Techniques for Remembering Information
How to remember anything?
8 strategies for remembering statistics.
The method you need to use depends
Here
at the quantity of info you need to consider. Read to study those strategies and whilst to
use them. Then solution the questions.
When you read, say, or write statistics some of times, you're the use of
Repetition
repetition.
Repetition is maximum beneficial for remembering statistics that isn't very detailed.
Mnemonics To consider statistics this is detailed, you need to use a mnemonic. Here
are numerous mnemonics from which you could choose.
• Acronyms are phrases fashioned via way of means of the use of the primary letters of statistics to be remembered.
The acronym does now no longer should be a actual phrase, however it need to be pronounceable.
• Abbreviations are fashioned via way of means of the use of the primary letters of every phrase of the statistics to be
remembered An abbreviation does now no longer shape a pronounceable phrase.
• Acronymic sentences are sentences fashioned from phrases that start with the primary letter
of every phrase of the statistics to be remembered.
• Pegwords are phrases that rhyme with numbers and are used to construct institutions with
statistics to be remembered.
• Keywords are acquainted phrases that sound like phrases to be learned. They may be used to
create intellectual pictures that you could use to consider new phrases and their definitions.
• Rhymes are poems or verses used to consider statistics.
Graphic Organizers When statistics to be remembered could be very detailed, you can want to
use a picture organizer. Graphic organizers are visible representations that display how
statistics is organized.
Mnemonic Techniques and Specific Memory Tricks to improve
reminiscence, memorization
Mnemonic strategies are extra unique reminiscence aids. Many are primarily based totally on the overall reminiscence
techniques that had been offered earlier. Although it could be simplest to consider the ones matters that
you apprehend nicely, occasionally you need to depend upon rote reminiscence. The following strategies may be
used to facilitate such memorization.
1. ACRONYMS. You locate acronyms via way of means of the use of every first letter from a set of phrases shape to a
new phrase. This is especially beneficial whilst remembering phrases in a unique order. Acronyms
are very not unusualplace in normal language and in lots of fields. Some examples of not unusualplace acronyms
consist of NBA (National Basketball Associations), SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing
Apparatus), BTUs (British Thermal Units), and LASER (Light Amplification via way of means of Stimulated
Emission of Radiation). What different not unusualplace acronyms can you watched of? The reminiscence strategies
on this section, for example, may be rearranged to shape the acronym "SCRAM" (Sentences/
acrostics, Chunking, Rhymes & songs, Acronyms, and Method of loci).
Let us think that you need to memorize the names of 4 styles of fossils in your geology
class: 1) real remains, 2) Petrified, 3) Imprint, and 4) Molds or casts. Take the primary letter of
every object you are attempting to consider: APIM. Then, set up the letters in order that the acronym
resembles a phrase you're acquainted with: PAIM or IMAP.
Although acronyms may be very beneficial reminiscence aids, they do have a few disadvantages. First, they
are beneficial for rote reminiscence, however do now no longer useful resource comprehension. Be positive to distinguish between
comprehension and reminiscence, retaining in thoughts that information is regularly the first-class manner to
consider. Some humans expect that if they could consider something, that they need to "recognise" it;
however memorization does now no longer always mean information. A 2d trouble with acronyms is
that they may be hard to shape; now no longer all lists of phrases will lend themselves similarly nicely to this
method. Finally, acronyms, like the entirety else, may be forgotten if now no longer dedicated to reminiscence.
2. SENTENCES/ACROSTICS. Like acronyms, you operate the primary letter of every phrase you are attempting to
consider. Instead of creating a brand new rod, though, you operate the letters to make a sentence. Here are
a few examples:
• My Dear Aunt Sally (mathematical order of operations: Multiply and Divide before
you Add and Subtract)
• Kings Phil Came Over for the Genes Special (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Genus,
Species)
Can you watched of different examples? Like acronyms, acrostics may be quite simple to consider and
are especially beneficial while you want to consider a listing in a selected order. One advantage
over acronyms is that they're much less limiting. If your phrases do not shape easy-to-consider
acronyms, the use of acrostics can be preferable. On the alternative hand, they could take extra idea to
create and require remembering an entire new sentence as opposed to simply one phrase (as is the case
with acronyms). Otherwise, they gift the identical trouble as acronyms in that they useful resource
memorization however now no longer comprehension.
3. RHYMES & SONGS. Rhythm, repetition, melody, and rhyme can all aid memory. Are you
familiar with Homer's Odyssey? If you are familiar with the book, then you know that it is quite
long. That is why it is so remarkable to realize that this, along with many ancient Greek stories, was
told by storytellers who would rely solely on their memories. The use of rhyme, rhythm, and
repetition helped the storytellers remember them.
