Short version: learn it first, then test yourself. In that order.
- 1
Flashcards, a few at a timeWork through the cards in small chunks. Try to answer each one in your head before you flip it. Pulling an answer out of your memory (called active recall) is what makes it stick, much more than rereading notes.
- 2
Then do the quizNow the quiz shows what you've actually learned. Anything you get wrong, go back to those flashcards.
- 3
Come back in a few daysRedo the quiz later in the week. Spreading your revision out (spaced practice) beats cramming it all in one go.
Why not start with the quiz? Jumping into a quiz on something you haven't learned yet usually means a low score, and that can knock your confidence in a topic you'd be fine at. Learn it, then prove it.