HOW WE REMEMBER.

1. Memory itself probably cannot be develope d; however, improvem ent in remember ing comes from correctin g certain habits or thoughts so that we use our memory to its’ fullest potential. Remembe ring is like seeing; improvem ent in either function does not depend upon how much we use it but, rather, how we use it. 2. The first and most important rule for remember ing is: cultivate the habit of close attention to the thing you wish to remember . Be sure you have a clear, sharp impressio n of the face, name, date, or facts, which you will need to know at a future time. If you wish to remember a fact, make it meaningf ul to you. 3. When we are learning, we should try not only to get a strong impressio n but also to obtain as many different kinds of impressio ns as possible. Some people can remember colors distinctly, but have a poor memory for shapes. But anyone, by putting together and using all of the impressio ns our sense organs bring us about one thing, allows us to remember it much more clearly than if we were to rely on sight or sound alone. For example, try reading your lesson aloud. In doing this, your eye takes in the appearan ce of the printed word, your ear passes the sound of the words to your brain, and even the tension of the muscles of your throat add their bit to the total impressio n which your mind is expected to store away. 4. Try to visualize it. Either remember a diagram or a picture of the material to be remember ed, or take short notes about it, which help you to visualize. 5. Intend to remember . The mere intention to remember puts the mind in a condition to remember , and if you will make use of this fact in studying you will be able to recall between 20 and 60 percent more of what you read and hear than you would if you were not actively trying to remember . 6. Think about it. A fact doesn't belong to you until you have used it. In making use of this principle, plan to spend not more than one-half of your study period in reading your lesson. Use the other half in doing somethin g with what you learn. Think about what you have studied, write down notes on it, and explain it to somebod y else. 7. Logical memory. One of the most important of all aids to the remember ing process is the habit of associati ng a new idea immediate ly with facts or ideas that are already firmly lodged in your mind. This associati on revives and strengthe ns the old memories and prevents the new one from slipping away by anchoring it to the well-esta blished framewor k of your mental world. 8. Remembe ring by brute force. We will forget more, on the average, during the first hour after learning than during the next 24 hours; and we will forget more, on the average, during the first day than we will during the next thirty days. Whateve r is left after thirty days time, we will probably be able to hold on to without much further loss for years to come. 9. Reviewin g is much more effective if carried out before memories have entirely escaped than it is after considera ble time has elapsed. Repetition s should be strung out over as long a time as is available. We remember better if we pause a little between periods of study. 10. How much to study? You should study more than just enough to learn your assignm ent. Experim ents have proven that 50% more study resulted in 50% better retentio n. After a week had passed, it was found that extra work had salvage d six times as much of the material as in the case when it was barely learned.

RECITING RAISES RENTATION.

Forgetting remains the major academic problem you will face. How can you prevent forgetting and improve your retention? One especially effective method is recitation. Reading a paragraph, following immediately with reciting, raises your retention. Why recite after each paragraph? Because most writers express a main idea or major point in a single paragraph; therefore, the best way to comprehend the author’s message is to understand each concept. Reciting after each paragraph allows you to grasp the meaning while it is fresh, before other information can obscure it. What is reciting, and how can it help?Reciting means saying aloud, in complete sentences, the main ideas and details from each paragraph after reading it. Reciting improves your memory 5 ways: 1. promotes concentration 2.forms a sound basis for understanding the next paragraph 3.provides time for the memory trace to consolidate 4.ensures that facts and ideas are remembered accurately 5.provides immediate feedback. How does reciting work?Simple! Cover up what you’re reading at the end of each paragraph.Then, using complete sentences and paragraphs, repeat the ideas in the paragraph—ALOUD—in your own words. When reciting a list of ideas or facts, enumerate them by saying "first--, second--," and so on. Want to improve on reciting?Write as you recite. Record your recitation as though you were writing the answers to an essay test. This embeds the knowledge in your long-term memory (the kind that lasts through tests) even more firmly. Why? Because you learn by three means: eyes, ears, and muscles. Is re-reading the same as reciting? No, definitely not! When you re-read, you see only the same things as when you first read the paragraph. For you to learn efficiently, you need to take a different approach to the same material: recitation.

