I have recently joined a club at Penn State that requires me to memorize lots of information about the club that I am quizzed on it each week. I must write the information word for word and they are very and complex long terms and definitions. I knew this would be a challenge and I was very worried at first. But, Dr.Wedes mini lesson on how to study more effectively came at the most perfect time for me.
Dr.Wede talked about two strategies that will successfully help you commit certain information from your short term memory to your long term memory. Short term memory holds a few items for a short period of time and long term memory is relatively permanent and has limitless storage. The two strategies we discussed in class were 1) distributed practice and 2) retrieval practice.
To help me remember the information that was on these quizzes I practiced one definition each day. I spaced out my learning so I did not have to cram all of the definitions in at once. I also practiced retrieving the information by saying it aloud and writing it down whenever I had free time. I also made connections to help me remember using elaborative rehearsal. Elaborative rehearsal happens when information from short term memory is transferred into long term memory by making the information meaningful. This can be done by relating the information to prior knowledge and making it personal. I would make up a story or an event that went along with the definition which helped me retrieve the information. Lastly, I had intense study sessions where I would focus on one definition at a time for a few minutes then take a break and try to retrieve it. I would write the information on paper going by memory. I was able to space these study sessions out so I was effectively making connections with each definition so I would not get mixed up.
Dr.Wedes helpful methods really improved my performance with these weekly quizzes that once gave me so much anxiety. I can now effectively study the terms and I actually still remember all of them even two weeks later!