As people get older, they often begin to look for methods of improving memory. This is because aging brings with it memory lapses which cause you to forget important dates and information. Memory lapses usually indicate that the brain cells aren’t performing optimally and may mean that some of the neurons within the brain are damaged. Such damage and memory loss is frequently caused or made worse by certain bad habits. If you recognize yourself in any of the descriptions below, make a point to change your habits for the better now to ensure that you don’t suffer from memory loss later.
• Poor Diet
Proper diet plays a major role in improving memory as well as overall health. While poor food choices have long been known to cause health issues, there’s growing evidence that they can also cause memory problems Research shows that consuming fatty foods causes a decline in cognitive function; this is in addition to weight gain and heart disease. However, this isn’t to say that all fats are bad for the memory. In fact, fatty acids such as Oleic Fatty Acids and Omega-3 Fatty Acids can safeguard your brain against the effects of old age.
Similarly, a 2008 study[1. Source: D’Anci et al, 2008.] that was conducted by the psychology department of Tufts University revealed that low-carb diets are bad for your memory. This is because our brain cells require glucose in order to function optimally. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body is unable to supply your brain with the required amount of glucose.
It is important to be careful about what you eat. Avoid fatty foods and low-carb diets and ensure that you eat a nutrient-rich diet.
• Smoking
Smoking is one of the leading causes of neuron damage and Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, several studies have found a link between smoking and brain cell death. Nicotine and the other 42 carcinogens present in most cigarettes are responsible for the death of brain cells, which ultimately results in poor memory.
• Alcohol
You probably already know that alcohol in excess causes blackouts; most people do not remember anything after a night of drinking. What you may not know is that alcohol intake also increases the risk of dementia and other memory problems.
• Lack of exercise
Exercise is important for your brain’s health. In fact, a study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences shows that regular exercise can prevent memory loss in old age.[2. Source: Erickson et al, 2010.] This is because exercise alters the volume of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is responsible for memory formation.
In addition, memory training and mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise. Mental exercises such as those performed using memory training software like Ultimate Memory help to keep your memory alert while at the same time improving concentration. It is never too late to begin exercising your brain; you can begin training your memory at any time regardless of your age.
Several video game and software manufacturers have released memory improvement games that are aimed at improving memory and cognitive function. However, as with any other product that’s being advertised, it’s only natural to wonder if the advertised claims are true, and whether these games actually work. The short answer is “yes” – memory training through games does work.
The human brain works in a somewhat complicated manner, but at its simplest terms, it comes down to this: you either use it or lose it. For instance, if you go for a long time without practicing your addition skills, the next time you attempt to add figures, it will seem much harder. The principle behind memory games is that if you keep your brain active, recalling information will be easy. Performing everyday tasks doesn’t keep your brain active because only a few parts of your brain are strengthened. For instance, being a cab driver mainly exercises the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for sense of direction.
Research shows that memory games have the ability to delay memory loss even in old age. This is due a certain special characteristic of the brain which is known as “neuroplasticity.” Neuroplasticity simply refers to the ability of the brain to build new brain neurons as a result of brain training. This proves that even if you weren’t born with a good memory, you can easily improve your memory through the use of memory training games. In fact, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, Dementia and other degenerative disorders is greatly reduced by this exercise.
In order to enjoy the full benefit of memory training, you need to ensure that you are using the right games. Such games are available online and also as part of comprehensive memory improvement programs such as Ultimate Memory. Needless to say, a comprehensive memory improvement program is a lot more beneficial than a stand-alone game. It should be scientifically designed to target over 8 different areas of the brain, improving all aspects of memory including spatial memory, sense of direction, and memory for names and faces.
While memory improvement games do boost memory, you need to play these games for at least 10 minutes each day in order to keep your brain alert. Initially it will take about 2 weeks for you to notice a significant change in your memory. However, this is not to say that you should stop training after the first two weeks. You have to keep training your memory because as soon as you stop training your memory will start to deteriorate again, just as your muscles lose their shape when you stop exercising. Keep your brain in top shape with memory games and software, and you’ll stay fit for a long time.
With the number of manufacturers out there trying to convince consumers to spend their hard-earned money on new products, finding the right memory software has become much harder. There are many products that just don’t live up to their hype. However, just because some memory programs don’t work as promised doesn’t mean that none of them work. In fact, numerous observational studies have shown that memory training, including using memory software, greatly reduces the risk of memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s in old age. Nonetheless, there are a number of factors that clearly distinguish effective memory training programs from ineffective ones.
