The 1-2-4-7 method

The 1-2-4-7 method is a popular study technique among successful students. The method is based on the principle spaced repetition.

The forgetting curve by Herman Ebbinghaus

Herman Ebbingshaus was a German psychologist of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He conducted research on external learning (Ausweniglernen) of sounds. He found that the further in time after learning, the more difficult it was to reproduce the sounds. From this research emerged his famous forgetting curve.

The typical forgetting curve (source: wikipedia).

Spaced Repetition

The 1-2-4-7 method rests on the fact that the material is read/processed on day 1. Then on day 2, the learning is repeated, also on day 4 and day 7.

Human beings forget up to 75% of what they study if the material is not repeated within 24 hours. The more one repeats, the less time repetition will take.

Of course, you should not stop repeating after day 7. You can keep using the staggered repetition. For instance, after day 7, you can repeat the material once a week (or several times a week; depends on personal preference and the amount of material).

The forgetting curve (red) with the addition of the staggered repetition (green). Note that the curve drops less steeply (=forgetting) after each repetition (source: wikipedia).