The Improvement of Memorization
Strategy #1- Chunking
Chunking is the oldest method in the book for memorization improvement. This technique is used when a set of items to be memorized are divided into small and easily remembered groups or chunks. It is usually the most effective when the order of the set is not important. Chunking can be used in every day life when phone numbers, grocery lists, and spelling words for a test have to be memorized. When possible, organize or chunk the material as of significance to you and think about the relationship among each of the groups. This method improves retention of the human while aiding in quicker and effortless recollection of information.
Strategy #2- Rhyming
As human beings we have the natural tendency to remember rhymes and rhythms easier than other writings or sayings. This all has to do with mnemonics which are memory devices or learning techniques that aid information retention in the human memory. In a rhyme, each line ends with a similar sound creating a pattern that is easier to remember. For example, "In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue" is an old saying to remember what year Christopher Columbus discovered America. This is known as an example of acoustic encoding because it refers to the ability to remember and understand something learned through hearing. A person can use this technique in their daily life to remember important information just by making a rhyme! Using the rhyming technique can help with remembering different phrases for tests or really anything that you can make into a rhyme to easily memorize it.
Strategy #3- Bed-time Recital
With the bed-time recital technique, you do your recital learning of certain information just before you go to sleep. Many students, like me, study for tests before going to bed not knowing that it actually is proved to be an effective way to remember information for the test. The human mind in the process of sleeping arranges the stored information in an orderly and efficient way while the individual is sleeping throughout the night. This procedure can be performed by being in a relaxed mood and writing down the material on a piece of paper and then reading it aloud to yourself a few times. After this part has been completed, go to sleep without any doubt or anxiety on your mind. Although this method is frequently used for studying for tests, people can also use it to find the answer to their conflicts. Psychologists have also discovered that if a human goes to sleep thinking about their problems, they will figure out solutions to those problems once they wake up in the morning.
Strategy #4- Meditation
Meditation is a key method to not only relieve stress and relax but also to recall memories from the past. Research from psychologists proves that meditation changes the physical structure of the brain while improving attentiveness and memorization. People can use this technique in their every day lives by taking some time out of their day and relaxing using concentration to remember all the positive experiences from their past. Working memory is something that people use every day whether they are at work, school, or home. Meditation strengthens the maximum capacity of the working memory which is seven items in the average adult. With meditation's power to help humans concentrate, it has been shown to improve standardized test scores and the memory's working ability after just a couple of weeks.
Citations
"Five Simple Techniques to Improve Your Memory." Five Simple Techniques to Improve Your Memory. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2015.
"6 Research-Tested Ways to Improve Your Memory." Buffer Social. N.p., 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.