Multifaceted Approach
Learning how to improve memory isn’t the same as learning a few mnemonic techniques. Mnemonics are a great way to recall numbers and names but even they won’t improve your memory on their own. Exceptional memory improvement software like Ultimate Memory takes a multifaceted approach to memory improvement and not only improves your ability to remember names and numbers but also your sense of direction, visual memory, and spatial memory.
The Principle of Neuroplasticity
The manufacture of exceptional memory improvement programs is always based on scientific principles. One of the main scientific principles that comes into play during the design of memory improvement programs is the principle of neuroplasticity. Did you know that your brain is constantly reorganizing itself and forming new neural connections? This means that even if you are already experiencing memory loss, there is hope for you. You only need to train your mind using effective memory training software.
Reduced Effort
Great memory improvement software requires very little effort on your part. It is nothing like learning mnemonics techniques or tricks where you have to put in a lot of effort in order to learn the complex techniques. In a top-notch program, the software developers reduce the amount of effort required on the user’s part by integrating video training into the software. This keeps you from wasting time and effort trying to figure out how the software works.
Quantify Progress
The greatest limitation in trying to improve your memory by reading a book on memory improvement techniques is that there is no way for you to know whether or not your memory is actually improving. It is easy to feel demotivated when you don’t know whether or not your efforts are paying off. Software such as Ultimate Memory maps your progress onto a graph so that you can easily tell with a single glance how well you are actually doing.
Customization
Memory improvement software should be based on an algorithm that enables the software to adjust the training program depending on the user’s needs. For instance, if for some reason you are lagging behind in one area, the software will automatically present you with more opportunities to practice the skill that you need to improve.
Holistic Approach
If you are not getting enough exercise and sleep and eating a healthy diet, you will not be able to enjoy the full benefits of memory software. Most experts know this and some software developers have even began to incorporate tips on diet for memory and how to tackle age related memory loss within the software. This enables you to take a holistic approach to memory loss and how to reverse it.
The human brain is by far the most complex organic object to have ever been found in nature. After nearly a century and a half of unrelenting examination, we’re only just now starting to crack the codes of the cerebral.
As far as studiers are concerned, this is a bit of a shame, because we’re not very good at understanding why some people ace tests and others don’t despite having identical intelligence quotients and hours of devoted study.
With that said, there are a few “hacks” you can try on your own that some preliminary science has suggested can improve your ability to critically think and commit knowledge to memory. They won’t replace interventions for differentiated instructions and other alternatives to standard study that have proven to help folks, but they may help you score higher on tests and exams if you put them into practice.
Four such brain boosters are as follows:
Switch hands when performing certain tasks
When it comes to non-hazardous daily tasks such as brushing your teeth and putting butter on toast, switch up the hand you usually use. Studies have shown that doing so can increase IQ scores within weeks. It’s thought that by performing familiar tasks with your hands while closing your eyes, you force your brain to essentially “work” in a new way. This in turn can lead to you having an easier time thinking critically.
Close your eyes when performing certain tasks
Again, we aren’t advocating that you operating machinery or shoot a rifle with your eyes closed. But try taking a shower without the benefit of vision (come shampoo time you practically do anyway). Manipulating bottles and faucets while blind makes your brain once again have to fire off neurons in new places, which leads to you have a more creative mindset going into the day.
Study in the same place
New study environments will distract you. In addition, the information you consume will get mixed up with distinct memories of the new experience. Instead, hit the books in your bedroom or somewhere else very familiar. That way virtually every iota of information entering your brain is involved with the material you need to be learning.
Review right before bed
It’s critical you take the time to review recently learned material on that same day. Bedtime provides a great opportunity for this. Not only has every other concern of the day subsided by that point, your brain uses sleep as a time to convert recently learned information into long-term memory. By reviewing that day’s material right before you fall asleep, you increase the chances of it sticking with you as time marches on.
The aforementioned four brain boosters are not going to cause C students to start churning out A material overnight or even after several weeks. But chances are they will help you think a little bit fresher and retain information for a little bit longer. As far as academic improvements are concerned, they’re a great place to start.
When you sit down and begin studying for a test, you likely lay out all your notes, lectures, quizzes and homework assignments in front of you and – in doing so – realize that there’s a lot of material you’re going to need to cover. When faced with this realization, some students crack down and power through the material, in the process insuring that no details are left unexamined. If you can effectively study this way, that’s great, you’ll probably show up for the exam knowledgeable and highly prepared.
