5 replies to this topic

[funkmasterG]

I am not sure if this is the right section to ask this question, but I figured it is sort of related. I want to know what is the best way to memorize vocab, general information as well but mostly interest on how to best memorize vocab. I want all kinds of suggestions other than mnemonics, and I know there are nootropics that help with memory but I am talking about just methods alone; excluding nootropics. Like is saying information over and over out loud the best way or writing the word/info on a piece of paper over and over the best. Also, if anyone can provide a method with proof of the research that can support and backup the results of that method, that would also be helpful.

Thank You

[absent minded]

Google up Anki or Mnemosyne. It's an automatic flash card scheduling system that's based on the forgetting curve. The software will estimate the next interval you should see a flash card so you are time-efficient. The paid version is Supermemo. Supermemo I think is the original version, Anki and Mnemosyne are free.

For research, there is a lot to read over at Supermemo's website. I guess you could wiki up the forgetting curve too.

Ankiseems to be the most popular based on Alex'a page ranking at 110 000ish. Supermemo at 165K and Mnemosyne at 430K.

Edited by absent minded, 15 March 2012 - 04:25 AM.

[DoomAndGloom]

I agree with the above.

Personally I always make tons of little relations between things, even if they don't make sense. For example, though this one does make sense in a way, I used to remember that Adenine goes with Thymine because both letters are wholly made up of straight line segments. I used to remember that Cytosine goes with Guanine because both letters have curves in them.

This one is really contrived. I recall that Synecdoche is defined as a figure of speech where a part represents a whole or a whole represents a part. The first four letters are "syne" which is kinda like "sine" and sine curves go back and forth (whole/part, part/whole). Or you could remember that 'nec' is like 'neck' and the neck is a PART of your WHOLE body.

I just remember stupid stuff like that, it might not work for you. Really I think its the fact that I MAKE the relation that helps me to remember it, not that I actually actively USE the relation later on.

Edited by DoomAndGloom, 15 March 2012 - 07:29 AM.

[Orajel]

mnemonics help me, expecially abreviations and relating information to my life. After all, we think about ourselves constantly. To remember how to spell mnemonic, I think of how emonic is simple, and mn is not. I relate this to my life, by understanding that my life is fundamentally simple, and I like to complicate it with unimportant worries and what not. So i think emonic, and throw the "complicating" mn in front of it. It works great for me.

[brainslug]

You don't nessecarily have to learn latin roots, but paying attention to them can help.
Try to connect all of the words you know. Here is an example:

Con: in spanish means "with"
incision: a place were something was cut
in: commonly added at the beginning of words, though I couldn't tell you the precise meaning of it.
ion: added at the end of words, often indicating a point or something similar
cisi/cise: to cut/ the abstraction of cutting
Concise: breaking it up, with cutting. Concise statements are straight to the point and accurate. I hope you can see how this makes something concise "cutting".

Another, easier example:
Hypothetical: Theoretical, of the type theo (proposed)
Parenthetical: Modifier that is of the type "paren"
Paren: An abstraction, sort of a separator from the rest, but in an above sort of way.
Parenthesis: A container of a separate statement or idea
Parent: the above and separate. You can easily see the connection between parents and parenthesis
Hypothesis: Proposed solution or summary of the situation
Thesis: The idea, or a statement. We can infer that it also is associated with solution or summary.
Thetical: we can infer means of the type.
Hypo: In this situation carries a meaning similar to "In a fantasy/proposed universe"
We can then recombine the roots and see more meaning to the words.
We can see that, by reforming the word Hypothesis, we get "A fantasy/proposed universe type of statement, idea, or solution.", but you should not just think of it like that, think of each root as an abstraction, and as a living thing that interacts differently with the other abstractions. Each time you see a new word, extract the abstractions from it and compare them to the ones you already know. Don't worry too much about being able to describe the roots logically or in words. For many, that will be nearly impossible and completely unnecessary. Focus on the "feeling" of the word. Before long, you will not need to memorize most words, you will simply understand them, and that understanding is far more powerful than dictionary knowledge. It will allow you to use words in new, creative ways, making it more fun to read and write.


Because of this, I never had to study for vocabulary tests in high school, I would just read over the list 5 mins before the test and make the connection and everything was good to go. Also, it helps a lot when reading books from older time periods or that use complex language. Hope this helps!

Edited by brainslug, 17 March 2012 - 04:42 AM.

[Elus]