01/02/2018 / By Rita Winters
Most people find it difficult to retain certain information. In preparation for tests and examinations, each student works out their own ways to remember important details. While some find it easy to retain information, others may think of it as a difficult process. It may seem so simple, but reading information aloud will help you memorize things easier, according to a study published in the Memory journal.
Instead of memorizing silently, speaking words aloud promotes better long-term memory of information. Learning and memory benefits more from active involvement, in this case, speaking out the words instead of reading silently. Professor Colin MacLeod, co-author of the study and chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Waterloo, says that learning and memorization become easier tasks when activity is involved in the process. Dr. Noah Forrin, lead author of the study, adds that when we perform an active measure or “production” element to a word, the word then becomes distinct and is more memorable.
The study involved 95 students from the university, divided randomly into four groups. Each group had a specific method for learning written information, including: Reading silently; hearing someone else read; listening to a recording of himself reading; and reading aloud in real time. The findings show that the group who read aloud had the most success in retaining and remembering information. The study builds on previous researches by professor MacLeod, Dr. Forrin, and other colleagues involved in measuring the production effects of activities in enhancing memory.
There are many ways to retain something in memory, but not all of the techniques will work for each person. While reading out loud helps a lot, you can’t really do it all the time, especially if you’re in a library. Consider the following techniques in enhancing your information retention.
Memorizing something may be a difficult task, but there are many workarounds for it. All you have to understand is that saying words out loud may help you increase your rate of memorizing things, and associating the words to images or experiences will retain it.
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Tagged Under: auditory reinforcement, brain function, education, information retention, learning, memorization, memorizing, memory, neurology, remembering, research, retention