Thief13x on 18/10/2007 at 02:30
I'm starting to get freaked out by the way I learn things in college, particularly when it comes to tests. This isn't your usual student's worry (ie "I'm getting bad grades") but rather the fact that my grades are normal, but I'm not sure if I'm really getting stuff. Let me explain:
My mind tends to drift in class, and I don't retain things I've been verbally taught very well. Consequently, I always read the notes and/or book.
This is where I'm getting concerned, I've started paying attention to how I recall information for tests and I quite literally look slightly up and recall an image of the page that I read it. I don't recall exact details, but I see in my head an outline of the page and the general location of the information (usually headings). This works surprisingly well, but what i've noticed is that there is a big difference in recalling this information, and other things that I have had experience with and can visualize (such as physics: density (air molecule spacing), pressure, etc) and I guess, really understand.
I'm not sure if this makes sense to anyone else, but I feel that this is potentially very dangerous. I don't know if this is rote memorization or what, I try not to rote memorize things but I just can't help it. WTF! how do other people learn stuff? long lists of things, do you see the page you read the list from? do you see the object the list is talking about? ARGH! I'm just really worried. What ya'll think?
EXAMPLE: at the moment I'm studying for a scientific and technical communications exam I have in the morning, and one of the things I have to know is the 10 guidlines for a presentation..
1) know your audience
2) use the preacher's maxim
3) stick to a few main points
4) put your outline on paper, notes, or the overhead
5) practice, practice, practice
6) speak with enthusiasm and determination
7) don't use filler words
8) maintain eye contact
9) ask rhetorical questions
10) use appropriate posture and gestures
now that was all from memory, and about 5/10 minutes of memorizing, and I literally saw a fuzzy picture of the 3 different pages this information was located on individually as I was writing this
Spaztick on 18/10/2007 at 03:37
Seems fine to me, sounds like you have the ability to acquire information but don't know how to apply it. That comes with experience and actually doing (ie applying) what you learned. Have you been given any type of application or lab work for all you've learned so far?
Yakoob on 18/10/2007 at 08:13
I do the same... I think it's what they call a "visual memory."
I think it's comparable, in a way, to all the different ways of memorizing stuff. Like in a new language you memorize a new word because it sounds like a combination of two english words and you associate that combo with the meaning of the foreign word. Sure, at first it seems dangerous as you'd always need to recall these 2 words and the association to remember the thing... but not really. It only serves to keep you remember it in short-term memory. Once you keep using it long enough, eventually the word and meaning will go into your permanent long-term memory and you will no longer need to recall the association to remember said word.
...or so I like to explain to myself...
TJKeranen on 18/10/2007 at 09:47
What he said. Various cues are very important to me, when learning things that require first and foremost memorizing stuff -- like languages. If I need to bring up some recently 'learned' word, the first thing that often pops into my mind is the page I saw it in the book. After using the word in various situations ad nauseam, the 'aid' simply fades away and the word has made its way into my long-term active vocabulary.
You won't run out of memory without some outside aid (getting whacked with a hammer, inhaling butane, etc.).
catbarf on 19/10/2007 at 00:35
What you have is called visual memory. An extreme example is photographic memory. If you can get to that level, you'll be able to remember exactly all the words on each page, and everyone will be very jealous of you :thumb:
SubJeff on 19/10/2007 at 00:47
But that's unlikely.
Also: What Yakoob said.
littlek on 20/10/2007 at 00:33
Why in the heck they are making you memorize a list like that? :tsktsk: No wonder you are having problems.
Digital Nightfall on 20/10/2007 at 02:23
Just yesterday a classmate of mine said the exact same thing, in protest, right before our midterm exam.
I try to remember something, she says, and I can see the page where the info is on, and I can remember everything except what I need to know! It's like I have some stupid, broken photographic memory that's crap!
And we all agreed.
demagogue on 20/10/2007 at 05:56
This thread reminds me of this quirky essay by Mark Twain, (
http://www.twainquotes.com/HistoryDates/HistoryDates.html) How to Make Dates Stick ... reminds me why this guy was a Vonnegut 70 years ahead of the curve. Anyway, he has a fun way of explaining a good way to memorize lists.
Spaztick on 20/10/2007 at 08:21
Before I read the article I'm going to take a guess at what he said:
Make story about it.
Okay I went and skimmed it, he said make pictures, but kind of the same thing. Well if you want my advice on how to learn things try some of the following (this works best with lists, but I find it works with a lot of things, just use your imagination):
Acronyms. These work great with short lists, although you can get overwhelmed if the list is too long or repeats letters to where the acronym word doesn't make sense or you end up memorizing them anyway. Handy for just general lists.
Stories. This is kind of what the article says, but make up picture stories or just stories in your head. Now here's the key here: make it funny, stupid or silly/impossible. You'll remember it 10x better than if it was a serious or unfunny story. I don't want to type out my entire story for some but I learned the entire phonetic alphabet in 10 minutes and haven't forgotten it since by this way.
