(David Cassolato)
The biggest challenge for students these days is mastering the ability to memorize concepts. Sometimes most of us wish that we have a photographic memory but what we don't realize is the fact that if we train our brain hard enough we wouldn't need a photographic memory. The more sophisticated and advanced we get, the more we tend to leave out the essential things that are crucial for our survival. Students these days are given assignments in classes to understand concepts and they score really well in all the assignments but are slacking off in the test areas.
Are you one of those people? You can do assignments really well but your tests don't reflect your hard work or you just become tired of studying when you have to memorize concepts. Whatever the problem may be, memorizing is an important skill that will enhance your brain's capabilities and open doors.
The purpose of this blog is to help students whose grades are affected because of their inability to memorize. Many subjects, such as physics, chemistry, biology, and others require students to memorize huge loads of concepts. Understanding the methods of memorization and mastering them will take your brain game to a new level and it can be useful outside your academic and work area as well.
Feilds where memorization is required:
(Burst)
You'd be surprised about the number of fields that require memorization. These fields are also high paying jobs that many people in the world compete for. Here are some of the fields where people require a lot of memorization:
- Radio or television announcer
- Environmental Engineer
- High school teacher/ Elementary teacher
- University Professor
- Foreign language teacher
These are just five of the fields where people are required to have a good memory. If you really think about it, almost all jobs require us to have a good memory because, in order to carry on the knowledge that we learned in high school and college, we must first remember them. This blog shows you memorizing tricks and ways you can make your brain comprehend difficult material.
Methods of memorization:
(Fancycrave.com)
The Loci technique:
The Greeks were one of the most intelligent people on the planet. Through so many discoveries and inventions, they have been able to make us do the impossible. They were so skilled that they even learned to do astronomy even when they didn't have telescopes. If something was missing they created it and they gave so much importance to gaining knowledge. It would have never been so easy for the Greeks to gain so much knowledge and retain all that information without having a good memorization method.
One of the popular methods that the Greeks used to remember important concepts and ideas was the Loci Technique. According to blog.toggl.com, this method was created around 2,500 years ago and a research study showed that there was 92.9% academic improvement with students engaging in the Loci studying technique.
This memorization strategy uses the concept of associating what you learn to a particular object. As you can tell from the numbers provided in the previous paragraph, this method is one of the best ways to memorize complicated and large content. The Loci studying technique works in such a way that it only helps you recall the material not help you distinguish between them or evaluate at a higher level. For example, if you have an exam that requires you to remember definitions only from a textbook or presentation then this type of method would be most helpful.
The way it works is simple. While trying to memorize the material try getting hold of the first thought that comes to your mind. Your brain would paint some type of picture in your head and it could be a memory, a place, an event or something. Remember that image as a trigger to help your brain recall information. You can also do this by looking at something around you and constantly repeating the text aloud to yourself as you stare at that object. Whenever you want to remember that specific material, think about the object you stared at while saying it out loud and your brain is most likely to recall what you memorized. These skills cannot be attained overnight but it could become much easier if you begin practicing it every day.
Try this method out now:
Step one:
Memorize this information: "One of the popular methods that the Greeks used to remember important concepts and ideas was the Loci Technique. According to blog.toggl.com, this method was created around 2,500 years ago and a research study showed that there was 92.9% academic improvement with students engaging in the Loci studying technique."
Step two:
Look at a particular object that is around you and repeat the sentence five to six times.
Step three:
Read the second memorization method that is mentioned in this blog and once you finish reading it look back at the object and try to recall what you memorized without looking above. Is it working? If you were able to remember a little bit or even all of it that's great you have a powerful memory already so take advantage of it. If it did not work out that's normal, don't worry about it because you need to give your brain time and practice to adjust. Just because you couldn't remember it doesn't mean your memory is bad. Give it time.
So what is the way in which we use this method? It's quite simple, all we have to do is understand what makes the transition in fictional books easily comprehendible and apply that same method in textbooks. Sequencing is the keyword in this process. Make sure that all your information is in a sequence. This makes it much easier for the brain to follow the information and recall it if you memorized it in a sequence of events. For example, if you are learning about how pathogens are killed in your body, this is how you would go:
Step one: Why should pathogens be killed?
Pathogens are disease-causing material that weakens the body, therefore, they need to be destroyed.
Step two: What helps kill pathogens in the body?
Phagocytes are the one's that neutralize the pathogens in the body
Step three: How are the pathogens killed?
Once pathogens enter the body, the body sends signals which make the phagocytes get to work. There is a certain material on the pathogens that helps the phagocytes distinguish them from normal cells The pathogens are gobbled up by the phagocytes and are neutralized.