You can use the same techniques to better remember information from courses. For example, even
the simple addition of familiar rhythm and melody can help. Do you remember learning the
alphabet? Many children learn the letters of the alphabet to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
Star." In fact, a student demonstrated how she memorized the quadratic formula (notorious among
for being long and difficult to remember) by singing it to a familiar tune!
algebra students
Using these techniques can be fun, particularly for people who like to create. Rhymes and songs
draw on your auditory memory and may be particularly useful for those who can learn tunes,
songs, or poems easily. Like the other techniques in this section, however, they emphasize rote
memory, not understanding. Also, when devising rhymes and songs, don't spend too much time
creating them. Use these techniques judiciously and don't let them interfere with your studying.
4. METHOD OF LOCI. This technique was used by ancient orators to remember speeches and it
combines the use of organization, visual memory, and association. Before using the technique, you
must identify a common path that you walk. This can be the walk from your dorm to class, a walk
around your house, whatever is familiar. What is essential is that you have a vivid visual memory
of the path and objects along it. Once you have determined your path, imagine yourself walking
along it, and identify specific landmarks that you will pass. For example, the first landmark on your
walk to campus could be your dorm room, next may be the front of the residence hall, next a
familiar statue you pass, etc. The number of landmarks you choose will depend on the number of
things you want to remember.
Once
you have determined your path and visualized the landmarks, you are ready to use the path
to remember your material. This is done by mentally associating each piece of information that
you need to remember with one of these landmarks. For example, if you are trying to remember a
list of mnemonics, you might remember the first--acronyms--by picturing SCUBA gear in your
dorm room (SCUBA is an acronym).
You do not have to limit this to a path. You can use the same type of technique with just about any
visual image that you can divide into specific sections. The most important thing is that you use
something with which you are very familiar.
5. CHUNKING. This is a technique generally used when remembering numbers, although the idea
can be used for remembering other things as well. It is based on the idea that short-term memory
is limited in the number of things that can be contained. A common rule is that a person can
remember 7 (plus or minus 2) "items" in short-term memory. In other words, people can
remember between 5 and 9 things at one time. You may notice that local telephone numbers have
7 digits. This is convenient because it is the average amount of numbers that a person can keep in
his or her mind at one time.
When you use "chunking" to remember, you decrease the number of items you are holding in
memory by increasing the size of each item. In remembering the number string 64831996, you
could try to remember each number individually, or you could try thinking about the string as 64
83 19 96 (creating "chunks" of numbers). This breaks the group into smaller "chunks." Instead of
remembering 8 individual numbers, you are remembering four larger numbers. This is
particularly helpful when you form "chunks" that are meaningful or familiar to you (in this case,
the last four numbers in the series are "1996," which can easily be remembered as one chunk of
information).
6. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT (or closer to it anyway): Okay, it may not be a mnemonic, but
repeating is still a great memory aid. Remember the children's game "I'm going on a picnic and
I'm bringing..." As each new object is added, the old objects are repeated. People can often
remember a large number of objects this way. When remembering a list of things, you might try
a similar concept. Once you are able to remember 5 items on your list without looking, add a 6th,
repeat the whole list from the start, add a 7th, and so on. It can be quite intimidating to see long
lists, passages, or equations that you are expected to commit to memory. Break up the
information into small bits that you can learn, one step at a time, and you may be surprised how
easy it can be. You might even utilize grouping techniques, like those discussed earlier, to form
meaningful groups that you can learn one at a time.
Remembering Long Lists
The journey method is a powerful, flexible and effective mnemonic based around the idea of
remembering landmarks on a well-known journey. It combines the narrative flow of the Link
Method and the structure and order of the Peg Systems into one very powerful system.
How to Use the Tool:
You use the Journey Method by associating information with landmarks on a journey that you
know well. This could, for example, be your journey to work in the morning; the route you
use to get to the front door when you get up; the route to visit your parents; or a tour around
a holiday destination. Once you are familiar with the technique you may be able to create
imaginary Journeys that fix in your mind, and apply these.
To use this technique most effectively, it is often best to prepare the journey beforehand. In
this way the landmarks are clear in your mind before you try to commit information to them.
One of the ways of doing this is to write down all the landmarks that you can recall in order on
a piece of paper. This allows you to fix these landmarks as the significant ones to be used in
your mnemonic, separating them from others that you may notice as you get to know the
route even better.
To remember a list of items, whether these are people, experiments, events or objects, all you
need do is associate these things with the landmarks or stops on your journey.
This is an extremely effective method of remembering long lists of information. With a
sufficiently long journey you could, for example, remember elements on the periodic table,
lists o f Kings and Presidents, geographical information, or the order of cards in a shuffled
pack.
The system is extremely flexible: all you need do to remember many items is to remember a
longer journey with more landmarks. To remember a short list, only use part of the route!
