Top 10 Memory Improvement Tips

Improve Your Memory With These Great Tips

By Kendra Cherry, About.com Guide

Do you find yourself forgetting where you left your keys or blanking out information on important tests? Fortunately, there are things that you can do to help improve your memory. Before your next big exam, be sure to check out some of these tried and tested techniques for improving memory. These strategies have been established within cognitive psychology literature to improve memory, enhance recall and increase retention of information. 1. Focus your attention on the materials you are studying. Attention is one of the major components of memory. In order for information to move from short-term memory into long-term memory, you need to actively attend to this information. Try to study in a place free of distractions such as television, music and other diversions. 2. Avoid cramming by establishing regular study sessions. According to Bjork (2001), studying materials over a number of session's gives you the time you need to adequately process the information. Research has shown that students who study regularly remember the material far better than those who do all of their studying in one marathon session. 3. Structure and organize the information you are studying. Researchers have found that information is organized in memory in related clusters. You can take advantage of this by structuring and organizing the materials you are studying. Try grouping similar concepts and terms together, or make an outline of your notes and textbook readings to help group related concepts. 4. Utilize mnemonic devices to remember information. Mnemonic devices are a technique often used by students to aid in recall. A mnemonic is simply a way to remember information. For example, you might associate a term you need to remember with a common item that you are very familiar with. The best mnemonics are those that utilize positive imagery, humor or novelty. You might come up with a rhyme, song or joke to help remember a specific segment of information. 5. Elaborate and rehearse the information you are studying. In order to recall information, you need to encode what you are studying into long-term memory. One of the most effective encoding techniques is known as elaborative rehearsal. An example of this technique would be to read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term and then read a more detailed description of what that term means. After repeating this process a few times, you'll probably notice that recalling the information is much easier. 6. Relate new information to things you already know. When you are studying unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how this information relates to things that you already know. By establishing relationships between new ideas and previously existing memories, you can dramatically increase the likelihood of recalling the recently learned information. 7. Visualize concepts to improve memory and recall. Many people benefit greatly from visualizing the information they study. Pay attention to the photographs, charts and other graphics in your textbooks. If you do not have visual cues to help, try creating your own. Draw charts or figures in the margins of your notes or use highlighters or pens in different colors to group related ideas in your written study materials. 8. Teach new concepts to another person. Research suggests that reading materials out loud significantly improves memory of the material. Educators and psychologists have also discovered that having students actuallyteach new concepts to others enhances understanding and recall. You can use this approach in your own studies by teaching new concepts and information to a friend or study partner. 9. Pay extra attention to difficult information. Have you ever noticed how it's sometimes easier to remember information at the beginning or end of a chapter? Researchers have found that the order of information can play a role in recall, which is known as the serial position effect. While recalling middle information can be difficult, you can overcome this problem by spending extra time rehearsing this information. Another strategy is to try restructuring what you have learned so it will be easier to remember. When you come across an especially difficult concept, devote some extra time to memorizing the information.

10. Vary your study routine. Another great way to increase your recall is to occasionally change your study routine. If you are accustomed to studying in one specific location, try moving to a different spot during your next study session. If you study in the evening, try spending a few minutes each morning reviewing the information you studied the previous night. By adding an element of novelty to your study sessions, you can increase the effectiveness of your efforts and significantly improve your long-term recall.

6 Tips to Improve Your Memory and Recall

By Esther Heerema, MSW, About.com Guide Updated January 25, 2012
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

How can you improve your memory? If youre trying to learn something new or increase your ability to recall information, try these tips:

1.

Chunking One way to make it easier to remember several pieces of information is to put it into chunks. For example, instead of trying to remember these numbers: 2,7,5,3,8,7,9,3,2,6,5,8,9, & 5, try to remember this instead: 2753, 8793, 2658 and 95. Your brain can retain more information if you group it in this way than if you think of each number as a separate piece of information. Recent research demonstrates that chunking information continues to be a very effective strategy throughout early Alzheimer's.

2.

Remember the Number 7 As you try to store information in your short-term memory, consider that scientists have concluded that our brains can store approximately 7 things in our short-term memory. Trying to remember a list of 12 things to purchase at a store will be a challenge.

3.

Mnemonic Devices This device is a great way to remember things. Its quite easy to develop and remember a mnemonic strategy. For example, to learn the notes that fall on the lines of the treble clef when I took piano lessons, I was taught the following phrase: Every Good Boy Does Fine. The first letter of each word, (E, G, B, D, F) is the note name for the lines of the treble clef. To learn the names of the spaces, I was taught the word FACE, where each letter of that word was the name of the note in ascending order.

