How To 'Not' Forget what you read : The Ultimate Guide

Generally speaking, at least 70% of students in
secondary and tertiary institutions , are faced
with the problem of FORGETTING. Students tend
to forget what they've learned. Although most
people tend to remember what they see, when it
comes to personal study session, students tend
to easily forget what they read, for different
reasons. Today, we are going to review this
topic, with the aim of identifying our weaknesses
and building on them. As you read on, take notes
of important points pertaining to yourself,
keeping an inquisitive learning mind.

THE PROCESS OF MEMORIZATION:

Memorization involves a complex process of
storing sourced information, and retrieving them
at a particular period(s) of time. Generally it
involves three stages:-

a) Encoding:- Encoding is the process of
preparing data gathered from one's environment,
into psychological formats that can be mentally
presented. Simply put, it's the process of making
what you have learnt, suitable for storage in your
brain.

b) Storage:- This is the process of placing
information in ones memory, so that it can be
retrieved when necessary. Its kind of repeating
what you've learnt till it sticks upstairs. There is
SHORT-TERM memory and it's the first level of
storage. Here, information is easily volatile, and
It can easily be forgotten. By practicing
MAINTENANCE REHEARSAL as you shall soon
see, information is transferred to the LONG-
TERM memory, where it is retained for a long
period of time. A good example, is your very own
name!

c) Retrieval:- This is the process of mentally
locating and bringing back to consciousness,
information that has been stored. Its kinda
similar to you bringing out files from a cabinet. If
stored information cannot be effectively recalled
from ones memory, then it's practically useless.
This is the stage most students struggle with,
and the stage we are going to focus on.

THE CONCEPT OF 'FORGETTING'
Forgetfulness is a problem for both students and
teachers alike. It's the inability to remember
stored information. What are the causes of
forgetfulness? They are many and varied, but
they include the following:

a) DISUSE: It is logical, that a thought or idea or
information that is used on a regular basis, is
strongly implanted in a person's memory. Hence,
information disuse, can cause it to fade away
gradually.

b) DISTORTION: You probably experience this
whenever you try to learn too many things at a
time, or while trying to memorise materials that
are not properly organised. The structure of
information is a very crucial factor that affects
it's storage. Distorted information can cause
misperception of the message being passed
across. This hampers retention and recall.

c) REPRESSION: Psychological Studies have
shown that the human brain is configured to
automatically forget unpleasant information. This
ranges from extremely unpleasant events, to
students thinking about how boring a lecture is.

d) INTERFERENCE: Its very common. Another
word for this is DISTRACTION. It encompasses
disruptions that occur during the process of
storage, as a result of divided attention. A
person's ability to recall effectively, is
proportional to the amount of interference
present.
Since individuals at various points in time forget
a thing or two, it's very important for you as a
student, to put in a lot of CONSCIOUS EFFORT in
order to effectively tackle this major problem.

MEMORY IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

These simple practices are sure to improve ones
retention and recall. They require constant
practice, a positive mindset, and CONSCIOUS
EFFORT. No matter your level of retention as a
student, these simple methods, will improve it.

a) FLASHBULB METHOD: You probably
remember which restaurant you went to on your
first date. This is because people tend to
remember vividly, what they learn under
emotionally arousing situations. They are called
FLASHBULB INCIDENTS. This means students
can enhance their retentivity by using this
method. What events happen in relation to what
you are learning?

b) BREAKING-UP: This simply means 'reducing
the chunks of information you are trying to
swallow, into small bits you can eat at a time!'
Break up what you are trying to learn. Take it
one at a time. Pause to reflect on what you have
learnt. Review it, while putting all the lil' pieces
together.

c) PROPER-ORGANISATION: Information is not
just piled up in memory. It is well organized and
structure. It only makes sense, to help your
brain by organising your notes. Not just notes,
but anything being learnt. Organization is key!
Make sure your materials are SEQUENTIAL.

d) PHYSICAL EXERCISE: This is the most
emphasized yet underutilised memory
improvement technique, among students in
Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. Seriously! Physical
exercise is not just good for your body alone, it
also improves memory. It keeps you active!

e) MAINTENANCE REHEARSAL: If you are a
medical student, you probably know what I'm
talking about. The sheer volume of information
they have to digest over any particular period of
time is huge. Likewise, every discipline has its
own volume of materials to be learnt. This is my
number one method of memory improvement.
Simply put, it is the process of MENTALLY
REPEATING/REHEARSING OR VOCALISING
INFORMATION TO BE LEARNT. DON'T CONFUSE
THIS WITH 'CRAMMING'. Rather, maintenance
rehearsal involves going back to what you've
already learnt. Its called MAINTENANCE because
it involves mentally recalling information,
assessing it, and restoring it properly, on a
regular basis. It keeps information permanently
in the long term memory. It facilities
remembrance because it's PRACTICAL.
Information stored this way, can be recalled
EVERY TIME it is needed.

In conclusion, you don't have to worry anymore!
Retention can be easy! Work your way up! Its
like body building. Constant exercise adds
muscle mass. Exercise is practice. Therefore,
CONSTANT PRACTICE ADDS BRAIN MASS.
Effectively utilise these techniques to improve
your academics.

References: Study Skills and Techniques.(2015)
Prof. P. Oluremi Adesemowo; Dept Guidance and
counselling, OOU (Memory improvement
techniques )