Study Skills How memory works …. I Just Cant Revise! Is this how revision affects you?Is this how revision affects you? I revise and a few days later

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Study SkillsStudy Skills

How memory works …How memory works …


I Just Can’t Revise!I Just Can’t Revise!

• Is this how revision Is this how revision affects you?affects you?

• ““I revise and a few I revise and a few days later I forget!”days later I forget!”

• ““I have to revise I have to revise everything again!”everything again!”

• ““and again …!”and again …!”


Don’t Worry!Don’t Worry!

• This is normal!!This is normal!!

• Your short term memory does forget Your short term memory does forget thingsthings

• That’s why it’s called “short term”That’s why it’s called “short term”

• Before you can plan effective revision Before you can plan effective revision – you need to know how short term memory you need to know how short term memory

works and how to transfer the information to works and how to transfer the information to your long term memoryyour long term memory


Short Term MemoryShort Term Memory

• When you revise for When you revise for say one hour the say one hour the information goes into information goes into short term memoryshort term memory

• But after only a short But after only a short time the information time the information starts to leak outstarts to leak out

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BrainometerBrainometer


Short Term MemoryShort Term Memory

• After only a day or so After only a day or so most of the most of the information will have information will have gonegone

• To put the information To put the information back you will have to back you will have to revise all over again revise all over again for another hourfor another hour

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Brainometer

Quick Facts

The more interesting you found the work – the more information you will retain.

If you didn’t UNDERSTAND the work you will lose information more quickly!


Smart RevisionSmart Revision

• Suppose that you could revise for less Suppose that you could revise for less time ….time ….

• But retain more information!But retain more information!

• You can with You can with “Smart Revision”“Smart Revision”

• Here’s why Here’s why “Smart Revision”“Smart Revision” works works


Smart RevisionSmart Revision

• A great deal of research shows that after A great deal of research shows that after 50 – 60 minutes revising the brain stops 50 – 60 minutes revising the brain stops absorbing information and spends about absorbing information and spends about 10 minutes “organising itself”10 minutes “organising itself”

• Soon afterwards information starts to be Soon afterwards information starts to be lost unless it is reinforcedlost unless it is reinforced

• The end of that 10 minutes “organisation The end of that 10 minutes “organisation time” is the best time to recap (take a time” is the best time to recap (take a break while the brain does its bit!)break while the brain does its bit!)

Quick Facts

The original research was done by Hermann Ebbinghaus (1885)

Ebbinhaus used the now common term “learning curve” to describe this phenomena


How to “Revise Smart”How to “Revise Smart”• Revise a topic for up to Revise a topic for up to

50 minutes – No longer!50 minutes – No longer!• Take a 10 minute breakTake a 10 minute break• Information will soon Information will soon

start leaking out!start leaking out!• But spend 10 minutes But spend 10 minutes

quickly recapping the quickly recapping the topic (We’ll show you topic (We’ll show you how later!)how later!)

• And the leakage is And the leakage is stoppedstopped

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Next DayNext Day

• Because of the “top up” Because of the “top up” much more information much more information is retained this timeis retained this time

• Another short “top up” is Another short “top up” is enough to reinforce the enough to reinforce the information and replace information and replace any that was lostany that was lost

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A Week Later!A Week Later!

• Because of the two Because of the two “top ups” much of the “top ups” much of the information is still information is still retained after a weekretained after a week

• Another short “top up” Another short “top up” is enough to replace is enough to replace the lost informationthe lost information

• You have revised for You have revised for less time but you less time but you remember more remember more information!information!

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Remembering FactsRemembering Facts100%

0%

Red shows facts retained with no top ups

Green show facts retained with SMART revision


Memory TransferMemory Transfer

• By topping up before By topping up before the memory is lost …the memory is lost …

• Short term memory is Short term memory is being transferred to being transferred to your long term your long term memorymemory

• You should “top up” You should “top up” again after a month to again after a month to reinforce the reinforce the informationinformation

Quick Facts

The diagram of the brain is NOT meant to indicate the areas where memory is actually located!!


