring new knowledge and skills the “hard way” take up a lot of our time and effort, yet they often leave us without any tangible results. But help is on the way.

There’s no question that memory is essential to carry out complex cognitive tasks, such as applying knowledge to a new problem or making an educated guess based on facts we already know. But as writer Peter C. Newman along with cognitive psychologists Henry L. Roedinger III and Mark A. McDaniel reveal, new findings on how we learn are informing highly effective and evidence-based strategies. The catch? Effective learning is actually counter-intuitive.

Narrator Qarie Marshall’s effortless and authoritative voice will capture your attention from the very beginning. You’ll learn how common study habits are counterproductive. That underlining, highlighting, rereading, cramming, repetition and those dreaded all-nighters create the illusion of mastery, but have no long-term gain. Rather, the practice of testing yourself, pacing the learning of new material in a deliberate way, studying two subjects on the same day and yes, getting enough sleep is proven by research to be very effective. Throughout, you’ll hear stories of people who have found a way to master complex knowledge and skills by using these powerful strategies.

Make It Stick is already creating a shift in training and education. It won an AudioFile Earphone Award in 2017. Ultimately, the strategies and tips in this Audible audiobook will provide you with the best tools to keep on learning to achieve your goals.

What listeners say about Make It Stick

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I wish I wish I had this knowledge when I was in college

The best book in the world. I can’t believe how much my brain has improved since listening to this book and using the techniques. My retention has improved by %200. Unbelievable!

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2 people found this helpful

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  • S.B
  • 2023-01-26

A required reading for anyone pursuing life long learning

I was looking for something to help me with recall because too often I can’t remember something I’ve previously learned. It just didn’t stick. The arguments presented in this book are very convincing and I feel like some blinds were lifted. Highly recommend!

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A great tool for an educator!

The most efficient learning is counter-intuitive, demands effort, and is the opposite of general practices. If you care at all about how to learn efficiently, this is your book. I work in music education and this will change how I teach and practice. If you're a student, this is a must-read. If you're an educator, this is a great read. If you're a life long learner, this will have some great tools.

If you just want the tips, you can go to the last chapter. But the book is designed with the method used IN the book, so if you skip it, you're missing the first example of how it's used.

Sometimes it can feel like a chapter or tow meander or repeat, but it's kind of deliberate to help you remember. Also, summaries towards the end of the chapters wouldn't have been bad either.

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8 people found this helpful

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I wish I got this book many years ago

amazing boom with alot of useful information that made me rethink how I learn. I definetly recommend it

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students and teachers should listen to this

Students and teachers should listen to this. It will change how we learn and how we teach for learning.

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4 people found this helpful

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  • jd
  • 2022-07-12

fascinating

awesome book. well laid out with tons of examples of implementation. I can't believe this book has negative reviews.

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Interesting topic, well presented.

I'm an instructional designer and I feel this book is a must read for anyone who wants to do better at learning or at helping others to learn.

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1 person found this helpful

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Excellent book!

I greatly appreciated both the scientific studies and practical principles outlined in this book. A fantastic read. I will be implementing some of the strategies, both as a learner and as a teacher, ASAP.

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College teachers should be forced to read!

This book is filled with great content. While some of the ideas are generally quite intuitive, this book had some really great points. Recommend for anyone who has a passion to learn. Only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because I wasn’t completely captivated the whole book.

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Great for teachers and learners

I’ve been going to school for 7 post secondary years and I think this book highlights many key areas of effective and efficient learning that I’ve stumbled across through my experiences. Highly recommend this book!

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