4.

Attach Meaning You can also remember something easier by adding meaning to it. So, if youre trying to remember items on a grocery list, you can make a sentence out of them like this: The turkey ate bread and peanut butter before she laid eggs and drank lettuce-flavored milk. This may help you remember to purchase turkey, bread, peanut butter, eggs, lettuce and milk. Attaching meaning is also helpful if youre someone who doesnt remember names easily. Associating someones name when you meet them with something you already know well will more easily help you to recall their name the next time. Lets imagine you just met Bob and Cindy. Think of someone else you know with the name Bob and find something they have in common with each other. Then think of Cindy and consciously connect her face with her name. Thinking of them as B.C., for Bob and Cindy, may trigger their names the next time you see them.

5.

Repetition This may seem like an obvious one, but being intentional about repeating something will help it land beyond your shortterm memory. In the example of Bob and Cindy above, repeating their names in your head, along with the meaning youve given them, can help you recall those names later.

6.

Write It Down Finally, write things down. This usually works the best if you have a specific place to write things down, such as a notebook you always keep by the phone. The act of writing things down can help implant the memories into your brain, as well as serve as a reminder and a reference for you.

3 Ways to Improve Memory While Studying

From an article for The New York Times by Benedict Carey
By Deb Peterson, About.com Guide

Contrary to popular belief, research proves that studying several subjects in one sitting, studying them in different settings, and frequent testing helps students improve memory. Benedict Carey wrote about the research for The New York Times on Sept. 6, 2010 in "Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits." psychologists have discovered that some of the most hallowed advice on study habits is flat wrong, Carey writes. 1. Vary Your Study Space Carey cites a study in which students who studied a list of words in a windowless room and again in a room with a view did far better on a test than students who studied only in the viewless room.

Surprisingly, that study was conducted in 1978, and still we havent learned.

The brain makes subtle associations between what it is studying and the background sensations it has at the time, the authors say, regardless of whether those perceptions are conscious, writes Carey.

Dr. Robert A. Bjork, psychologist at the University of California, L.A. and senior author of the research, states, What we think is happening here is that, when the outside context is varied, the information is enriched, and this slows down forgetting. 2. Vary What You Study The same principal may apply to what you study. Carey suggests that musicians and athletes have known this for years. They practice cross-training.

Varying the type of material studied in a single sitting alternating, for example, among vocabulary, reading and speaking in a new language seems to leave a deeper impression on the brain than does concentrating on just one skill at a time, Carey writes.

3. Test Yourself Often It also turns out that when a student is required to retrieve information, say for a test, that information is re-stored in the brain in a more accessible way for future use.

Carey reports that researchers dont know why this is true, just that it is.

It may be that the brain, when it revisits material at a later time, has to relearn some of what it has absorbed before adding new stuff and that that process is itself self-reinforcing, he writes.

The idea is that forgetting is the friend of learning, Carey quotes Dr. Nate Kornell, a psychologist at Williams College, as saying. When you forget something, it allows you to relearn, and do so effectively, the next time you see it.

Practice tests, then, are powerful learning tools.

Natural Ways to Improve Memory

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide Updated May 10, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

There are a number of everyday strategies that can improve your memory naturallyand protect against memory loss as you age. But while many products are marketed as all-natural memory aids, only a few natural remedies have been found to improve memory in scientific studies. To keep your mind sharp as you grow older, and possibly reduce your risk of aging-related conditions like Alzheimer's disease and dementia, stick to a health routine that pairs brain-boosting behaviors with natural approaches proven to improve memory.

Natural Ways to Improve Memory

Here's a look at several natural substances shown to help improve memory naturally:

1) Antioxidants Following a diet high in antioxidants may help shield brain cells from aging-related damage. Since studies on the health effects of antioxidant supplements have yielded mixed results, many medical experts recommend upping your intake by includingantioxidantrich foods in your diet. 2) Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 fatty acids (a type of healthy fat with inflammation-fighting effects) may help slow cognitive decline in older adults, according to a research review published in 2009. Widely available in supplement form, omega-3s are also found naturally in foods like fish, nuts, and flaxseed. 3) Herbs Although there is a general lack of scientific support for the use of herbs in preserving brain health, some research suggests that pairing ginkgo biloba and ginseng may help enhance cognitive function and improve memory in middle-aged adults. However, in a research review published in 2007, investigators found "inconsistent and unconvincing" evidence of ginkgo's memory-boosting benefits for people with cognitive impairment or dementia.

