What Is Metacognition? How To Use It To Improve Your Revision

Ever feel like you're revising for hours but nothing's actually sticking? You read the same page three times, highlight half your textbook, and afterwards feel like you have no more in your memory?

It's not about how long you revise. It's about how smart you revise.

That's where metacognition comes in. It's really simple and could completely change the way you study.

Metacognition is about thinking about your own thinking. It's about being aware of what you're learning, how well you understand it, and what you need to do differently. Instead of just going through the motions, you take control of your revision.

In this guide, we'll explain metacognition for revision, why it works, and how you can use it to revise more effectively. Whether you're preparing for GCSEs, A Levels, or any other exams, these strategies will help you study smarter, remember more, and feel more confident.

Key Takeaways

• Metacognition means "thinking about thinking". It's about being aware of how you learn and what works for you.

• It helps you plan what to study, monitor your understanding as you go, and evaluate how well you've learned it afterwards.

• Using metacognitive strategies can lead to smarter, more effective revision that actually sticks.

• Simple changes like setting clear goals, asking yourself questions, and tracking your progress can massively boost your memory and focus.

What Is Metacognition?

Metacognition means thinking about your own thinking. Basically, it's some mental self-reflection, asking "Am I actually understanding this? What do I need to work on?"

The word comes from Greek: meta means "beyond" and cognition means "thinking." So metacognition is thinking beyond just the content. It's thinking about how you're learning it.

Here's what it looks like in practice. Metacognition involves three key stages:

1. Planning what you're going to learn. Before you start revising, you decide what you need to focus on and how you're going to tackle it.

2. Monitoring your understanding as you go. Whilst you're studying, you check in with yourself: "Does this make sense? Could I explain it to someone else right now?"

3. Evaluating how well you learned it afterwards. Once you've finished, you reflect: "What did I actually understand? What needs more work?"

Instead of just passively reading your notes or highlighting random bits, you're actively thinking about your own learning. You're in charge. 

It’s a technique that works differently for different people, and best if you have some help from teachers (opens in a new tab). But it can be really effective if implemented correctly. 

Why Metacognition Improves Revision

Metacognition is backed by plenty of research (opens in a new tab) in cognitive science (opens in a new tab) and education (opens in a new tab). Here's why it works so well:

It helps you identify what you don't know and fix it. Most students think they understand something when they don't. Metacognition forces you to check. If you can't explain it out loud or answer a question about it, you know you need to go back and learn it properly.

It encourages active learning over passive reading. Reading notes five times doesn't mean you'll remember them. Metacognition gets you thinking, questioning, and testing yourself. Active learning is proven to be far more effective than passive revision, as we explain in our article on active recall. 

It builds self-awareness, confidence, and independence. You stop relying on just being told what to do. You start making smart decisions about your own revision. That confidence carries over into exams.

It makes every revision session more productive. When you know exactly what you're working on and whether it's working, you don't waste time. You focus on what actually needs attention.

Basically, metacognition turns you from someone who just goes through the motions of studying into someone who really studies.

5 Metacognitive Strategies to Use in Your Revision

Here are five practical ways to bring metacognition into your revision. They're simple, they work, and you can start using them today.

Set a Clear Learning Goal Before Each Study Session

Don't just sit down and think, "Right, I'll revise Chemistry for an hour." That's far too vague.

Instead, set a specific goal: "I'm going to understand how electrolysis works and practise two exam questions on it."

Write it down at the top of your page or say it out loud. Having a clear target keeps you focused and makes it easier to check whether you've actually achieved something by the end of the session. This works well with blocked practice, for example.

Vague goals lead to vague revision. Specific goals lead to progress.

Ask Yourself Metacognitive Questions

This is one of the most powerful metacognitive techniques. You literally ask yourself questions before, during, and after studying.

Before you start:

• What do I already know about this topic?

• What do I need to focus on?

• How am I going to approach this?

During your revision:

• Is this making sense?

• Could I explain this to someone else right now?

• Am I just reading or am I actually thinking?

After you finish:

• What did I struggle with?

• What do I understand now that I didn't before?

• What should I revise again tomorrow?

These questions force you to think about your own learning. They stop you from drifting through revision on autopilot.

Use the "Pause and Reflect" Method

After 20 to 30 minutes of revision, stop. Pause. Close your notes.

Now write a quick summary of what you just learned—in your own words, without looking.

This is called a "checkpoint summary." It shows you what's actually stuck in your brain versus what you thought you understood. It’s similar to the blurting method.

Once you've written it, compare it to your revision notes or textbook. Did you miss anything important? Did you get something wrong? That tells you exactly what you need to go back and work on.

This method is brilliant because it catches gaps before the exam, not during it.

