What is Elaborative Interrogation?
Elaborative interrogation is a study technique where you generate explanations for stated facts by repeatedly asking why: why is this true, why does it make sense? Producing the explanation yourself connects new information to what you already know, which improves memory compared with simply reading the fact.
The technique targets a specific weakness of passive reading: facts that are merely registered do not connect to anything. Asking why this would be true forces you to search prior knowledge for a reason, and the resulting explanation becomes a retrieval route back to the fact. The benefit is larger when you already know something about the topic, because there is more to connect to.
In the Dunlosky review, elaborative interrogation was rated moderate utility: the effect is reliable across many fact-learning experiments, but most of the evidence involves short factual materials and retention intervals shorter than those used in the testing and spacing literatures, so its reach beyond simple facts is less established.
It is easy to apply while reading and highlighting. Instead of only marking a claim, attach a note answering why it is true or why the author believes it. If you cannot produce even a candidate explanation, you have found a gap worth a second look, which turns the technique into a cheap comprehension check.