Concentrating, memorizing, remembering?

Question

This semester I got off to a wrong start at school. I am not completely screwed right now, I'm catching up and doing last minute cramming. Soon, we're gonna have our march break and I'm going to get everything re-organized and so on. The thing is, alot of my classes focus on reading and remebering things and I have difficulties doing so...Any tips to actually get things memorized without having me forget and without the additional stress?

Answer 1

Use SQ3R
Skim
Quiz
Read
Repeat
Review.

It's a study method.
First, skim your textbook. In each section (paragraph or heading), make the topic sentence into a question, and write it down.

Then read the text for real. Pay attention as you read; you'll remember your own questions, and the answers will stick in your head better since you made up the study questions.

When you're finished, take a 5 minute break. Get some OJ or a cookie. Then go back and give yourself a quiz. Write down the answers.

Check to see how you did...What you didn't answer correctly, go find the right answer.

Now you have notes to study by.

Reread the parts you're not solid on...

The next morning, review. This is really an important step.
Reviewing is the key thing that makes it stick--the trick is to make it part of your longterm memory.

Skim, quiz, 3R (read repeat review)
It's a fantastic study method.

Don't forget to take exceptional class notes, and study those too!! You can use the same method.

Good luck.

And don't do drugs!!! They fry your brain.

Answer 2

Okay, I have this problem as well. However, I was required to remember things in my job. So I would make up songs to remember the different things. Use simple songs rhythms such as twinkle, twinkle, or Mary had a little lamb. Also, it has been proven that the more you memorize, the more you will be able to memorize. Kinda like working out. The more you work out, the more you will be able to do. Also, if you can teach someone else the same things that you are trying to remember, you are more likely to retain it, because you think of different ways in order to present it to someone else. Here are some additional ideas to help. Whatever you do decide, be sure to stick with it, as it will save you time. Also be sure to have no distractions in the background. The more direct attention you can give something, the better you'll do.

Answer 3

Highlight the meat of the material read.
Abbreviate that highlighted "meat" in margin notes.
Abbreviate the margin notes in an outline.
Then abbreviate the outline.
Then abbreviate that outline as many times as you desire as you maintain understanding.
You can get the outline abbreviations down to an acronym, if you want, that operates like a magician pulling a small hankerchief out of his pocket and it just keeps coming and revealing more and more. Is it a lot of time? Not really considering that confident knowledge gained has overwhelmed continual time-wasting wondering if you have it right. It is using less RAM and is a brain defragmenter.

Answer 4

i suggest when you have a bunch of things to blatantly memorize, to make up a story to go along with the information to help you to remember it.

if you are visual, you can make bubble diagrams to help you connect ideas, acronyms to help you remember specific words or concepts, and flash cards to help with definitions and meanings.

trick is to keep going over the information until you get it. once or twice is not good enough. you need to do it in many sittings as well to make sure you have the information really memorized.