But most students will not learn well when they attempt to study every single detail. Sometimes this is because they get tired and distracted and never make it all the way through the material. Sometimes they do make it through, but the sheer amount of information crammed into their heads inevitably leaks out before the actual test has been administered. For these students it is far more beneficial to take a targeted approach – to separate out what’s important to study from what’s not, and in doing so create a list of topics from which they can prepare.
Whether you’re a high schooler, a graduate student, or are getting an online degree through the College Network, it’s consequently always important to be able to recognize key material and focus most of your energies there. Here are a few tips for differentiating between materials of different values:
Use the three column approach
One of the best ways to differentiate between material is to start the studying process by drawing three columns on a sheet of paper. In the first column, list off all topics that will be covered on the exam that you know well. In the second column, list those topics that you understood at one point but have since forgotten. Finally, in the third column, write down the topics that you never learned or understood. When you sit down to study, focus primarily on items listed in the second column. Ignore the first one completely and concentrate on the third only if you have sufficient preparation time.
Study to the lecture
Exams at many different levels of education will cover material from both classroom lectures and from textbook readings. While a teacher may say that the textbook content is just as important as what is taught in class, the reality is that the subjects covered in the classroom setting are more likely to appear in depth on a test. After all, a teacher will talk about those topics in which he is most comfortable or interested – and he will likely write his tests with a similar bias in mind.
Spot trends in the class
Teachers can be just as predictable as the rest of us. They can repeatedly harp on certain subjects more than others, for example, and they can write tests that are similar year after year. On this note, assessing the main themes of your course as a whole and the focuses of your teacher in particular can often help you narrow in on the information that is most important to study.
Hopefully these tips and approaches can help you begin differentiating between crucial and non-crucial material when preparing for a test. Although it is always theoretically best to walk into an exam knowing every possible detail, in reality this is often not possible. Consequently, we want to have the ability to focus on the material that matters most.
Journal articles are a staple for anyone in academia who is past middle school age. Whether you’re reading about the Moorish conquest of Spain, the discovery of DNA, or a study of teenage internet use, journal articles are inseparable from the education process. And, with textbooks ballooning in costs in recent years, teachers and professors have increasingly turned to article print-outs as a way of saving money.
But plodding through a dense journal article can be an incredibly tiresome affair, as anyone who has done so will probably acknowledge. When the semester starts to drag, or when you find yourself besieged by other obligations, reading that article about Latin American theater may seem more burdensome than reading the dictionary or doing medical coding. However, ideas from the article could be on a final test or paper. What to do?
Here are some suggestions for getting the most out of a journal article in the shortest amount of time:
Read the Abstract
Most journal articles have an abstract that accompanies the article and was written in order to secure its publication. As a short and condensed synopsis of the paper, the abstract can be very helpful for the hurried student. It should, in the space of one paragraph, convey the article’s hypothesis, general findings, and general conclusion.
Focus on the Conclusion
When the abstract comes up short in providing sufficient detail, you may want to check out the article’s conclusion. While not all articles will have an explicit section dedicated to the conclusion, each one should include a few final paragraphs that sum up the article, much in the same manner as the abstract, but do so with a bit more detail involved. At the same time, however, make sure to focus on the evidence presented in the conclusion and less on any broader implications of the study.
Prioritize and Pick Out What Matters
Many teachers and professors assign a journal article with the only goal being that their students understand the main idea contain therein. If this is the case in your class, reading the abstract and the conclusion should be sufficient. If the details matter, however, you can still refrain from having to plod through the whole thing. One way to do this is by focusing in on the topic sentences, which – in true expository form – often convey the fundamental point of a given paragraph. Another approach is to find a digitized form of the article online. The article can then be searched by keyword, allowing you to narrow in on those ideas that are most important to your class.
Ultimately, reading an article slowly and carefully is always the best way to understand its meaning and reasoning. But if you want to more efficiently gain an effective level of comprehension, focusing on the abstract, the conclusion, and the most important details is likely the surest way to make that a reality.
How To Conquer the Expository Essay
Technology has vastly changed the educational landscape in recent decades. The introduction to the classroom of tablets, easy internet access, and learning management systems (LMS) has altered the way teachers present new material and students process it. Nevertheless, some things about formal schooling show no signs of changing anytime in the next couple generations. Children will always have to read and write. They will always be taught certain basics in math and history. And, at least based on how things currently stand, they will always have to write the expository essay.
The expository essay is both loved and hated by those in the education world. Some claim that it instructs children in the fundamentals of writing, instilling in them the central abilities to analyze, interpret, and tie everything together. Others deride expository essays as limiting and formulaic, arguing that it restricts a child’s writing ability and breeds generations of youngster’s who have no love for the art.
