HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LONG-TERM MEMORY
We often blame our memory for poor academic performance ("I'm no good at remembering names/dates/rules/verbs/ charac t eristics ") when really we should be addressing our faulty input and storage system. There is a big difference between short-term and long-term memory. If you study a topic one night and can recall most of it the next morning, don't be fooled into thinking that you will be able to remember it accurately in two months' time. If the goal is to improve your long-term memory, then the key to success is based on the efficiency of input (the 'mental filing system' we employ). Reducing the burden on the limited short-term memory, and channeling information into long-term storage, is based on the creation of patterns and the avoidance of randomness. Chunking: As the average person can only hold seven 'items' in short-term memory, grouping items together into 'chunks' can increase capacity. This is generally used for remembering...