subject: Using Spacing for Better Memory [print this page] As children, we've all probably played the card game Memory. But this is more than a game to keep kids quiet. As students, the ability to memorize and synthesize information becomes ever more important.
Remembering tasks, dates, and material is key to efficiency. Nothing is worse than learning material, and going back months or years later, only to realize you have to relearn everything! It is time-consuming, ineffective, and worst of all - frustrating. Memorization is not everyone's strong point, so how can we go about building a better memory?
The key to memory is reviewing. It is important to review material that we've already learned, so that it is stored in long term memory and not immediately forgotten. Trying to learn a ton of information all at once is called cramming, and rightly so since you are literally cramming information into your brain. Learning and reviewing for a better memory has a name too, spacing, because with this style you space out the information you learn.
Spacing as a review technique was defined by Hermann Ebbinghaus, a German scientist who went on to discover that the best way to retain material is to study a little bit at a time over an extended period. This seems like common sense, because we know that studying once and never cracking a book again is the worst way to retain information.
While trying to build a better memory, it's important to keep in mind that the intervals of reviewing are also important. Studies show that when you review one day after studying, you still forget quite a bit. Two days later, you retain more, but the optimum study period is three days later. At this period, retention appears to level out.
In fact, research has shown that the best study intervals are at 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year later. And be sure to review this information, because you have to remember to study again at these time periods.
Luckily for those of us who are working on getting better at memorizing, there are lots of tools out there to help us remember to review. Many e-mail clients have built-in calendars that will remind you of any date you need to keep, so you can simply program in further studies after your first cramming session. Google Calendar is also a good resource.
Of course, you can also use a "low-tech" solution like a date book or calendar - as long as you remember to read it!
