Aids to Rote Memorization

[dragon wench]

I am presently going over my notes for a boating exam I have to take next week.
The way this course is structured is a bit irritating to me. 50 to 60 % of the reading material is obvious, common sense type of stuff (i.e "don't smoke when refuelling" ), and my reaction is basically..... "Well Duh!"

The remaining body of material is very dense and contains *a lot* of facts and figures, much of it poorly written, which does not help.

I have never been good at rote memorization, I excel at "big picture" or "ideas" types of application, and I am really good at abstract thought and being able to leap between seemingly unrelated concepts. But I've strenuously avoided attempting to cram my head full of tiny, detailed bits of things since leaving high school.

So, I'm doing my best to read over this stuff repeatedly, I've made written study notes in the areas I'm especially weak, I'm trying to think of memory aids where possible, and my SO and I have been going back and forth grilling one another. I do great on the overall concepts, but I fall down on the nitty details...

Would anyone be able to suggest effective ways of digesting all of this stuff? Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Tricky]

I read and summarize, read and summarize. Eventually I get to the point where I can stop reading and just summarize. It's work, but it's the only method that works for me.

[Chimaera182]

To you, a lot of the stuff may seem like common sense. But you may be surprised as to how many people lack simple common sense. There are a lot of stupid people in the world... unfortunately, I tend to encounter most of them in a regular day.

Flash cards are effective. When I studied for my Milton exam, I studied with a few classmates, and one of them had made up flash cards. It was the first exam I had taken in years that I actually got an A on, so you know I was stoked. But we ran through the cards a few times, and once I'd gone through them twice, I was pretty much able to go through them the third time with about an 80% success rate, and then the fourth time at 97% (seems arbitrary, but the weird things I got wrong were arbitrary, especially when several cards had multiple answers; for example, there was one question on the ten characteristics of an epic, and I'd always forget one).

And I recommend this as someone who also had a lot of trouble in the past with "rote memorization." People say acronyms work, too. And now I'm remembering two of the ways teachers used to beat stuff into our heads: Kings Play Chess On Fat Girls Stomachs (for Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species) as well as Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally (for Paranthesis, Exponents [I think; shows how well I remember it now, lol], Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction) for figuring out binomials.

[dragon wench]

I appreciate those suggestions. Flashcards I had not tried yet, I've mostly been doing the summarising tactic Tricky mentions, so I'll definitely give the cards a go, since that would break up the material into manageable chunks.
Plus, I tend to have problems if I see all kinds of detail on a single page, everything starts to blur. Flashcards would be good for isolating those details from one another.

Actually, lol, you are right about acronyms. Here is an amusing one our instructor told us, a bit of context first though. When working with navigation charts we need to be able to convert True North to Compass or Magnetic North (and the reverse) and deal with issues like variation, deviation etc. Essentially, from our position on the globe, you subtract the variation going if you are progressing from left to right.
The letters to remember are:
T (true north) V (variation) M (magnetic) D (deviation) C (compass)

Short form:
TVMDC =>
True Virgins Make Dull Company

[Sean The Owner]

this may sound weird, but if i study, i do worse on tests, all i do(if i dont know what im doing) is read through the thing only once! and look for like..a test online thats similar to the one you will be taking, see how well you do on it, if you do good? well, sweet! if you dont do good, well you dont learn the same way i do, and the 2nd preferred method i use would be flashcards as well...they may seem stupid because you do them in like grade 4, but im in grade 12 right now, and they may not be "cool" but then again, studying isnt "cool" either so ya...

[BlueSky]

Being an ex-teacher...I've noticed that for myself..I'm a visual learner....tough for me....as most teaching is lecture type
but a method that has worked for me and new material, is to try to explain the subject to a friend... as for the actual tests...I'm a natural test taker...can take almost any multiple choice and pass without knowing the material...a friend was studying for his nursing exams and had me help him and I took his practice exam cold and passed...he was PO'ed but got over it as for writing exams, I am not as well at those as I would like to be, although another friend said that if it was an oral exam, that being the silver=tongued devil that I am, I could BS those and pass.
another method that I've used is to tape myself going over the notes and play back and listen to them. My suggestion is to try these combos and see which works for you, then use the ones that seem to work for you.

[fable]

You might want to check out The Art of Memory, by Frances Yates. It's not a self-help guide, but an erudite, dry-witted history of Renaissance self-help memory texts, by a recently deceased professor at the University of London. (She was one of my heroes, too!) It's clear that some of the memory experts were themselves gifted with extraordinary memories to begin with, but her explanations also make clear the methods they used to instruct others. I've gotten some assistance with my notoriously sieve-like memory, from there.

