Improving Memory

Chapter 8 presented several methods for improving memory that can be useful to students studying material and preparing for exams, such as increasing depth of processing, the use of mnemonic devices, state-dependent learning, and encoding specificity (among others). For this assignment, students will demonstrate their understanding of these concepts by explaining how these strategies can be applied in original scenarios. Select one source of information that you could be studying. Clearly identify what the material is. For instance, is it a story from a literature class, the dates of major events in a history class, or bones in a human anatomy class? Next, select three strategies for remembering the information better. For each of the three strategies, describe how you would apply it to your situation. Present all
three strategies separately. Each section should include a definition of the strategy/effect being
described. Clearly describe the steps you would take, in chronological order, to implement this strategy.
A major grading criterion will be how well you demonstrate an understanding of the concept by
thoroughly describing the steps, accurately representing the strategy, and presenting the information at an advanced or sophisticated level.
REQUIREMENTS
• Present each of the three strategies in separate, one-paragraph sections. Use a header with the strategy name to clearly identify which strategy you are describing (e.g., mnemonic devices,
encoding specificity, etc.)
• Use a header to clearly identify the strategy being described for each of your three sections.
• There is no minimum length requirement, but each section should be at least one substantial paragraph. It is expected that about ten sentences would be necessary to adequately describe each strategy.
• You MUST use the same study topic/information source for each of your three sections. You MUST give specific details about the process. Descriptions should not be vague and general. For instance, you must indicate if you are trying to remember the content of an entire chapter, or a list of terms, etc. Is the time of day or the location in which you are studying relevant? A lack of detail will result in lower scores.
• Your work should be typed and submitted via Blackboard as a Microsoft Word doc or PDF file.
Grading Criteria
• Three memory strategies are required. Each of the three sections is worth one-third of the total grade.
• Grading will be based on:
o Accurate description of the memory enhancing strategy.
o Appropriate application of the memory enhancing strategy.
o Detailed description of the materials to be remembered.
o Level of sophistication, demonstration of advanced understanding of the material.