Blurting Method Steps: How to Do It Right (With Example)
The blurting method steps are simple: pick one small topic, write down everything you remember about it on a blank page with no notes, check your notes and mark what you missed in a different color, then blurt again later focusing on the gaps. That is it. Four steps, one blank page, and a pen in a second color.
If you keep "knowing it" while reading and then blanking without your notes, Viralinc's FlashDeck finds the exact cards you are about to forget so you know what to blurt next. Find your app
What the blurting method is
What is the blurting method in studying? It is a brain dump. You "blurt" everything you know about a topic onto paper from memory, then compare it with the source. Some people call it the blurting technique, the blurting revision method or a brain dump study method. Same idea.
Blurting is a form of active recall: you pull information out of your head instead of reading it back in. That is why it tends to beat rereading. It shows you, in ink, what you actually know versus what just looks familiar. (More on that in active recall vs passive review.)
What you need:
- A blank sheet of paper (or a blank doc)
- Two pen colors
- Your notes or textbook, closed until step 3
- A timer
Step 1: pick one small topic
The number one mistake is blurting a whole unit. "Biology" is too big. "The cell" is still big. "Parts of a plant cell and what each one does" is right.
A good blurting topic:
- Fits on one page of your notes
- Takes 5 to 10 minutes to blurt
- Has a clear title you can write at the top
Write that title at the top of the blank page. Put your notes out of sight.
Step 2: blurt everything from memory
Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes and write everything you can remember. Anything goes:
- Key words and definitions
- Lists, steps and processes
- Dates, names, formulas
- Quick diagrams and arrows
- Examples your teacher used
Blurting method tips for this step
- Do not stop to check. The whole point is finding out what is missing.
- Write messy. Bullet fragments are fine. This is not a nice set of notes.
- Keep going when you stall. Sit in the silence for 30 seconds. Something else usually comes back.
- No phone in reach. Looking something up ruins the test.
Step 3: check and mark the gaps
Open your notes. Using the second pen color:
- Add anything you missed. Write it right on the page.
- Fix anything you got wrong. Cross it out and correct it.
- Circle the gaps. These circled bits are your study list.
This is the most useful part of the blurting revision method. The page now has two colors, and the second color is a map of what you do not know yet.
Here is the hard bit: remembering which gaps were yours, and when to test them again. FlashDeck takes the notes you paste in, turns them into flashcards, and brings back only the ones you are about to forget, so your gaps get tested again at the right time without you tracking anything. Find your app
Step 4: repeat on the gaps
Do not just read the second-color bits and call it done. Blurt again.
- Same day: close the notes, take a fresh page, blurt the topic again. Aim to get the circled bits this time.
- Next day or two: blurt it once more from scratch.
- Before the test: one last blurt. By now the second color should be small.
Each round, you should need less of the second pen. That shrinking color is your progress.
Blurting method steps: a worked example
Here is a blurting method example for a history topic: causes of World War One.
Round 1 blurt (5 minutes, no notes)
- Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 1914, Sarajevo
- Alliances: Germany + Austria-Hungary vs. France, Russia, Britain
- Militarism, arms race, navies
- Imperialism, competing for colonies
- "MAIN" acronym?
Check and mark (second color)
- Added: MAIN = Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism. Nationalism was missing.
- Added: Triple Alliance and Triple Entente names.
- Added: Gavrilo Princip as the assassin.
- Circled: nationalism, alliance names.
Round 2 blurt (next day)
Everything from round 1, plus nationalism, plus both alliance names. Missed Princip again, so that one goes on a flashcard.
That is the whole cycle. The first blurt shows the gaps, the second shows whether they closed.
Blurting method template
Copy this onto a page, or use it as a free blurting template:
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Topic | One small, specific title |
| Timer | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Blurt (pen 1) | Everything from memory |
| Corrections (pen 2) | Missing and wrong info from notes |
| Gap list | The circled items, rewritten as questions |
| Next blurt date | Tomorrow, then again before the test |
Blurting for exams
Is the blurting method effective for exams? It works well because exams make you pull knowledge out with no notes, and blurting practices exactly that. It is popular for GCSEs, AP classes and any test with a lot of content.
How to use blurting for exams
- Split the syllabus into small topics. Make a checklist.
- Blurt one or two topics a day. Short daily sessions beat one huge session.
- Turn stubborn gaps into flashcards. Anything you miss twice goes on a card.
- Mix in practice questions. Blurting builds the knowledge; past papers practice using it.
- Do a final blurt the night before. See how to remember what you study the night before a test.
Blurting method for different subjects
- Biology: blurt a labeled diagram, then the process in steps.
- History: blurt causes, events, dates and key people.
- Chemistry and physics: blurt the formulas, what each letter stands for and when to use them.
- Languages: blurt vocab for one theme, both directions.
Blurting vs flashcards
Blurting is better for connected topics where the links matter. Flashcards are better for single facts you need to recall instantly. Use both: blurt to find the gaps, flashcards to lock them in.
Get your gaps sorted in a minute
The blurting method steps show you what you are missing. FlashDeck helps with what comes next: paste your class notes, get flashcards, and review only the ones you are about to forget. It runs in your browser with nothing to install, and the check-in is free.
FAQ
How do you do the blurting method?
Pick one small topic, write everything you remember on a blank page with no notes, then check your notes and add what you missed in a different color. Blurt the same topic again later, focusing on the gaps.
Is the blurting method effective?
It is a form of active recall, which study research rates much higher than rereading or highlighting. It is effective because it shows you exactly what you cannot remember yet. It works best when you repeat it over a few days.
How long should a blurting session be?
Five to ten minutes of blurting per topic, plus a few minutes to check and mark. If it takes longer than that, your topic is too big. Split it.
What is the difference between blurting and a brain dump?
They are basically the same thing. A brain dump is the general idea of writing everything down; the blurting method adds the check-and-mark step and the repeat on the gaps.
Can I do the blurting method on a laptop?
Yes. Use a blank doc, type from memory, then use a different text color for corrections. Just close every other tab so you are not tempted to look things up.