In Pixar’s Finding Nemo (and again in Finding Dory), Dory has a problem encoding new information due to recursive anterograde amnesia. In other words, she has short-term memory loss. While the urban myth that goldfish only have a 3-second memory has been debunked by marine biologists, the movie plays on that misconception by having Dory forget everything every few seconds.
As a quiz coach, I’ve seen many Quizzers come down with something that resembles recursive anterograde amnesia. And no matter how much time they spend studying, the information doesn’t seem to stick. What I’ve come to discover, fortunately, is that how you spend your time studying is often more important than how much time you spend studying. So contrary to popular belief, “studying” doesn't have to be a combination of the words “study” and “dying”!
Years ago, I came across a lecture from psychology professor Dr. Marty Lobdell from Pierce College called “Study Less, Study Smart”. In it he presents several techniques, backed by research, that help students improve retention and perform better academically.
As a quiz coach, I’ve seen many Quizzers come down with something that resembles recursive anterograde amnesia. And no matter how much time they spend studying, the information doesn’t seem to stick. What I’ve come to discover, fortunately, is that how you spend your time studying is often more important than how much time you spend studying. So contrary to popular belief, “studying” doesn't have to be a combination of the words “study” and “dying”!
Years ago, I came across a lecture from psychology professor Dr. Marty Lobdell from Pierce College called “Study Less, Study Smart”. In it he presents several techniques, backed by research, that help students improve retention and perform better academically.
As you are about to jump into the new Luke material, it can be overwhelming when you think about how much time you need to truly understand it all. During your scheduled study time as you follow your study plan, consider trying some or all of these studying techniques to help you stay focused and remember more of the scripture with shorter study sessions:
#1: Study in 25-minute chunks followed by 5-minute breaks
Your ability to retain information diminishes after about 25 minutes, so divide your study time into 25-minute sessions followed by 5-minute breaks. Reward yourself with fun activities or snacks during your breaks. Call a friend. Play some music. That break is your treat for studying effectively. A similar idea called the Pomodoro method suggests making every 3rd break 20 minutes long.
Why does this work? Dr. Lobdell says that your study efficiency after a 5-minute break is nearly 100% restored. So it is like starting fresh.
BONUS IDEA: Chew a weird flavor of gum as you study. Then, at the quiz meet, chew that same flavor to aid in memory recall. If gum is not your thing, spray an unfamiliar scent while you are studying. Spray it again right before the quiz to jog your memory.
RELATED: A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish
Why does this work? Dr. Lobdell says that your study efficiency after a 5-minute break is nearly 100% restored. So it is like starting fresh.
BONUS IDEA: Chew a weird flavor of gum as you study. Then, at the quiz meet, chew that same flavor to aid in memory recall. If gum is not your thing, spray an unfamiliar scent while you are studying. Spray it again right before the quiz to jog your memory.
RELATED: A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish
#2: Have a dedicated study area
Don't study where you do anything else. Don't study in your bed because you associate that place with sleep. Don’t study where you play games because you’ll want to do that instead. Designate an area to study that is relatively distraction-free. Like a chair facing a blank wall. In fact, let everyone know you are about to study so you can do so uninterrupted.
#3: tell someone what the chapter is about
Memorization of facts gets lost over time. But if you can put the information in your own words – internalizing it and making it meaningful to you – it will more likely stay with you over time. So after you read the chapter, tell someone about it. What were the main points? Who said what to whom and what was the reply? What did God reveal to you in that chapter?
#4: Study right before you go to sleep
I’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but reading right before you go to sleep has a significant impact on your ability to retain information. According to several studies, sleep stabilizes the memories against deterioration and dilution from new information gained during wakefulness.
#5: Get enough sleep
How much sleep is enough? It varies, but research indicates that since memory consolidation begins after about 4 hours of continuous sleep, getting 8 hours of sleep would ensure enough deep sleep cycles (REM sleep) for adequate memory stabilization. In other words, science.
#6: Spread learning over several days
It takes time and repetition for your brain to move fleeting short-term learning to more permanent long-term memory. If you overload your mind with a ton of information in a late-night cram session, only a small percentage will stick by the next morning. Instead, spread out your study time of a chapter across several days. Generally, each week you should spend 5 days learning the new chapter and 1-2 days reviewing all of the previously-learned chapters.
BONUS IDEA: Record yourself as you read. You are 50% more likely to remember something if you speak it out loud. Then, listen to the recording whenever you are doing chores or traveling.
RELATED: The Beginner’s Guide On How To Study For Bible Quizzing
By following these 6 practices when you study anything, you are making yourself immune to recursive anterograde amnesia! You will be well-rested, knowledgeable, and have more free time to share the Gospel you have learned with others.
Then again, if you really had short-term memory loss, would you really know?
BONUS IDEA: Record yourself as you read. You are 50% more likely to remember something if you speak it out loud. Then, listen to the recording whenever you are doing chores or traveling.
RELATED: The Beginner’s Guide On How To Study For Bible Quizzing
By following these 6 practices when you study anything, you are making yourself immune to recursive anterograde amnesia! You will be well-rested, knowledgeable, and have more free time to share the Gospel you have learned with others.
Then again, if you really had short-term memory loss, would you really know?
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