The brain has numerous functions, and one function of interest to be considered is the memory. Memory is the most reliable source of information by which people live on, and it is in the brain. Situations in which the memory is most abundantly used is studying, playing games especially mind games and carrying out tests. Memory is attributed to the following operations; encoding, storage and finally the retrieval of information. This paper is concerned with memory and its relation to study skills, how best to memorize information and the strategies used in learning-good of course.
According to Margaret W. Matlin, there is a serial position curve which suggests that information, which is well remembered, is the one read or obtained in the beginning of a study and also towards the end. She called it the recency and primary effect. This means that, during the study, the information acquired around the middle of the time is not well encoded and, therefore, its memorization is a hurdle. Due to this, it is important to note that a good study habit is reading the whole information but beginning with the intermediate part. It is an assurance that then all the information read can now be easily retrieved from the memory. Such a study skill is vital to every student that aims to pass their tests and examinations.
Organization during studying is another skill to improve memorization. By organization, it means that related information is to be grouped together. In a study by Bousfield (1953) analyzed by Margaret W. Maltin’s literature, results showed that semantically organized stuff was more recalled than randomized information. This leads to the conclusion that the strategy of reading related information in one session and differently related information in another session is a smart study skill deemed to improve a learner’s performance. For example during an end of topic test, students that have read more and more the intermediate information are likely to pass. Much attention has to be given to intermediate information so that memorization of all the whole area of study is good.
Sleeping soon after reading boosts the memory. This, however, does not necessarily mean that any time after a student reading he/she is to tuck into bed. On the contrary, in fact, a student is to rearrange his/her timetable so that the study time is moved closer to the time which he/she sets down for the day. Sleep was found to be related to consolidation as Margaret W. Matlin puts it. Consolidation, which is the linkage or combination of fresh information with already existing information in the long-term storage memory, occurs during sleep. Hippocampus which is part of limbic system is engaged in learning & memory. These hippocampal regions which are inactive when learning is going on are activated when one sleeps. It is mandatory that students do not read all through the night and then go to sit for an examination, but it is however advisable that students read over and over again for it is proved that this repeated exposure to information leads greater consolidation which is important for storage and retrieval of information.
In more technical terms, another study habit will depend on the Pollyanna Principle of Margaret W. Matlin. It emphasizes that memory is mood dependent. For good recalling of information, it was found out that unpleasant information is better studied or handled when in a bad mood and vice versa. Pleasant material/information, whose memories persist longer, is processed more efficiently and is recalled faster and more accurately. In the strategies that learners use to study, they should include this principle for better memorization of information.
In conclusion, there is one last basic but significant skill to mention in passing; attentiveness. Any student is usually expected to be very attentive in class, in other words improved concentration. It is with improved concentration that the process of encoding information happens best. This boosts the memory as distractions damage the encoding process. Poor study strategies such as lack of sleep because of studying, mixing or randomization of information, lack of concentration, mood related problems and taking studies for granted are just but a few things to mention that will lead to poor memorization information. They should be avoided at all costs because they only work in negativity.
Works Cited
Margaret W. Matlin, Cognition 7th edition. Canada, John Wiley & Sons Limited, 2008.
