Learning, and speed?

Debate Room
50

  1. Learn to pair new information with information you already know. (The “Roman Room” is a great device for increasing one’s memory.)

  2. Understand the difference and utility of a link system vs. a tag system for memorizing materials. If you know nothing about “Mnemonics,” do yourself a big favor and learn how your brain actually retains information. This can save you endless hours of study.

  3. The brain automatically remembers strange, unusual, traumatic, or weird events. It does not know the difference between a real event and one you create when it comes to memory. Remember by making the things you need to remember, bizarre, strange, and unusual.

  4. Incorporate as many senses into the learning process as you can. Taste, touch, smell, sight, sound, balance, time, distance, etc… The more senses you can involve the quicker you will remember.

  5. Increase your study speed significantly by studying only the information you need to study. (Don’t waste time going over information you already know.) (This is HOW, you test yourself a lot. Only test yourself on information you do not know.) Give yourself a test. Mark all the questions you get correct as “Known,” and stop studying them over and over again. Only study questions you get wrong. Test yourself again and do the same thing. Only study information you need to study.

  6. Avoid long hours of study. Break your study time up into short 30 minute segments. (This is how you 'chunk" your study) Some recommend 15 minutes (I find this difficult to do.) Typically a person will remember the very first thing studied and the last thing studied. Studying for shorter periods will take advantage of this fact. You can remember more, faster, by studying less.

  7. All that stuff about a comfortable space, quiet, no distractions, etc… Not necessary! (This is HOW, you change the way you study.) With a Mnemonic device like, “The Roman Room” you can study anyplace. I did some of my best work standing in line at the supermarket. Seriously, knowing how to study is everything. As you stand in the line at the supermarket, visualize yourself screaming out the information you want to remember. This is every bit as powerful as, “saying it out loud.”

  8. Have fun. (This is HOW, you change the way you study.) If you are not being creative and having fun, you are doing it wrong. Know clearly why you are studying and what your goal is. Nothing can affect your motivation like a concrete and clear goal.

  9. Pat yourself on the back for the things you are remembering. Don’t beat yourself up for not remembering something. Be flexible, approach it a different way. (Find a way to make it MORE MEMORABLE) Avoid the 'Washing Machine Principle." This would be the same as copying the answer 100 times. Doing the same thing over and over and over again while expecting a different result is a symptom of insanity.

  10. Give a monkey a banana. It’s good luck and it will make all your guesses correct.

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