The Best Memorisation Techniques for Students
Date Published: November 16, 2020
With the examination season already having started, it is always great to have a few extra tips when it comes to studying. This is especially true for subjects that have a lot of theory that you need to memorise off by heart.
Here are a few of the best memorisation techniques to get you prepared for the end year examinations.
- Acronyms
- Acrostics
- Keywords
- Sleep
- Learn by Mistake
- Repetition
- Story Lining
- Dramatising
Acronyms
Acronyms are a great thing to use when you have to remember things in order. Take the first letter of every word in the section you need to memorise and make a fancy new word.
For example, FYEO is an acronym for this phrase: For Your Eyes Only.
Acrostics
Acrostics are a great way to jog your memory during an exam. Similar to the above, you take the first letter of everything you need to remember, only this time you turn it into a sentence.
For example, The Dog Barked At The Door would be an acrostic for Thyme, Dill, Basil, Aniseed, Tarragon, Dandelion.
Click here to learn a bit more about acrostics.
Keywords
Keywords are a great way for you to recall information. Use either rhymes, images or distinctive words to help you remember your work.
For example, if you have to remember that the makeup of surgical steel is the element iron, draw a clothing iron next to the word surgical steel.
That way when you study, you will remember the picture and remember the work.
Sleep on it
It has been proven that if you sleep for at least 15 minutes after you have studied a section or a topic, your brain will retain the information 50% faster.
Try reading through your notes before you go to bed. That way, you can retain a lot more information than you think.
Learn By Mistake
A great way to learn the right answer is to first choose the wrong answer. If you have answered a question incorrectly and know the incorrect answer, you are more likely to write the correct one in the exam.
This is because negative emotions are a stronger trigger than positive emotions. That way we will almost always remember which answer was wrong.
With this method, you are unlikely to make the same mistake. Practise past papers- you are likely to get the answers that you got wrong in the practice, right in the exam.
Repetition
Whether it is through doing, reading or listening, repetition is a great way to remember all your work.
- Listening: Listening to subject matter repetitively can sometimes make it easier to remember. This works well with language, the more we listen the easier it is to repeat. The same way we listen to songs and learn the lyrics without actively trying to memorise them.
- Reading: Repetitive reading is a great way to memorise your work. The more you read, the easier it will be to remember stuff.
- Doing: The more you practise, the better you will get at the work. This counts for practical skills too, like playing music.
Story Lining
If you create a story around the information that you need to know, you are more likely to remember it. This fun nature of learning is very interactive and can help you remember difficult information in a story-like setting.
It is also a great way to string bits of information together and help yourself stick to timelines and chronological orders.
Dramatize
Acting out some of your information or topics is a great way to remember them. The dramatisation helps you associate actions to your work.
This is a great way to memorise work if the other options above are not working out.
Author: Andrea Frisby