One advantage of this technique is that you can use it to work both backwards and forwards,
and start anywhere within the route to retrieve information.
You can use the technique well with other mnemonics. This can be done either by building
complex coding images at the stops on a journey, or by linking to other mnemonics at each
stop. You could start other journeys at each landmark. Alternatively, you may use a peg
system to organize lists of journeys, etc.
(SEE EXAMPLE ON BACK)
Example:
You may, as a simple example, want to remember something mundane like this shopping list:
Coffee, salad, vegetables, bread, kitchen paper, fish, chicken breasts, pork chops. soup. fruit, bath
tub cleaner.
You could associate this list with a journey to a supermarket. Mnemonic images could be:
1. Front door: spilt coffee grains on the doormat
2. Rose bush in front garden: growing lettuce leaves and tomatoes around the roses
3. Car: with potatoes, onions, and cauliflower on the driver's seat
4. End of the road: an arch of French bread over the road
5. Past garage: with its sign wrapped in kitchen roll
6. Under railway bridge: from which haddock and cod are dangling by their tails
7. Traffic lights: chickens squawking and flapping on top of lights
8. Past church: in front of which a pig is doing karate, breaking boards
9. Under office block: with a soup slick underneath: my car tires send up jets of tomato
soup as I drive through it
10. Past car park: with apples and oranges tumbling from the top level
11. Supermarket car park: a filthy bath tub is parked in the space next to my car!
Pegwords
The pegwords strategy is a good strategy to use when you must remember a
number of things such as five reasons we should conserve energy. Pegwords are
words that rhyme with number words. Each pegword is substituted for a number
word and is then associated with the information to be remembered.
You can use any word as a pegword as long as it rhymes with a number word.
Below are suggested pegwords for the number words one through ten. You can
substitute your own number words. Nouns and verbs are best to use as pegwords
because they are easy to associate with information to be remembered.
Number Word Pegword
one run
two shoe
three tree
four door
five dive
six fix
seven heaven
eight gate
nine sign
ten hen
Here are the steps to follow to use the pegwords strategy.
1. Think of the first piece of information to be remembered.
2. Think of the pegword for the number word one. The pegword for one is run.
3. Form an association in your mind between the pegword one and the first piece of
information to be remembered. Create a picture ii) your mind of this
association.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each additional piece of information to be remembered. Use
the pegword shoe for the second piece of information, tree for the third piece of
information, and so on.
Here is an example of how the pegwords strategy can be used to remember three
important reasons for preserving forests.
1.The pegword for one is run.
You could create a picture in your mind of a rabbit
running to a bowl of food. Later, when you try to recall the reasons for
preserving forests, the number word one will trigger the pegword run, and you
will recall the picture of a rabbit running toward a bowl of food. You will
thereby remember that one reason for preserving forests is that forests provide
food for animals.
2. Forests provide shelter for animals.
(two/shoe). You could create a picture in your mind of a chipmunk
living in a shoe.
3. Forests provide lumber that is used to build homes
for people.
(three/tree). You could create a picture in your mind of
stacks of lumber lying on the ground next to a partially
built house.
The pegwords strategy lets you use your imagination
to remember information.
how information is organized. Here are six types of graphic organizers:
topic-list, question-answer, compare-contrast, series of events, cause-effect, and problem-
solution.
A topic-list graphic organizer shows how a topic, subtopics, and details are organized.
Here are the questions you should answer to obtain the information needed to create a
topic-list graphic organizer:
1. What is the topic
2. What subtopics are related to the topic?
3. What details are known about the subtopics?
Read the following class notes about the determinants of social status. Then examine the
topic-list graphic organizer for the notes.
Determinants of social status. According to Karl Marx--two status levels: those who
have (owners) means of production have high status. Others (workers) low status.
According to Max Weber, social status determined by how much property (land and
buildings) you own, your job, and level of education.
Topic Determinants of Social Status
Subtopic Karl Marx Max Weber
Details Means of Property Job Education
Production
Owners Workers Land Buildings
Create a topic-list graphic organizer for information you want to remember.
about Gra
Compare-Contrast
A compare-contrast graphic organizer shows how two things are alike and how they
are different. Here are the questions you should answer to obtain the information
needed to create a compare-contrast graphic organizer:
1. What two things are being compared and contrasted
2. In what ways are the two things alike?
3. In what ways are the two things different?
Read the following class notes about the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Then
examine the compare-contrast graphic organizer for the notes.
House of Representatives - National leaders elected for 2 yr term, members called
representatives, leaders called Speaker of House. Number of representatives based
upon population. Represent their state. From all parties. Senate - National leaders,
elected for 6 yr term, represent state, 2 senators per state. Leader called President
of Senate. From all parties.