More Ways to Improve Memory

Along with following a healthy diet, these practices are considered essential in preserving brain health and improving your memory:

getting regular exercise (especially cardiovascular exercise) maintaining social connections managing your stress (through mind-body techniques like yoga and deep breathing, for instance) keeping your mind stimulated with challenging activities (such as doing a crossword puzzle or learning to play a musical instrument)

There's also emerging evidence that practicing meditation may help improve your memory. However, more research needs to be conducted before any conclusions about meditation's memory-improving effects can be drawn.

Top 5 Tips to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

Strengthen Reading Comprehension with These Easy Tips
By Ann Logsdon, About.com Guide

The ability to understand and remember reading material is important for success in school and everyday life. This is especially true for students with learning disabilities in reading, andlanguage comprehension. Learn helpful tips to improve your ability and increase your success in reading and learning.

1. Improve Reading Comprehension With Pre-Reading Tasks Before reading the text, ask yourself what you already know about its topic. Try to recall as much information as you can. Think of related ideas you've learned in the past. Make brief notes about your thoughts or discuss what you remember with others.
Top Picks: Think About Your Prior Knowledge of the Topic

2. Improve Your Reading Comprehension by Researching the Topic Background information may appear on book covers and inner flaps of book jackets. Many books include an introductory section and a mini-biography about the author. Book publishers websites may also include background information. Think about the information you read. Ask:

What kind of text is this? What new information did I learn, and what do I expect to learn? Is this text informative or entertaining, fact or fiction? What interests me about this book?

3. Learn New Vocabulary Words to Improve Reading Comprehension As you read, make a list of unfamiliar vocabulary words. Look up the meanings of the words in the dictionary, and jot definitions down by hand. Writing definitions by hand will help you remember the definition much more than by typing or by reading alone.
Top Picks: Learn New Vocabulary Teach Your Child Strategies for Vocabulary Words By Ann Logsdon, About.com Guide

Vocabulary skills can make or break any student's feelings about reading. Help students with learning disabilities successfully deal with new vocabulary in ways that empower their future learning with these strategies. These strategies can be adapted for appropriately for different grade levels and are easily done at home or school. They can be used by regular and special education students. Difficulty: Average Time Required: This Reading Skill Can be Taught in Approximately 20 Minutes

Here's How:

1.

Decoding and Listening to Vocabulary Words:

Provide the student with a list of new vocabulary words that will appear in a passage. Have the student sound the word out loud. Read it aloud to her if she does not read phonetically. Ask the student if the word sounds like other words she knows. Do parts of the word suggest what it means?

2.

Gleaning for Clues to Understanding:

Have the student read the sentences surrounding the new word. Do the sentences give the student an idea of the meaning of the word? Ask her to make suggestions about the meaning. For younger students, provide visual depictions of the words whenever possible though illustrated books.

3.

Create a Personal Dictionary:

Provide students a list of new vocabulary words from the passage. Older students can scan the passage and make their own lists of unfamiliar vocabulary. Have students create their own personal dictionary by looking up words and writing the definitions in a notebook. For younger students, consider having them also draw an illustration of the words as appropriate. Have students occasionally review their personal word lists to reinforce their learning.

4.

Skip It:

Sometimes it is best to allow students to read passages and simply skip words they cannot decode or read. Consider having students make a slight mark by words they do not know and continue reading. This allows them to finish the passage without disrupting the flow of text. Have them address the words they missed after they are finished reading the passages. They can address them using the strategies above at that time. Tips: a. It is a good practice to teach students these skills as they are learning to read. This helps them to understand strategies as a good way to deal with reading before problems occur. They will recognize this as good practice and not a treatment for a learning problem. For students who have already learned to read, it may be helpful to teach them the strategies apart from a reading activity. Later, as they read, casually remind them of the strategies if they appear to struggle and do not seem to use them. Pair this strategy with other research-based strategies from your Learning Disabilities Guide for more success in school.

b.

c.

What You Need

Age-appropriate Dictionary Notebook Writing Supplies Coloring Pencils (for younger students)

4. Improve Your Understanding by Reflecting on the Material and Asking Questions As you read, what questions come to mind? Read on to find the answers. You can think about the questions and answers or jot them down on paper. Research indicates that writing notes by hand can increase comprehension and recall among students who are not learning disabled in writing. For those who have LDs in writing mechanics pair the writing with discussion to improve understanding and recall. 5. Test Yourself to Determine How Well You've Learned the Material After your reading session, quiz yourself on the main points. What was the main idea? Who are the characters in the story? What information did you learn? Jot down your thoughts in your own words to help you remember them and give you deeper insight into the topic. Ifexpressive writing is difficult for you, jot shorter notes and discuss the reading with a friend or parent.