Use these tools to refine your study habits.

Memory Principles

Below is a list of memory or learning principles with a brief definition of each.
Click on the principle for student notes and what brain research has discovered.
Making an Effort to Remember

* Interest--In order to remember something thoroughly, you must be interested in it. You must have a reason to learn it.

* Intent to Remember has much to do with whether you remember something or not. A key factor to remembering is having a positive attitude that you will remember.

* Basic Background--Your understanding of new materials depends to a great degree on how much you already know about the subject. The more you increase your basic knowledge, the easier it is to build new knowledge on this background.

Controlling the Amount and Form

* Selectivity-You must determine what is most important and select those parts to study and learn.

* Meaningful Organization--You can learn and remember better if you can group ideas into some sort of meaningful categories or groups.

Strengthening Neural Connections

* Recitation--Saying ideas aloud in your own words is probably the most powerful tool you have to transfer information from short-term to long-term memory.

* Mental Visualization--Another powerful memory principle is making a mental picture of what needs to be remembered. By visualizing, you use an entirely different part of the brain than you did by reading or listening.

* Association--Memory is increased when facts to be learned are associated with something familiar to you.

Giving Time For Connections to Set

* Consolidation--Your brain must have time for new information to soak in. When you make a list or review your notes right after class, you are using the principle of consolidation.

* Distributed Practice--A series of shorter study sessions distributed over several days is preferable to fewer but longer study sessions.