How to remember what you read for your exams

To benefit fully from what we read. we need to remember it. Student will often say that they do not remember because they have a bad memory. it may be in many instances, however, simply an untrained or unknowed memory. it is the course of wisdom to endeavour to get the most good out of the reading that we do. Much of the good would be lost if the material read were quickly forgotten. We need to learn how to read so as to remember.There are a number of suggestions that have worked well for experienced readers. They may assist you.

As you read endeavour to read pharses or word groupings rather than individual words. This will make it possible to speed up yourreading and will help you to grasp ideas instead of struggling with key words. For usual reading do not sound out the words or move your lips as you read, and do not make a pratice of braking up to read again unless it is to impless a key thought. Of course, for weighty, involve material you need to slow down as to be sure to get the right thouuht.

You may even want to read it aloud, or in an undertone. Some books for example were not written for speed reading but for meditation.

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It also helps if you read with pencil in your hand. underline key words and otherwise noting specials points you may wish to go over again.  Underlining, however, should be done sparingly, for if overdone it defects the purpose of isolating the principal ideas.

You cannot just read through an article or a book without pausing reflecting comparing the information with what facts you already know on subject-not if you really want to remember the outstanding points. learn to analise what you read, taking note of reasons given and arguments in support of conclusions that are presented. Also be on the lookout for principle that apply to your life and that are a guide to daily living. pause to consider how you can apply them.

In the case of some complex textbooks which demands our serious concentration, it is often to consider first the title and the logical order in the table of contents. This will impress on your mind the overall theme. When you prepare to read a magazine article or acapter in a book, look first at various subheadings. This shows the order in which the them will  be developed. be alert to take note of topic sentence, which usually appears near the begining of any paragraph. They will often tell you a nutshell what the paragraph is all about.

Concentrate on getting the overall view of the subject on which you are reading.

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Another suggestion is to visualize what you read , making mental picture as an aid to memory. In imagination see the actors and the background. Hear the sound, and the voices, smell the oudours, taste the food and drink, share the happiness or grief of a situation. Try to your self in the scene being described. Every sense can be brought into play imaginatively to reproduce vividly the text account. Passage of the text can be more easily committed to in this way.

When you come to the close chaper, give it a final brief mental review. Then compare your mental outline with the written material again.

If possible, discuss with someone else the you have covered doing so while they are still fresh in mind. You expression on them will deepen the impression on your mind, while the other person may well be able to add to your fund of kownledge on the subject, if you have found some pratical experience use them in explaination as soon as possible. This. too. will fix the material in your memory.

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