PRINCIPLES OF MEMORY.

MEMORY PRINCIPLE WHEN TO DO THIS WHY THIS PRINCIPLEIS IMPORTANT 1. Intend to remember/learn.Before beginning study Your intention is crucial. If you don’t activelyplantoremember something, you won’tremember it very well. 2. Get an "overview" of the task.Whenever you begin a new learning project Getting a preview of the whole process you’re trying to learn will help you later as you read, practice, etc. You’ll be able to fill in details of each part if youstart with a simplified version of the whole task first. 3. Review immediately after learning.At the end of each study session Most forgetting takes place immediately after learning occurs--not two hours or twodays later. Therefore, review immediately, even if just for a few minutes. 4. Learnactively.Always Most learning time should be actively self-testing andpractice rather than passively re-reading. Expose as many sensesas possible to the material--read it, hear it, visualize it, etc. 5. Use an hour or two.When you’re trying toread a whole chapter Complex learning such as understanding new relationships learning how to solve aproblem requires longer periodsof time for efficient learning. 6. Use two to five minutes.When you have a simple mechanical task or rote-memorization Simple tasks and especially anything you have to memorize task are better learned in short, frequent practice sessions ratherthan an hour or two. 7. Practice what you have learned.In between the time youfirst learn something andthe time you’re tested onit Most forgetting takes place because people haven’t periodically practiced or reviewedwhat they learned. 8. Learn in an organized way.Always You’ll remember much more when you have asystematic, orderly view of whatyou have learned. If you havestudied facts as isolated eventswithout seeing relationshipsbetween them, then you will forget more quickly. 9. Set and understand the goals/objectives for your study session.At the beginning of any learning or retrieving session This gives you a purpose and acomplete overview of each studysession, and it will help youbecome a more systematic andorganized learner.

MEMORY SKILLS.

Have you found on occasion that you were unable to recall something learned but actually were trying to recall something "NOT LEARNED" in the first place? Unless the material was learned thoroughly at the time you read or heard it, you, in fact, never had it in your memory. This might be the case in any situation, whether it involves remembering names upon introduction or remembering facts or ideas from classroom lectures. Whenever the recall of information is important to you, the following principles should help you learn to remember: 1.Intend to Remember: We tend to learn in accordance with how much interest, incentive, and intention we have in learning. By the same token, we remember those things that we are motivated toremember, whether we are naturally interested or have created an interest and enthusiasm in learning the subject matter because we realize the ultimate benefits. Intending to rememberis, perhaps, the most vital learning task. 2.Selectively Choose Memory Tasks: Attempting to remember everything one sees or hears is an exercise in futility! Selecting the important topics, facts, and ideas and disregarding the least essential elements allows maximum memory to occur. Therefore, when studying, first skim the chapter outline to identify key concepts to be remembered. 3.Understand the Material: A poorly understood concept is difficult to remember because it has little meaning. For long-term recall, it is necessary to understand what you are trying to remember. 4.Review: Immediate review (after class lectures or textbook reading), even if for a few minutes, reinforces learning and remembering of material. The greatest amount of forgetting occurs directly after finishing the learning task (psychologists say within 20 minutes). Try reviewing notes immediately before and after class period to enhance recall. 5.Use All of Your Senses: Sight and hearing are the most important senses in acquiring information. Although both senses should be used, decide whether you are primarily a visual or an auditory learner. A visual learner should take copious notes. Visual learners tend to deal directly with the subject matter, and by taking notes, the material is presented more often and in different forms. Auditory learners should spend more time in reciting orally. For both learning styles, however, mental recitation is important in transferring material from short-term memory. Experts suggest 80 percent of textbook study should be involved in reciting and 20 percent in reading. 6.Associate New Material with Prior Knowledge: Learn new material by associating the new idea with something you already know about and are interested in. As new learning occurs with your later courses, this material will provide additional background with which to associate future learning. An important fact to remember is that the more you learn, the easier it is to learn more because you have a broader base for anchoring new information. 7.Use Short Study Periods Rather Than Cramming: As a general rule, short study periods interspersed with rest intervals are to be preferred over massed practice or cram sessions. The exception to this rule would involve the writing of a paper where organizational tasks would require longer work periods and more intense concentration on the project without break. 8.Organize Material Meaningfully: Large masses of material are less threatening and more easily committed to memory when broken into smaller sections or categories. Envision each fact or idea as a part of that category or section, and then relate the sections to each other.It is also helpful when remembering a list of items to give extra attention and practice to those items in the middle of the list. Those items at the first and last of a list are recalled with greater accuracy than those within the list. 9.Learning by Association: In most cases, understanding the material is paramount in learning. However, there are times when it is necessary to remember facts that seemingly defy organization, in which case mnemonic devices can be helpful. (Example: "Thirty days has September"). This might include phrases or combinations or words which could be associated and adapted to material to be remembered, but mnemonic devices should be used only until you know the material so well that you no longer need them. The application of these principles should help you to improve your memory during study periods.

