“I’ve never
had a good memory”. If you believ e this you will be glad to know that a ‘good
memory’ is not something you are born with. Memory skills can be developed by
using a combination of attention techniques and rehearsals study strategies.
As we go on we use A STUDENT AS OUR CASE STUDY
ATTENTION TECHNIQUES. Attention
is your memory gate keeper, selecting
the
information which is most important for you to focus on and filtering out
distractions
not important to your learning process.
A
similar situation happens when you finish attending a lecture or reading your
text book, and a short time later you can’t recall
what
you heard or read. You were physically present, but not paying attention or
concentrating on what information was most
important
for you to remember.
BEFORE
LECTURE
Be
familiar with the material for each lecture so you will know what to expect and
can focus your attention during class.
• Look at your syllabus
before each class to identify the topic for the lecture.
• Read your text book
chapter summary before you go to class.
• Download the professor’s PowerPoint slides or note taking outline and review them before class.
• Develop an interest
in your class/subject. Can you remember lines from a favorite
movie? Probably, because it is
easier
to remember information that you find interesting and relevant. With effort, it
is possible to find something
meaningful
about any class so that you are involved enough to relate to and remember the
information.
DURING
LECTURE
When
you lose concentration, take a minute to refocus.
• Stop taking notes and just
listen.
• Think about why
the information is important to you.
• Ask yourself a
question. This is a very simple task you can do
during any lecture.
Question: How does this
material relate to something I already know?
During
an Econ 1500 lecture, you are introduced to the concept of supply and demand.
Ask yourself: How
does this
relate to something I
already know? You think of buying gas that morning and
how the price keeps going up.
Relating
economics concepts to something in your life increases your interest and
attention and makes it more likely
you
will remember the information.
AFTER
LECTURE
• List the terms or concepts that were confusing.
• Write down questions about information that didn’t make sense to you.
These
will focus your attention on items you need to follow up with when you study
that evening or that you need to clarify
with
your professor.
STUDY
TIME
Many
students have good intentions to study but spend time ineffectively going
through notes or mindlessly flipping through a
chapter.
If this sounds like you, there are solutions to help focus your attention.
• Make a specific study
goal. Identify exactly what you need to
accomplish in the time you have available to study,
whether
it’s 30 minutes or two hours. When you set specific study goals, your attention
is directed to achieving concrete,
observable
results.
All
of us have had the experience while driving of arriving at our destination
without remembering how we got there. “Did I run
a red light?” “What
road did I take to get here?” This
happens when our attention is focused on things other than our main
task
of driving to our destination. We missed important details, so we arrived but
don’t remember the journey!
o I’m going to study Biology 1010 this
afternoon. (poor study goal; not specific)
o I need to read Chapter 9 for my Biology 1010
test next week because Dr. M. said there would be test questions on the
material. I have 2
hours from 2:30-4:30 p.m. before I have to go to work. I’ll read the chapter
summary and chapter
questions, then I’ll
take notes on the first 10 pages and review them. (specific study goal that will keep you focused)
• Location, location,
location! Keep your work space clean and organized
to minimize distractions. Study in an area
similar
to the test environment, which means at a desk or table in a quiet area with
minimal distractions, not your couch or
bed.
Avoid cell phones, computer, TV - whatever is not necessary to complete your
study goal.
• Take brief breaks to refocus. Take a five minute break and write down all that is
on your mind to “download” your
distractions
so they stop getting in your way. Review your study goal to refocus your
attention.
• Evaluate your study
session.
o What
things worked well? What things distracted or prevented you from studying?
o Was
your location a good study environment? What needs to change if it wasn’t?
o Did
you meet your study goal? What goals do you need for your next study session?
REHEARSAL STUDY
STRATEGIES. Rehearsal is the ability to organize and
review information in a way that you can truly
understand
and remember it. Actors rehearse their scripts in varied and deep ways to
create award-winning performances.
College
students must also rehearse information to create learning and good grades.
Many
students use shallow rehearsal strategies such as verbal repetition and flash
cards. You absorb some information (like
getting
wet in one foot of water), but it is unlikely you learned deeply the more
complex information you need to know to do well
on
tests. Using shallow rehearsal strategies creates the “Six Hour D” when you study for many hours but still do poorly on a
test
because. Using the rehearsal strategies that follow will improve your learning
and memory.
Summarize lecture
notes. Creating summaries is a very powerful
memory tool. Within 24-48 hours of each lecture, review
your
notes and write a brief summary of the main ideas you learned. Imagine telling
a friend what you learned in class, because
the
key is to put all of the information into your own words. Summaries can be
paragraphs, outlines, or even diagrams or
charts.
Biology
2420 Human Anatomy:
a basic diagram of how blood is oxygenated
Sociology
1010: a chart comparing the four types of family systems
Psychology
1010: a paragraph describing the origins of behavioral psychology
Create visual
organizers. Organizing information visually makes a
strong impression that you remember longer. Visual
organizers
such as charts allow you to easily see relationships among concepts. Diagrams
and concept maps are invaluable
when
you must learn a process or a cycle (e.g., how rocks are formed; the sleep
cycle).
Prepare your own
Question/Answer Study Guide1. Not all professors provide study guides, so create your own.
Using
lecture
notes and assigned reading, create multiple choice and short answer questions.
Create “deep water” questions that
start
with how
and why and
are similar to the type your professor asks on tests.
Use Reciprocal
Questioning1.
This strategy requires a study partner. The “teacher” asks a question from your
study guide,
lecture
notes, or text book. The “student” answers. If the student answers incorrectly,
the teacher provides hints to guide
him/her
to the correct answer. Reciprocal Questioning is an excellent rehearsal
strategy because it requires you to actively
learn
by using multiple senses, monitoring your learning, and using your own words.
All of these activities result in
understanding
and remembering more information.
Make concept cards1. This is a flash card on steroids! Using
a 3x5 card:
1.
Write the key concept that you want to learn on the front of the card.
2.
Write the organizing term or phrase in the top right-hand corner. The
organizing term is the category under which the
key
concept is grouped.
3.
On the back of the card, write the information you want to learn about the
concept – in your own words. Use pictures
and diagrams
to make the information easier to remember.
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