Article: When Studying Doesn't Work
Retaining Information for a Short Period of Time
School
exams are often a test to see how well a student retained what was taught.
Most elementary through high-school students only need to remember
historical facts or story specifics for a short time: long enough to get
through the test. There are many ways to study, but memorization is the
key. Things need to be learned to the point of memorizing them. Therefore,
unless you have a photographic memory, simply reading the text isn’t
enough.
Start early
The key to any successful
memorization is to start early. In other words, don’t cram. Throw away
that “I do better under pressure” attitude. That may work for bursts of
creativity and inspiration, but not for memorizing. According to an
article from Cal Poly Pomona, “Reviewing is much more effective if
carried out before memories have entirely escaped than it is after
considerable time has elapsed. Repetitions should be strung out over as
long a time as is available. We remember better if we pause a little
between periods of study.”
Class time isn’t enough
You do need to study;
just hearing something in class isn’t enough. Here’s a depressing thought
to reinforce that: On average, we’ll forget more during the first hour
after learning something than during the next 24 hours. So during the hour
after your class lecture, you’ll forget 50% of what you just heard.
But the forgetting continues! “We will forget more, on the average,
during the first day than we will during the next thirty days. Whatever is
left after thirty days time, we will probably be able to hold on to
without much further loss for years to come.”
Flash cards
Flash cards are a good way to
memorize things. Write the word or question on one side, the answer on
another. Read the question, try to answer it, and review the solution. Put
it in the “I know this!” if you’re right, or in the “Study these” pile if
you’re wrong.
Matching cards
Flash cards can be tedious, so
consider matching cards. Write the question on one square of paper, the
answer on another. Write a number of the back to match them. Make a pile
of these cards, then match them up. Check the numbers on the back to see
if you were right.
With the ones you missed, create a mnemonic to help you remember the
answer. Then repeat these until you know all of them. Finally, play the
matching game again and again until you can do them without missing
any.
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