How to Remember What You Study: 5 Amazing Memory Techniques

Memory Techniques: Memory is one of the most complex and fascinating cognitive abilities of the human brain.

However, many students struggle to retain information, especially when the volume of content is large.

The good news is that there are memory techniques effective that can enhance your learning.

In this article, we’ll explore five surprising methods that can transform the way you study and remember content for longer.

1. The creative association method: connecting information in unusual ways

One of the most effective ways to memorize something is to create unusual connections between information.

The human brain is highly visual and responds well to creative stimuli.

Therefore, associating abstract concepts with vivid images or funny stories can make it easier to retain the information.

For example, imagine that you need to remember that the philosopher Rene Descartes formulated the sentence “I think, therefore I am”.

You can create a mental image of a card (Descartes) giant thinking intensely and coming to life.

This bizarre association helps activate multiple areas of the brain, reinforcing memory.

Furthermore, the creative association technique can be applied to language learning.

If you are studying English and want to remember what “butterfly” means butterfly, you can imagine a butterfly covered in butter.

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These unexpected images make memorization more fun and effective.

Memory techniques: Practical example of the association technique

2. Spaced Repetition Technique: The Science Behind Lasting Memorization

Spaced repetition is a scientifically proven technique for strengthening long-term memory.

Instead of reviewing everything at once, you spread your reviews out over time, allowing your brain to better consolidate the information.

The secret to this method lies in the forgetting curve, a concept developed by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus.

He demonstrated that without strategic reviews, we forget much of what we learn within a few days.

However, by reviewing content at increasing intervals, we strengthen neural connections and ensure longer retention.

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To apply this technique, you can use applications like Anki and Quizlet, which use algorithms to suggest the best time to review each piece of information.

Another alternative is to create a simple review schedule: review on the same day, after a day, a week and a month.

Memory Techniques: Example of a Spaced Repetition Schedule

3. Memory Palace Technique: Transform Information into Familiar Locations

The method of memory palace, also known as method of loci, is an ancient strategy used since Ancient Greece.

It involves associating information with familiar places, such as your home or the route to work.

It works like this: imagine you want to memorize the planets of the solar system in the correct order.

You can visualize your living room with the Sun shining in the center, the dining table being occupied by Mercury, a bookshelf full of floating books representing Venus, and so on.

By mentally walking through your memory palace, you will easily remember information.

This method is widely used by memory champions, as it exploits the brain's natural ability to remember places and spatial associations.

The more vivid and exaggerated the images, the better the memorization.

Memory Palace Application Examples

4. Self-explanation technique: learn by teaching yourself

Teaching is one of the most effective forms of learning.

The act of explain a concept out loud, whether for yourself or someone else, helps organize your thoughts and identify gaps in your knowledge.

This method, known as Feynman effect, was inspired by physicist Richard Feynman, who argued that the best way to understand something is to explain it simply.

To do this, follow this process:

1. Choose a concept you want to learn.
2. Explain it as if you were teaching it to a 5 year old.
3. Identify the points you cannot simplify.
4. Go back to the study material and fill in these gaps.
5. Repeat the process until you can explain clearly and directly.

This technique not only strengthens information retention, but also improves communication and argumentation skills.

Furthermore, by verbalizing a concept, you activate different areas of the brain, making learning deeper.

5. Interleaved study technique: vary the topics to enhance learning

Many students make the mistake of focusing on a single subject for long periods of time, a practice known as block learning.

While this method may seem productive, it is not as effective as the intercalated study, which consists of alternating different topics in the same study session.

For example, instead of spending three hours studying just math, you could alternate between 45 minutes of math, followed by 45 minutes of history and 45 minutes of biology.

This variation keeps the brain more engaged and improves the ability to transfer knowledge between disciplines.

Scientific research shows that interleaved studying improves the ability to solve complex problems and increases information retention.

This is because the brain becomes accustomed to accessing different types of data at unexpected times, making information retrieval more efficient.

Benefits of interleaved study

Memory Techniques: Conclusion

Improving your memory is not a matter of gift, but of strategy.

Applying memory techniques such as creative association, spaced repetition, the memory palace, self-explanation and interleaved studying, you will be able to absorb information more effectively and retain knowledge for much longer.

Try these techniques and find out which ones work best for you. After all, your brain is like a muscle: the more you train it, the stronger it gets!