Improve Your Memory

Improve your Memory Forgetting is normal and necessary. Your brain is bombarded with millions of bits of information every day. All of this information could not possibly be stored, nor is it important enough to remember for any length of time. The mind decides what information is unimportant and immediately disregards it. What your mind remembers is what you need to function. There are strategies to use that will increase your ability to remember important information. The 3 R''s of Memory Reception – Be attentive and observant. This will help you receive important information more easily. Engage all of your senses. Look at the professor, listen to the lecture and discussion, and take notes. Ask questions if you aren''t clear about something. If you don''t understand, you won''t be able to remember. Survey before reading the material. If you know what the selection is about before reading, you will be more attentive to the information. Retention – Make a conscious effort to remember what is being said. If you set goals for your performance and motivate yourself this will give you the incentive to remember. Become an active reader by highlighting and marking your text. Review your notes frequently to increase your retention. Recite your notes aloud when possible. By using both your visual and auditory senses, you will increase your retention rate. Do all your homework when it is assigned. Using information in and out of the classroom will help you remember it better. See the list of Memory Aids for tips on improving your memory. Recollection – Organize your material before the test. Group tests, summaries, and notes according to chapters and similar topics. Make a list of important topics and what you should know about them. The week before the test set up a block of time (2-3 hours) to thoroughly review the information. Remember to take breaks when studying! During the test visualize your diagrams and flashcards to help remember the information. Use practice tests to study. Anticipate possible test questions and make up your own test or look at old tests if they are available from the professor. Memory Aids Mnemonics – rhymes, sayings or phrases that repeat or codify the information you''re trying to remember. Associate – Relate the information you''re trying to remember to something you already know. To help remember the three stages of memory (reception, retention, and recollection) you can associate the mind with a computer. By recalling the computer''s three processes (input, storage, and output) you will be able to remember the stages of memory. Visualize – Drawing out pictures and diagrams makes the information easier to recall by visualizing the drawing while taking the test. When memorizing the names of bones in the body, draw a human skeleton and label the bones. During the test, visualize the skeleton and you will be able to remember the names. Flashcards – Write key words or terms that you need to know on one side of an index card. Write the explanation or definition on the other side of the card. Carry these cards with you and review them as often as possible.
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