The Method · Step 4
The 48-Hour Revisit
The 48-hour revisit is the proof step. If the anchor still works two days later, it is yours. If it doesn't, your anchor was wrong and needs rewriting.
The Protocol#
- Every question you tagged G or W is queued for revisit 48 hours after the original block.
- Re-attempt the question without reading your log first.
- If you get it right and can articulate the anchor - done. Mark it C.
- If you get it wrong or hesitate - your anchor failed. Rewrite it. Queue for another 48 hours.
Why 48 Hours#
The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve shows the steepest decay happens in the first 24-48 hours. Re-encoding at the inflection point dramatically flattens the curve. Earlier than 24 hours and you are testing short-term memory, not learning. Later than 72 hours and the original encoding has degraded enough that you are essentially re-learning from scratch.
For Anki users
This replaces card creation, not Anki itself. If you already have a deck that works, keep it. If you don't, the 48-hour revisit alone is sufficient for the high-leverage questions.How to Schedule It Without an App#
- UWorld: tag missed questions with a custom label like "revisit-Mon". Re-do the tagged set two days later.
- Notion / spreadsheet: a single column labelled "Revisit date" against each log entry.
- Physical: a card or sticky note per question, dated, in a tray two days ahead.
When to Stop Revisiting#
A question graduates after two successful 48-hour revisits in a row. After that, it goes back to the C pile and is not actively revisited again - but it will reappear naturally in mixed blocks, which is the real test.