Attempt an exercise before opening its explanation. Write down the rule or assumption that led to your answer. A correct guess and a correct explanation are different learning signals, even if a multiple-choice grader records the same result.
After reviewing, classify the mistake. Did you misunderstand the contract, forget a definition, overlook a boundary case or make a reasoning error? Add a short note describing the correction in your own words. Copying an explanation verbatim makes the note longer without necessarily making recall stronger.
Revisit the idea through a different task. Follow a retrieval-metrics question with the coding exercise, then explain how incomplete relevance labels change the interpretation. This checks whether you can transfer the concept beyond one familiar prompt.
Use timed quizzes to observe pace after you have learned the material. A quiz result reflects the sampled questions and conditions; it is not a hiring prediction. Look for recurring weaknesses across attempts and choose a small next practice set. A consistent review cycle with honest notes is more informative than accumulating points while revealing answers first.