Create a Revision Journal or Tracker

Get a notebook or use a notes app on your phone. After each revision session, record:

• What you revised

• How well you understood it (rate it 1 to 5, or use emojis—whatever works)

• What needs more work

This helps you reflect on your learning and make better choices next time. If you keep struggling with the same topic, you can see the pattern and do something about it. Maybe try a different revision method, watch a video, or ask your teacher for help.

A revision journal turns scattered study sessions into a proper learning strategy.

Teach the Topic to Someone Else

This is a classic metacognitive technique and it's incredibly effective.

Pick a topic you've just revised and try to explain it to someone else. Use a friend, a parent, a younger sibling, or even your pet. Seriously.

When you have to teach something, you quickly find the gaps in your own understanding. If you can't explain it clearly, you don't understand it well enough yet.

Teaching forces you to organise your thoughts, use your own words, and think about the topic in a deeper way. It's one of the best ways to make knowledge stick. 

In my many years of experience as a private tutor, it’s only when I ask my students to explain something to me that many of them really sort through a subject in their minds and get it pinned down, ready to use in the future. 

Common Mistakes Metacognition Helps You Avoid

Let's be honest: most students make the same revision mistakes. Metacognition helps you avoid them.

Re-reading notes without thinking. You read the same page over and over, but you're not actually processing it. Metacognition makes you stop and check: "Do I actually understand this?"

Highlighting everything. If half your textbook is highlighted, nothing stands out. Metacognition encourages you to think about what's important and why, not just colour in random sentences.

Thinking you understand something when you don't. This is called the "illusion of knowledge." You recognise the words when you read them, so you assume you know it. But when the exam comes, you can't remember. Metacognition forces you to test yourself properly.

Skipping reflection and repeating the same mistakes. If you never think about what's working or what isn't, you'll keep making the same errors. Metacognition helps you learn from your mistakes and improve.

Basically, metacognition stops you from wasting time on revision that doesn't actually work.

How to Build Metacognition Into Your Revision Routine

You don't need to completely overhaul your study habits. Just add a simple four-step process to each revision session:

Plan → Study → Reflect → Adjust

Plan: Before you start, decide what you're going to revise and set a clear goal.

Study: Use active revision techniques (testing yourself, making notes, practising questions) and monitor your understanding as you go.

Reflect: After you finish, take five minutes to think about what went well, what didn't, and what you need to do next.

Adjust: Use what you learned from reflecting to make your next session even better.

Here's an example week:

• Monday: Plan your revision goals for the week. List the topics you need to cover and what you want to achieve.

• Wednesday: Check your progress. Are you understanding what you're revising? Do you need to change your approach?

• Friday: Reflect on the whole week. What worked? What didn't? Adjust your plan for next week.

Keep it simple and consistent. Five to ten minutes of planning and reflection per session is enough to make a real difference. We have plenty more revision information and resources available to give you more ideas on Save My Exams. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is metacognition the same as mindfulness?

Not quite. Mindfulness is about being present and aware of your thoughts and feelings in the moment. Metacognition is specifically about thinking about your own learning: what you understand, what you don't, and how you're going to improve. They're related, but metacognition is more focused on your study strategies and academic progress.

Can I use metacognition in all subjects?

Absolutely. Metacognition works for every subject, from Maths and English, to Sciences and History. The strategies stay the same: plan what you're learning, monitor your understanding, and reflect on your progress. It's a universal approach to smarter studying.

How do I know if I'm using metacognitive strategies correctly?

If you're regularly asking yourself questions about your learning, setting clear goals, and reflecting on what's working, you're doing it right. The proof is in the results: you should feel more in control of your revision, remember more, and feel more confident. If you're still just passively reading notes without thinking, that's a sign you need to be more active.

Is metacognition only for revision or also during lessons?

Metacognition works brilliantly in lessons too. You can use it to check your understanding as the teacher explains something, ask yourself what you don't get, and make notes about what you need to revise later. The more you practise thinking about your own thinking, the better you get at learning in general.

Final Thoughts

Metacognition isn't complicated. It's a way of studying that puts you in control.

Instead of blindly reading notes and hoping something sticks, you actively think about what you're learning, check your understanding, and make informed decisions about what to do next.

By planning, monitoring, and reflecting, you make every revision session more productive. You stop wasting time on methods that don't work and focus on what actually helps you learn.

Start small. Set a clear goal for your next revision session. Ask yourself a few questions as you go. Pause and summarise what you've learned. Build the habit bit by bit.

Before long, you'll notice the difference. You'll remember more, feel more confident, and actually enjoy revising—because you'll know it's working.

References

• Guidance Report METACOGNITION AND SELF-REGULATED LEARNING (opens in a new tab)

• Metacognition and self-regulation | EEF (opens in a new tab)

• Fostering Metacognition to Support Student Learning and Performance - PMC (opens in a new tab)

• Metacognition: ideas and insights from neuro- and educational sciences (opens in a new tab)

• Research article Contribution of metacognitive questions to accuracy of judgment of learning in a digital environment (opens in a new tab)