Maximize Your Memory: Ways To Build A Strong Memory
Maximize Your Memory: Ways To Build A Strong Memory
The main cause of forgetting is failure to learn the material thoroughly in the first place. Other causes include
disuse, interference, and repression. Regardless of the reasons we forget, it is possible to train ourselves to
remember more by becoming aware of how the brain best processes information and engaging in strategies
that move information into long-term memory.
Decide to Remember
o Things that are disregarded will be discarded, so you must make a conscious choice to
remember.
o Eliminate distractions while studying.
Organize the Material
o Organize facts and ideas into meaningful categories. When organizing and grouping the
material, always keep the big picture in mind; then, learn the information from the general
down to the specific.
o Select what you consider important. In other words, pick out the main points and major details,
and make sure you can write and explain these ideas in your own words.
o Arrange the material you are learning into a logical order by using outlining, mapping, or
webbing. The strategy you choose to use should help you understand the relationships
between the ideas.
Recite to Remember
When you recite information repeatedly, the knowledge transfers from short-term to long-term
memory. Recitation is effective for a variety of reasons:
o It uses many of your senses, such as thinking, speaking, and hearing, which affects your ability
to recall information later.
o It deepens the memory path in your long-term memory. The more you use and recall the
information, the easier it is for your brain to retrieve it.
o It lets you know how you are doing. As you recite the information, you may be better able to
‘hear’ whether your response is correct. Recalling the information silently in your head may
allow your brain to skim over hazy areas that require further attention and study.
Review Often
o Consistent regular review, not cramming, reinforces understanding and therefore strengthens
memory.
o Short, frequent study sessions are more effective because they expose you to the information
many times, reinforcing its storage in your long-term memory.
Over Learn the Material
o Pick the subject apart and learn the material from as many different perspectives as possible.
o Study the information from the general to the specific; then look at it from the specific to the
general.
o Say it aloud and then write it out the next time.
o Study the information in a different order.
o Using varied strategies helps prepare you to recall and use the information no matter how it is
presented.
o Visualization
Pair the information you wish to recall with a visual image that reminds you of that information.
Example: To remember the name of a woman named Rose, picture her holding a rose in her
hand.
o Acronyms
Create acronyms using the first letter of each word in a list. Example: “ROY G BIV” represents
the colors in the spectrum (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet).
o Sentences
Create sentences using the first letter of each word in a list. Example: To remember the order of
the metric system, use the following sentence: “King Henry Danced Boldly Down Centre
Main.”
o Rhymes and Songs
Create rhymes and songs that help you recall certain pieces of information. Example: “Thirty
days has September, April, June and November”
Useful APPS
o Quizlet (flashcards, matching and other ways of testing your memory)
o Coggle or Xmind (Concept map/Mind map creators that help make meaningful connections in a
visually, organized way)
o Prezi (Visual story telling software)
o Forest (helps keeps you focused on studying instead of your mobile device!)
*These APPS also have searchable databases full of existing, subject specific content created by
other students.