Showing your work in tests is kind of like “chain of thought” reasoning, but there’s a slight difference. Both force you to break down your process step by step, making sure the logic holds and you aren’t skipping crucial steps. But while showing your work is more about demonstrating the correct procedure, “chain of thought” reasoning pushes you to recall relevant definitions and concepts as you go, ensuring a deeper understanding. In both cases, the goal is to avoid just “winging it,” but “chain of thought” really digs into the recall aspect, which humans tend to avoid because it’s effortful.