A simple representation of images does not offer enough for proper memorization.
Study Faster And Retain More With This Quick Tip
I don’t know a single student who doesn’t want to study faster and retain more at the same time. I usually get a little nervous when trying to use quick fixes to make this happen, but today I have an actual quick tip to help you do just this!
Being a problem solver by nature, I dug into the situation and tried a few new approaches. Some worked, and some did not.
One of my best strategies was to sort the information into two categories:
concepts to be understood
You can use this strategy for any course. No matter the subject, there are things you have to memorize (terminology, dates, names, equations, etc) and concepts you need to master. Identifying this creates a clear, drama-free path, meaning you actually study faster and retain more because you are working on the right information in the right way.
I used to hate memorization work. It seemed tedious and hard and I sucked at it. Or so I thought!
Turns out I just didn’t have good skills. now I have some strategies in my toolbox and I love fact work. It’s easy and you can master it quickly. The key to mastering memorization is to:
Keep a list of what you need to memorize.
Schedule time every day to work on it. You must have the daily repetition if you want new facts to stick in your short-term memory. Start with just 10-min each day and you will see results.
Vary your memorization strategies. If you use only one strategy it becomes less effective.
How you approach concept mastery is going to vary a lot based on the subject you are studying. There are two strategies to help with every subject:
You will never fully master a concept through reading about it. You learn the concept through reading, but there is a big difference between learning something and mastering it.
The basics of hands-on practice for any subject are to come up with an applicable problem and solve it. Then come up with another problem and solve it too. Here are a few ideas, by subject, of how you might practice:
literature – Read a book or short story and write an analysis of whatever focus you are working on.
computer science – Come up with a problem and solve it with real code.
graphic design – Imagine a client asked you to design something, and create 3 different solutions for them.
math – Pick an equation, make up some starting numbers, and solve it.
science – Define a hypothesis, create a simple experiment, get in the lab and execute it!
2. Explain Or Teach It To Someone Else
Want to be certain you have mastered and fully understand a concept? Teach it to someone else.
As a teacher myself, I can tell you there have been plenty of concepts I thought I knew really well until I tried explaining them to someone else. You need a thorough understanding yourself before you can help someone else understand it.
Enlist the help of a friend or family member and try to explain a major concept in a few minutes. If you struggle, make note of the sticky spots. They are exactly what you need to work on next.
If you have no problem explaining it and your friend understood everything, mark it off your list and move on to the next concept.
I hope this quick strategy helps you dig out of confusion and take the right action in order to study faster and retain more.
Try It Yourself: 20-Minute Challenge
Grab your notes, a fresh piece of paper, and a timer.
Set the timer for 15 minutes.
Go through your notes and sort every piece of information into one of the two categories: concept or fact
Challenge yourself to do this before the timer goes off. Go with your first instinct if you aren’t sure.
Spend the next 5 minutes and map out your next steps.
How and when will you work on the memorization each day?
How will you approach the first concept?
