LEARN TO REMEMBER Mrs. Sheppard

Study Skills

MEMORY What is memory?

According to the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, memory is:

In other words, memory is being able to retrieve information stored in your brain at a later time for you to use.

the store of things learned and retained from an organism's activity or experience as evidenced by modification of structure or behavior or by recall and recognition

HUMANS HAVE TO DO THREE THINGS TO REMEMBER INFORMATION

First – Get it.Second – Store it.Third – Retrieve it.

Your brain is similar to a computer. You enter information into a computer, you save it in named files and you retrieve it when you need it again.

TWO TYPES OF MEMORY

The brain stores information in two ways in short-term and long-term memory. Short Term Memory

Short term memory retains information briefly, especially if the information isn’t very important to you.

Example – looking up a telephone number Long Term Memory

Long term information holds information for months, years, even permanently . Your brain transfers the information from short-term (forgetable) memory into a place where you can remember it whenever you need it.

The goal with school work is to move it from short-term memory to long-term memory.

MNEMONIC DEVICES OR MEMORY TECHNIQUES

You can use memory devices to help you move school-related information into long term memory. These techniques will help you retrieve the information whenever you need it.

Acronyms Acrostics Imaging Visualization Association Rehearsal

ACRONYMS

An acronym is a work or phrase created by shortening a much longer phrase.

They are often created by using the first initial of each work in a phrase and are short and easy to remember.

Acronyms can be used for names, dates, formulas, or whatever.

Examples: NATO – North Atlantic

Treaty Organization NASA – National

Aeronautics and Space Administration

NFCC – North Fulton Community Charities

HOMES – Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior (an acronym for the 5 great lakes)

IMAGING

Visual images create familiar pictures that you then associate with information you need to recall. You will be surprised by how easy it is to remember even unrelated things if you make these connecting images in your mind.

Example: If you were trying to

remember that Sacramento is the capital of California, you could picture the state of California being stuffed into a sack, One you had the hint of “sack” it’s likely you would remember the entire word “Sacramento.”

ACROSTICS

Acrostics uses the first letter of each word to make a sentence .

Example: Music students need to

remember the notes, E, G, B, D, F, on the lines of the treble clef by saying. “Every Good Boy Does Fine.”

Order of the planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto by saying “My Very Educated Mother, Just Served Us Nine Pizza’s.”

VISUALIZATION

Visualization can help you remember main points, facts, ideas, formulas, and vocabulary words.

Example: “Miasma” means “noxious

fumes from decaying organic matter,” or “swamp gas.” To remember the definition, you might picture someone with asthma choking next to a swamp gasping “My asthma!” Using part of the word that looks or sound familiar ( in this case –asma=asthma) is a good way to create a memorable image.

ASSOCIATION

Like visualization, this technique associates separate facts. The association can

be a phrase, rhyme, or sentence.

It doesn’t have to be a mental picture.

Example: If you are trying to

remember cumulonimbus clouds bring rain, you might say, “It is raining anvils,” because a cumulonimbus cloud is shaped like an anvil.

REHEARSAL

Rehearsal is practicing what you have learned in front of someone (like a dress rehearsal in front of your audience).

Give the listener your notes or textbook so he or she can ask questions, offer hints, and correct mistakes. This is the time to clarify any doubts, you have about the material.

SUMMARY

You have learned the following Your brain stores information into two ways:

Short-term memory Long-term memory

There are several memory techniques or mnemonic devices you can use to remember material.

Acronyms Acrostics Imaging Visualization Association Rehearsal