Memorisation ( A pain in the neck? )

Memorisation. It is something that all students have to do, be it to memorise certain mathematical formulas or some scientific facts. Most would agree that having to remember a set of knowledge and retain it for an extended period of time is not an easy task at all. I mean, we all have a limited memory space, right? 

' Cramming ', as many would call it, is what most people would do to try to memorise for a test or exam. 

What is cramming you may ask? Well, Cramming is defined by the dictionary as squeezing or forcing things into an insufficient space. Basically, in this case, trying to take in as much information as possible into your head within the shortest period of time. 




Personally, I'm not a very big fan of cramming. I used to Cram when I was in Sec 1 but in upper secondary I found that cramming is not a good way to retain long-term materials, especially when I'm currently studying a 2-year course for my 'O' levels. 

What I've found to be a more effective technique is something called, ' Internalisation ', which means that instead of just filling my brain with tons of facts and 'downloading' them onto the exam paper, I actually internalise those facts and make it become a PART OF ME. 

So, what do I mean by making them a 'part of me'? What do I do to achieve this? 

Well, let me give you an example. 

Let's say, on a particular school day, I learn about the fertilisation process in flowering plants. When I'm at home that day, I would revisit what I've just learnt in class and read up the notes one more time ( Of course, although I'm not actually 'Cramming', I would make an effort to remember certain key points ). Before a test on that topic I would revise on it again. When I'm preparing for my major exam I would study it again (Obviously!).... 

note: try to study from the SAME set of notes as your brain would register them quicker every time

Very soon, that specific wealth of information would have already been ingrained in me that whenever I encounter questions related it, my mind would just instantly recall them. It's like having them stored somewhere in your brain and making them available for your usage at any time. 





You often hear people say that in order to be good in maths, you just got to keep on practicing on it. And, from personal experience, I can tell you that it's true. 

Why is practice so important in scoring for Mathematics? 

The answer is simple - It is a form of INTERNALISATION. 

After doing lots of different types of questions, you will soon become so familiar with them that somehow, you could do them with ease and without much thought each and every time. 





This is a way which has worked for me, so, give it a try. It may work for you too! :)