Whether you are preparing for board examinations or aiming to clear your semester, many subjects require you to memorize vast amounts of information that might seem impossible to retain. You might have found blaming yourself for not having strong memory skills, but that is not true. Chances are, you just don’t know how to memorize better. Fortunately, memorizing does not have to be as hard as it seems. All you need are the right psychological tricks that can help you retain information faster. Here are five tips you can implement right away to help ace those examinations you are aiming for:

Put Mnemonics To Use

Mnemonics are helpful memory devices that help learners memorize and recall large pieces of information. These are especially useful if you want to remember listicles like characteristics, steps, stages, parts, etc. A study by Gerald R. Miller in 1967 proved that students who used mnemonic devices increased test scores by up to 77 per cent. Nine types of mnemonics can be put to use, it is necessary to find what works best for you.

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Elaborative Rehearsal

If you want to make sure not to fumble in the examination hall and forget something, your best bet is to put your memorized information in your long-term memory. How can that happen? By using the method called elaborative rehearsal. This method connects the information you already know with new information. When such an association is made, your brain processes the new information in a more in-depth way than the previous information.

Visualize Concepts

The American Psychological Association defined visualization as “the process of creating a visual image in one’s mind or mentally rehearsing a planned movement in order to learn skills or enhance performance.” By visualizing concepts you are more likely to recall them than simply cramming the concepts you are supposed to learn.

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Mental Memory Tree:

This works best for memorizing a large number of interrelated facts. This technique can work as an extension of visualization since you will be finding a way to relate them in your mind visually. The branches should hold a broader concept and leaves will include more detailed concepts related to it. Make sure these are personally meaningful to you while it is logically organizing facts.

Spaced Repetition:

If you space out your review sessions your brain might be able to memorize information better. The idea is not to cram all the information at once, rather you should space out information to help your brain retain the information. Think of it as working out your physical body. It is unlikely to do any good by overworking your muscles. Similarly, your brain is unlikely to retain too much information within a single review session. Break information into chunks and space out when you will memorize the information.

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