Recap Your WorkRecap Your Work

• A quick and effective way to recap your A quick and effective way to recap your revision is to make a mind map diagramrevision is to make a mind map diagram

• See the example on the next slideSee the example on the next slide

• Remember not to waste time making it Remember not to waste time making it very neat and artistic but do use pictures.very neat and artistic but do use pictures.

• Spend about 10 minutes on your recap Spend about 10 minutes on your recap after about 45-50 minutes of revisionafter about 45-50 minutes of revision

• Remember to take a break first!Remember to take a break first!


Mind Mapping ExampleMind Mapping Example

LancasterHenry lV

Henry Vl

Henry VYork

Edward lV

Richard lllEdward V

Your mind map will be more complex than this!

Lancaster & York


RememberRemember

• Adding pictures to the map will help you Adding pictures to the map will help you rememberremember

• But it’s But it’s NOTNOT a work of art, don’t waste too a work of art, don’t waste too much time!much time!


Second RecapSecond Recap

• After one day try to reproduce the mind After one day try to reproduce the mind mapmap

• When you have done all you can from When you have done all you can from memory fill in any missing information by memory fill in any missing information by looking at the original looking at the original

• Remember only look at the first mind map Remember only look at the first mind map when you have done all you canwhen you have done all you can

• Spend only about 10 minutes on this Spend only about 10 minutes on this second recapsecond recap


After a WeekAfter a Week

• Do a second “top up”Do a second “top up”• You can draw the map againYou can draw the map again• OR use a diagram like this:OR use a diagram like this:

• Your diagram will have more information!Your diagram will have more information!

House of Lancaster House of York

Henry lV

Henry V

Henry Vl

Edward lV

Edward V

Richard lll

Red Rose White Rose


Keep a DiaryKeep a Diary

• It’s important not to miss any “top up” sessionsIt’s important not to miss any “top up” sessions• Keeping a simple diary is essentialKeeping a simple diary is essential

Revision Diary

TopicFirst Recap

30 mins

Second Recap

Next day

Third Recap

One week

22nd April 23rd April 30th April

22nd April 23rd April 30th April

23rd April 24th April Ist May


Memory AidsMemory Aids

Helping you to remember ..Helping you to remember ..


Memory Aids - MnemonicsMemory Aids - Mnemonics

• An example of a mnemonic is An example of a mnemonic is “Richard Of “Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain”York Gave Battle In Vain”

• The initial letters help you remember the The initial letters help you remember the order of the colours of the rainboworder of the colours of the rainbow

• You can make up your own to help you You can make up your own to help you remember listsremember lists

• Mnemonics like this are most useful when Mnemonics like this are most useful when you are trying to remember you are trying to remember the orderthe order of of items items


Story ChainsStory Chains

• Remembering lists can be hard!Remembering lists can be hard!

• See if you can remember this?See if you can remember this?

• Boy, bee, bottle, boat, blue, blind, big, Boy, bee, bottle, boat, blue, blind, big, bluebottle, bankbluebottle, bank

• How many do you remember?How many do you remember?

• How many will you know in an hour?How many will you know in an hour?


Story ChainsStory Chains

• Boy, bee, bottle, boat, blue, blind, big Boy, bee, bottle, boat, blue, blind, big bluebottle, bank bluebottle, bank

• Now make up a story:Now make up a story:• A A boyboy found a found a beebee and put it in a and put it in a bottlebottle. .

Then he rowed his Then he rowed his boatboat on the lake. He on the lake. He asked “can you see the asked “can you see the blueblue water”. “No” water”. “No” said the bee. “I’m said the bee. “I’m blindblind but I have but I have bigbig ears ears and I can hear that and I can hear that bluebottlebluebottle on the other on the other bankbank.”.”


BottleBottleBeeBee

How ManyHow Many

• Now how many can you remember?Now how many can you remember?

