Cougar Mentor Program

Student Success Tips
 

Memorization Techniques

Can You Remember?

• Memorize from general to specific. Study the big picture, then learn the details. Learning and memorization are like a funnel – the process is not very effective when the small is at the top.

• Cramming does not work! Cramming for an exam only commits the information to your short-term memory. You will forget what you never really learned.

• Four basic reasons why we forget pieces of information:
   

  1. Don’t use the information

  2. Confuse it with other information

  3. Decide the information does not match what you already believe

  4. Never really learned the information in the first place.

• Keys to Remembering:
   

  1. Be interested. Pay attention. Consciously choose to remember. Establish a need to remember.

  2. Visualize. Picture in your mind what you wish to remember.

  3. Relate. Relate and form associations between the new ideas and information you wish to remember and information, ideas, persons, things, etc., that you already know.

  4. Repeat. Even though something is initially learned it will more than likely be forgotten if not over-learned. Be sure to repeat information in your own words.

More Memory Tips

Fill in the blanks

1. Make your own flash cards by writing “fill in the blank” statements on the front of index cards and answers on the back, or

2. Do the same with a hand-held tape recorder: Make recorded questions, pauses for answers, then recorded answers.

Seven is the magic number

1. Repeat difficult information seven times a day for seven days, or create seven index cards with the word or fact written on them.

2. Tape the cards in places where you go frequently (i.e. mirror, fridge, etc.), then forget about them.

3. After two weeks you will subliminally absorb the information.

Reveal:

1. During review, cover up the text below headings and try to remember what’s next.

2. This method works well with your notes and outlines.

Key Ideas:

1. Highlight them in your textbooks and outlines.

2. Give extra attention to words or phrases in bold.

3. Make up acronyms or mnemonics to recall.

Mapping:

1. Make a mental image of your notes, outlines, charts, etc., and where facts are located on them in relation to other topics.

2. These images (fact maps) and their data can often be recalled during tests.