This is how storytelling technique works. As you can see everything is in a sequence which makes it much easier for you to remember.
An example of this could be with memorizing concepts for your business class or maybe for your economic class. There are a lot of terms that one is supposed to remember in these classes and sometimes it's not easy to just read through and understand them. Grouping these terms can help quite a lot.
Step one: In this example, we will group words together based on alphabetical order
Here is a list of words:
Step two: Organize these words into alphabetical order
Group one:
Memorization tools:
This memorization strategy uses the concept of associating what you learn to a particular object. As you can tell from the numbers provided in the previous paragraph, this method is one of the best ways to memorize complicated and large content. The Loci studying technique works in such a way that it only helps you recall the material not help you distinguish between them or evaluate at a higher level. For example, if you have an exam that requires you to remember definitions only from a textbook or presentation then this type of method would be most helpful.
The way it works is simple. While trying to memorize the material try getting hold of the first thought that comes to your mind. Your brain would paint some type of picture in your head and it could be a memory, a place, an event or something. Remember that image as a trigger to help your brain recall information. You can also do this by looking at something around you and constantly repeating the text aloud to yourself as you stare at that object. Whenever you want to remember that specific material, think about the object you stared at while saying it out loud and your brain is most likely to recall what you memorized. These skills cannot be attained overnight but it could become much easier if you begin practicing it every day.
Try this method out now:
Step one:
Memorize this information: "One of the popular methods that the Greeks used to remember important concepts and ideas was the Loci Technique. According to blog.toggl.com, this method was created around 2,500 years ago and a research study showed that there was 92.9% academic improvement with students engaging in the Loci studying technique."
Step two:
Look at a particular object that is around you and repeat the sentence five to six times.
Step three:
Read the second memorization method that is mentioned in this blog and once you finish reading it look back at the object and try to recall what you memorized without looking above. Is it working? If you were able to remember a little bit or even all of it that's great you have a powerful memory already so take advantage of it. If it did not work out that's normal, don't worry about it because you need to give your brain time and practice to adjust. Just because you couldn't remember it doesn't mean your memory is bad. Give it time.
The storytelling technique:
A majority of people in the world have the capability of understanding something when it's being told in a narrative form. For example, there is a higher chance that one remembers the Hunger Games plot than the concepts of the physics textbook. This is mainly due to the fact that Hunger Games is in a story form, moving from one event to another in a logical order. It is not important if the content is logical or not but only the way in which it transitions from one event to another. This transition in narrative books is usually quite easier to comprehend and follow when compared to an educational textbook.So what is the way in which we use this method? It's quite simple, all we have to do is understand what makes the transition in fictional books easily comprehendible and apply that same method in textbooks. Sequencing is the keyword in this process. Make sure that all your information is in a sequence. This makes it much easier for the brain to follow the information and recall it if you memorized it in a sequence of events. For example, if you are learning about how pathogens are killed in your body, this is how you would go:
Step one: Why should pathogens be killed?
Pathogens are disease-causing material that weakens the body, therefore, they need to be destroyed.
Step two: What helps kill pathogens in the body?
Phagocytes are the one's that neutralize the pathogens in the body
Step three: How are the pathogens killed?
Once pathogens enter the body, the body sends signals which make the phagocytes get to work. There is a certain material on the pathogens that helps the phagocytes distinguish them from normal cells The pathogens are gobbled up by the phagocytes and are neutralized.
This is how storytelling technique works. As you can see everything is in a sequence which makes it much easier for you to remember.
Chunking:
Chunking is also a great memorizing process which helps you organize your material. This process involves one to group items together. This grouping can be based on many different things. It could be based on what's most comfortable to the brain, it could be based on alphabetical order, or it can be based on the way the sentence sounds. Whatever the way, grouping items together to memorize them is an excellent method to recall information. It will help you recall information for specific questions from a test and it will also help you remember other items that are associated with it for related questions. This method is very simple and it is something that you could have done in the past without noticing.An example of this could be with memorizing concepts for your business class or maybe for your economic class. There are a lot of terms that one is supposed to remember in these classes and sometimes it's not easy to just read through and understand them. Grouping these terms can help quite a lot.
Step one: In this example, we will group words together based on alphabetical order
Here is a list of words:
- Revenue
- Cost
- Return on investment
- Cash flow
- Collateral
- Accounts payable
- Accounts receivable
- Retained earnings
Step two: Organize these words into alphabetical order
Group one:
- Accounts payable
- Accounts retained
Group two:
- Cash flow
- Collateral
- Cost
Group three:
- Revenue
- Return on investment
- Retained earnings
Like the example above you would group words or definitions together and study them so that you can recall that definition and the words.
