Tips for remembering essays? (1 Viewer)

[.ben]

Hi, I have trials on Friday both Paper I and II and was thinking of other ways to remember English essays. Right now I just use the method of rote (aka writing the essays out 5-6 times etc) but I'm searching for better methods to save some time (and my hand) so I can concentrate on other subjects. Any advice? Thank you

 

[YBK]

hmmm...

you can memorise the main points instead.

If you memorise an essay, your head will just stick to that memorised format. Now say you memorise an essay centred on the context and how it affects the purpose, and you get an essay about the central themes and how the text is recieved in a modern context, your remembered essay wouldn't exactly answer the question... hmmm... does that make sense? I advise you just remember some quotes and have all relevant ideas in your head rather than just memorise it.

 

[silvermoon]

lol my ultimate tip for memorising essays? dont do it! i've always believed that memorising essays is not the way to go, however i do realise that some people find it very comforting. if you feel you have to have a memorised essay than rote learning really is the only guarantee of a complete essay, though as YBK said, memorising points is preferable to learning a whole essay as it allows you to fit your points to the actual question asked

 

[*Love-2-Hate-U*]

memorise the main points for each paragraph.

You should also memorise the main techniques and quotes for ur essay.

 

[frankyd]

My method for memorising.. usually takes about 3-4 hrs an essay. Sounds stupid but I've managed to memorise entire essays for english and english advanced using this.. thats like 6000 words or so

- Read over the whole essay and say it out loud
- write out each paragraph, looking as little as possible at your essay but use it as a guide
- summarise each paragraph into points (this will ensure that even if you forget the exact wording, you KNOW the points which is obviously most important)
- try to say the paragraph out loud looking only at the summary sheet
- write out the paragraph from the summary sheet ... trying not to look at it at all

other tips:
- chewing gum increases memory by 15% - was in the UMAT test this yr apparently, no idea why
- try reading over your essays at night before you go to sleep. This is when your brain takes in the most information, so you are most likely to be able to remember it this way.
- most importantly keep practicing writing it out for a variety of different questions and forms

 

[GaDaMIt]

- chewing gum increases memory by 15%

I find it lowers concentration ..

 

[Ennaybur]

htf does it make a difference?

 

[Bobness]

because of sugar (its a short term glucose hit) .. even if its artificial sweeteners

 

[Ennaybur]

i thought we were sposed to avoid sugar whilst studying wernt we? lol

 

[Bobness]

note short term.

but hey milo and starch bread does jack all for me, so multiple short term hits its is

 

[priesty]

hahaha..... memorising an entire essay is bad. memorise a structure or essay plan perhaps or maybe just a thesis that can be easily adaptable but don't go ahead and regurgitate an essay that you've memorised even if it doesn't answer the question ><