Regardless of your opinion, it’s hard to say that the expository essay is not conquerable. By being aware of its structure and following a few key steps, there’s really no reason why you can’t excel on your expository assignment – whether you love it or hate it. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
The Thesis is Everything
The most important part of writing a successful expository essay is coming up with a strong and clear thesis statement. The thesis must be arguable, you must be able to support it with evidence, and that evidence must be able to be broken down into body paragraphs. Ultimately, every element of the essay revolves around the thesis: the introduction builds to it, the body paragraphs aggregately support it, and the conclusion considers its implications.
Build Body Paragraphs Around Your Evidence
Whether your essay discusses a work of literature or a political controversy, you’re going to want to break it down into pieces of evidence in order to support your argument and fit the expository context. When planning a body paragraph, make sure to build it around that paragraph’s key piece of evidence. Then, set-up the evidence with a sentence beforehand and explain it with a sentence or two afterwards. Then, once the evidence is in the paragraph and enclosed by your analysis, add a topic and concluding sentence that best connect the evidence to your surrounding paragraphs and to the thesis.
Separate Yourself From the Rest
In the likely case that you’re writing this expository essay for a class, there’s a good chance that you’ll come up with a solid thesis and decent supporting paragraphs and a perfectly acceptable conclusion – just like many of your classmates. To truly separate yourself from the rest, look to make your transitions as smooth as possible and your conclusion as strong and far-reaching as you can. Organize your paragraphs in a way that naturally lead to seamless transitions for example, and don’t be afraid to discuss larger implications of your argument at the end of your conclusion. It is also helpful to have a wide repertoire of transitions from which to pull. If done right, your essay will be greatly strengthened as a result.
There are many other methods and means of improving your skills as an expository writer. Although a sometimes boring and formulaic essay approach, the expository assignment certainly forces you to think about structure. In any piece of writing, it’s undeniably an important component to consider.
Soon to have your first day of college? Nothing to be afraid of, although it can be perceived as somewhat tantalizing at first it will become easier once you get a hold of it.
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Interested in knowing how to study for upcoming exams? In this post, we’ll go through the most important parts of the process which unfortunately tends to be overlooked far too often.
1. The urgency of NOW!
I’ve noticed a strange phenomenon pertaining to studying. For some reason, when it comes to exams, people tend to worry a lot more about their exams than they they do actually preparing. If you are currently worried about an upcoming exam, why not harness that negative energy into something positive instead? Whenever you start getting worried again it becomes time to hit the books. Do not succumb to procrastination. Do your studying and do it now!
2. A road map helps a long way
Always keep your exam date near to heart. Time tends to go by pretty fast, you may be surprised that 3 weeks left have all of sudden turned into 5 days left. Don’t let this happen to you. Organize your studies and memorize all of your test dates. Put them up on the wall if necessary.
A good way of constructing your road map is to first set the date for your upcoming exam, then outline all the major topics that you would need to have covered until then. Finally, you can divide these topics into smaller tasks, describing the everyday tedious “on the ground” “getting your hands dirty” work that simply has to be done. This could be something like reading chapter 3 or solving problem 5a.
3. Compile an I Don’t Know Paper (IDKP)
This is something that I personally like to do. Whenever you begin a new course, start out by getting a piece of paper or a text document and then start recording all of the things that you need to understand before the test date. These are the things that we intend to ask our professors but instead we put it up and thus forget about it until it’s already to late. By collecting all of the I Don’t Know’s in a IDKP, you can then, at the end of each week seek out the answers to these questions either by asking a colleague or your professor or by simply going to your local library and/or the internet.
Either way, don’t let it go unanswered or you will regret it later on when sitting during the exam only to have realized that your intended inquiry is now an exam question. The the motto is: Answer your own questions before they become exam questions!
4. Are you on track?
It’s easy to neglect work, even easier when it comes to education. That’s why you should appoint one day at the end of the week for the sole purpose of tracking your progress. Are you on track? Have you finished the tasks that you’ve outlined in your road map? Have you answered all the questions that you have been thinking about? If not, then no play for you until you’re back on chart.
Sure, missing out on one day isn’t that bad. The problem my friend, is when one day becomes two days and two turn into three and so on. Days tend to accumulate pretty quickly. If you’re behind schedule you should strive to get back on schedule as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will become to get back on track.
Looking for a guide on what things to bring with you to college? Well, look no further! In this post we go through some essential items that you need to bring with you on your way to college.
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