Memorization tools:
(Senne Hoekman)The internet is a big distraction for many people because they get so sidetracked while trying to study important material and this causes them to earn bad grades. On the other hand, there are also useful tools on the same distracting internet that can help you earn great grades as well. I have mentioned 4 useful tools that you can use to improve your memorizing efficiency. If you'd like you can use one of them or maybe use them all to understand what best suits you.
Flashcards
This is actually not an online material so sorry about that. This brings us back to the classic way of memorizing and that is writing things down. I'm sure that all of you reading this blog know the fact that writing helps you retain information much better than typing it out. Use flashcards to memorize content for your exams as they are very effective. Ask friends to help quiz you or you can shuffle the cards and quiz yourself when you are free. Try to have a keyword on one side of the flashcard and the definition or the answer on the other side. When quizzing yourself be sure to always flip and see the answer because there are times where you may let out small words or phrases that are highly important.
Quizlet
Since I am a person who loves computers and feels comfortable with doing work on my laptop I prefer using Quizlet as my flashcard. I personally feel like I am getting work done only when I am using my laptop and Quizlet helps me a lot. There are so many different ways to study on Quizlet. You can quiz yourself, play games and even learn online. It is totally free and that's one thing that I love about this online application. You just need to create an account with Quizlet and you can sync your tests and flashcards to your mobile devices. Quizlet offers you the chance to study from anywhere.
Evernote
Evernote is also an excellent app and it is mainly used for taking notes. This app also helps you remember things you have to do on a daily basis by having a task option. Through this option, you can list all the tasks of the day because you don't want to practice with daily tasks just in case you forget. This app is mainly for note-taking. Note-taking is very important in the memorization process because you need to be able to write all the information down and condense them one by one. Check out Evernote and it may help you.
Studyblue
Study blue is another excellent tool that helps you with your study material. It has a flashcards option where you can make flashcards and test yourself. Some teachers in high school upload material to this website and here they can assign certain assignments or quizzes and it becomes much easier for the students to access and study. The interesting fact about study blue is that you can create your own quiz or flashcards and share it with your colleagues. In this way, you will not only be helping yourself but also others that need help.
Recollecting information for tests:
(kaboompics.com) Alright, so the whole point of learning to be good at memorizing is to make sure that you can recall material when you are in a test situation. Memorizing material for the night before a test is not the way to obtain an A+. To win any battle there always must be a decisive strategy. There might be other people who don't study but still get an A+ on every test but ignore them because they will not obtain the knowledge you do if you organize yourself properly. The organization strategy is key to a successful life. If you are able to organize your work, you will have a much more relaxed process of studying it. Therefore organize your study sessions properly throughout the week.
The first step is to schedule the study times as soon as you get information on the test date. In most schools and universities the teachers give a one week notice before the test or give you an entire schedule of when you will have each test. So once you know when you will have to write the test, start scheduling the days that you will study. Studying one or two hours for a topic is the best way to start. Or you can break down the sessions into 20 minutes of studying and 10 minutes of moving around or sitting outside. Avoid using your phone during the 10-minute break. Gossip on social media can easily scatter your attention when you get back to the 20- minute study session.
The night before the test make sure that you don't think too much about it. Have fun that day and make sure to keep things light. Get out of arguments and avoid problems with people and try to keep your mind as positive as possible. This is important because the previous day's problems can have a massive effect on the test. Be sure to eat a good amount of food and keep your stomach full. When I tell you to eat good food I don't mean go to the nearest McDonalds and eat 10 McChickens. Try to eat something that is nourishing or make sure to save some good nutritious food earlier to have the night before the exam.
On the day of the exam wake up early in the morning and do some good meditation. Get a really good shower and dress professionally. Wearing formal clothes for a test situation can really increase your brain activity because it makes your brain think you are in a work situation. Style yourself in a way that you look good to yourself and others. Eat a good breakfast and slowly recall some of the information that you learned at night. Try to avoid using your phone or laptop too much before the test and have a quick 20-minute study session where you can read through one last time.
Before heading inside the test be sure to not talk to others about the test nor do any last-minute studying. Be well prepared before the situation and focus only on the material that you remember. While receiving the test be sure to follow the instructions and read all the material carefully because the instructions are made only for your benefit. Spend as much time as you can in the room answering all the questions and don't feel obligated to rush because others have finished. Use the time that has been given to you. Try to focus on the material you remember. All these things will surely help a lot to recall information during the test and if you don't believe me, try just once and then reflect.
