Memorisation is one of the most understated skills of all time. It is something that most people would criticise about because memorisation is thought to be something that people who don’t understand concepts would do.
Teachers in school and in private tuition would tell us to memorise some important terminologies and facts because those are what makes an answer constructive and credible. An answer lacking the right terminologies is considered an inaccurate answer after all.
So, let’s take a look and see what tips and tricks can be used to memorise well.
Understanding
Having a clear understanding of concepts is of utmost importance. One needs to have a good grasp of everything that is being taught and students should be able to apply the theory in the practical aspect as well. Only when students understand the content being taught, could they possibly be able to keep the key words and terminologies in their mind.
If students resort to memorising content for just the way it is, in situations where these theories need to be applied to solve novel problems, students will feel like they do not know anything.
The first step to memorising is understanding what is being taught.
Spaced Repetition
This is probably one of the most common advice that many “brainy” individuals would give to others! Spaced repetition is based on the theory of the “forgetting curve” which was a term coined by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus. Our mind would let go of pieces of information every now and then. Over time, however, if we put in the effort to recall this information, the information will transform from short-term memory into long-term memory.
The key is to be consistent with the spaced repetition technique and keep up to it religiously.
Discipline
Everyone talks about being disciplined but nobody teaches us the right way of maintaining it. Being disciplined is not just something we do once in a while; it is something that has to be kept up with consistently. One has to set a routine for themselves and stick to it.
However, it is also important to keep in mind that it is not always possible to stick to the routine strictly because circumstances may not allow us to do so. In such cases, one should not be too hard on themselves and try to compensate for the work that has not been done the following day.
Say It Out Loud
Explaining concepts to others requires a whole lot of great understanding. There is no way for one to explain something to someone clearly if the concept is not well understood. If a student resorts to just memorisation, he or she would not be able to make someone else understand the content.
The details and nuances of concepts have to be first internalised in a logical fashion before one can decide to even memorise them. Writing out the high-yield information into flashcards or even drawing mind maps would help with quick memorisation. This has to be then revised using spaced repetition technique as well!