Studying That Sticks
Stop wasting hours re-reading and highlighting without results. Learn evidence-based learning techniques that cut study time in half and lock knowledge into long-term memory.
Like Duolingo, but for Studying That Sticks. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
A short one: 12 levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes end to end, roughly 5 days at five minutes a day. It moves through Retaining Information with Active Memory and Deep Understanding and Session Focus. It starts from scratch.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in Studying That Sticks
- Recognizing text while reading feels deceptively effortless compared to retrieving it from an empty page
- Re-reading produces an illusion of knowing because the answers are right in front of your eyes
- Pulling facts out of your own head forces the brain to rebuild and strengthen memory pathways
- The mental effort required to search for an answer makes the memory easier to access next time
- Immediate self-testing locks in vastly more material than multiple review passes
- Passive reviewing gives quick comfort without durable retention
- A flashcard works best when it asks one specific prompt rather than cramming multiple ideas together
- Dense paragraphs on flashcards encourage skimming and partial recognition instead of clean recall
- Guessing or failing to remember primes your brain to notice what went wrong
- Verifying the correct answer right after a wrong guess turns the mistake into a memory boost
- Cramming gives a strong feeling of mastery in the moment but fades rapidly after the test
- Spacing out study sessions creates lasting recall that survives weeks later
- Familiarity during an all-nighter is deceptive and does not equal durable memory
- Reviewing while material is still fresh and effortless provides almost no memory boost
- The best time to review is when recall feels slightly rusty and requires mental effort
- Struggling a bit to pull a fact from memory is what actually strengthens the neural pathway
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives Studying That Sticks the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
Why does re-reading your notes over and over give you a false sense of confidence?
Get it right to open this lesson and 11 more in the app.
How to learn Studying That Sticks, step by step
Go in order. 12 short levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes in all, five minutes a day.
- 1
Retaining Information with Active Memory
- The Self-Testing Shift
- Spacing and Mixing Your Practice
- 2
Deep Understanding and Session Focus
- Translating Ideas into Plain Language
- Engineering High-Focus Study Sessions
2 sections · 4 units · 12 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Questions about Studying That Sticks
How do I learn Studying That Sticks?
Go in order: start with Retaining Information with Active Memory, then Deep Understanding and Session Focus. On Tomo that's 12 short levels, about 24 minutes in all, played five minutes a day. Start free and play the first level in under a minute.
Is there a Duolingo-style app for Studying That Sticks?
Yes. Tomo works like Duolingo: short daily lessons, streaks and quick quizzes. Studying That Sticks is one of its free courses, and you can type any other topic to get a course of your own.
Is the Studying That Sticks course free?
Yes. Studying That Sticks is playable on Tomo's free plan, which doesn't expire. No credit card, no waitlist. Download the app and start your first lesson.
How long does it take to learn Studying That Sticks?
12 levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes of play in total. It's built for five minutes a day, so you finish it a little at a time instead of all at once.
Do I need any background to start Studying That Sticks?
No. It's pitched at a beginner level, so it starts where you are and builds up. If you can tap a phone, you can start.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
Studying That Sticks is taught in the Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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Start Studying That Sticks today.
Download Tomo, search Studying That Sticks, and play your first lesson in under a minute.