MEMORY SKILLS.

Have you found on occasion that you were unable to recall something learned but actually were trying to recall something "NOT LEARNED" in the first place? Unless the material was learned thoroughly at the time you read or heard it, you, in fact, never had it in your memory. This might be the case in any situation, whether it involves remembering names upon introduction or remembering facts or ideas from classroom lectures. Whenever the recall of information is important to you, the following principles should help you learn to remember: 1.Intend to Remember: We tend to learn in accordance with how much interest, incentive, and intention we have in learning. By the same token, we remember those things that we are motivated toremember, whether we are naturally interested or have created an interest and enthusiasm in learning the subject matter because we realize the ultimate benefits. Intending to rememberis, perhaps, the most vital learning task. 2.Selectively Choose Memory Tasks: Attempting to remember everything one sees or hears is an exercise in futility! Selecting the important topics, facts, and ideas and disregarding the least essential elements allows maximum memory to occur. Therefore, when studying, first skim the chapter outline to identify key concepts to be remembered. 3.Understand the Material: A poorly understood concept is difficult to remember because it has little meaning. For long-term recall, it is necessary to understand what you are trying to remember. 4.Review: Immediate review (after class lectures or textbook reading), even if for a few minutes, reinforces learning and remembering of material. The greatest amount of forgetting occurs directly after finishing the learning task (psychologists say within 20 minutes). Try reviewing notes immediately before and after class period to enhance recall. 5.Use All of Your Senses: Sight and hearing are the most important senses in acquiring information. Although both senses should be used, decide whether you are primarily a visual or an auditory learner. A visual learner should take copious notes. Visual learners tend to deal directly with the subject matter, and by taking notes, the material is presented more often and in different forms. Auditory learners should spend more time in reciting orally. For both learning styles, however, mental recitation is important in transferring material from short-term memory. Experts suggest 80 percent of textbook study should be involved in reciting and 20 percent in reading. 6.Associate New Material with Prior Knowledge: Learn new material by associating the new idea with something you already know about and are interested in. As new learning occurs with your later courses, this material will provide additional background with which to associate future learning. An important fact to remember is that the more you learn, the easier it is to learn more because you have a broader base for anchoring new information. 7.Use Short Study Periods Rather Than Cramming: As a general rule, short study periods interspersed with rest intervals are to be preferred over massed practice or cram sessions. The exception to this rule would involve the writing of a paper where organizational tasks would require longer work periods and more intense concentration on the project without break. 8.Organize Material Meaningfully: Large masses of material are less threatening and more easily committed to memory when broken into smaller sections or categories. Envision each fact or idea as a part of that category or section, and then relate the sections to each other.It is also helpful when remembering a list of items to give extra attention and practice to those items in the middle of the list. Those items at the first and last of a list are recalled with greater accuracy than those within the list. 9.Learning by Association: In most cases, understanding the material is paramount in learning. However, there are times when it is necessary to remember facts that seemingly defy organization, in which case mnemonic devices can be helpful. (Example: "Thirty days has September"). This might include phrases or combinations or words which could be associated and adapted to material to be remembered, but mnemonic devices should be used only until you know the material so well that you no longer need them. The application of these principles should help you to improve your memory during study periods.

