A-Level Psychology: Smarter Ways to Memorise Case Studies (Using Psychology Itself)

One of the biggest complaints I hear from A-level Psychology students is:

“There’s just so much to remember.”

Case studies. Researchers’ names. Procedures. Findings. Strengths. Weaknesses.
It can feel like endless rote learning — but here’s the good news:

👉 Your Psychology course already teaches you how memory works.
And if you use that knowledge properly, memorising case studies becomes far easier and more reliable.

Let’s practise what Psychology preaches.

1. Use Elaborative Rehearsal, Not Rote Learning

Simply rereading a case study is maintenance rehearsal – it keeps information short-term but doesn’t stick.

Instead, aim for elaborative rehearsal:

Explain the study in your own words
Link it to real-life examples
Compare it to another study

Example:
Instead of memorising Loftus & Palmer, explain how leading questions could affect eyewitnesses after a car accident you’ve seen on the news.

👉 Meaning creates memory.

2. Chunk Case Studies Into Predictable Sections

Your exam questions follow patterns – so should your notes.

Break every case study into the same chunks:

Aim
Method
Sample
Key findings
Conclusion
Evaluation points

This reduces cognitive load and helps working memory cope under exam pressure.

Think of it as turning a long paragraph into a mental filing cabinet 📂

3. Dual Coding: Words + Pictures

Your brain remembers images better than text alone.

Try:

Flow diagrams of procedures
Stick figures showing experiments
Mind maps instead of paragraphs

Even rough sketches work – this activates visual and verbal memory stores together.

More routes in = easier recall out.

4. Retrieval Practice Beats Rereading

Testing yourself feels harder than rereading notes – but it works better.

Close the book and try:

Writing everything you remember about a study
Answering a 4- or 6-mark question from memory
Explaining the study out loud as if teaching it

This strengthens memory pathways and reduces exam anxiety.

👉 Struggle now, succeed later.

5. Use Spacing (Your Hippocampus Will Thank You)

Cramming feels productive… but it’s deceptive.

Instead:

Revisit each case study briefly over days or weeks
Mix topics rather than blocking them

Spacing improves long-term memory consolidation and reduces forgetting.

Short, repeated exposure > one long painful session.

6. Turn Evaluation Into Stories

Evaluation points are often the hardest part to remember.

Try turning them into mini-stories:

“This study lacks ecological validity because…”
“The sample was biased because…”

Stories create emotional hooks – and emotional content is remembered better.

Final Thought

A-level Psychology isn’t just about learning research –
it’s about understanding how people learn.

If you revise like a psychologist, not a parrot,
case studies stop being a memory nightmare and start making sense.

01 February 2026