Memory and study skills

[Little Miss Anxious]

"Hey there!

How are you all?

I am just wondering if ye would know of any way of a dyspraxic improving their memory and study techniques which make it easier to obtain information????

Also, has anybody ever used the law of attraction or studied smarter than harder and got get results....

Could you help me to achieve succes with remembering, obtaining information and gettting great grades in exams please.......

thank you!

[Catwoman42]

I found that reading out loud was useful as I took the information in by reading, but also by hearing it.

[borntobewild]

Hi Amy,
I found a fantastic technique that basically saved my law degree. I made a graph with three columns on the computer, and wrote a point per column. It helped map everything out. I'm happy to e-mail you a copy if you want to show you what I mean!

Good luck
Anna

[Osymandus]

Funny thing is tables and columns i cannont do (doing an OU course at mo) and its highlighted notes and mind maps for me.

[Captain_Ludd]

Yup its mind maps all the way for me too, I love them, thank you Mr Buzan! .
I like them because they don't just show blocks of information they also show the interrelations between them and they work in a more radial manor than normal notes which is exactly how the human brain operates, also they allow you to encode information using pictures colours symbols etc which helps information stick.
You may find like me and a lot of other dyspraxics/ND people you don't actually have difficulty getting information into your brain (my heads full of useless junk ) but you have trouble "connecting the concepts" which means that getting hold of the information when you need it can be sort of like bobbing for apples in your brain in the middle of a fog.
Theres actually a free program you can download called free mind http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/in ... /Main_Page that iv found really useful (but drawing them is still more fun than writing normal notes if you prefer the low tech approach ).

Hope thats of some help.

[Avarice]

Yup its mind maps all the way for me too, I love them, thank you Mr Buzan! .
I like them because they don't just show blocks of information they also show the interrelations between them and they work in a more radial manor than normal notes which is exactly how the human brain operates, also they allow you to encode information using pictures colours symbols etc which helps information stick.
You may find like me and a lot of other dyspraxics/ND people you don't actually have difficulty getting information into your brain (my heads full of useless junk ) but you have trouble "connecting the concepts" which means that getting hold of the information when you need it can be sort of like bobbing for apples in your brain in the middle of a fog.
Theres actually a free program you can download called free mind http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/in ... /Main_Page that iv found really useful (but drawing them is still more fun than writing normal notes if you prefer the low tech approach ).

Hope thats of some help.

This is VERY interesting but I have always thought there is a fundamental problem with these mind mapping techniques at university level which is that the detail can be too brief to get into the nuances of the text for an essay and then there is the matter of keeping a record of where sources used are from for referencing and a bibliography. For that reason I have never in the past been comfortable with it even while cursing the using of traditional linear notes. If people like Tony Buzan and yourself can show how that concern can be addressed then I'm all for it.

[Captain_Ludd]

This is VERY interesting but I have always thought there is a fundamental problem with these mind mapping techniques at university level which is that the detail can be too brief to get into the nuances of the text for an essay and then there is the matter of keeping a record of where sources used are from for referencing and a bibliography. For that reason I have never in the past been comfortable with it even while cursing the using of traditional linear notes. If people like Tony Buzan and yourself can show how that concern can be addressed then I'm all for it.

I definitely agree that mind maps are probably not the most appropriate tool for detailed notes but then that's not (IMHO ) what there for, even if they do quite often get used as such.
They are cognitive frameworks not notes in and of themselves they are meant to act as ways of connecting more detailed ideas together I tend to think of them as kind of "meta notes".
The way I tend to use them is as follows:

1.) read up on topic making sort of high level map of how stuff fits together not trying to absorb everything.

2.) Any points that I find difficult or that I think need more explanation I make notes on. I try to keep them brief (if I'm writing them manually I use those little 6 X 4 index cards, on each one I put a reference normally a number. )

3.) Add the references to the the more detailed notes to the mind map.

I find that this kind of hybrid approach works best for me because I have the more detailed notes if I need them but I can also see how everything fits together which helps me with recall.
I'm not saying its the best way of doing it but it works for me .

[magimoosh]

Hi

I am a new member, and I am so so grateful to have found you!

I am in my first year at law school, here in Roehampton, and was diagnosed with Dyspraxia during the Christmas holidays! has been a huge shock and of course revision and the exams this week have been terrible. I was considering changing course but love the work. I talked to a marvelous staff member who told me I can do it! Bless her!

I was googling study skills for Dyspraxic students and found your comments. Thank you so much. Mind maps are how I have always survived, in the 57 years I didn't know why things were so hard for me and not others. You guys are amazing and I am going to try the ideas you have given me.

Thank you sooooo much

Magimoosh

[peeps]

Hi Amy,
I found a fantastic technique that basically saved my law degree. I made a graph with three columns on the computer, and wrote a point per column. It helped map everything out. I'm happy to e-mail you a copy if you want to show you what I mean!

Good luck
Anna

Hi can you send this to me please Anna

[Tom fod]

Hi May and welcome

Unfortunarely Anna posted her original post 7yrs ago so may not see your request.

You could create such a table in a spreadsheet or even a word processing application to make yourself an aide memoire/decision tree to help you on specific topics.

You probaby want to tailor anything to your specific needs. but remember you are best judge of what is right for you.