Improve your memory! Having a good memory can be pretty useful at exam time. Here are some ideas on how to improve yours…

Focus! You won’t remember something if you weren’t paying attention in the first place! If you are struggling to concentrate, stop doing anything else. If you are easily distracted, remove the distractions or find somewhere quieter.

Know your own style Adapt information to suit your learning style. Many people are visual learners, and they find reading and visualising information most helpful. Auditory learners will remember more by listening. Kinaesthetic learners like doing active things most. What’s your style?

Use your senses Try to associate information with textures, objects, tastes and smells. Try repeating key ideas out loud in a rhythmic pattern. Write down information from memory as often as you can – doing this helps embed it in your memory.

Make the connection Link new information to things you already remember. Build on what you already know. Making your own concept maps is always a handy way of visualising how ideas and events interconnect.

Get organised Write your notes in short blocks and organise them afterwards. See if you can find useful ways of linking information together, or of finding new categories to arrange them in. Add pictures to make facts memorable.

Rehearse, rehearse Try to recall new information frequently the same day you receive it, and then for a few days afterwards. Many people believe this approach is far more effective than cramming.

Believe it Don’t keep reminding yourself how bad your memory is. Stay motivated and believe you can learn and remember all that you need.

Mnemonics Mnemonics are simple clues that help us remember things, usually with a phrase, word or image. Here are some approaches… Try writing nonsense sentences in which the first letter of each word represents the initial of what you want to remember. Create your own acronyms by taking the first letters of the words within a key phrase or list and creating a pronounceable word.

More mnemonics Concoct a funny poem or rhyme that summarises some key facts. Many people find they remember such rhymes for years afterwards! Link information to vivid, colourful and pleasant images – they’ll automatically become more memorable.

Even more mnemonics Break information down into smaller chunks. The human brain finds it easier to digest and reproduce information when it’s in bite-size pieces. Create your own memory journey – imagine a journey that you know well and try to link pieces of information to various landmarks along the way.