Sanika Week 16: Chunking, Mnemonics, Active Recall

Chunking, Mnemonics, Active Recall

With AP exams currently occurring and finals approaching closer and closer within the next two weeks, most of us may have quite a bit of studying to do. Some subjects, like math and physics, usually require us to understand the concepts in order to learn and do well on the exams. On the other hand, subjects like history or biology aren’t conceptual but rather memorization-based. So let’s take a look at some of the best memorization techniques we can find online.

One memorization technique that can be helpful when needing to memorize large amounts of information is known as chunking. Chunking is when you “break up long pieces of information into manageable parts” (Tejeda). This allows memorizing information to be less of a daunting or overwhelming task as by memorizing information in smaller chunks over time, our brains are able to form a larger data set in which it is easier to recall what we had memorized.

Another memorization technique is mnemonics. Mnemonics consist of various memorable techniques and tricks like rhymes or acronyms which can make memorizing information easier. For example, a popular acronym taught in school in order to memorize the order of operations for math is “PEMDAS” which can also be remembered as “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally,” and it reminds students that the order of operations is parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.

Lastly, one of the most effective memorization and studying techniques is active recall. Active recall is a studying method in which you create questions on the topic you want to learn about, and then repeatedly test yourself on those questions without looking at the material. So instead of trying to put information into your brain, you are learning by “retrieving information from your brain” (Owen). In other words, by “forcing your brain to retrieve the information,” active recall makes it certain that you are actively learning the material instead of only passively reading your notes (Owen).

While there are various other types of memorization and studying techniques, chunking, mnemonics, and active recall are some of the most effective methods, especially for students, to memorize information. So hopefully, these techniques can help you during exam season, and good luck to everyone for any upcoming finals!

Asana – “Boost Your Memory: Top 10 Memorization Techniques”