Advice About Studying For School

Advice About Studying For School (Full Version)

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MadRabbit -> Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:21:12 PM)
My brain is basically like a computer that has a very fast processor but 10 bytes of RAM and 1 kilobyte of harddrive space. I am great at problem solving, deductive reasoning, and understanding logical concepts. However, I have horrible memory when it comes to memorizing and retaining information, particularly stuff like names, facts, dates, etc. My life is organized and held together by a big leather organizer that I keep with me at all times and make excessive notes about anything I need to remember. I am getting ready to head back to school in the spring and this issue has always been one that has had an impact on my grades. I would appreciate any advice on ways to help compensate or deal with this as I am trying to do a bit of research on it to try and find some viable solutions for improving my ability to memorize.

rexrgisformidoni -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:24:19 PM)
notes, notes, notes. and a highlighter.

Marc2b -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:24:36 PM)
Devote a minimum of twenty minutes of study to each subject every day - even if you don't have any homework for it. Write out facts and dates you are having trouble with. We remember things better if we write them out rather than just read them.

MadRabbit -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:34:29 PM)
That's true. I've tried the highlighter thing, but it doesn't work as well as writing it out. Writing it out really slows me down in how much subject matter I can cover. I picked up a basic computer technology book to try and get some practice with beating my memorization issue. This is all new ground to me, because this is the first endeavor in my life where I actually have to address this weak point of my mental abilities without cheat sheets lol. I was one of those kids who never really studied in school. I never needed to for science and math and my high grades in that balanced out my low scores in stuff like history. Culinary school was all about techinques.

DarkSteven -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:38:13 PM)
I survived on flash cards. I used index cards and wrote the answer on one side and drilled myself till it was down cold.

MzMia -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:39:39 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MadRabbit My brain is basically like a computer that has a very fast processor but 10 bytes of RAM and 1 kilobyte of harddrive space. I am great at problem solving, deductive reasoning, and understanding logical concepts. However, I have horrible memory when it comes to memorizing and retaining information, particularly stuff like names, facts, dates, etc. My life is organized and held together by a big leather organizer that I keep with me at all times and make excessive notes about anything I need to remember. I am getting ready to head back to school in the spring and this issue has always been one that has had an impact on my grades. I would appreciate any advice on ways to help compensate or deal with this as I am trying to do a bit of research on it to try and find some viable solutions for improving my ability to memorize. MR, I swear by using index cards. I used them all through college, I used them to study for my teaching exams, I am using them now to learn Spanish. I put any and everything I need to learn on index cards. I have all my um's or anyone that needs help doing this. Put the definitions or topic on the front, the answer on the back. Try not to put more than 2 or 3 definitions on each card. Another up side is, you can carry them around with you and pull them out to study on breaks, waiting in line, whenever you find 5 minutes to spare. I don't think I could have passed anything without using index cards, GOOD LUCK! Index Study System

MadRabbit -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:42:04 PM)
Thanks for the advice guys. Making notes right now so I don't forget this stuff when it comes time to study lol...

rexrgisformidoni -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 8:45:31 PM)
yes flashcard rule. the highlighter I use for important stuff that I later go back and summarize and put in my own words with questions to ask about. or use sticky notes for pages. not getting distracted helps too. I guess I should follow my own advice about that and write my damn paper.

MzMia -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 9:10:52 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MadRabbit Thanks for the advice guys. Making notes right now so I don't forget this stuff when it comes time to study lol... Everything that is important should go on a note card. Get them on sale {Dollar stores} and get the index card boxes, and have one box for each subject. I am serious MR, I never really learned to study until I was in my early 20's. I am learning Spanish online now. I am making the note cards on the weekend, and I will be carrying them around with me in a baggie. I will pull them out on breaks, lunch time, whenever I have a few minutes. I swear by them.

marie2 -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 9:39:07 PM)
What all the others said. Write stuff down as succinctly as possible, then go over those notes for 10-20 minutes a day. And stop saying "Im horrible at..." and refering to it as "a weak point." Those affirmations work against you and add unecessary resistance to your efforts.