Exercises to improve memory: 
(Pixabay)
There are many simple exercises that one can do daily to improve their memorization ability. This will strengthen the brain and keep sicknesses like dementia away. These exercises are so simple but have a lot of effect on the brain. For example, these day's all that people do is drive looking at the map. Without this app on their mobile phones or cars, they would not know the direction in which to go. On the other hand, if people memorized the route they would not have to worry about a phone and only about the gas in the tank. The simplest method would be to memorize the road to certain places when you go on a trip or a drive somewhere. There are always occasions where you will be having to drive or go to certain places on a different route. Each time try to remember the way back instead of the way to get there. This improves your memorizing ability greatly. Another thing to do would be to find new ways to get to certain places. This exercise engages your brain and your memorizing power.
Another exercise is to read things out loud. Reading material out loud helps you hear the information and therefore it will get stuck in your brain. There is a lot of power in the process of saying things out loud. Reading your material out loud will send faster signals to your brain enabling it to remember the material better and of course, it will help keep you awake. If you are constantly reading something in your mind, there is a high chance that you will fall asleep. Make sure you don't read out loud in a library and scare everyone around you. Try to find an outside area with fewer people just in case you are a little shy. In relation to this exercise, there is one that will help you memorize better as well. I suggest not to use this exercise if you are starting out for the first time or if you have an important test coming up. So if you'd like to gradually improve your memory try to concentrate on reading some book or fantasy story as you listen to music. Make sure the music that you listen to is not classical or study-oriented music. Listen to something like Rock music or a type of music that has a lot of words and different instruments. This will help train you to differentiate from the distraction in the long run and make you concentrate on the work you are supposed to do.
Foods that help with memorization:
(Trang Doan)
You are what you eat. This is probably the 100th time you hear that phrase and are probably thinking that reading this section is the worst and wanting to skip it but don't! This is the most important section because this method right here will help you increase your memorizing ability without even having to try. Eating nutritious foods give you the advantage of being able to memorize larger content at a faster pace. So if you'd really like to be the person who doesn't study a lot and still gets an A+ then here is your way. But remember a person who is able to study faster is different from a person who doesn't study. The one who studies faster makes space for the brain to obtain more knowledge, the one who doesn't study does not give anything to his or her brain. So choose who you want to be.
Getting back to the topic, here are some foods that you will have to at least try to improve your memorization ability.
First, on the list, we have something that will definitely surprise you and that is Coffee! Yes, coffee helps in obtaining a good memory. I hope that this was surprising to all of you as it was for me because the highlight of my morning is my wonderful cup of coffee. Caffeine keeps your brain awake and alert and this, in turn, gives you the ability to memorize things better when you wake up from a long rest. Coffee is known to make you feel good therefore you will feel better studying or memorizing after you have a cup of coffee. Interestingly, coffee is known to have a positive impact on your concentration and therefore sharpens it throughout the day making it easier for you to complete your tasks
Another useful food for improving your memory is dark chocolate. Dark chocolate also has some caffeine in it and some other components that boost your brains activity level. According to certain studies, there is a higher level of positive feelings in a person who has consumed chocolate. Besides these two amazing foods, there are others that are helpful as well. Some of them include nuts, oranges, eggs, blueberries, and green tea.
Having a nutritious diet that is also tasty is a great way to boost your memory and your feelings. Eating these foods mentioned can be refreshing for your body and your mind.
Hope that all this information helps you in some way. Please remember to check out our Facebook page for updates on more blogs and be sure to comment below what you'd like for me to write about next. If you have any comments, questions and concerns please leave them down in the comments. All the best guys have a good one.
First, on the list, we have something that will definitely surprise you and that is Coffee! Yes, coffee helps in obtaining a good memory. I hope that this was surprising to all of you as it was for me because the highlight of my morning is my wonderful cup of coffee. Caffeine keeps your brain awake and alert and this, in turn, gives you the ability to memorize things better when you wake up from a long rest. Coffee is known to make you feel good therefore you will feel better studying or memorizing after you have a cup of coffee. Interestingly, coffee is known to have a positive impact on your concentration and therefore sharpens it throughout the day making it easier for you to complete your tasks
Another useful food for improving your memory is dark chocolate. Dark chocolate also has some caffeine in it and some other components that boost your brains activity level. According to certain studies, there is a higher level of positive feelings in a person who has consumed chocolate. Besides these two amazing foods, there are others that are helpful as well. Some of them include nuts, oranges, eggs, blueberries, and green tea.
Having a nutritious diet that is also tasty is a great way to boost your memory and your feelings. Eating these foods mentioned can be refreshing for your body and your mind.
Hope that all this information helps you in some way. Please remember to check out our Facebook page for updates on more blogs and be sure to comment below what you'd like for me to write about next. If you have any comments, questions and concerns please leave them down in the comments. All the best guys have a good one.
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