I recommend this video made by my friend Michael Schidlowsky. In it, he summarizes many studies, from 1930s to recent years, that conclude that the act of trying to recall helps you remember, even better than repeatedly reviewing. Somehow the act of trying to recall sends a signal to your brain that this information should be stored in your memory, especially in your long-term memory.
If you want to remember something that you have read or learned, recapping it to yourself or to a friend (or several friends) can help you retain it in your long-term memory. This is why tutoring benefits both the tutor and the pupil.
Some people may question the value of keeping information in your memory when you can find all the information online. Michael argues that to analyze information and create new ideas, you first need to have some information in your brain. -Yan
