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Table of Contents

1. Memory and studying, what’s the link? p. 3

1.1 What are memory techniques?
1.2 Why are they important?

2. Memory p. 5
2.1 Different types of memory
2.2 Sensations and emotions: roads to our memory

3. Memorization techniques for students p. 8

3.1 Memorizing speeches
3.2 Memorizing numbers and names
3.3 Memorizing complex concepts
4. Photographic memory p. 11
4.1 How to make the most of it when studying

5. Memorize with Docsity p. 12

6. Curiosity: did you know that..? p. 14
7. Put your memory to the test p. 15
8. Bibliography and useful contacts p. 16
 Chapter One
Memory and studying:
what’s the link?

Memory plays an important role in the learning process, it allows us

to comprehend, analyze, and elaborate information.
An efficient study method that includes memorization helps
maximize one’s ability to learn concepts and optimize studying time.
Docsity has created this Ebook to show you how to improve your
memory, with the help of more efficient quick memorization
techniques.

1.1 What are memorization techniques?

Memorization techniques enable you to remember a large amount of
information in a short amount of time, without exerting yourself too
much. In this Ebook you can find the most efficient methods used by
thousands of students to successfully pass difficult tests and
exams.
Once you have learned the best techniques, you can apply them to
any exam, your dissertation, and even use them at work!

A trained memory will never let you down, it will be your

saving grace when you have to face tough exams in what
seems too little time!

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 Study and memory: what’s the link?

1.2 Why are they important?

When we are preparing for an important exam, the first thing we
think is:

How will I be able to remember everything?

Have no fear:
There is a memorization technique for every learner. You can use
the techniques most adapted to your studies. There are techniques
for simplifying heavy and dense textbooks, or for last minute
studying just before final exams!

The techniques in the ebook can help you tackle any task.
They aim to improve the quality of studying time, and the
amount of time you need to master a subject.

These memorization techniques

Offer Quick learning

Provide Quality results

Fit any task (exams,

presentations, anything
you need!)

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4
 Chapter Two

Memory
Your memory’s job is to select and archive all information
considered important.
Once chosen, the information remains stored in your memory
until it is time to be recalled.

The memorization process is made up of three phases:

Codification, or taking in information

Retention, or storing of the information

Recuperation of the information from your

memory.

2.1 Different types of memory

Types of memory differ mainly by duration:
•Short term memory ➡ lasts about 20 seconds and holds just a
small amount of information
•Long term memory ➡ can last also for many years and can
contain great amounts of information
...and based on sensory stimulus...
•Sensory memory ➡ stores the information transmitted by the
five senses for short intervals of time. Visual memory is part of
this category.

It is important to use all types of memory while studying,

but particularly the long term!

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Memory

2.2 Sensations and emotions: roads to

our memory
Losing yourself in memories while listening to a song…
Why does this happen?
The answer is sensory stimulation and the information we receive
through our five senses; these are stored in our mind thanks to
our sensory memory. This is how a smell, a sound, a taste, a
photo or certain textures can become real doors to our
memories.

The 5 senses:

•sight
•smell
•hearing
•taste
•touch

They are like life jackets thrown to memories keeping them

afloat and allowing us to access quickly the information stored
in our memory.

Emotions leave a permanent mark on our memory, finding

an emotional connection, with simple triggers, you’ll be
able to remember absolutely anything!

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 Chapter Three

Memorization techniques for

students

Most people can only manage to remember up to 7 things

without applying a memorization technique.
If you put into practice these techniques you can considerably
increase the number of things you can remember, and send to
your long term memory, without excessive effort

Ready to start?

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 Memorization techniques

3.1 Memorizing speeches

For the preparation of speeches or presentations the perfect
technique is that of “Loci”. It is based on spatial perception and
the visual association of key words to places (from the latin
locus=place) and is very effective for memorizing well structured
content.
What does it consist of?
Let’s say you need to memorize the counties of the UK:

1.Choose a path that is familiar to you (E.g. the path you do to and
from home to school/university)
2.Associate every place along the way with a county, using a visual
trigger to help you connect mentally. (E.g. old factory buildings make
me think of the cotton mills so I’ll connect it to the county of Greater
Manchester) Whatever works for you, all connections are subjective!
3.Stop and observe the place you have chosen, repeating mentally the
county you have associated to that place.
4.Repeat mentally the journey to help make it stick in your memory

Place 1: Home
Place 2: Fields

South Yorkshire Place 3: Old factory buildings

Hampshire

Place 5: Clock Place 4: Music Shops

Towers
Greater
Manchester

City of London Merseyside

8
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 Memorization techniques

3.2 Memorizing numbers and names

The ideal technique to remember long lists of names or numbers
is that of “velcro words” that were originally invented to help law
students tackling statutes and cases and future doctors studying
human anatomy.
How this technique works is through harmony or the rhyme
between numbers/names that we need to remember and simpler
words to memorize.
What does it consist of?

