The Best Ways to Overcome the Forgetting Curve While Studying
It seems like common sense that the longer you go without retrieving a memory, the harder it is to retrieve it, but it wasn’t always one of those things that we just knew was true. In the 1880s, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus studied this phenomenon and published his findings , introducing the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve to the world. The curve is a simple graph showing how information is lost over time, but it proved that time-related forgetting is real (and has since been confirmed by further research). Want to fight the curve and preserve your memories, especially when you’re studying? Here’s how.
How long do memories of new information last?
Ebbinghaus concluded that how quickly we forget something depends on factors such as how difficult or meaningful the material was, and how tired or stressed we are, so there is no clear answer to the question is how many days can you hold onto this material. piece of information if you don’t think about it.
We also know that the order in which information is presented matters a lot when it comes to how long we store it in our short-term memory, so there are quite a few factors that influence our retrieval and retention abilities. Unfortunately, there is no one answer when it comes to how long you will retain any given information, but there are a few answers that Ebbinghaus and today’s educators agree on when it comes to how you can better preserve This.
Beat the Forgetting Curve with Spaced Repetition
The first strategy you can use to better retain information is called spaced repetition. It is a scientifically proven method that helps students absorb multiple pieces of information and retain them in their memory.
Essentially, you need to study the material several times, giving yourself a pause between each repetition. The amount of time you go without studying material depends largely on how well you already remember it, meaning that the longer you repeat, the longer the periods between repetitions should be. Reviewing notes for a difficult class, for example, should be done more often than reviewing notes for a class where you have truly mastered the concepts. Instead of subjectively deciding whether you save information and want to review it or not, try using the Leitner system , which helps you plan your study based on whether you answered a particular card correctly the last time you took it. If you get it right, you won’t have to repeat it as often in the future.
If you’re hesitant to use old-school methods like handwritten cards , don’t hesitate. Writing by hand can actually help you remember information better, so using the Leitner system in this way can yield a two-for-one benefit.
Overcome the Forgetting Curve with Active Learning
Teaching resources encourage teachers to use techniques that will make lessons more engaging and help children overcome the forgetting curve, but you can apply the same idea to your individual learning, no matter what level you’re at. For example, when you read new information, use techniques that will help you stay engaged with the material.
Try, for example, learning new information through the lens of Kolb’s learning cycle , which is based on the belief that you need concrete learning, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation to truly learn something. Or use a critical thinking method like SQ3R to track your progress on a topic. With SQ3R, you’ll write down a little bit of what you can glean from reviewing the material, and then the questions you want answered when you read it more thoroughly, so you stay engaged as you search for answers to your questions. This method also requires you to review your notes periodically, which pairs perfectly with spaced repetition and will help you overcome the forgetting curve. Again, try using an old-fashioned notebook for this to get the double benefit of handwriting and reviewing. You can even purchase a special notebook that will guide you through the SQ3R process so you can focus entirely on writing and reviewing rather than remembering what you should be writing down.