Review of: Does retrieval practice protect memory against stress? A meta-analysis. Round#1/Reviewer#3

There are a number of broad assumptions about memory which have penetrated societal understanding and mostly reflect supporting academic evidence e.g., that acute stress can compromise memory performance (Shields et al., 2017) and that practicing recalling critical information can help retain that knowledge (Moriera et al., 2019).The evidence base is less consistent when evaluating whether retrieval practice can protect against the negative effects of acute stress on memory, despite it being highly important for educators as to whether this specific strategy for supporting memorisation can be evidenced as especially effective under stressful conditions.A rigorous review of this mixed evidence base could provide the basis for developments in memory theory and research practice, with potential for direct educational applications.Meta-analyses can play a critical role in furthering our understanding of complex cognitive mechanisms where the evidence base includes a wide range of methods, factors and effect size estimates.Furthermore, there is a lack of rigorous meta-analyses that prioritise open and reproducible processes (Topor et al., 2022) which help role-model good practice.In this Stage 2 Registered Report, Mihaylova et al. (2025) have conducted a rigorous metaanalysis to systematically review and synthesise the evidence on the effects of retrieval practice for memory performance under acute stress.The meta-analysis concludes that practicing recall leads to better memory performance than other strategies like re-reading materials.This effect was found in both stressful and not stressful situations and none of the tested moderators were detected in influencing the result.These findings have immediate practical implications for students and educators (e.g., incorporating retrieval practices into study routines).Directions for more rigorous research in this domain were clearly identified through the risk of Reviews