McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part Two, Study Skills Building a Powerful Memory Objectives: This chapter will show you how to develop your memory by: Organizing the material to be learned Intending to remember Testing yourself repeatedly Using several memory techniques Spacing memory work over several sessions Overlearning Studying before sleep

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Memorization can be an important aid to understanding. Effective memorization requires that you organize and repeatedly test yourself on the material to be learned. As you do this, you are sure to enlarge your comprehension of the material and notice relationships you had not seen before. Memorization and understanding reinforce one another.

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Seven steps to memorize effectively: 1.Organize the material to be learned. 2.Intend to remember. 3.Test yourself repeatedly on the material to be memorized. 4.Use several memory techniques. 5.Space memory work over several sessions. 6.Overlearn the material. 7.Use as a study period the time just before going to bed.

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Step One: Organize the material to be learned Organize the material you want to memorize in some meaningful way. Memorizing random items is difficult. Put the material in some kind of order.

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Step Two: Intend to remember It is important that you decide to remember. If you make the decision to remember something, and then work to master it, you will remember it. Anyone can improve his or her memory by working at it.

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Step Three: Test yourself repeatedly on the material to be memorized After you have organized the material you intend to learn, memorize it through repeated self-testing. After you learn each new item, go back and test yourself on all previous items. This constant review is a the heart of self- testing, and is the key to effective memorization.

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Step Four: Use several memory techniques. Use several senses Recite material out loud so you can hear it. Write it down so you can both see and touch it. Use key words Key words stand for ideas. If you remember the word, you remember the central idea that it represents. Use catchwords Use catchphrases (The last two are sometimes called mnemonic devices.)

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Step Five: Space memory work over several sessions Spacing memory work over several time periods gives you a chance to review and lock in material you have studied in an earlier session but have begun to forget. Try to review new material within 24 hours after you first study it. If possible, review it again several days later. If you work consistently to retain ideas and details, they are not likely to escape you when you need them during an exam.

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Step Six: Overlearn the material If you study a subject beyond the time needed for perfect recall, you will increase the length of time that you will remember it.

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Step Seven: Use as a study period the time just before going to bed Study material thoroughly. Then go right to sleep without watching television or allowing other activities to interfere with your new learning. Your mind will work through and absorb much of this material during the night. If you get up earlier than usual for one last review, this will solidly fix the material in your memory.