Memorizing Essays Before Exam

Just try these steps....I think these steps might help you out a lot...

1.    Spend a good amount of time, constructing a well thought-out answer, give the examiner exactly what they’re looking for.

2.    Using your Mac/PC, record yourself while you read the essay aloud. Try to put in as much emphasis as possible, because this makes a big difference to your ability to retain information.

3.    While you do other things, play your recorded essay repeatedly through earphones to yourself.

4.    Before you go to bed, attempt to read the essay from memory as best you can, if you can get through only 2 sentences, don’t panic!

5.    Take out a highlighter pen and highlight any parts you are having difficulty remembering. Our brains like shapes and colours, so placing symbols next to difficult paragraphs can help to jog your memory in the exam room.

6.    Read over the essay again 2/3 times while in bed, prior to going to sleep.

7.    The next morning, you will be able to recall the essay much clearer than on the night before.

8.    If you have time before the exam, try and type out the essay from memory. You will find that typing or writing from memory is much easier than speaking from memory.

9.    If, when you get to the exam, you cannot yet recite your answer to yourself in your head, don’t panic! Your brain will be able to pick out the most important concepts and you will surprise yourself as to how much you did actually remember

!

10.    Start earlier next time! You should ideally begin attempting to memorize an essay 3 or 4 days prior to the exam. This really helps to remove stress and allows you to concentrate more effectively.

How To Memorize The Answers Quickly

If you’re looking for a way to increase the capacity of your memory or pass a test, you don’t need to memorize 23,000 words. But the technique I used to memorize those chapters can be used to memorize anything. Below is the simpler version of my system, developed to help my pupils pass history, psychology, and other information-heavy tests.

1. First, use a pencil or word processor (I prefer the latter because it’s faster) to type, in complete sentences, any fact you think might appear on the test. Use short sentences because they’re easier to remember.
2. Take your printed notes into a quiet room, shut the door, and eliminate all distractions.
3. Look at the first sentence in your notes and read it out loud. Then, close your eyes and say the sentence without looking at it.
4. Repeat the step above, this time with the first 2 sentences.
5. Next, try it with 3 sentences. Then 4. Repeat until you have memorized every sentence in your notes.

After a study session, take a quick nap. New memories are very vulnerable, but studies have shown that sleep helps your new memories stick. After your nap, repeat the memory technique once more for maximum retention.

I eventually became so good at this technique that I could complete all my studying for any information heavy mid-term or final exam in less than 6 hours. Yes, I realize this sounds like a lot of time, but it’s not much time at all – because this technique works from a cold start, even if you haven’t cracked the book all semester.

I’m not saying you should ignore your classes until the last minute (please don’t — I rarely studied at the last minute myself), but it’s good to know there is a way to save yourself if you do.