Memory+Journal+Scholl

   

MR. SCHOLL'S MEMORY JOURNAL __**INTRODUCTION:**__ Until I took psychology in college, i took memory for granted. I was blessed with the ability to listen in class and remember most of the material for tests. It was only in college that i realized the importance of studying regularly. I researched study habits during my psychology class at East Stroudsburg University and used my knew knowledge to graduate Summa Cud Laude from East Stroudsburg. Studying for tests does not have to be hard. Throughout this journal i am going to share my experiences with memory.

__**CHAPTER 1: THE THREE TYPES OF MEMORY AND MY STUDY HABITS**__: During high school, my study habits were different for each class. I was very good at Math so i did not need to study. By completing the homework and listening in class, i understood the information well enough to get A's without studying. For tests involving English literature, vocabulary, and especially history, I needed to study. I would take good notes and spend just a few minutes studying the night before a test for these subjects. I did well and graduated in the top 10% of my graduating class.

During my first semester in college, i quickly found out that my study habits were not good. At mid-term time, i had under a 3.00 GPA. I quickly researched study habits and managed to turn my grades around. Information about sensory, short-term, and long-term memory helped me to improve my study habits.

When we process information, it first enters through our sensory memory. Information can last in our sensory memory for only a brief time, 1-2 seconds. If you choose to pay attention to the information entering your sensory memory, it moves to short-term memory, or what is often called working memory. Short-term memory can only hold about 5 - 9 bits or chunks of information for 2 to 30 seconds. If you stop working with the information at this point, it will not be stored permanently and therefore not recalled for a test. I find that this is a major problem for students when studying. Students think that just because they read the material once that it is permanently stored. Again, in order for something to be stored permanently, it must be worked with while in short-term memory. This is why studying quickly before a test is not a good idea. Information never makes it to long-term memory. While students may get a few extra questions correct on a test as a result of the quick study session, they will quickly forget everything and in reality, did not learn.

Information that is worked with in short-term memory is placed in long-term memory where it will last forever. Long-term memory is an unlimited store house for information. Later in this journal, i will explore some ways of moving information from short-term memory to long-term memory.

__**CHAPTER 2: A FAVORITE CLASS AND HOW ELABORATIVE REHEARSAL HELPED ME LEARN**__ For most of high school, i thought that maintenance rehearsal (simply repeating information) was the way to go. Luckily, I had some amazing teachers that helped me appreciate how elaborative rehearsal can help me learn. Elaborative rehearsal involves using effort to make meaningful connections between new information and old familiar information to help store the new information in long-term memory.

I had a history class as a senior that covered 20th century history. My teacher used to tell stories about everything. He told a story about the great depression and how a typical day was for many people. I was able to compare that day for someone living during the great depression to how my typical day was and this elaboration helped me permanently store the information about the great depression.

I still use elaborative rehearsal in my life quite frequently. I often run to the local Giant on weeknights to pick up a few things that i need for the remainder of the week. Since I am often lazy and don't write things down, i use elaborative rehearsal to help me remember. For example, if i have to get cheese, milk, and lunch meat, i think about making a sandwich with cheese and lunch meat for lunch the next day and washing it down with a glass of milk.

__**CHAPTER 3: FORGETTING**__ NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SAMPLE

__**CHAPTER 4: WHY I REMEMBER SOME THINGS BUT NOT OTHERS**__ NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SAMPLE

__** CHAPTER 5: MY FLASHBULB MEMORIES **__

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__**CHAPTER 6: STUDYING AND FORGETTING**__ NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SAMPLE

__**CHAPTER 7: LOOK WHAT I LEARNED TODAY MOM! IT'S A MNEMONIC**__ NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SAMPLE

__**CHAPTER 8: I SAW IT! OR, DID I?**__ NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SAMPLE

__**CONCLUSION: ALL THAT I HAVE LEARNED**__ NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SAMPLE