Here's a question that comes up constantly among CII candidates: "Should I read the textbook again, or should I do another mock exam?" The answer, backed by decades of learning research, is almost always the mock exam. Here's why.
The problem with re-reading
Re-reading the textbook feels productive. You're sitting down, engaging with the material, and things make sense as you read them. The problem is that recognition is not the same as recall.
When you re-read a chapter, your brain recognises the information and gives you a false sense of confidence. "Yes, I know this," you think. But in the exam, you're not asked to recognise information — you're asked to recall it from scratch, often under time pressure and in a different context.
Studies consistently show that re-reading is one of the least effective revision strategies. It takes a lot of time and produces very little lasting learning.
Why mock exams work better
Mock exams force you to do something fundamentally different: retrieve information from memory. This process — known as active recall — is one of the most powerful learning techniques ever studied.
When you attempt a question and have to think hard to come up with the answer, you're strengthening the neural pathways associated with that knowledge. Even if you get the question wrong, the act of trying to recall the answer makes you far more likely to remember it next time.
There's also the testing effect: the simple act of being tested on material improves your retention of it, even without additional study. A landmark 2006 study by Roediger and Karpicke found that students who practised retrieval remembered significantly more than students who spent the same amount of time re-reading.
The feedback loop
Mock exams also give you something that textbook reading doesn't: feedback. When you complete a mock and review your results, you get a clear picture of what you know and what you don't. This lets you target your remaining study time at the specific areas where you're weakest.
Without this feedback, you might spend hours revising topics you already understand while neglecting the ones that will actually cost you marks.
The ideal approach
This isn't to say you should never read the textbook. You need to learn the material before you can test yourself on it. The most effective approach is:
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First pass: Read through the study text to understand the concepts. Take brief notes, but don't try to memorise everything.
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Active practice: As soon as you've covered a topic, start testing yourself on it. Use practice questions, flashcards, or mock exams.
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Review and repeat: When you get questions wrong, go back to the relevant section of the textbook to fill the gap. Then test yourself on it again.
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Full mocks under exam conditions: In the final two weeks, complete at least two or three full mock exams, timed and without notes. Review every wrong answer thoroughly.
The ratio should shift as you get closer to exam day. Early on, you might spend 70% of your time reading and 30% practising. By the final week, that should flip to 20% reading and 80% practising.
What the data shows
Candidates who complete three or more mock exams before their CII exam pass at a significantly higher rate than those who rely primarily on textbook reading. It's not a magic bullet — you still need to understand the material — but practice testing is the single most impactful thing you can add to your revision.
If you're sitting in front of your textbook wondering whether to read that chapter one more time, close the book and open a mock exam instead. Your future self will thank you.