Recognition

• Recognition is how you respond to a sensory cue. You look at something and your mind looks to see if what you are seeing in front of you matches anything that has been stored. If you notice a match, you are recognizing the information.
  
  

Recall

• Recall is a way that you obtain information from your memory without having a cue to prompt the response. You have to essentially draft the information without any assistance.
  
  

Examples

• An example of recognition vs. recall in reality is taking a test. If the test is multiple choice, you will use recognition to find the answer. You look at one of the choices and your brain may recognize that one of the answers has already been stored. Alternatively, recall is used in the form of a short answer, fill in the blank or essay format.
  
  

Comparison

• When comparing recall vs. recognition, recall tends to be harder than recognition because there are no "hints" in place to aid you in finding the answer.