Handouts
More Memorization or More Understanding
Introduction
In this tutorial, you will learn that there are two types of memorization and
you will be given some suggestions on how to memorize better in both
types.
Which type you need
Some subject content requires you to memorize a lot of details but some
requires you only to memorize the general concepts but to understand how
the concepts are interrelated instead. You have to think beforehand what is
actually needed because it represents very different learning approaches
and strategies.
Less memorizing but more understanding
In most learning situations, you are not required to remember the identical
words by which something is expressed. You need to remember ideas and
concepts and how they are related with each other.
For this general type of memory tasks, the following advice should help.
1.
Most importantly, memory can be improved by constant revision of the
study material.
2.
A true understanding of the material, so that you see how the newly
acquired knowledge is related to the existing knowledge in your mind
also makes the learning long-term.
3.
Discussing the subject matter with friends is another way to help
memory.
4.
Some like the idea of teaching things newly acquired to their friends to
consolidate learning.
5.
Use flow charts, interesting diagrams, and tables that sketch the
relationships of the concepts and ideas you have learned. By working
on the information and by looking at them in a visualized format help
consolidate learning.
6.
Keeping a good and fit body state also helps memory. That means
you should pay attention to your diet, sleep well and do appropriate
amount of exercise.
7.
Lastly, studying in your most productive hours and in stress-free
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atmosphere also helps memory.
Memorizing details
In the not so common cases where you are required to remember the exact
wordings of, for example, a term definition or a quote, you should highlight
or write on separate pieces of paper the things that require your verbatim
memorization and revise them regularly.
Mnemonic devices
In cases where you are required to remember formulae, or lists of numbers,
names, and words that seem to be unrelated with each others, some small
memorization techniques, or called mnemonic devices, can help.
Another mnemonic device is to pick the first letter of each term to form
acronyms.
Example:
How would you form an acronym out of ““Multiply and Divide before you Add
and Subtract”?
Use MDAS to stand for “Multiply and Divide before you Add and Subtract”;
and if that is not easy enough for you, use MDAS to rewrite a meaningful
sentence like “My Dear Aunt Sally” to help memory.
You will also find remember easier if you can visualize some relationship
among the items. It is because we have a stronger memory for images,
stories, and meaningful relationships than for a group of unrelated things.
Example:
Think of a way to remember the parts of the ear in the sequence “ear drum”,
“hammer”, “anvil, “stirrup”, “oval window”, “cochlea”, and “auditory nerve”.
Use the visualizing method.
You can picture yourself in a story about same strange things you met one
day:
You stepped on a drum (ear drum) the first thing in the morning when you
left home and then you were nearly hit by a falling hammer (hammer). Then,
you saw an ant (anvil) caught on a drop of syrup (stirrup) and you also saw
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that behind an oval window (oval window) there sat a cock (cochlea). You
found a cable on the floor and picked it up. You heard sounds coming out
from it (auditory nerve).
Summary
In this tutorial, you have learnt that not everything in a course require
memorization. Very often, understanding is needed.
You have also learnt some ways to enhance memory of board concepts and
understanding, and some ways to help memorizing the details.