By: Karol Wielechowski

AP Psychology Period 1B

Go to a quiet space: go to a place where it is nice and quiet, with minimal distractions

Get yourself motivated: commit yourself to stay in an environment for two hours. Avoid distractions, such as cell phones.

If you can’t get yourself motivated, try to make your studying enjoyable. Study with a friend.

Studying with a friend can make concepts much more meaningful because you’re relating it to your partner.

Consider the material you need to cover and estimate how much time you need to study.

Schedule a specific amount of time to devote to studying◦ Depending on the material, how long do you need

to get the information into memory?

Take a 15 minute break and eat something (maybe a nice brownie. Mmm… brownies.)

When reviewing materials in the book, get the big picture.

Once that is established, you have more of an understanding of what the material is about.

If you don’t have a big picture of what the material is about, do you honestly know what you’re reading about?

Then, go back and outline all of the important concepts and vocabulary you need to know for the up and coming test.

Going back and outlining strengthens connections in your synapses by making the information more meaningful.

Mnemonics are techniques for improving memory, by making connections between new material and information already in LTM.◦ For example, take the word procedural memory.

Since most people know the word procedure, it means how to do something. Procedural memory is simply how you do something; such as, riding a bicycle.

If you’re using them for vocabulary terms, write the word on the front and write the definition on the back.

Try memorize the definition and make up a question.◦ For example, take the word engram. The definition

of an engram is: the physical changes in the brain associated with a memory.

◦ Come up with a question. What are physical changes in the brain associated with a memory called?

Make the material meaningful. Studies have shown that memories will remain stronger if the information is approached in a way that makes it meaningful.

Strategies◦ Use the whole method: approach the material to be

learned “as a whole”. For example, when you’re trying to study for a test, look over the major concepts presented in the chapter.

Spread your learning overtime. This is called distributed learning, in which you space out all of your studying overtime, instead of cramming it all in one night.

Take steps to minimize interference. Avoid studying for another class after you have reviewed the material for one particular class.

Review things you already have learned. This is a great way to strengthen synapses in LTM.