Many of the authors appear to recommend visualization techniques, as was already mentioned, above. Some of them described creating elaborate "memory mansions" in which each room should be designed around a series of mnemonic statues, decorations, reliefs, paintings, etc, that can aid in recalling things. Interesting stuff, and Yates loved exploring the more notorious and extravagant personalities of that period.

[dragon wench]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the tips, and book recommendation. My memory for small details is appalling, it always has been. I can happily toss around all kinds of highly abstract ideas and I do well on essay types of exams.... but this stuff is just alien to me. It's really embarrassing on occasion too. For example, I often have trouble recalling my home phone number... and I almost *never* remember my cell phone number (I mean, how many times do we call our own cell numbers? ).

@Fable,
I also recall that you are less than gifted at mathematics. I am identical in that regard, it usually takes a lot for me to grasp the simplist of mathematical concepts. You also write that you have a poor memory; I wonder if there is a correlation between difficulty with remembering small details and maths?

[fable]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench @Fable, I also recall that you are less than gifted at mathematics. I am identical in that regard, it usually takes a lot for me to grasp the simplist of mathematical concepts. You also write that you have a poor memory; I wonder if there is a correlation between difficulty with remembering small details and maths?

I've wondered about the same thing. Rote formula memorization lies at the foundation of math and the hard sciences, but the odd thing is that it also forms the basis of grammar and linguistic studies. Yet I have no problem with either of these. Grammar, to me, is "flavored." By that I mean, all words and grammatical parts of speech have textures, colors, shapes. Math formulas don't. I have nothing to grasp. This probably sounds odd as all hell, but it holds true, for me, at least. Hopefully it does for you, too, so I won't be the only one in the sandbox being laughed at by the others.

[Kipi]

Well, I would suggest what BlueSky mentioned, to try to teach those things to your friend. When you are forced to prepare well enough o be able to teach everything covered on that topic, you also lear most of it if not all. I used that method in High School a lot, one of the reasons why I loved to take part in those courses which used the method of students teaching each others...

BTW, the boating things are not that difficult... but that's only my opinion

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fable I've wondered about the same thing. Rote formula memorization lies at the foundation of math and the hard sciences, but the odd thing is that it also forms the basis of grammar and linguistic studies. Yet I have no problem with either of these. Grammar, to me, is "flavored." By that I mean, all words and grammatical parts of speech have textures, colors, shapes. Math formulas don't. I have nothing to grasp. This probably sounds odd as all hell, but it holds true, for me, at least. Hopefully it does for you, too, so I won't be the only one in the sandbox being laughed at by the others.

Hmmm... this is where we differ. When I was required to take Phonetics (for those who do not know, usually considered a component of Linguistics) as a part of my French language and lit degree, I barely scraped through, and it wasn't due to a lack of study on my part either, I had a lot of trouble both remembering the formulaic nature, as well as grasping the mathematics-like concepts. French grammar also caused me a lot of grief because that sort of study doesn't come naturally to me, but I managed it tolerably well after *a lot* of application. English grammar has never been an issue for me (unless I'm asked to actually remember and cite the rules), it's instinctive. I suspect the reason I'm fine with English grammar is because I've always read so much. Or maybe Noam Chomsky's theory that everyone is essentially born with a sort of "blueprint" for language comes to bear.

I know *exactly* what you mean with regard to math formulas... there's just nothing tangible or meaningful there to touch and hold onto. I'm a very visual and sensory person, and words always conjure strong images and sensations for me. (take 3 guesses as to which faction I always join when I play PS:T )

I'm so lopsided in my abilities that I strongly suspect I have dyscalcula. During my final year in high school I had to sit a SAT exam. I scored somewhere in the 95 th percentile in the areas dealing with comprehension, writing etc... and in the 15 th percentile in the math/science sections. When confronted with numeric problems, especially if fine details are also involved, I quite literally freeze and enter a highly anxious state. Everything begins to blur and I can't think rationally. I only want to flee the situation.

Luckily, I somehow managed a breakthrough in figuring out how to plot a course on a nautical chart (no idea what actually triggered the moment of light)... and considering that charting is a major component of the course... this is very fortunate.

@Kipi, you are right, the boating stuff is not too bad. Now that I'm able to chart, the rest is just worrying about trying to remember the details of lights on buoys, collision regulations (which vessel is the stand on/give way), etc. etc.