DavanKael -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 9:45:54 PM)
Take notes as you are studying; it involves several senses and cuases you to process differently. Also, word association can be a big benefit and/or associating a word with a grouping ofconcepts where each letter of the word relates to a concept. Good luck, Davan

mistoferin -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 10:14:08 PM)
I also recommend the flashcard routine. I used to make them up and keep them in bundles in my coat pockets or purse and whenever I got a minute or two I'd pull out a bundle and run through them. The other thing I used to do may sound really silly but....I used to make up songs out of stuff I needed to remember. Music gets "saved" a different way in your brain so it helped if my head was overloaded with other stuff.

outlier -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/7/2008 11:09:40 PM)
MadRabbit, In most if not all community colleges there is a 1or 2 unit course offered called "How to Study" or "Study Skills" etc. I recommend you seriously consider taking it. Memory retention, among other things, has been studied. Not surprising when you consider that the people who do these type of studies are frequently academics and this topic would be important and useful to them. The techniques for improving it are well known. As are: the proper way to read a book to gather information, the most effective way to take notes. the most effective time window in which to review, etc. One of these classes approached with a "I want this " attitude could serve you well for the rest of your life. Not just in your academic life. Outlier

colouredin -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/8/2008 1:12:25 AM)
reduction was mine, you take the parragraph and reduce it to a few sentences thena few words then a word, memorise the word and the rest comes back to you another one is mind mapping if you use the single words in the map chances are you will be able to remember them due to the order of them going around in a circle.

NorthernGent -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/8/2008 1:50:06 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MadRabbit My brain is basically like a computer that has a very fast processor but 10 bytes of RAM and 1 kilobyte of harddrive space. I am great at problem solving, deductive reasoning, and understanding logical concepts. However, I have horrible memory when it comes to memorizing and retaining information, particularly stuff like names, facts, dates, etc. My life is organized and held together by a big leather organizer that I keep with me at all times and make excessive notes about anything I need to remember. I am getting ready to head back to school in the spring and this issue has always been one that has had an impact on my grades. I would appreciate any advice on ways to help compensate or deal with this as I am trying to do a bit of research on it to try and find some viable solutions for improving my ability to memorize. I suggest it's a case of mind over matter: concentrate on what matters and don't be obsessive. It's all in the mind, but the mind works much better when relaxed, confident in its abilities and not attempting to work beyond its capabilities, i.e. remembering everything. Furthermore, assuming you'll be taking exams, you can only write so much in three hours, so what matters is that you understand and know the key points and can get them down on paper; rather than remembering everything. I have experience in this, as since leaving university I sat 17 accountancy exams, with pretty intense periods of study, to become a qualified accountant - 'may seem a strange move from studying History at university, but there you go - and I'm going through more exams at the moment. I suppose what I'm saying is this: I think you're barking up the wrong tree with regard to learning. The memory isn't that important; what really matters is your ability to understand the key concepts. Furthermore, assuming you'll be taking exams, you'll have to learn how to make the most of your knowledge in a three hour exam, and that requires a lot of practice and structure. I can help you out with the structure, if need be.

OneMoreWaste -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/8/2008 6:01:58 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MadRabbit My brain is basically like a computer that has a very fast processor but 10 bytes of RAM and 1 kilobyte of harddrive space. I am great at problem solving, deductive reasoning, and understanding logical concepts. However, I have horrible memory when it comes to memorizing and retaining information, particularly stuff like names, facts, dates, etc. My life is organized and held together by a big leather organizer that I keep with me at all times and make excessive notes about anything I need to remember. I tend to operate in a similar manner. The phrase "use it or lose it" defines my mental activity perfectly- I'm constantly having to re-research things if I haven't used them in a while. Very limited RAM [:(] For school, I would have a text document open on my computer as I studied, and type out whatever seemed important. Before the tests, I'd go through my notes and organize them in a way that seemed most logical (which would depend on the course). I found that the act of working with the information, even in this limited manner, was a big help in memorizing, and having it all in a logical (to me) order helped as well. And since I knew I wouldn't remember it all for very long, I usually focused all my memorization efforts on a last-minute cram session. Good luck!

windchymes -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/8/2008 9:45:31 AM)
Kind of like what Erin said.....it sounds a little silly, but make up a little song or jingle or rhyme or story about whatever you're trying to remember. For example, in chemistry, ferric meant 3 loose electrons, ferrous meant 2 loose electrons (it has to do with iron molecules and compounds). I could never remember which was which. I finally came up with "little penis/big prick". Ferrous/penis rhyme, had 2, was little, ferric/prick rhymes, had 3, was big. Dumb, I know, but I told the class and every one of us got it right and snickered during the final. Whatever gets you through! [:)]

Kirata -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/8/2008 12:04:54 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MadRabbit I have horrible memory when it comes to memorizing and retaining information, particularly stuff like names, facts, dates, etc... I am trying to do a bit of research on it to try and find some viable solutions for improving my ability to memorize. There are some great strategies out there to help remember things. I'm like you, so I learned a few once, and was amazed. But, unh... I don't remember what they were. K.

celticlord2112 -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/8/2008 1:57:20 PM)
Memory is a talent and skill, and thus must be exercised. Memory games such as this one might help.

SL4V3M4YB3 -> RE: Advice About Studying For School (11/8/2008 2:01:25 PM)
Windows Vista has a free version of that. I seem to do quite well if the tiles I use are porn images.

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