BoyBoyWord 1Word 1 Word 2Word 2 Word 3Word 3

BoatBoatWord 4Word 4 BlueBlueWord 5Word 5 BlindBlindWord 6Word 6

BigBigWord 7Word 7 BluebottleBluebottleWord 8Word 8 BankBankWord 9Word 9


Substitute WordsSubstitute Words

• The “story chain” works well if you can imagine a The “story chain” works well if you can imagine a picture of the word e.g. boat, beepicture of the word e.g. boat, bee

• Often you can’t easily do this e.g. Lancastrian, Often you can’t easily do this e.g. Lancastrian, YorkistYorkist

• In these case try to think of a substitute word In these case try to think of a substitute word that sounds like or reminds you of the real wordthat sounds like or reminds you of the real word

• ““Lancastrian” could be “Lanky”Lancastrian” could be “Lanky”• ““Yorkist” could be “Yorkie” barYorkist” could be “Yorkie” bar



NumbersNumbers

• Lists of numbers can be difficult to Lists of numbers can be difficult to rememberremember

• You can use the story method if you You can use the story method if you associate an image with each numberassociate an image with each number

• Think of ONE as “Gun”Think of ONE as “Gun”

• TWO as “Shoe”TWO as “Shoe”


NumbersNumbers

Gun = 1

Sticks = 6

Shoe = 2 Tree = 3 Door = 4 Dive = 5

Heaven = 7 Gate = 8 Sign = 9 Hen = 10

Can you guess the name of each picture and its number?Click a shape to reveal or hide the answers!


Location BoxesLocation Boxes

• This takes a little effort to learn but can This takes a little effort to learn but can work well for remembering quite long listswork well for remembering quite long lists

• You need to use locations that you know You need to use locations that you know wellwell

• Don’t try to use the one in the exampleDon’t try to use the one in the example• Choose …Choose …

– a room in your housea room in your house– The whole house / gardenThe whole house / garden– Your journey to schoolYour journey to school


My LocationMy Location

• Going to schoolGoing to school1. Open the 1. Open the front doorfront door2. Walk to the2. Walk to the gate gate3. Wait at the 3. Wait at the bus stopbus stop4. Sit in my4. Sit in my seat seat5. Get off at the 5. Get off at the schoolschool entranceentrance

etcetc

• The The orange orange places are my locationsplaces are my locations


The ListThe List

• In my mind I go on the journey In my mind I go on the journey and …and …

• Stick the Stick the dartdart in my in my doordoor• Leave the Leave the appleapple at the at the gategate• Stick the Stick the cardcard to the bus to the bus stopstop• Find a Find a poundpound under the under the seatseat on on

the busthe bus• Put the Put the flagflag at the at the school entranceschool entrance


Why Does it WorkWhy Does it Work

• Once you have learned the order of places Once you have learned the order of places in your location…in your location…

• You can visualize a picture of the items in You can visualize a picture of the items in that place that place


Make it Memorable!Make it Memorable!

• The image of the dart sticking in the nice The image of the dart sticking in the nice door will “stick” in your memorydoor will “stick” in your memory

• Putting the apple by the gate isn’t that Putting the apple by the gate isn’t that memorable – maybe imagine a giant apple memorable – maybe imagine a giant apple completely blocking the gate!completely blocking the gate!

• Once you’ve learned theOnce you’ve learned the “journey” you can jump “journey” you can jump into the list at any point,into the list at any point,even go backwards!even go backwards!


Summing UpSumming Up

• Revise in chunks of about 45 - 50 minutesRevise in chunks of about 45 - 50 minutes• Then take short breaks – relax!Then take short breaks – relax!• Recap for 10 minutes straight after the Recap for 10 minutes straight after the

breakbreak• Top up after 1 day, 1 week and 1 monthTop up after 1 day, 1 week and 1 month• Keep a simple diary – don’t miss top ups!Keep a simple diary – don’t miss top ups!• Try to Try to UNDERSTANDUNDERSTAND the work the work• Use memory aidsUse memory aids


Good Luck!Good Luck!

Documents

Study Skills How memory works …. I Just Cant Revise! Is this how revision affects you?Is this how revision affects you? I revise and a few days later