Concentration/Memoryby Sri Sundari Purbohadi

Contact:sundari_purbo@yahoo.com.sgMedical Education UnitMuhammadiyah University ofYogyakarta

Remember-----When you are trying to memorize facts or material:Study the most important information first Make sure you understand WHAT you are trying to memorize. If you do not understand the materialSTOP and clarify or define what you need to know. If you do not understand it, chances are it will be more difficult for you to memorize it.

You may be unable to concentrate due to distractions:External noise, radio, TV, phone calls, improper or uncomfortable study environment, unforeseen events

Internalstress, worrying about grades, not focused, anxiety, too many other things to do, did not get enough rest

Not studying in the right environment:

Try a distraction free environment ( examples: no TV, no radio, no music, no cell phone, no noisy people)

Be comfortable. Uncomfortable furniture may reduce concentration. (It is not a good idea to study in bedit is easier to nod off there)

Reduce possible stress. It is not a good idea to study around other people that are stressing out about their own studies.

Lack of Concentration could be due to:

Make a commitment

Make the task at hand personal Take the task seriously Make a detailed plan to finish it Dont procrastinate

Remember:Students with better study methods and strategies score higher on their exams.

Every student is different. What works best for you, may not work well for someone else.The following memory methods/strategies are suggestions. We hope you can improve your study habits, concentration and memory.

What Affects Memory: 3 BasicProcessesEncoding- the process of readying information for storage, making it your ownStorage the saving of information for future useRetrieval recalling information, which is a continuous process

Focus on MemoryLink whatever yourre trying to learn with what you already knowLearn from the general to the spesificIntend to rememberBreak up material into small unitUse mnemonicMatch material to be learned with the most effective techniqueApplication a new material summation 1. clarify 2. motivate 3. categorize 4. organize 5. plan 6. review

Memorization Strategies: Acronym Acrostic Chunking Repeating Rhymes & Songs

Acronym:According to Merriam-Webster online, an acronym is a word (as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term; also : an abbreviation as FBIExample: SCUBA is an acronym which stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus(Acronyms work well when you need to memorize facts)

Can you remember this list of words?(you have 1 minute)

boy lemon underegg

behind over aroundtimid

This time---try using the acronym BLUE BOAT.

boy lemon under egg

behind over apple timid

(you have 1 minute)

Acronym examples:NFL = National Football League

LSAT = Law School Admission Test

FBI = Federal Bureau of Investigation

IRS = Internal Revenue Service

EPA = Environmental Protection Agency

FDA= Food & Drug Administration

Acrostic According to Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary, an acrostic is a composition usually in verse in which sets of letters (as the initial or final letters of the lines) taken in order form a word or phrase or a regular sequence of letters of the alphabet.

Acrostic exampleYou may heave learned this sentence to solve mathematical equations:

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

This acrostic tells you to do the following functions in this order:Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Divide, Add, Subtract

Chunking Chunking is one of the more commonly used mnemonic techniques especially when memorizing numbers. It is based on the idea that short term memory is limited in the number of things that can be contained. A common rule is that the average person can remember 7 (plus or minus 2) items in short term memory. When you use chunking to remember numbers, you decrease the number of items you are holding in memory by increasing the size of each item.

Chunking (continued)Can you remember this 16 digit number?

20091776181215678

Now---try to break it down in groups of 4 numbers: 2009 1776 1812 5678

(this is called chunking!)

RepeatingExample: An ice breaker game that has everyone in the circle go round and say My name is Sally and I like seashells. Then, the next person would say Her name is Sally & she likes seashells. My name is John and I like jelly. Then the next person would have to repeat all the people & items before he says his name & what he likes. This is an example of the memorization strategy called repeating.

Repeating (continued)Once you are able to repeat about 5-6 items in a row, then try adding an additional item and so on. This strategy seems to work well with all subjects.

Repeating can also be accomplished, when you can teach the material to another person. This makes you repeat the material in order to tell them.

Rhymes & SongsExample: When you were young, you probably memorized the Alphabet song to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

According to www.brighthub.com: One type of learning strategy that works well for many students is creating songs or rhymes for memorizing multiplication facts. Look at the popular Schoolhouse Rock series. Many students have learned their multiplication tables with these catchy tunes.

AndWhile you are studying and trying to memorize information----Remember to practice relaxation techniques which can be reviewed in the Power Point presentation titled Test Anxiety.

Tips for improved concentration:

Get plenty of rest and eat well. (concentration is more difficult if you are tired or hungry)Be a good manager of your timeFree your mind of preoccupied thoughts. When trying to concentrate, it is best to do so with a free and clear mind.Focus strictly on the task that needs to be completed.If you feel your attention drifting away from the task, just simply say to yourself STOP! This helps to bring your focus back to where it needs to be.Stay positive! Concentration loss tends to lead to negative thinking.

Improve ConcentrationEliminate distraction by considering: 1. the place your study 2. time of day your study 3. your physical condition 4. background noiseFocus your attention by: 1. setting a special goal 2. timing yourself 3. varying the use of your skill and the level of difficulty of the material 4. giving youself reward

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