MEMORY SKILLS.

Have you found on occasion that you were unable to recall something learned but actually were trying to recall something "NOT LEARNED" in the first place? Unless the material was learned thoroughly at the time you read or heard it, you, in fact, never had it in your memory. This might be the case in any situation, whether it involves remembering names upon introduction or remembering facts or ideas from classroom lectures. Whenever the recall of information is important to you, the following principles should help you learn to remember: 1.Intend to Remember: We tend to learn in accordance with how much interest, incentive, and intention we have in learning. By the same token, we remember those things that we are motivated toremember, whether we are naturally interested or have created an interest and enthusiasm in learning the subject matter because we realize the ultimate benefits. Intending to rememberis, perhaps, the most vital learning task. 2.Selectively Choose Memory Tasks: Attempting to remember everything one sees or hears is an exercise in futility! Selecting the important topics, facts, and ideas and disregarding the least essential elements allows maximum memory to occur. Therefore, when studying, first skim the chapter outline to identify key concepts to be remembered. 3.Understand the Material: A poorly understood concept is difficult to remember because it has little meaning. For long-term recall, it is necessary to understand what you are trying to remember. 4.Review: Immediate review (after class lectures or textbook reading), even if for a few minutes, reinforces learning and remembering of material. The greatest amount of forgetting occurs directly after finishing the learning task (psychologists say within 20 minutes). Try reviewing notes immediately before and after class period to enhance recall. 5.Use All of Your Senses: Sight and hearing are the most important senses in acquiring information. Although both senses should be used, decide whether you are primarily a visual or an auditory learner. A visual learner should take copious notes. Visual learners tend to deal directly with the subject matter, and by taking notes, the material is presented more often and in different forms. Auditory learners should spend more time in reciting orally. For both learning styles, however, mental recitation is important in transferring material from short-term memory. Experts suggest 80 percent of textbook study should be involved in reciting and 20 percent in reading. 6.Associate New Material with Prior Knowledge: Learn new material by associating the new idea with something you already know about and are interested in. As new learning occurs with your later courses, this material will provide additional background with which to associate future learning. An important fact to remember is that the more you learn, the easier it is to learn more because you have a broader base for anchoring new information. 7.Use Short Study Periods Rather Than Cramming: As a general rule, short study periods interspersed with rest intervals are to be preferred over massed practice or cram sessions. The exception to this rule would involve the writing of a paper where organizational tasks would require longer work periods and more intense concentration on the project without break. 8.Organize Material Meaningfully: Large masses of material are less threatening and more easily committed to memory when broken into smaller sections or categories. Envision each fact or idea as a part of that category or section, and then relate the sections to each other.It is also helpful when remembering a list of items to give extra attention and practice to those items in the middle of the list. Those items at the first and last of a list are recalled with greater accuracy than those within the list. 9.Learning by Association: In most cases, understanding the material is paramount in learning. However, there are times when it is necessary to remember facts that seemingly defy organization, in which case mnemonic devices can be helpful. (Example: "Thirty days has September"). This might include phrases or combinations or words which could be associated and adapted to material to be remembered, but mnemonic devices should be used only until you know the material so well that you no longer need them. The application of these principles should help you to improve your memory during study periods.

MEMORY SKILLS.