Alike
Different
Different
Senate
House
2 yr term
6 yr term
Representatives Senators
# based upon population
2 per state
Elected
Speaker of House President of the Senate
Represent States
National Leaders
Serve Terms of Office
Republicans
Democrats
Independent
Create a compare-contrast graphic organizer for information you want to remember.
cause-effect
A cause-effect graphic organizer is used to show how something occurs. Here are the questions
you should answer to obtain the information needed to create a cause-effect graphic organizer:
1. What is the cause?
2. What is/are the effect(s)?
3. What details are associated with the effect(s)?
Read the following class notes about the importance of using techniques for remembering
information. Then examine the cause-effect graphic organizer for the notes.
It is important to use techniques to remember information you hear or read about in
college. As a result of using remembering techniques, you can expect a number of good
things to happen. You will remember more information. You will do better on tests, which
will result in higher grades and scholarships. You will also feel better about yourself as a
student. Finally, you will have greater career opportunities.
scholarships
(Cause)
higher grades
Memory
Techniques
(effect) Better career opportunities
Series of Events
A series of events graphic organizer shows a series of events in a logical order. Sometimes this
pat-tern is used to describe the stages of something, such as the growth of a plant. At other
times. the pattern is used to show the steps in a procedure, such as balancing a checkbook. The
pattern also may be used to depict a sequence of events in time order, such as the events that
led to the Persian Gulf War.
Here are the questions you should answer to obtain the information needed to create a
series of events graphic organizer.
1. What is the topic?
2. What is the first stage, step, or event?
3. What are the intervening stages, steps, or events?
4. What is the final stage, step, or event?
Examine the series of events graphic organizer constructed from a psychology textbook
showing Piaget's stages of cognitive development.
Topic Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development
Sensorimotor
Birth to 18-24 months
First Stage Learn to represent the world internally
Learn relationships between actions and external world
Learn basic cause and effect
Preoperational
18-24 months to 7 years
Growth of symbolic activity
Language begins to develop
Thought is egocentric
Principle of conversation is acquired
Intervening Stages
Concrete Operations
6-7 years to 11 years
Logical thought emerges
Problems can be solved
Principle of reversibility is acquired
Formal Operations
Age 12+
Final Stage Deal with abstractions
Adult thought emerges
Hypothetico-deductive reasoning is used
Create a series of events graphic organizer for information you want to remember.
Problem-Solution
A problem-solution graphic organizer is used to show a problem, to demonstrate why it is
a problem, to show attempts to solve the problem, and to show the solution or the status of the
at-tempts. Here are the questions you should answer to obtain the information needed to
create a problem-solution graphic organizer:
1. What is the problem?
2. Why is it a problem?
3. What attempts have been made to solve the problem?
4. what is the solution or status of these attempts?
Examine the problem-solution graphic organizer constructed from an economics textbook
showing the U.S. national debt as a problem, whit it is a problem, attempts to solve the problem,
including details as necessary, and the solution or status of attempted solutions at a specific point
in time. In this case, the attempts to solve the problem did not work. In other cases, the problem
may be solved.
Problem: U.S. national debt is too high.
Why? Government cannot pay for goods and services.
Attempted
Solutions Raise taxes.
and Details
Reduce spending.
Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act
Set annual budget decrement goals.
Exempted certain programs from program cuts.
Made automatic budget cuts across nonexempted programs.
Solution
or National debt remained at a high level.
Status
Create a problem-solution graphic organizer for information you want to remember.
Nutrition and Memory improvement
You probably know already that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and "healthy"
fats will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. Research
indicates that certain nutrients nurture and stimulate brain function.
B vitamins, especially B6, B12, and folic acid, protects neurons by breaking down
homocysteine, an amino acid that is toxic to nerve cells. They're also involved in making red
blood cells, which carry oxygen. (Best sources: spinach and other dark leafy greens, broccoli,
asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and other legumes, citrus fruits, soybeans.)
Antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta carotene, fight free radicals, which are atoms
formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Free radicals are highly reactive and can
damage cells, but antioxidants can interact with them safely and neutralize them. Antioxidants
also improve the flow of oxygen through the body and brain. (Best sources: blueberries and other
hemes, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green tea, nuts and seeds, cit ms fruits,
liver.)
Omega-3 fatty acids are concentrated in the brain and are associated with cognitive function.
They count as "healthy" fats, as opposed to saturated fats and trans fats, protecting against
inflammation and high cholesterol. (Best sources: cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, tuna,
halibut, and mackerel; walnuts and walnut oil; flaxseed and flaxseed oil)
Because older adults are more prone to B 12 and folic acid deficiencies, a supplement may be a
good idea for seniors. An omega-3 supplement (at any age) if you don't like eating fish. But
nutrients work best when they're consumed in foods, so try your best to eat a broad spectrum of
colorful plant foods and choose fats that will help clear, not clog, your arteries. Your brain will
thank you!