Understanding Of Memory And Study Techniques example essay topic

Process Essay How to Study for a Test When people hear the word test, they cringe, and get the feeling they don't remember anything. Well, I am here to teach you a few great techniques on how to improve your study skills, and also improve your memorization techniques. After reading this short how to, you will have a better understanding of your own capabilities. The key to doing well on a test is preparation. Preparation, as I stated, is the key to getting ready to study for a test. The first thing you need to do, in order to become prepared, is write down when the test takes place; the time, date, and class.

The next step is to find out what will be covered on the test, for example, what chapters, the pages, and any lectures or in class assignments. Next, you need to bookmark the areas in the book that you plan to study. And last in the preparation, set a date, and time to study. Make sure that you got enough sleep, because information is better retained when enough sleep was had. Study in a quiet, relaxing environment, such as a library. Once this is done, you are ready for memorization techniques.

Once you have prepared yourself, and found a quiet place, you are ready to improve on your memory techniques. First, open up your book, and scan the chapter. While you are scanning the chapter, write down words that catch you eye, and also get the basic idea of every paragraph into your thoughts. When you are finished scanning the chapter, write down questions, that you want answers to. After you have questions written down, you need to go back and really read the chapter again; while you are reading, keep the questions in your mind. When you are done reading, go back and see if you can answer the questions that you came up with.

Once you are finished answering your own questions, make your own outline of what you have read. The outline should consist of the main idea of each paragraph, and at least two supporting ideas. When the outline is complete, you are ready to read over your class notes. I suggest doing the same for the class notes that you have done with the book. Step one, scan; step two, question; step three, read; and step four, outline. Understanding what you have read is very important in studying for a test.

In order to understand, you might create pictures in your mind, to help with visualizing an idea. Some of you remember better if you recite and repeat the information. Recite the information while you are reading, and repeating the information after you have read. Others might have an easier time to organize their ideas that you have read, and associate those ideas with other ideas, for example, use a mnemonic device. Some of you might remember R.O.Y.G.B.I.V. for the colors in a spectrum for science, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. After you have a clear understanding of what you have read, you can also talk it out.

Talking it out is similar to a study group. If you don't have anyone to study with, you can always read your notes, and outlines out loud. Tape recording the information is also useful to get a better idea, and to make sure that the information is pulled together. Pulling the information together is very important; it helps you remember. Understanding the memory process will help you understand how to improve upon it.

The first step in the memory process is, intention, your willingness to learn. The second step is, observation; you are alert to the information, and attentive. The third step is, organization; you make sense of the information. The fourth is, retention; you record and store the information. Recall is the last step; it is how well you remember the information.

Memory is defined as, "the process by which we encode, store, and retrieve information". (Webster's Dictionary) By improving your memory skills, you are also improving your study techniques. Tests are not meant to scare you, or make you cringe; they are designed to test your knowledge. Once you have an understanding of memory, and study techniques, you will have a better understanding of how to take a test.

Studying is the key factor to asses how much you know for a test, and following this guide, will let you improve not only your study habits, but also your grades, or test anxiety. You are now ready to begin preparing for a test..