Have you found on occasion that you were unable to recall something learned but actually were trying to recall something "NOT LEARNED" in the first place? Unless the material was learned thoroughly at the time you read or heard it, you, in fact, never had it in your memory. This might be the case in any situation, whether it involves remembering names upon introduction or remembering facts or ideas from classroom lectures. Whenever the recall of information is important to you, the following principles should help you learn to remember: 1.Intend to Remember: We tend to learn in accordance with how much interest, incentive, and intention we have in learning. By the same token, we remember those things that we are motivated toremember, whether we are naturally interested or have created an interest and enthusiasm in learning the subject matter because we realize the ultimate benefits. Intending to rememberis, perhaps, the most vital learning task. 2.Selectively Choose Memory Tasks: Attempting to remember everything one sees or hears is an exercise in futility! Selecting the important topics, facts, and ideas and disregarding the least essential elements allows maximum memory to occur. Therefore, when studying, first skim the chapter outline to identify key concepts to be remembered. 3.Understand the Material: A poorly understood concept is difficult to remember because it has little meaning. For long-term recall, it is necessary to understand what you are trying to remember. 4.Review: Immediate review (after class lectures or textbook reading), even if for a few minutes, reinforces learning and remembering of material. The greatest amount of forgetting occurs directly after finishing the learning task (psychologists say within 20 minutes). Try reviewing notes immediately before and after class period to enhance recall. 5.Use All of Your Senses: Sight and hearing are the most important senses in acquiring information. Although both senses should be used, decide whether you are primarily a visual or an auditory learner. A visual learner should take copious notes. Visual learners tend to deal directly with the subject matter, and by taking notes, the material is presented more often and in different forms. Auditory learners should spend more time in reciting orally. For both learning styles, however, mental recitation is important in transferring material from short-term memory. Experts suggest 80 percent of textbook study should be involved in reciting and 20 percent in reading. 6.Associate New Material with Prior Knowledge: Learn new material by associating the new idea with something you already know about and are interested in. As new learning occurs with your later courses, this material will provide additional background with which to associate future learning. An important fact to remember is that the more you learn, the easier it is to learn more because you have a broader base for anchoring new information. 7.Use Short Study Periods Rather Than Cramming: As a general rule, short study periods interspersed with rest intervals are to be preferred over massed practice or cram sessions. The exception to this rule would involve the writing of a paper where organizational tasks would require longer work periods and more intense concentration on the project without break. 8.Organize Material Meaningfully: Large masses of material are less threatening and more easily committed to memory when broken into smaller sections or categories. Envision each fact or idea as a part of that category or section, and then relate the sections to each other.It is also helpful when remembering a list of items to give extra attention and practice to those items in the middle of the list. Those items at the first and last of a list are recalled with greater accuracy than those within the list. 9.Learning by Association: In most cases, understanding the material is paramount in learning. However, there are times when it is necessary to remember facts that seemingly defy organization, in which case mnemonic devices can be helpful. (Example: "Thirty days has September"). This might include phrases or combinations or words which could be associated and adapted to material to be remembered, but mnemonic devices should be used only until you know the material so well that you no longer need them. The application of these principles should help you to improve your memory during study periods.

MEMORY SKILLS.

