#spacing effect

I find this method is particularly useful when I’m learning a new programming language or framework or something, and this article also has a neat breakdown on how memory works. If you spend a lot of time learning or studying, this is definitely worth a read (or preferably several reads at different intervals 😉) to help you make studying more effective.

If you don’t want to read a bunch of backstory about memory and the research behind it, you can skip to the end of the article for the section “Taking Advantage of the Spacing Effect” on how to implement the Spacing Effect in your studies. 

The Memorization Techniques That Work

This is my technique to easily memorize new songs and licks on the guitar! But really - the Spacing Effect is a technique that helps you memorize almost anything!

It was interesting to read the article and see how important the repetition is for the memory is sunk into the long memory. I can easily memorize something for a short time but as the time goes by, I just forgot about it even though I had thought I would never forget it if I did not repeat. The memorization for exam is one of example that I can have only in a short memory. For the examination, what I usually do is to memorize what I am supposed to memorize. And after the exam, since I do not have to repeat to memorize again and the term I have remembered is relatively short, I forget about most of thing that I have once memorized. On the contrary, something I look or review is never forgot. For example, one of things that I do in a daily life is to write a sudden thought or impressive quotes on the post-its and post them on the wall in my room. I do not try to remember them, but I remember naturally since I see it everyday. I think the spacing effect is definitely correlated with the memory and I think it is important to repeat and review something that I want to memorize the most using rather a long term than a short term.

As I have read the article, I collated the spacing effect and my learning style for the vocabulary. For learning vocabulary, what I use is the vocab book, which has words in English and Japanese and example sentences using the words. It is just a normal book you can buy everywhere.  The way I study for it is repetition. I memorize more than 100 words in a day, but not to try to memorize perfectly, rather put them into a vague memory. And the next day, I review all vocabs that I memorized, and move to the next 100. The same thing happens as the first day, namely vaguely remember. Then the next day, I review the first 200 vocabs and move to next 100 words. I repeat this whole process and finish the book. Once finishing the book, I review whole textbook from the beginning to the end. I think this way of memorizing words is helpful for me, and helped me memorize the words more easily than any other methods that I tried. I think this method is related to Spacing Effect which refers to long-term memory is enhanced when learning events are spaced apart in time, rather than massed in immediate succession. And I think, speaking of vocabulary learning, what is the most important thing is not to try to memorize only in one day, but repeat again and again.

The Spacing Effect is a very interesting phenomenon. I found it interesting because I feel that my brain takes a few days to either process information and of course review does help with that memory retention. Although, I tend to have really good short-term memory too. I seem to always remember the most random information that was given to me.

I think memory retention is all summed up by how much it interest you or how relevant it is to your life. Without true fascination or interest I think any piece of information would be hard to retain. I guess I tend to be interested in an array of subjects therefore I can retain more information regarding the subjects. What I am interested in knowing is how numbers and memory retention work together. I think that most people are either not good with numbers or they are (mathematicians). It seems like memory retention also has to do with what part of the brain is strongest and/or most used portion of the brain. Using that area of the brain would increase certain information retention more than other subjects or ideas.  

I would imagine that memory retention, as in the spacing effect, would have a major affect on vocabulary usage and retention as well. Without the general strength or interest in vocabulary you would most likely not retain it. It mentions how often one would uses certain vocabulary and in certain contexts. If you are not exposed to certain terminology on a weekly basis I would imagine you would not be so fluent or fluid with using or remembering the vocabulary.

Massed Practice refers to cramming information all at once. It is not time-effective.

The spacing effect was first noted by Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 1800s. You will develop better retention and recall, especially in the long run, if you use the same amount of study time spread out over many shorter sessions.

This doesn't mean you have to study every day. Memory researcher Harry Bahrick noted that the longer the time between study sessions, the better the long-term retention, and the fewer sessions you need!

Practice too soon and you waste your time. Practice too late and you've forgotten the material and have to relearn it. The right time to practice is just at the moment you're about to forget.