{"id":18052,"date":"2018-03-02T09:23:09","date_gmt":"2018-03-02T14:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=18052"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:42:11","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:42:11","slug":"strategies-for-boosting-your-memory-and-score","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/uncategorized\/strategies-for-boosting-your-memory-and-score\/","title":{"rendered":"Strategies for Boosting Your Memory and Score"},"content":{"rendered":"

For better or worse, rote memorization may seem largely obsolete in the age of Google, but it remains an essential tool for quickly expanding your knowledge base before your Test Day and reaching a higher score. Unfortunately, trying to take in new content, especially so much of it at once, does not make for very efficient studying\u2014unless you have a systematic learning strategy in place that allows you to prep smarter, not harder. Let’s explore some tried and true ways–and some creative ones–for boosting your memorization.
\n 
\n

Mnemonic Devices<\/h3>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nPerhaps the most ubiquitous of memorization techniques, mnemonic devices are likely already something you\u2019ve encountered. You may know, for instance, that the order of metric conversions (abbreviated as KHDBDCM), can be rendered as any variation of phrases ranging from \u201cKing Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk\u201d to \u201cKittens Hate Dogs But Do Chase Mice.\u201d
\nThis is what\u2019s known as an expression or word mnemonic\u2014weaving together each particular piece of information with a catchy phrase, often in a specific order. There are various mnemonic phrases that can help you in studying.\u00a0Here are some science\u00a0example:
\n\t
\t\t

\n\u201cKing Phillip Came Over From Great Spain<\/strong>\u201d = Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
\n\u201cFLAT PEG<\/strong>\u201d = Hormones produced by the anterior pituitary gland: tropic hormones (FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH) and hormones that have direct action (Prolactin, Endorphins, GnRH).
\n\u201cOIL RIG<\/strong>\u201d = Oxidation Is Loss of electrons, Reduction Is Gain in electrons.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>
\nMnemonic words or phrases can be employed in studying almost any rule, sequence, or equation, and often the more outlandish the phrase, the easier it is to memorize.
\n

Spaced Repetition<\/h3>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nUsing a mnemonic device helps when there\u2019s something relatively finite that you already know you need to memorize, but how do you familiarize yourself with a large pool of information drawing from multiple areas of study? That\u2019s where spaced repetition comes in.
\nSpaced repetition is a mnemonic technique for assimilating large volumes of information and is often used when learning another language. The basic idea is simple: By increasing the intervals of time between reviewing content as you go, you gradually condition your brain, relaying the knowledge from your short-term to your long-term memory. According to neuroscience research, the reason spaced repetition is so effective is that \u201crepeated stimuli, with precisely timed gaps, are one of the most reliable ways to convince neurons that an event is memory-worthy.\u201d
\nDifficult content can be learned through repeated and structured exposure. The most common way to incorporate spaced repetition into your study plan is to use flashcards. Outline a schedule for reviewing your flashcards that gradually spaces out sessions as you progress. So, your initial weekly schedule might look like this:
\nDay 1: Review flashcards<\/strong>
\n Day 2: Review flashcards<\/strong>
\n Day 3: Take a break<\/strong>
\n Day 4: Review flashcards<\/strong>
\n Day 5: Take a break<\/strong>
\n Day 6: Take a break<\/strong>
\n Day 7: Review flashcards<\/strong>
\nThen, as you advance in subsequent weeks, start spacing review sessions further apart. Eventually, you\u2019ll have committed the information to your long-term memory and will be able to recall it with less need for review.<\/p>\n
\n

The Baker\/baker Effect<\/h3>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nHow do you use association to earn a\u00a0higher\u00a0test score? One of the most common techniques is to employ visual or spatial cues that help consolidate and engrain specific information in your memory. The idea is simple: Associative learning is more effective than rote memorization simply because it makes a more significant impression.
\nThis should intuitively make sense. We know that many people find it difficult to remember the name of somebody they\u2019ve met only once unless there\u2019s some other association attached to that name. In what researchers call the\u00a0Baker\/baker effect<\/a>, two groups of people are introduced to a man. One group is told that the man\u2019s name is Baker and the other is told that the man is a baker. It turns out that the latter group is better at recalling the piece of information they\u2019ve been given, since the idea of a baker calls to mind a network of associated sensations: the smell of fresh bread, the taste of pastries, the image of a bakery, etc.\u2014more parts of the brain are engaged by the word \u201cbaker\u201d than by the proper name.
\n

Memorization by Association<\/h3>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nKnowing that visual cues make a more lasting impression on your brain, you can use the technique of association to master any of the subjects covered. In differentiating mitosis from meiosis, for example, note that the former sounds like \u201cmy toes.\u201d Based on that association, you can easily remember that mitosis occurs in the body, in somatic cells (and thus in your toes).
\nAnother approach is to assign definitions of terms to an associative object. It could even be a person. For example, you might think of your friend Cathy\u2014who has a famous propensity for leaving parties early\u2014to remember that a conventional electric current leaves a cathode. Conversely, the current enters an anode, just like your friend Andy who often shows up to parties uninvited. Use whatever feels most natural for drawing associations that might clue you in on the meaning.
\n

The Loci Method<\/h3>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nAssociative learning can also help with short-term recollection, such as when you\u2019re answering questions in a passage based section. As you take notes and identify the important information in a passage\u2014key arguments or positions articulated by the author\u2014you can plot reference points in your memory that make it easier to go back and recall details.
\nOne approach, known as the method of loci, is to imagine the passage as a house, with each room in the house representing different parts of the text and specific objects in each room assigned to more granular details. Then, when it comes time to answer the questions, you can simply \u201cwalk through\u201d the passage and you\u2019ll have a clear map of where key points are located in relation to one another.
\n

Name that Tune<\/h3>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\nVisual and spatial associations aren\u2019t the only effective way to supplement your memory. Music can be equally compelling, and you likely already have strong memory associations with your favorite songs. There\u2019s something about music that hooks us\u2014sometimes a bit too effectively, such as when you get a song stuck in your head.
\nThat catchy aspect of music is precisely what you want to seize on when studying. You probably remember the ABC song from childhood. You may even still compulsively hum the melody when reciting the alphabet. Just as that song helped you learn your ABCs, memorizing content is easier when you set it to a simple, catchy tune.
\nLet\u2019s say you\u2019re trying to learn a common physics formula\u00a0D<\/i>\u00a0=\u00a0rt<\/i>. Since familiar children\u2019s songs have the simplest melodies and are easiest to remember, we\u2019ll use \u201dMary Had a Little Lamb.\u201d To commit the formula to memory, all you have to do is sing it as a musical phrase: \u201cDistance equals rate times time\u2026 rate times time\u2026 rate times time.\u201d
\n
<\/span><\/span><\/div>
\nThe best way to enhance your study strategy and\u00a0improve your\u00a0test score\u00a0is to use a combination of mnemonic devices, spaced repetition, associations, and musical memorization. Apply the different techniques where they make most sense to you, and get creative with inventing your own methods.\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For better or worse, rote memorization may seem largely obsolete in the age of Google, but it remains an essential tool for quickly expanding your knowledge base before your Test Day and reaching a higher score. Unfortunately, trying to take in new content, especially so much of it at once, does not make for very […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29090,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18052"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18052"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35762,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18052\/revisions\/35762"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}