Chapter 8

The Key to the Secret of Memory

Memory

Retrieval means finding information stored in memory and making it

conscious so it can be used.

The key to successful recall is to learn the material the right way.

Prepare: Remember the Right Information

Look at the big picture Don’t get lost in the details

Relate New Material to What You Already Know

Personalize information

Organize information by place

Organize

Memory Exercise

Prepare yourself now for an exercise. Watch carefully and try to remember each word that you see appear on the screen.

Organize Your MemoryTry to Remember….

Girl Heart Robin Purple Finger Flute Blue Piano

Organ Man Hawk Green Lung Eagle Child

Now take a piece of paper and write down as many words as you can remember

Turn over your list and watch the following words closely

Green Blue Purple Man Girl Child Piano Flute

Organ Heart Lung Finger Eagle Hawk Robin

Write down as many words as you can remember

Both lists are identical Did you remember more the second time?

Why?– The answer is because you organized the words

into groups that had something in common. The way you group your information affects your ability to remember it.

Work: Using Proven Strategies to Memorize New Material

Rehearsal Mnemonics (neh MON ix)

– Acronyms Phrases formed by first letter P.O.W.E.R. is an acronym

– Acrostics Sentence in which first letters are reminders

Rhymes and jingles– Thirty days hath September, April, June and November

Recalling Sequences and Lists

Method of loci (low-sigh)-Ancient Greek orators used this method

– Latin for “places”– Information is divided into sequences– Information can be partitioned like rooms of a house

Peg Method: a series of keywords tied to numbers to help you recall numeric information

– Example: “one-two, buckle my shoe” / “three-four, shut the door”

Involve multiple senses to help you memorize– Write it down– Think out loud– Draw or diagram– Visualize– Think positively

Recalling Sequences and Lists

Overlearning consists of studying and rehearsing material past the point of

initial mastery: like learning the multiplication tables

Evaluate

Use Review questions and tests to test your recall

Take a practice test Study with a friend

Rethink: Consolidate Memories

The physical links between brain cells that represent memory in the brain need TIME to become fixed and stable

Cramming is not a good idea-memory will not last

Memory Exercise

Pay attention to the next several slides

Try to remember as many of them as possible

Write down as many pictures as you can remember

Chunking-Grouping Pictures

Did you remember to organize the pictures in groups?

What about these groups?– Transportation– Seasons of the Year– Animals– Famous Buildings

How Did you Do?

Check your list as we review the pictures

TransportationBus Train

Subway Horse and Carriage

Seasons of the YearFall Winter

Spring Summer

AnimalsMonkey Crocodile

Dolphin Leopard

Famous Buildings

Statue of Liberty

Twin Towers

Lincoln Memorial White House

Evaluate

Test Your Recall of New Information Review Questions Test Yourself

Rethink

Memory Consolidation– Physical links between brain cells that represent

memory in the brain need time to become fixed and stable

– Explains reason why information is not suddenly and permanently established in memory the first time

– Process may take days or even years

PREPARE

ORGANIZE

WORK

EVALUATE

RETHINK

Determine what youneed to remember

Relate new material towhat you already know

Use proven strategies tomemorize new material

Test your recallof new information

Consolidate memoriesthrough repeated review

P.O.W.E.R. Plan

Career Connections

Recalling names of those with whom you work, recalling names of

professional colleagues from other companies, and recalling names of

clients is very important.

Resources

Improving Your Memory (Johns Hopkins 2005)

The Memory Doctor by Douglas Mason and Spencer Smith (New Harbinger Publications, 2005)