Introduction
Studying for a big test can feel like trying to hold water in your hands. You read your notes over and over, but the moment you close the book, the information seems to leak out. We have all been there. The problem isn't that you aren't smart enough; the problem is likely how you are studying. Most of us were taught to just read our textbooks, but science shows that this is actually one of the least effective ways to learn.
The good news is that you now have a powerful tool in your pocket that can change everything: Artificial Intelligence (AI). You don't need to be a tech wizard to use it. With a few simple steps, you can turn generic chatbots into personal quiz masters that help you lock information into your brain for good. In this guide, we will cover:
Why simply reading your notes doesn't work.
How to use "Active Recall" to learn faster.
The simple steps to create your own practice tests with AI.
How to use Vertech Academy’s prompts to save time.
Why "Just Reading" Doesn't Work
Imagine you want to learn how to play basketball. Would you get better by sitting on the bleachers and watching other people play, or by getting on the court and shooting the ball yourself?
Reading your notes is like watching from the bleachers. It feels like you are doing work, but your brain is actually relaxing. This is called "passive review." You might recognize the words on the page, but you aren't building the strong connections in your brain that you need to remember them later.
To really learn, you need to do something called Active Recall. This is the "shooting hoops" version of studying. It means you have to struggle a little bit to pull the answer out of your own memory. It is harder than just reading, but that effort is exactly what makes the memory stick. This is a key part of understanding traditional study methods versus the new AI-powered techniques.
Choosing Your AI Tool
Before we start making quizzes, you need to pick a tool. You have probably heard of ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude. The truth is, for making simple quizzes, any of them will work well.
ChatGPT: Great for creative questions and roleplaying a teacher.
Gemini: Excellent if you want to pull current information from the web.
Claude: Very good at reading long notes you paste in without forgetting the beginning.
If you are unsure which one fits your specific school needs, you can check out our guide on how to pick the best AI for studying. For this guide, we will assume you are using a free version of any of these tools.
Step 1: Feed the AI Your Notes
The AI doesn't know what you are studying until you tell it. The first step is to give it the material you need to be quizzed on.
You can copy the text from your digital notes or summarize a chapter from your textbook. Then, paste that text into the AI chat.
Important: Don't just paste it and hit enter. You need to give context. Type something like this: "I am going to paste my notes on the American Civil War below. Please read them and tell me when you are ready, but do not summarize them yet."
This tells the AI to wait for your next command. It ensures the AI is focused on your specific material, not just general facts from the internet.
Step 2: Ask for Specific Questions
Now comes the magic. You need to tell the AI to become your quiz maker. If you just say "quiz me," it might ask vague questions. You want to be specific so the test feels real.
Try a command like this: "Create 5 multiple choice questions based on the notes I gave you. Do not give me the answers yet. Let me answer one question at a time."
By asking for one question at a time, you force yourself to think. If the AI gives you all the answers at once, your eyes will accidentally peek at them, and you will lose the benefit of the practice.
If you want a more structured way to do this without typing out long instructions every time, you can use our Memory Coach prompt. It is designed to automatically run these types of active recall sessions for you.
Step 3: The "No Peeking" Rule
When the AI gives you a question, try your best to answer it without looking at your notes.
This is the most important part. If you don't know the answer, guess. Even if you get it wrong, the act of guessing "primes" your brain. It opens up a mental slot for the right answer. When you finally see the correct answer, your brain will grab onto it much tighter than if you had just looked it up immediately.
For more tips on how to discipline your study habits, you can read about how students are finding the best free AI tools to manage their workload.
Step 4: Grading Your Own Work
Once you type in your answer, the AI will tell you if you were right or wrong. But don't stop there.
If you got it wrong, ask the AI to explain why. This is something a normal paper flashcard cannot do. A paper card just flips over to show the answer. AI can explain the logic.
You can say: "I thought the answer was B. Why is it actually C? Explain it simply."
This turns every mistake into a mini-lesson. It prevents you from memorizing the wrong thing.
Step 5: Mix It Up
Doing the same multiple-choice quiz over and over can get boring. To make sure you really understand the topic, ask the AI to change the format.
Fill in the blank: "Give me a sentence from my notes with a key word missing."
True or False: "Give me 3 statements about this topic, where one is a lie."
Short Answer: "Ask me a question that requires me to write two sentences to explain."
Mixing up the questions keeps your brain alert. It ensures you aren't just memorizing the pattern of the quiz, but actually understanding the material. Spaced Repetition is another scientific method you can combine with this by asking the AI to quiz you on older topics a few days later.
The "Explain It To Me" Trick
Sometimes, you might get a quiz question right, but you realize you just got lucky. You don't actually understand the concept.
In this case, you can use the AI as a tutor. Ask it to explain the concept to you as if you were 10 years old. Breaking complex ideas down into simple language is one of AI's superpowers.
If you find yourself needing this often, our Generalist Teacher prompt is a great tool. It is built to explain difficult concepts step-by-step, ensuring you aren't just memorizing facts but truly learning the subject matter.
Conclusion
While AI is helpful, it is not perfect. Here are two things to watch out for:
Hallucinations: Sometimes, AI makes things up. If a quiz question looks totally wrong or weird, check your original notes. Trust your textbook over the robot.
Too Easy: If the questions are too easy, you aren't learning. Tell the AI, "Make the next questions harder and focus on the details I missed."
Also, remember that AI is a tool to help you study, not a replacement for attending class. You can read more about the role of technology in education in this site on Future of Educational Technology.
Using AI to make practice quizzes is one of the smartest changes you can make to your study routine. It moves you from passively reading to actively thinking. It saves you time by creating the questions for you, and it acts as a private tutor when you get stuck.
To recap, here is your game plan:
Stop just re-reading your notes.
Paste your notes into an AI tool.
Ask for specific quiz questions (one by one).
Force yourself to answer without looking.
Ask the AI to explain your mistakes.
Start small. Try this for just 10 minutes before your next exam. You will likely find that you remember more than you ever did with hours of highlighting. Good luck!
