Important memorization and learning techniques for your studies

This will help you get the subject matter for your next exam in your head more quickly.

Hey, you've probably decided to read this blog article because you're running out of time before the next exam and certain things just don't stick to your mind. The good news is that you're not alone and there are solutions. Let's get started right away. All content listed here can be considered secure. The basis is the studies of psychology professor John Dunlosky and the Department of University Didactics at the University of Zwickau.

These are the key takeaways you'll take with you:

• A selection of effective memorization and learning techniques
• Evaluation of the various strategies and explanation of what works well
• Tips for learning faster with LearnBoost KI

Almost all working strategies for memorization are characterized by linking the learning material with already known content. In particular, repetition and consolidation of learning material are promoted. For example, finding analogies, metaphors and examples is suitable for this. Why This is based on the strategy of comparison. To do this, differences and similarities must be identified. This search for familiar things appears to be an automatic function of memory. Sensory impressions are constantly compared with similar and familiar things. The search is for connections between previous knowledge and new information. It is this profound examination of a subject matter that can really have considerable effects on your learning and the associated memory.

Analogies, metaphors, and examples

The learning strategy works so well that once learned, it is difficult to “unlearn” analogies that have turned out to be too trivial or erroneous. Physicists are struggling by comparing the structure of atoms with that of star systems, and psychologists are fighting back against the view that anger must be reduced in a controlled manner, otherwise the “steam boiler” will burst uncontrollably. Perhaps you have also just thought of a few personal examples...

Practice and repetition:

Although learning is an end state rather than an activity, learning is often equated with practice and repetition. Perhaps this also reflects many years of experience with school learning, which involves practicing math methods and repeatedly reading the notes. We all know that, but learning experiments actually show that learning success increases with the number of repetitions. It is noticeable that information is retained particularly well at the beginning and end of a presentation (“primacy” and “recency” effect). In addition, the number of repetitions does not only increase the proportion of retained content points. There is also a qualitative development. You are increasingly learning to weight and structure the content points. The sad truth associated with this is that practice and repetition remain essential prerequisites for sustainable learning. The positive thing about this is that with LearnBoost Have more time by being able to dedicate yourself directly to repeating, as the Learnboost AI allows you to complete your learning basics such as summaries, mind maps and flashcards at the push of a button. Incomprehension and questions can also be solved with Learn's AI tutorBoost clarify. If that doesn't help and saves time...

“Mastery Learning” and “Overlearning”

“Mastery Learning” dates back to Carroll's “School Learning Model” (1963). It is assumed that learning is a function of the ratio of actual learning time to required learning time. The learning process must therefore be carried out until every pupil or student has achieved the goal. These assumptions were discussed quite controversial. In particular, the implicit assumption that anyone could learn anything if only learned long enough was hotly debated. However, studies have shown a consistently positive effect of “mastery learning”. So don't let yourself be unsettled by challenging content and even though it sometimes takes the content to get stuck in your head, the core message is: you can do it! “Overlearning”, on the other hand, requires a learner to continue practicing even if the learning goal has already been achieved. The familiar subject matter is repeated at regular intervals and interrogated together with newly learned content. Here, too, studies can prove that further learning of known content is beneficial for long-term retention. It is also interesting that in some studies, the “significantly increased practice even increased interest in the subject matter and led to more positive attitudes towards the course and the learning conditions. It remains to be seen whether you would feel the same way if you had enough time to prepare for the study. If yes good, if no - Learn helps youBoostDefinitely more.

Notes, notes, and summaries

Popular science articles report that students can remember only 50% of the content of a lecture after 24 hours. After one month, the share dropped to 5%. But only (attention!) when none notes are made. It is not without reason that notes and notes represent common practice in everyday teaching and learning. The positive effects on sustainably retaining the learning material are not disputed. However, there are conditions under which making your own written products is particularly helpful:

• Appropriate notes (stronger processing of the content than with literal copying)
• Timely repetition of notes (the better reminder effect, the shorter the gap to lecture/research)
• no parallel requirements (restriction of mental resources for recording and processing further information when making transcripts, e.g. Instagram, Netflix, etc.)

None of us will probably deny the added value of a good and meaningful summary. Nor will anyone deny that the summary is usually the most complex and time-consuming part of the entire learning process. That's why your unfair advantage is waiting here LearnBoost on you to create all your learning content for exams, such as summaries, mind maps and flashcards, at the push of a button. Incomprehension and questions can also be solved with Learn's AI tutorBoost clarify. In this way, you can get the best out of the effective learning technique in the shortest possible time.

Cornell notes

The “Cornell notes” method, invented in the 1950s by education professor Walter Pauk at Cornell University, is ideal for compacting and organizing notes. The method comprises the following steps:

• Preparation: A sheet is divided into two columns. The right column is filled with notes about the course, and questions or keywords are added later in the narrower left column.
• Take notes: During the course, notes are entered in the right column.
• Questions: As soon as possible after the event, questions (or keywords) about the notes are formulated and recorded in the left column. The questions help to better understand content, to recognize connections, to promote continuous engagement with the subject matter and to help remember the content of the course.
• Recite: After covering the note column, an attempt is now made to answer the questions in the left column in your own words or to remember facts and ideas about the keywords written down.
• Reflection: Finally, based on key questions, considerations are made about the subject of learning at an event: What do these facts mean? What principles are they based on? For which application do I need the knowledge? How does the content fit in with the previous learning material?
• Post-processing: The “Cornell notes” are reviewed again once a week. A few minutes are usually enough for this. This makes a significant contribution to the provision of knowledge and to subsequent tests.

The method appears to be particularly effective when the teaching content is not only to be learned by heart, but also to be applied and synthesized. It's best to just try it out for yourself.

Logbook/ Learning Diary

Learning diaries or logbooks are used to reflect on one's own learning. The success of a learning diary is based on the fact that the most important components of the learning material are recorded in your own words.

Possible key questions:

• Which issues and central concepts seem important so important to me that I would like to get straight to the point in my own words?
• Which material (sections in the script, own notes, articles, book chapters) fits the topic?
• Can I think of examples from my own experience that illustrate, confirm, or contradict what I have learned?
• Have I noticed references and links between the topic of the lesson and theories, findings or methods already known from other subjects/seminars?
• What questions remained unanswered? What seemed unclear or even wrong to me?
• What had a beneficial effect on the learning process (study group, learning locations, specific learning techniques, etc.)?

The aim of this technique is always to allow further intensive examination of the subject matter with greater depth of processing. The result is a deeper anchoring of the learning material in memory and, as a result, better recall performance for your exam.

Let's go and good luck!

With this in mind, good luck with continuing to study for your exams and oral exams. It's best to check for yourself which techniques work well for you and which don't. Sometimes trying out a new learning technique at the beginning can be more exhausting than saving time and work and making learning easier. It's best to use a long-term advantage in trying things out as motivation. It also certainly makes sense that not all learning techniques used at the same time are the measure of all things. Just use this collection as if it were a good toolbox and leave behind what you don't need. (You wouldn't open beer with a corkscrew either...)

Would you like to save yourself even more time? Then our study tool Learn is perfectBoost Definitely good for you (free testing is always possible). This allows you to create summaries, mind maps and flashcards with AI at the push of a button and can use them directly as a basis for applying the listed learning strategies. Incomprehension and questions can also be solved with Learn's AI tutorBoost clarify. Good luck learning, memorizing and remembering your exams!

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