Get out those flash cards and put away the highlighters. A new study reveals flash cards may be the best option to improve learning for all ages and subjects—whether your elementary student is studying for math or history, or whether you’re boning up for a certification exam.

Researchers analyzed 10 study methods, and discovered wide variations in how effective each was for students. The two that ranked the highest? Practice testing and distributed practice.

Practice testing can involve the use of flash cards, or answering questions at the end of reading a chapter, for example.

Distributed practice is spreading out studying over time—rather than cramming—and quizzing yourself to practice before a test.

Five of the techniques analyzed didn’t quite make the grade. Highlighting and underlining, rereading, keyword mnemonics, imagery for text, and summarizing all received a “low” rating from researchers—meaning they have minimal benefit to learning and performance, according to study.

Whatever technique your student uses, researchers emphasized the best tool to enhance learning and performance is still student motivation.