Have you found on occasion that you were unable to recall something learned but actually were trying to recall something "NOT LEARNED" in the first place? Unless the material was learned thoroughly at the time you read or heard it, you, in fact, never had it in your memory. This might be the case in any situation, whether it involves remembering names upon introduction or remembering facts or ideas from classroom lectures. Whenever the recall of information is important to you, the following principles should help you learn to remember: 1.Intend to Remember: We tend to learn in accordance with how much interest, incentive, and intention we have in learning. By the same token, we remember those things that we are motivated toremember, whether we are naturally interested or have created an interest and enthusiasm in learning the subject matter because we realize the ultimate benefits. Intending to rememberis, perhaps, the most vital learning task. 2.Selectively Choose Memory Tasks: Attempting to remember everything one sees or hears is an exercise in futility! Selecting the important topics, facts, and ideas and disregarding the least essential elements allows maximum memory to occur. Therefore, when studying, first skim the chapter outline to identify key concepts to be remembered. 3.Understand the Material: A poorly understood concept is difficult to remember because it has little meaning. For long-term recall, it is necessary to understand what you are trying to remember. 4.Review: Immediate review (after class lectures or textbook reading), even if for a few minutes, reinforces learning and remembering of material. The greatest amount of forgetting occurs directly after finishing the learning task (psychologists say within 20 minutes). Try reviewing notes immediately before and after class period to enhance recall. 5.Use All of Your Senses: Sight and hearing are the most important senses in acquiring information. Although both senses should be used, decide whether you are primarily a visual or an auditory learner. A visual learner should take copious notes. Visual learners tend to deal directly with the subject matter, and by taking notes, the material is presented more often and in different forms. Auditory learners should spend more time in reciting orally. For both learning styles, however, mental recitation is important in transferring material from short-term memory. Experts suggest 80 percent of textbook study should be involved in reciting and 20 percent in reading. 6.Associate New Material with Prior Knowledge: Learn new material by associating the new idea with something you already know about and are interested in. As new learning occurs with your later courses, this material will provide additional background with which to associate future learning. An important fact to remember is that the more you learn, the easier it is to learn more because you have a broader base for anchoring new information. 7.Use Short Study Periods Rather Than Cramming: As a general rule, short study periods interspersed with rest intervals are to be preferred over massed practice or cram sessions. The exception to this rule would involve the writing of a paper where organizational tasks would require longer work periods and more intense concentration on the project without break. 8.Organize Material Meaningfully: Large masses of material are less threatening and more easily committed to memory when broken into smaller sections or categories. Envision each fact or idea as a part of that category or section, and then relate the sections to each other.It is also helpful when remembering a list of items to give extra attention and practice to those items in the middle of the list. Those items at the first and last of a list are recalled with greater accuracy than those within the list. 9.Learning by Association: In most cases, understanding the material is paramount in learning. However, there are times when it is necessary to remember facts that seemingly defy organization, in which case mnemonic devices can be helpful. (Example: "Thirty days has September"). This might include phrases or combinations or words which could be associated and adapted to material to be remembered, but mnemonic devices should be used only until you know the material so well that you no longer need them. The application of these principles should help you to improve your memory during study periods.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY 2

EXERCISE 2: Memorizing an Idea, Theory, or Abstract Statement Sample conceptual statement: Sigmund Freud introduced the importance of the unconscious mindin relation to human behavior. First, be sure you understand what the professor means by "introduced", "importance", "unconscious mind", and "human behavior". You can’t remember what you don’t know (haven’t learned). If the information has significance (meaning) for you, it will be more easily remembered, so try to find a reason that you would like to remember this concept. Like this: "I would like to know if my problems with anger have anything to do with my unconscious fears". (This is reaction). Now, relate this concept to a body of knowledge that already exists in your mind. Like this: "Freud’s theory of the unconscious is related to what I used to call the ‘hidden motives of my heart’, which they talk about in novels and in church. (You are practicing reflection). Now refresh your memory of this concept by thinking about it, or reviewing notes on it, or better yet, by explaining it to someone else. Refresh the day you learn the information, and again a couple of times in the following two weeks.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY

EXERCISE 2: Memorizing an Idea, Theory, or Abstract Statement Sample conceptual statement: Sigmund Freud introduced the importance of the unconscious mindin relation to human behavior. First, be sure you understand what the professor means by "introduced", "importance", "unconscious mind", and "human behavior". You can’t remember what you don’t know (haven’t learned). If the information has significance (meaning) for you, it will be more easily remembered, so try to find a reason that you would like to remember this concept. Like this: "I would like to know if my problems with anger have anything to do with my unconscious fears". (This is reaction). Now, relate this concept to a body of knowledge that already exists in your mind. Like this: "Freud’s theory of the unconscious is related to what I used to call the ‘hidden motives of my heart’, which they talk about in novels and in church. (You are practicing reflection). Now refresh your memory of this concept by thinking about it, or reviewing notes on it, or better yet, by explaining it to someone else. Refresh the day you learn the information, and again a couple of times in the following two weeks.