Attentive individuals are easily able to grasp and learn information into the ‘first memory registers’ of their minds. However, in order to retain more concepts one needs to make that ‘ memory traces concrete and store them in the long-term permanent memory.’ Further are listed some strategies and hacks suggested by psychological researchers and professionals for enhancing memory retention and recall.
● CONSCIOUS ATTENTION WHILE LEARNING
The more attentive you will be during the learning process, the better will be the traces of information in the first (temporary) memory register of your mind. Attention is one of the primary prerequisites to ensure better memory retention.
● STOP CRAMMING IMMEDIATELY
One significant advice of for mental health professionals is not to pile up concept recall at the last minute. They advise keeping it regular, and frequent. Cramming at the last minute is not considered a robust approach for effective learning and retention.
● SELF TESTING
Psychologists stress a well-timed ‘self-testing’ as a way to improve learning retention. Recalling the learned information with ‘written’ practice does 2 significant things. One, it lets you know the lessons/topics you need to understand with more clarity; two, it gives you a boost of self-confidence when you realize the amount of knowledge you have been able to gather. Also, it keeps you in the habit of writing, so you are able to effortlessly write in the examination hall.
● EMPLOYING MNEMONICS
We never realized but our teachers at school gave us mnemonics as hacks to learn the periodic table or the sequence of planets. Mnemonic devices are tools used to associate a term, or sentence to another concept. The best mnemonics are those that use positive imagery or humor. Come up with a rhyme, song, or joke to help remember a specific segment of information.
For example, Mnemonics are used in school in order to memorize all planets in serial order.
My Mercury
Very Venus
Educated Earth
Mother Mars
Just Jupiter
Served Saturn
Us Uranus
Noodles Neptune
● VISUAL IMAGERY
Many people benefit from visualizing the information they study. Info-graphics or association of learned information to ‘visuals’ helps us recall the information through those visuals. Attending carefully to the photographs and charts in your textbooks can greatly help take information from memory registers to permanent memory. When data is presented visually, it is easier for your mind to ‘perceive, retain and recall.’ Make use of flow charts, hierarchy charts, pie charts, and graphs. Use colored pens, or highlighters to segregate information when learning. Author Austin Kleon is a person whose work you should check, in order to get a better idea of how to make informal info-graphics for the perception of concepts. The following diagram gives an idea of how you can lay information visually.
Fig. Blockchain Technology for Automated AUdits (The Chartered Accountant, April ‘22)
● LOUD RECALL
Psychologists suggest loud recall via explanation is a great way to enhance memory retention, when you teach/explain to others; you’re re-enforcing the memory traces in your memory register making them more concrete.
● VARIETY IN STUDYING ROUTINE
As a small practice, professionals suggest changing one’s studying routine and location off and on. Sitting in the garden, a library, a study cafe, and a co-working space are all the locations you can try studying at. This keeps you away from monotony.
● PUT YOURSELF TO GOOD SLEEP
It is said that the brain cells need sleep to function well. The better your sleep cycles are, the healthier your brain cells and the better is your memory retention. Do not deprive yourself of sleep.
I wish you all the very best for your upcoming exams…!