Two of the most effective ways of recitation are writing ideas out or speaking them aloud.  Both writing and speaking activate the brain in such a way that it increases encoding and recording.

 

Recitation involves either speaking or writing the ideas or concepts you wish to remember.  Start by covering your notes.  Try to articulate the idea either by writing it out or verbally explaining.  Afterwards, look at your notes and evaluate how close you were in articulating the idea.  It is best not to recite information word for word out of a book or from your notes.  Your memory will be greatly improved if you use your own words.

 

Plateaus and Time

 It is inevitable to have study periods in which you feel as though you are not moving forward.  These plateaus or periods of slow learning should not be too discouraging to a student.  Typically these periods are the result of mental or physical fatigue, lack of interest, or lack of positive returns.  These periods can also be times where your brain is attempting to catch up with the abundance of newly learned material.  It is important to note that during these plateaus, your brain is still learning and processing information.  It is recommended that if you feel frustrated by moving forward, you should abandon the activity and pick it up later.

 

 After spending a substantial amount of time studying (approximately four hours), your ability to understand and remember material will drastically decrease.  Research confirms that studying one subject beyond four hours substantially hinders effective learning.  For effective learning and memory storage, take a ten-minute break for every hour of study and do not study more than four consecutive hours.

 

Helpful Tips

 

· Your brain needs certain vitamins to work appropriately.  Make sure your diet includes thiamin, folic acid, and B12 vitamins.

· To maintain memory, your body needs a certain amount of water.  Avoid dehydration.  Alcohol has a dehydrating affect on the body.

· While you are sleeping your brain disconnects from your senses allowing it to revise and store memory.  Lack              of sleep can have severe effects on your memory.

Memory Guidebook