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Improving your memory :
Memory is not merely a
tool for efficient study. It is an essential
part of our life and progress. Without a memory,
we would be totally helpless!
Some facts about memory
: We do not have a single, general memory,
but a group of specialized memories e.g. a
memory for figures, faces, numbers … through an
endless list.
The senses –
slight, hearing, touch … play an important part
in the memory process. Scotland Yard inspectors
train to use their eyes, and never pass a face
without noting some outstanding feature.
Memory is like a filing
cabinet – information is stored under
categories.
It is like a storehouse
– where experiences are recorded in the brain as
memory ‘traces’. If you think of the same thing
repeatedly, the traces grow deeper and become
more permanent.
Memory operates like a
"neural habit". Things seen and heard together
cohere together and are remembered in this way.
This is called association.
Why we forget : We
easily forget whatever we feel is unimportant,
uninteresting and dull. Research has also shown
that there is a time frame within which we
forget e.g.
Half is forgotten in the
first one hour
Two-third in 9 hours
64% after 24 hours
74% after 6 days
78% after 1 month
Practical Implications
:
- First of all, KNOW your strengths. What
and how do you ‘naturally’ remember best?
- Some remember best by seeing. They see it in
their mind’s eye, and are confident that they
are correct.
- Others have a good auditory memory. It helps
them to read aloud, to listen, use tapes, teach,
and talk – even to their dog!
- Most people use a combination of senses,
though they recognize their special strengths.
- Pay attention and be interested – very
interested. Many great men did not have
particularly good memories, but displayed
superior capacity in the area of their interest.
Churchill displayed genius in areas of interest
-- but he could never remember where he placed
his glasses or his false teeth!
Use association – the more other facts a fact is
associated with, the better. Association
involves:
– Similarity (cigarettes – cigars)
– Opposites (good – bad)
– Togetherness (Romeo – Juliet)
Use repetition. Repeat before you forget. When
you wish to remember what is important, or what
needs to be learnt in detail e.g. formulae, try
this time scale:
Repeat :
a) Almost immediately after it is presented
b) After 1 hour
c) After 24 hours; thereafter
d) After 2 days – 6 days – 1 month
Difficulties – and how to cope with some of them
Concentration – depends on the balance of
interests at the moment. Give more weight and
importance to your studies and balance them
against another interest. Motives help in this.
Tiredness / ‘Fed-upness’ – The trick is not to
give up, to persist despite your feelings. After
you persist for sometime, a strange thing
happens: the tiredness lifts – and you are
underway
Procrastination, postponing – DIVE into your
work – RUSH in, start at once. Don’t give
yourself time to utter the word "later on".
Persist for a while, and the same phenomenon as
above will occur.
Lack of progress, despite efforts – Go for help
to a teacher, your parents, a counselor. There
may be a temporary block or obstacle where you
need support; more easy to correct if you go
early
Mnemonic devices (from the Greek goddess of
memory) used to remember isolated facts through
the use of ‘catch words’, acronyms, etc. E.g.
telephone No. 2843: too – late – for – tea
Acronyms – from the first
letter of every word e.g. UNICEF, UNO etc
Try not to use devices in your serious study if
you can do without them. Interesting generally
and fun – but can create painful dependency in
some.
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