Study tips: Top 5 memorization techniques (2024)

FAQs

What is the most effective method for memorization? ›

A variant is the 7-3-2-1 study method where you learn on day 1 and rehearse on days 2, 3, and 7. The 7-3-2-1 method is a good starting point. But be sure to always tailor rehearsal to your learning process. If you notice that you fail most questions of your own self-tests, you waited too long to rehearse.

While repeated rehearsals are important, experts also recommend to keep sessions within the 20-20-20 rule. According to this rule, it will be easier to memorize presentations by reviewing your material for 20 minutes and then repeating the information twice for 20 minutes each.

Repetition: Repeat the questions and answers several times until they are firmly fixed in your memory. You can do this by writing them out, reciting them aloud, or quizzing yourself. 2. Chunking: Divide the questions and answers into smaller groups or categories to make them easier to remember.

To study effectively remember the 3Rs: reading or looking at charts, maps, web sites, etc; recording or taking notes to help you remember what you have read; and reviewing, or going over your notes so you will remember the information you have learned.

The 1-2-4-7 Rule:

Read a topic for the first time on day 1. Revise on day 2, then on day 4, then on day 7. This way, a topic is revised 3 times after the first reading, and there is an increasing gap between the two revisions gradually.

In any case, if you believe, studying in chunks does not work you or you or taking breaks again and again breaks your focus while studying, you may go with 120/20 technique, where you study for 120 minutes (i.e. 2 hours) and then take a longer break of 20 minutes.

The Pareto principle states that for many outcomes, roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. In other words, a small percentage of causes have an outsized effect. This concept is important to understand because it can help you identify which initiatives to prioritize so you can make the most impact.

What is the 123 method for memorizing? ›

The 123 method is simpler: On day one, you learn your material. On day two, you review it. Review it again on day three, then don't think about it for a week, at which point you'll review it again.

A memory palace is a mnemonic technique used to improve memory retention and recall. It involves mentally placing information to be remembered in specific locations within an imagined physical space, such as a palace or building, and then mentally "walking" through that space to retrieve the information when needed.

Use visual association.

This memory trick works for two reasons. We naturally remember visual cues better than words. Also, the more senses you involve in learning or storing something, the better you'll be at recalling it.

Crosswords, word-recall games, Tetris, and even mobile apps dedicated to memory training are excellent ways to strengthen memory. A study that included 42 adults with mild cognitive impairment found that playing games on a brain-training app for 8 hours over a 4-week period improved performance in memory tests ( 23 ).

One of the tricks of memorizing a lot of information quickly is to chunk together the items as fast as they come in.

The Major System is a memory technique for memorizing numbers, playing cards, and other information. It works by converting numbers into sounds, which can then be converted into mental pictures or words that are easier to remember than the original data.