Study Tips to Improve Your Memory

Our brains are wired to forget. There is no such thing as a BAD memory – just an UNTRAINED memory!

The reason why many students do not retain what they are learning is that the way they study only gets the information as far as their short term memory, and then before long, it is forgotten instead of being encoded into long term memory.

Our brains are wired to forget so try these top three memory techniques from neuroscience to help you to improve the process of creating powerful memories. This will reinforce your learning and assist with your exam preparation.

3 Top Study Tips to Improve Your Memory

 1. Focus, positive attitude and intention to remember are essential.

• Reading something half-heartedly while bored pretty much guarantees it won’t be retained
• You will learn something better if you enjoy what you are learning as positive emotions tend to help you remember more complex things.

2. An active approach to learning where students are ‘doing’ rather than just ‘reading’.

• Taking handwritten notes rather than using your laptop allows you to remember more and have a deeper understanding of the material.
• Read more about this in the following Scientific American article – A Learning Secret: Don’t Take Notes with a Laptop.
• Making brain-friendly notes: lists, highlighting, categories, grouping, graphics helps organise your material.

 3. Repetition and constant review of the material over a period of time. 

• It takes 30 repetitions to learn something simple.
• Each time a review takes place the brain fires all the neurons connected to that memory and the more often that happens the stronger the connections between the neurons and the more intense and powerful the memory that is created.

To learn more about the brain and memory and advanced memory techniques visit the Brain and Memory unit on www.studyskillshandbook.com.au (click on the For Students tab).

Images: public domain