| Memory Strategies - How Your Memory Works | | | | and figured out a way to keep it in your brain. |
| | | | Long-term memory is a file system in your brain. |
| Do you know how your memory works? | | | | Create a memory link. Try attaching the |
| Understanding how you learn and remember is | | | | information to a silly story or crazy picture. |
| critical to being a success. Memory has 5 steps | | | | Attach the memory to an object in your room. |
| from input to output. | | | | Make a movie in your mind and use your favorite |
| • Input | | | | actors as stars! Remember the association and |
| Input is the way you first introduce yourself to | | | | the memory will be easier to retrieve at the test. |
| the material and how you put it into your brain. | | | | • Storage and Retrieval |
| Do you read the text, scan the material, examine | | | | One of the most effective techniques for storage |
| the pictures, listen to the lectures, and talk to | | | | and retrieval of long-term memory is linking the |
| yourself and others? These are all ways that you | | | | information to something else that is familiar to |
| input the information into your brain. You need to | | | | you. The idea is to file the details into an area of |
| input your memory by creating images that are | | | | your brain which you can access at a later time. |
| easy to recall. Use color, large print, highlighted | | | | Think about a balloon with a string attached. If |
| words, sticky notes, tape recorded notes and | | | | you can grab the string, the balloon will follow. If |
| messages, repeating, repeating, and more | | | | you can grab onto a piece of the memory, the |
| repeating. | | | | rest should follow if you stored the details into |
| • Short-Term Memory | | | | long-term memory. How did you learn the |
| Sometimes this is also called working memory. | | | | information? Did you color code it, mark it up with |
| This is your brain processing and digesting the | | | | notes, make a recording, or talk it through with |
| information you just put in. Short-term memory | | | | someone else? Did you draw a silly picture or |
| only lasts a very brief time. You use short | | | | attach the memory to something in your room? |
| term-memory when someone gives you a phone | | | | These are all techniques for storing and retrieving |
| number and you can't immediately write it down. | | | | memory. |
| You use short-term memory when you hear | | | | • Output |
| something, but can't act on it immediately. The | | | | This is the final test. Do you know the answers |
| idea is to store it into long-term memory so that | | | | to the test questions? The best way to see if |
| you can retrieve it later, but if you do not find a | | | | you are ready for output is if you can "talk the |
| way to hold onto it, short-term memory will | | | | talk." If you can teach the information to |
| rapidly disappear. You can call or text your own | | | | someone else, and get it out without stumbling |
| phone and leave yourself a message when you | | | | and mumbling, you should be ready to take your |
| can't write it down! | | | | test. If you still are having trouble expressing the |
| • Long-Term Memory | | | | ideas, you need to go back and input again! Can |
| Long-term memory occurs when you have a | | | | you "walk the walk and talk the talk" without a |
| deeper understanding of the concept. You have | | | | problem? You need to become your own teacher! |
| taken the information out of your short-term | | | | Understanding how your memory works will lead |
| memory, thought about it for a while, analyzed it, | | | | to a better future as a successful college student! |