{"id":2153,"date":"2020-05-01T20:31:46","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T20:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metc.ie\/?page_id=2153"},"modified":"2020-05-01T20:31:46","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T20:31:46","slug":"c-improving-your-memory-and-recall","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/metc.ie\/index.php\/c-improving-your-memory-and-recall\/","title":{"rendered":"C. Improving your memory and recall"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Just because you have learnt something once does not mean that you will always know it. There is a very strong tendency to\u00a0<em><strong>forget information that is not in current use<\/strong>.<\/em>\u00a0Therefore, what has been learnt must be used constantly or it will be lost and have to be re-learnt. Examinations are all about effective recall. Any techniques which improve your recall will enhance your performance in examinations. Examine the following\u00a0<em><strong>memory curve graph<\/strong>:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/metc.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Graph2-1024x718.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"718\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">From it we can get the following information:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">When we learn something, like a list of words, we are actually good at remembering it for a <em><b>few minutes<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">However, we begin to forget after <em><b>10 minutes<\/b><\/em>\u00a0or so.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">After a <em><b>day<\/b><\/em>\u00a0we have forgotten more than 75% of what we have learnt\u00a0<b><em>UNLESS<\/em>\u00a0<\/b>we\u00a0<em><b>review<\/b><\/em>\u00a0it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">We can commit nearly <em><b>90%<\/b><\/em>\u00a0of our learning to<em>\u00a0<b>\u2018long term memory\u2019<\/b>\u00a0<\/em>if we\u00a0engage in\u00a0<em><b>regular review<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Some things you do not have to think about (e.g., blessing yourself) before you do them \u2013 this is because they are committed to long term\u00a0 memory.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">It should be obvious from the above graph that without regular review or\u00a0revision we will fail to do ourselves justice when it comes to exams.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Now examine the following:\u00a0We\u00a0<strong><em>remember<\/em>:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>10%<\/strong>\u00a0of what we\u00a0<strong>READ<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>20%<\/strong>\u00a0of what we\u00a0<strong>HEAR<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>30%<\/strong>\u00a0of what we\u00a0<strong>SEE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>50%<\/strong>\u00a0of what we\u00a0<strong>HEAR and SEE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>70%<\/strong>\u00a0of what we\u00a0<strong>SAY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>90%<\/strong>\u00a0of our\u00a0<strong>OWN PERFORMANCE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">What do these statistics tell you about how you should approach your study and revision work?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Unfortunately, many students think that they should know something after reading it once. When they cannot remember it, they get the mistaken impression that they are \u2018thick\u2019 and are not good at learning. They do not realize that \u2018clever\u2019 people also need to revise something again and again until it is well mastered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">The<em>\u00a0<strong>following tips<\/strong><\/em>, many of which have been dealt with already, will help you\u00a0<em><strong>improve the quality of your recall<\/strong>:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Being <em><b>motivated\u00a0<\/b><\/em>\u2013 wanting to learn.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Being <em><b>interested<\/b><\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<em><b>curious<\/b><\/em>\u00a0about the subject.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Being <em><b>confident<\/b><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 believing that you can learn.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Reading the chapter<em>\u00a0<b>before it is covered in class<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Asking <em><b>Questions.<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Good <em><b>concentration during class<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Making <em><b>good notes<\/b><\/em> and using them frequently.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Preparing well for <em><b>class tests<\/b><\/em>\u00a0and end of term\u00a0<em><b>exams<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Converting <em><b>linear notes<\/b><\/em>\u00a0or chapters into\u00a0<em><b>mind maps<\/b><\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0<em><b>graphic organisers<\/b><\/em>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Reading your notes or <em><b>listening<\/b><\/em>\u00a0to them while<b>\u00a0<em>reading them<\/em>\u00a0<em>aloud<\/em><\/b>\u00a0or\u00a0transferring them onto an\u00a0<em><b>audio device<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Reading <em><b>\u2018old\u2019 homework<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><em><b>Learning<\/b><\/em><em>\u00a0<\/em>definitions, poems, short quotations\u00a0<em><b>by art<\/b>.<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Frequent<em>\u00a0<b>self-testing by<\/b><\/em>:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><em>*<\/em><strong><em>review and review<\/em>\u00a0<em>\u2018brainstorms\u2019<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0while revising today\u2019s class work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">*doing\u00a0<em><strong>written homework<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><strong><em>under<\/em>\u00a0<em>exam conditions<\/em><\/strong><em>\u00a0<\/em>in a limited time\u00a0without the help of books or notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">*<em><strong>quiz and be quizzed<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0with a willing partner.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><b>MNEMONICS<\/b><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Mnemonics are simple\u00a0<em><strong>\u2018codes\u2019<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0to help you to recall something that you find difficult to remember. Some examples:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><em>\u2018Super man helps every<\/em>\u00a0<em>one\u2019<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<em><strong>\u2018Homes\u2019<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 the five Great Lakes of North America:\u00a0Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><em><strong>\u2018Fat dad\u2019<\/strong><\/em>, \u2013 the six counties of Northern Ireland: Fermanagh, Armagh, Tyrone, Down,\u00a0Antrim, Derry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><em><strong>\u2018Mr. Grief\u2019<\/strong>,<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 the seven characteristics of living organisms: movement, reproduction, growth, respiration, irritability, excretion, feeding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><em><strong>\u2018Silly old Harry, caught a herring, trawling off America\u2019<\/strong><\/em>, the equations for sine,\u00a0cosine and tan in trigonometry.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><em><strong>\u2018How I wish I could remember p1 rapidly\u2019<\/strong>,<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 the number of letters in the words gives the value of pi: 3.1415827.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\"><em><strong>\u2018Every good boy deserves favours\u2019<\/strong>,<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 these are the names of the notes on the\u00a0treble clef in music.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Try devising\u00a0<em><strong>your own mnemonics<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0for vital information in your own subjects. This is where their real usefulness lies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;\">Try to find out which of the above\u00a0<em><strong>techniques best suit your needs<\/strong>.<\/em>\u00a0Remember a lot of time and energy is spent on study, so\u00a0<em><strong>vary your methods<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0to avoid\u00a0<em><strong>boredom and staleness.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0If you take the time to make the effort you will get the results. \u2018Life is like a bank account, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it\u2019.\u00a0The same is true of study.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just because you have learnt something once does not mean that you will always know it. There is a very strong tendency to\u00a0forget information that is not in current use.\u00a0Therefore, what has been learnt must be used constantly or it will be lost and have to be re-learnt. Examinations are all about effective recall. 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