A better way to memorise things from your textbook
At MyTuition we noticed that when students need to memorise a whole heap of things, many of them just flip aimlessly through the textbook and re-read random parts. We're going to talk about a better method that provides an easy structure to help you memorise anything that you want.
Step 1: Create flashcards
Make flashcards with information that you want to memorise. Limit each card to a couple of sentences or a single formula. Your cards don't need to be anything fancy; pieces of paper work just fine. Try starting with maybe 10 until you get the hang of things.
Below are some common things that high school students studying NCEA and Cambridge often need to memorise:
- Maths - Times tables
- Biology – Definitions and diagrams
- Chemistry - Reactions and processes
- Physics – Formulas and definitions
- English – Quotes from novels and plays
- History – Details of historical events
For example:
Osmosis is the net movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane from higher water potential to lower water potential.
7 x 8 = 56
Force = Mass x Acceleration.
Force in N, mass in kg and acceleration in m/s².
Step 2: Label your boxes
Get four small boxes/containers and label them with the following:
- Every Day
- Twice a Week
- Every Week
- Every Month
Every box corresponds to a certain frequency. Place all your flashcards in Box 1.
Step 3: Get testing!
Every day, test yourself on all cards in Box 1. If you get a card wrong, then you need to relearn it so put it back in Box 1. If you get it right, move the card into Box 2.
Twice a week, test yourself on all items in Boxes 1 and 2. If you answer correctly, move the card into the next box; if not, move it back into Box 1.
Every week, test Boxes 1, 2, and 3.
Every month, test Boxes 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Each time you get a card wrong, move it all the way back to Box 1. The goal is to move your cards through Boxes 1-4. Once you can retrieve a card correctly from Box 4, move it into a separate “learned” pile. Well done—give yourself a pat on the back, show your parents the progress, and negotiate for a reward.
“Learned” does not mean permanently locked into your brain. Keep the card and test it occasionally, especially before an exam or after a long gap. If recall has become difficult, return it to an earlier box.
You can change the frequency to whatever you want, as long as it's consistent. During exam season, you might test Box 1 twice a day and Box 2 every day, etc.
Start with 10-20 cards in Box 1. As cards reach your learned pile, add a manageable number of new cards to Box 1.
Step 4: Make more boxes
Why limit yourself to one set of boxes? You might have a few sets of boxes and be learning different sets of cards concurrently. Go crazy. You can work on multiple sets of boxes at the same time; there's no need to finish one set before starting another.
Step 5: Work together
Get your friends or your parents to test you. Believe it or not, it is possible for students and parents to work together, and once you get into things you might actually enjoy the feeling of showing off how much you know.
Parents: Try starting off your kids by testing them every day (Box 1) at the same time of the day. This helps them establish a good study habit, and as they get into it you could gradually become more hands-off, for example only testing them twice a week (Boxes 1 and 2) or every week (Boxes 1, 2, and 3).
Sometimes, you'll know exactly what you need to memorise, and sometimes you'll be unsure. If you're already getting private tuition with us, you can let your tutor know that you want to create flashcards and they'll be able to help.
Article by Jimmy Li
Jimmy is the co-founder of MyTuition. MyTuition helps high school students across New Zealand succeed by connecting them with the right tutors and guiding them through the year.
Have more questions? You can get in touch with Jimmy at team@mytuition.nz