[fable]

I did 98% in the lit/comprehension stuff, about 80% in the rest on the SATs. But that was back in the Ice Age, and today's junior high school kids (7th to 9th grade, for all those of you who have the great good fortune to be from somewhere other than the Kingdom fo Dubyubia) can easily surpass me and rattle off math formulae far beyond what I was expected to know in the 12th. I suppose this makes me a math semi-literate.

My wife likes to show off by doing algebraic equations in her head, then proudly explain the results. I know she gloats at the way my eyes glaze over. But then I snicker when she says "It's a kind of type of thing." So everything evens out in the end.

Except that I'm still annoyed I can't get a handle on math formulae. At all. While some people, even without rote memorization, pick it up as though it were second nature. Perhaps they're aliens?

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fable My wife likes to show off by doing algebraic equations in her head, then proudly explain the results. I know she gloats at the way my eyes glaze over. But then I snicker when she says "It's a kind of type of thing." So everything evens out in the end. Except that I'm still annoyed I can't get a handle on math formulae. At all. While some people, even without rote memorization, pick it up as though it were second nature. Perhaps they're aliens?

I have a friend who does that with algebraic equations... It always takes extreme will on my part in order to refrain from violent behaviour
But, on the other hand, she couldn't write if her life depended on it, so that makes me feel marginally better

Yes, exactly. It's extremely frustrating. If I can manage the other areas well, I figure I should be able to, at least, cope with mathematical formulas

ROFL! You know... if, while writing my exam, I picture the formula bunnies with identical sets of little green antennae sprouting from their heads, it might just help me! Either that or I'll be hopelessly distracted...

@Bluesky,
Many cheers for the suggestions, I think they will help.
You are probably one of those immensely irritating people who would be able to write an LSAT without preparation and end up with invites from places like Harvard.
*glares*

[Silur]

Bah! Math formulae are logical - language is all just fuzzy wuzzy!

Seriously though, explaining to a friend (or a complete stranger is probably even better...) is great. You have to think through how to organise the material for presentation, which usually results in it being organised into memory as well. I always botch my first presentation at least a little, since I never prepare properly and end up restructuring while I'm presenting, but after that it is stuck there.

These acronym methods don't work, since I end up remembering the acronym but don't have a clue as to what its for. I had one for german irregular verbs, and I can probably recall the acronym but the verbs are gone.

When it comes to navigation, I found visualising the charts in my head from the perspective of the boat and looking around helps. The geometry stuff is a bit difficult if you don't like math, but try visualising what you want to do and keep track of where north is. That will help you get a rough estimate of what a reasonable course is, so you know where to look and what answer to expect. Basing your navigation on a quick look at the 1:1 map is never a bad move, and neither is checking your answer twice.

Since Canada drives on the right side of the road, the right of way stuff for motor boats should be intuitive. Sailboats are a little different (which is what makes sailraces fun). We used to use a board game called "regatta" to practice right of way with the kids at the sailing school - which made it more fun - but you can do the same with a few cardboard boats and a pen for mainsail. Select your wind direction and put out your boats pretty much random, set their sail and make out who has right of way. In my view, if people just got the right of way part right, they should be awarded a diploma. I've had my share of near misses, emergency evasions into shallow water, sail yachts cutting corners on a port tack, etc.

Identifying other boats at night is what I have trouble with. If it looks like a x-mas tree, I just stay away. It can be anything from a surfacing submarine to a tugboat pulling timber for all I know... Chart symbols... well, you'll have to just learn those. Same goes for lighthouse signatures. Being on a boat and seeing them on the chart and in reality at the same time helps a lot... or as skipper says - double-click on them and they'll tell you what they are

[Magrus]

Rote Memorization is just evil nonsense made to torment people into committing felonies. At least thats just my opinion. I never used to study in school, studying ruined what I had learned through listening and homework. The effectiveness of my memory changed in high school though, and that didn't work anymore.

What I did was to learn the general concept of everything as well as I could given I could no longer remember things exactly. I would then, when I got a test, paraphrase things, and if I knew I had the concept correct, but not the actual wording argue it out with the teacher. Using the logic that the wording is not nearly as important as the actual concept behind it, yadda yadda, I tended to get them to change their minds. However, this was in a school where I was thrust into after being medicated and I had a special education program outlined for me. So that may not work for others.

Some of the kids in school used to record themselves reading the passages in their books on a tape. Then they would put on headphones and play the tape to listen to it as they read the book, and when they went to sleep. Hearing it as they read it helped them remember. Others just read the book out loud.

You could always try copying out the passages that you want to remember endless times until your hands cramp up too. The constant reading and writing it might help you to recall it the way you need to. That seems more like torture to me, so I would ask myself is it really worth it in that case.