It’s very simple:

•Write down the numbers/names that you need to remember
•Pair to every word another one that rhymes
•Play with words associated to nursery rhymes in an eccentric
way and it’ll be impossible to forget them!

Example: Have you ever heard the phrase «never eat shredded
wheat"
It is used to help you learn the points of the compass:

• Never - North
• Eat - East
• Shredded - South
• Wheat - West

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 Memorization techniques

3.3 Memorizing complex concepts

If you are struggling with managing complex concepts the

technique you need to apply is that of «mental notes».
The note is a reference of one or more pieces of information,
described in just one word.
What does it consist of?

Let’s say you want to memorize how the central nervous system
works:

• Create a mental note or rather a reference to the concept that

you need to remember(E.g. the note «nervous system
chapter")
• Associate a label to the note that makes reference to an
element of the topic (E.g. Brain)
• Think of a funny image to associate to the note and label (E.g.
A neuron that explains how it works singing and jumping from
one lobe to another). Do you remember the cartoon “Exploring
the human body”? This is a perfect example!
• Create an image for every key concept (E.g. the neuron from
before that takes you for a trip around the brain showing you
it’s different parts and their relative functions).

The brain represented in the cartoon “Exploring the human body”.

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 Chapter Four

Photographic memory
Photographic memory can be your best ally and it is especially
great for revising!
Photographic memory, is a particular type of sensory memory
linked to sight. Its function is simple: through sight, this type of
memory associates an image of information to store in memory.

4.1 How to make the most of it when

studying
1. Relax (this will help you concentrate)
2. Create a list of keywords, or concepts: it will be easier to
remember an image of a list rather than a dense paragraph
3. Allow your fantasy to run wild, creating mental images linked
to the topic (they can be coherent or abstract)
4. Train your brain as much as possible, recalling these images
and visualizing all your concepts.

Use highlighters or pens of different colors to identify the

various chapters of a text, this way you can link the colors
to the concept

Creating mental maps can help you a lot

with the organization of topics while
studying and making the most of your visual
memory!

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 Chapter Five

Memorize with Docsity

The memorization techniques that we have just gone through will
be a great help during your studies, but should you find yourself in
difficulty in approaching a subject or topic you can at any moment
count on the support of Docsity.

You can find thousands of notes, concept maps, summaries, and

more to help you study for your next exam.

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 Chapter Six

Curiosity: did you know that…?

Food fuels the brain
Fatigue, difficulty concentrating and low productivity can be kept
under control thanks to well balanced diet.
Remember to allow yourself frequent and light, nutritious meals.
Also work on avoiding late nights. Rest is another import ally of
your mind!

Water, broccoli, cocoa, wheat germ, dried fruit, pumpkin,

green tea, egg, fish, olive oil and red berries.
Complex carbs(pasta, rice, biscuits),sugars, cheese and
alcohol

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 Chapter Seven

Put your memory to the test

Now you know the most efficient memory techniques, no one can
have a better memory than yours!
Practice these memorization techniques using the Docsity test!
Gain 1 point for every correct answer (word or number remembered) and discover your
level!

Exercise 1
• You have 1 minute
• Read the numbers here below( you can read them more than
once)
• Cover them with a piece of paper and write in order the
numbers that you have memorized
75398426071539375241185674612834

Exercise 2
•. Look at this picture for 10 seconds
• Try and remember as many details as possible
• After having fixed the image reply to the questions that you
find on the following pages.

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 Try out your memory

Reply to the following questions:

1. How many pine trees are there in the first row?

2. Which types of flowers are in the image?
3. Are there more nuts or chestnuts?
4. Which type of fresh fruit is visible?
5. Is the side on which the composition is placed grey?
6. How many yellow daisies are there?
7. How many pieces of grain are there?
8. Are there raspberries?
9. How many chestnut shells can you see in the first place?
10. How many pears are there in the picture?

Exercise 3
• You have 1 minute
• Read this list just once
• Cover the list and write the words that you have memorized in
order

• Stick • Book • Killer whale • Ear

• Helicopter • Breakfast •Scissors • Sheets
• Poison • Neurologist •Bin • Mobile
• Ivy • Ribbon •Strawberry • Jeans
• Mirror • Cassette • Roof • Water Bottle

Results:
• <15 points: You have some holes in your memory, keep training!
•15-20 points: Starting off on a good level, with our techniques you
can only get better!
• >20 points Wow! Now you are invincible!

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15
 Chapter Eight

Bibliography and useful links

Bibliography
For the content:
•The definitive study guide [download]
•General Psychology , Anolli L., Legrenzi P, Il Mulino: 2012
•The Art of Memory, Yates F. A., Bodley Head: 2014
•Working Memory, Baddeley A., Laterza: 1984

For the images:

•Canva Free Graphics

Useful links
Access Docsity study notes and material:
✔https://www.docsity.com/en/search

Contacts
If you have any questions or comments send an email to
info@docsity.com

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