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August 2003
Memorization Tips: Memorization Skills
Here are some memorization tips from the College of William & Mary's
Memorization Skills page*. The basic
memorization techniques presented on this page have been covered in
previous newsletters, usually in greater depth. However, the College
of William & Mary Memorization Skills page is a nice summary of the
various mnemonic techniques which can help you remember what you are
learning. For those that are not sure what a "mnemonic" is, here is a
good description:
"Mnemonics are methods, devices, or even mental tricks for improving
memory. During the last ten years there has been a growing body of
research evidence that appears to indicate that these devices come
close to meeting the demands of effective verbal learning (Interest,
Encoding, Linking).
"Mnemonics are based on several memory concepts:
all memory, whether trained or untrained, is based on association;
anything you wish to remember must first be observed;
to remember new pieces of information, associate them with something you already know;
we think by using mental pictures.
"The use of all mnemonic techniques requires that the items to be
remembered are organized in personally meaningful and concrete ways.
This is referred to as encoding. Learning will occur much faster when
you use concrete words rather than abstract ones. It is far easier to
form a mental picture of an airplane than it is to visualize justice.
All mental images however, will require the use of concrete words.
The use of mnemonics encourages the development of mental images in
which the item to be remembered and the word or location to be
associated with it are hooked together in an interacting way.
"Several processes can be utilized in the development of mental images:
"Make it HUGE.
"Make it MOVE.
"Make it MANY.
"Make it STRANGE."
What is the page's conclusion about memorization and retention?
"The key to good memorization is review. Spend time creating your
mnemonic, but spend more time reviewing it, practicing it, saying it
out loud, and quizzing yourself."
Sounds like a job for Scriptorian!
(*Note: Reference to this site is being made simply to point out the information
contained there. SoftLore, LLC does not have an affiliation with this site, or
any other site that we refer to in our "Memorization Tips", nor does this
reference imply an endorsement of any products, services, or theories associated
with the site)
Do you have some favorite tips and techniques for memorizing? Please
feel free to share them with us.
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