Memorization Techniques

Everyone knows that memory is key to successful learning and growth. Prominent leaders, world-known entrepreneurs, and famous scientists have brilliant memory that inspires us to work harder.

Like any ability, we can have a good memory from birth, and it definitely needs regular training and exercise. To memorize any information quickly, you can try various techniques. With them, you’ll ensure your potential is improved, and it will never fade away.

So, without further ado – let’s get started!

Loci Method

This method got its name from the Latin word locus, which means “place.” Some call it a memory palace, mind palace, or mental walk.

It is believed that the Loci method comes from ancient Rome thanks to speakers who kept loads of information in mind. This technique is all about visualization and tying the facts that need to be remembered to locations that are familiar to you. This can be anything: foreign words, a shopping list, people’s names, etc.

How does the Loci method work? Imagine you’re just standing in your house (memory palace). Walk around this house in your imagination. Remember its distinctive features – they can be used to store information that you want to remember. Each stop on your way will be the “locus” to which you can attach an idea or object.

For example, these can be the front door, a lamp in the hall, or a cupboard. If you need to remember a specific term, try to link it to different targets in the house. Later, when visualizing your memory palace, you will remember not only the course but also the objects associated with different positions.

More and more students admit that this method is a great way to prepare for exams, which seem to get more complicated from semester to semester. At the same time, the number of homework assignments is growing, too. Let’s agree: it is hard to concentrate on your exams when there are loads of papers to hand in. Fortunately, there is a way to manage it all, and this is outsourcing. When one thinks, “I need Essaypro writers to write an essay for me,” they free up lots of time for high-priority tasks. As a result, thanks to experienced authors, your grades improve, your teachers are pleased, and you get ready for tests in a comfortable space.

Abbreviations

We come across abbreviations every day as they are very popular in use. We are already accustomed to such words as the UN, the IMF, etc. They not only shorten the long names (for instance, International Monetary Fund, United Nations) but also help to remember them.

You can use the abbreviation principle to remember a wide variety of information. To do this, you need to come up with a simple, meaningful sentence. All words in this sentence will begin with the first letters of the words that you need to remember.

Mnemonics

This technique is fantastic for remembering lists or structures. Here, we form associative sequences and replace abstract objects with real concepts. The most important thing is to make sure associations are extraordinary.

In mnemonics, there are various popular methods:

You come up with a poem in which the initial letters of the lines form a specific word;
You highlight keywords in phrases. Remembering them, you restore the entire term in your memory;
Rhyming;
Image-name technique: you come up with a vivid connection between a person’s name and their physical characteristics;
Creating chains: you make up a story in which a word you want to remember sets off a chain reaction and pulls the following words along with it.

Chunking Method (Fragmentation)

This method involves combining several elements to be remembered into a tiny group. Many students use it when trying to remember phone numbers or bank account numbers.

This approach is visible when we write down phone numbers through dashes. Is there a difference between how we perceive 85673420000 and 8-567-342-0000? Of course, there is.

In the latter example, specific items are grouped and form a distinct pattern that is easier to remember.

Intervals

Using this technique, you repeat the information according to specific, constantly increasing intervals. This method has a specific formula: Y=2X+1, where Y means the day when you will start forgetting information, and X is the day of the last repetition. Thus, if you learned the information a week ago, then you will need to repeat it in 8 days.

This technique is often used with flashcards. Thus, when studying a foreign language or complex tech definitions, you make cards with unfamiliar phrases and then repeat them at regular intervals.

Storytelling

According to research, our brain loves stories so much that great storytelling can trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that enhances empathy.

Stories include everything that our brain remembers easily, mainly colorful images and engaging storylines.

The technique is quite simple: just create various plots that include the elements necessary to memorize. As a result, they are connected in sequence, which our brain perceives quickly!

storytelling

Buzan’s Mind Mapping Method

Another popular method for structuring new information is to use flowcharts. The technique is also called mental maps, mind mapping, or associative maps. It’s also used for setting goals and project management in terms of being more productive.

To build a mind map properly, follow these steps:

Take what you need to study (article, textbook, table, etc.), a sheet of paper, pens, and colored markers;
In the center of the sheet, draw any symbol which relates to the content;
Draw lines from the center to the edges of the sheet that reflect the structure of the material being studied.

Thus, instead of lists or unorganized text with a lot of unnecessary data, you will get a structured diagram with the main idea in the center and logical chains around.

Names And Faces

Many of us have at least once tried to memorize plenty of personalities for a history test. Unfortunately, this is not so easy, especially if you are worried or have a lack of time. Even if it seems to you that you remember everyone, memory can fail you at the most crucial moment.

So, in such circumstances, turn to two proven methods:

Association with another famous person or someone you know. Find a common feature in appearance, be it strange eyebrows or a smirk;
Modifications. To remember the person’s name, think of variations of their name so that it will sound funny or weird. Most importantly, it should sound really extraordinary.

To Wrap It Up

We live in an age when facts and information are all around us. As a result, people process large volumes of data which one way or another overloads our memory.

And despite the fact that our brain’s potential is almost limitless, using it efficiently is not that easy. Therefore, it is great to use techniques that will help you in learning a foreign language, preparing a presentation, or memorizing a report. Try them for yourself, and you’ll definitely find the one that suits you best.