CH6

LEARNING AND
REMEMBERING
UCS 2073 STUDY SKILLS
Contents
01 Mind and Brain
Definition of mind and brain. Relationship between mind and
brain.

02 Encode, Store & Retrieve

How memory process the information. This information takes
many different forms, e.g. images, sounds or meaning.

03 Forgetting
Forgetting curve on how information is lost over time when
there is no attempt to retain it.

04 Memory Techniques
Techniques on how to memorize and retain the information as a
preparation before examination.
 01 MIND vs BRAIN
The only way to make study work for you is to avoid BOREDOM – the worst
enemy of learning.

If you are bored, short term memory is lost very quickly and so can never be
passed on. You may be surprised to learn that it is not lost forever – it is
stored away often never to be remembered again.

The best way to learn is to limit study periods to the length of our
concentration-span. This gives the brain the best chance to store what we
are studying in long-term memory.
 Mind vs Brain
The brain, which is the While brain is Brain is made up of
center of the nervous considered to be a nerve cells and
system, coordinates physical thing, mind blood vessels
the movements, is considered to be whereas mind is not
thoughts and feelings. mental. like that.

The mind refers to a person’s We can see and The brain is an

understanding of things and touch the brain important organ in
also his conscience. Mind whereas it is not the human body
also refers to a person’s possible with mind. whereas the mind is
thought process. not like that.
 ENCODING
02
STORAGE
RETRIEVAL
 Memory Process
Short-term memory is also known as
working memory. It holds only a few items
Encoding (or registration): the process of and only lasts for about 20 seconds.
receiving, processing, and combining
information. Short However, items can be moved from short-
term memory to long-term memory via
Term processes like rehearsal.
Encoding allows information from the outside
world to reach our senses in the forms of
chemical and physical stimuli.

PowerPoint
ENCODING Presentation
STORAGE RETRIEVAL

Retrieval (or recall, or recognition): the

Long-term memories are all the memories we
hold for periods of time longer than a few seconds.
Long-term memory has an incredibly vast storage
capacity, and some memories can last from the
time they are created until we die.
calling back of stored information in response
Long to some cue for use in a process or activity.
Term
The third process is the retrieval of
information that we have stored.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/introduction-to-memory/
 Encoding
When information comes into our memory system (from sensory input), it needs to be changed
into a form that the system can cope with, so that it can be stored. For example, a word which is
seen (in a book) may be stored if it is changed (encoded) into a sound or a meaning (i.e. semantic
processing). There are three main ways in which information can be encoded (changed):

Visual
Information is represented as a picture

Acoustic
Information is represented as a sound

Semantic
Information is represented by its meaning to you

If you look at a telephone number on a piece of paper, you are using visual encoding. If you say
the number out loud, you are acoustically encoding. If you notice that some of the number
sequentially represent a special date, you give that number meaning, thus semantically encoding.
 Storage
This concerns the nature of memory stores, i.e. where the information is stored, how long the
memory lasts for (duration), how much can be stored at any time (capacity) and what kind of
information is held. The way we store information affects the way we retrieve it.

Short Term Long Term

Capacity 7+/- 2 items Limitless

Duration 18-30 seconds Up to a lifetime

Encoding Mainly acoustically Mainly semantically

Chunking Technique. If your number is 0424923165, when someone asks you for it, you tend to
relay it in this form. “0424 923 165”. By breaking the 10 digits up into smaller groups, this allows
us to remember the number with ease. This is an approach we should attempt to take when trying
to remember any large amounts of information.

3785963164 [378] 596-3164

 Retrieve
This refers to getting information out storage. If we can’t remember something, it may be because
we are unable to retrieve it. When we are asked to retrieve something from memory, the
differences between Short Term Memory and Long Term Memory become very clear.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1244597/Bad-memory-Forget-As-scientists-claim-running-improves-memory-tricks-mean-youll-forget-pint-milk-
FORGETTING
03
Human forget things easily,
and the more time passes,
the more we forget.

Information learned is forgotten after

20 minutes 47%
Information learned is forgotten after 1
day 62%
Information learned is forgotten after 3
days 69%
Information learned is forgotten after
75 days 75%
Avoid Memory Loss by Taking Notes
 Forgetting Curve

The forgetting curve

Forgetting can mean
hypothesizes the decline of
access problems,
memory retention in time.
availability problems, or
This curve shows how
can have other reasons
information is lost over time
such as amnesia
when there is no attempt to
caused by an accident.
retain it.
 Theories of Forgetting

Retrieval failure Trace decay

The failure to recall a memory due to Gradually fade away and decay.
missing stimuli.

12
34
Organic causes Underlearning
Forgetting that occurs through When material is not learned well enough, it
physiological damage or dilapidation will be easily forgotten. If something is to be
to the brain. retained, it must be correctly learned first.
Solutions
Review daily
At least 10 to 15 minutes each day go over notes from
class.

Draw a picture or diagram

Make and outline or create an image of associate a
technical word with its meaning.

Say it out loud

Don't become content just to read or listen to the material.
Make yourself talk about the material. Bore your roommate
or explain it to a study buddy.

Flag cue words

Circle words in practice questions that cue the answer.
Write synonyms for the circled words. Go backwards when
you study - from answer (response) to a question (cue).
04 MEMORY
TECHNIQUE
 Memory Technique
Assign meaningfulness to things
New information is most strongly encoded
when you relate it to information you already
01
know such as: an example your prof used,
something you saw in a documentary, or an
everyday experience.
Learn general and specific later
This method helps with retrieval: if you
know a piece of information falls within
02
a broader category, it’s easier to
access.
Recite out loud
Recite in your own words until you don’t
need to refer to your notes.
03
Teach someone else
Teaching the information to someone
04 else is one of the best ways to learn. If
you don’t have a willing listener like a
parent or a friend, you can teach the
wall (best done behind closed doors!).
Use memory devices
There are many different devices you
05 can use to help memorize information,
for example: Acrostics e.g. “My Very
Excellent Mother Just Served Us
Nachos” (planets)
Overlearn the Material
The better you know the material, the
06 less likely that interference will occur.
Al-Insan
It is interesting to note that the
Arabic word for human being is
‘insan’ which is derived from
the word ‘nasiya’ which means
‘to forget.’ This indicates that it
is in human nature to forget
and make mistakes.

Muslims believe that humans

should be aware of this and be
quick to repent if they do
wrong and not dwell on it
afterwards as everyone makes
mistakes.

“Linguists say that the word

“insân” has two roots. The first
one is “nisyân” which means
“to forget”. And the second one
is “unsiyah”, which means “to
relate, to love-be loved, to
become close to, to get or give
a reaction.

https://www.humanisthme.org/
%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%8
6-human-insan/
 Conclusion

Memory is essential to learning, but it also

depends on learning because the
information stored in one’s memory creates
the basis for linking new knowledge by
association.

Memorization is discipline for the mind.

Memorization helps train the mind to focus
and be industrious.

The exercise of the memory develops

learning and memory schema that promote
improved ability to learn. The more you
remember, the more you can learn.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/memory-medic/201301/five-reasons-memory-matters
 Thank
References You!
Julia, M., Jessica, C. (2013). Study tips: Top 5 memorization techniques. Retrieved
from https://www.dal.ca/news/2013/11/20/study-tips--top-5-memorization-
techniques.html

Matlin, M. W. (2005). Cognition. Crawfordsville: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

McLeod, S. A. (2007). Stages of Memory - Encoding Storage and Retrieval. Retrieved

from www.simplypsychology.org/memory.html

Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on
our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63 (2): 81–97.

Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Cognitive psychology (2nd ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt
Brace College Publishers.