Highlighter Trap

"The Highlighter Trap – Why your favorite study method is useless" is a wake-up call for students. Based on the comprehensive 2013 review by Professor John Dunlosky, it reveals that the most popular study techniques—highlighting, rereading, and summarizing—are also the least effective. They create an "illusion of competence" (it feels like you're learning, but you aren't).



Education expert Sarah Wright presents the alternatives that actually work: "Active Recall" (testing yourself) and "Spaced Repetition" (spreading study out over time). These methods feel harder and more frustrating, which is exactly why they work—the brain has to struggle to retrieve information.



This book is a practical guide to studying smarter, not harder. It encourages students to put down the neon pen and pick up the flashcards.