There are short-term memory and long-term memory systems in your brain. At first, unknown information is held in the short-term memory system and if you recall and re-memorize this information many times it will be transferred to the long-term memory system. If you do not, the information will be abandoned after a short period of time.

For example, you meet a stranger and ask his name or telephone number. You may be able to keep this information in mind for several minutes or throughout the day, but you are likely to have forgotten it by the following day because it is held only in the short-term memory system. However, if you make good friends with persons and call them many times, you can easily keep their name and telephone number in your mind, since this information is held in the long-term memory system. That is because your brain regards this information as very important to you.

If you want to memorize information effectively, you have to stimulate your nerve routes and memory systems as many times as possible by reading, listening, writing, and speaking.

Key words: short-term memory system, long-term memory system, information, transferred

If you can, it is sometimes a good idea to teach to someone what you have learned, which is also good speaking practice. You can not only memorize the information effectively but also check to what extent you have understood something and can express what you have understood. If you cannot put something into words, this is a sign that you have not fully understood it. If your partner cannot understand what you are trying to say, there is a possibility that your way of expression may not be very good.

Even if you dislike teaching, it is good to have discussion about the subject you are trying to learn from time to time. Through discussion you will discover what you have not understood yet and you can learn it from your friends. You can also share important information or tactics for the exam with others.

Keywords: teach, check, discussion, share important information or tactics

Some people attempt to keep in mind the key words or sentences required for an exam at any time. But this is totally meaningless. You just need to keep them in mind during the exam. As I explained above, if you recall and re-memorize them over and over again, the information will be transferred from the short-term memory system into the long-term memory system. That is, you forget and re-memorize them many times, rather than keeping them in mind all the time. Once the information is held in the long-term memory system, it is very easy for you to recall, re-memorize, and keep in your mind during the exam. On the other hand, you can forget some of the information you learn if your brain judges that it is not important to you, otherwise you will be confused with too much information. Do not worry about forgetting it and just memorize it again.

Keywords: forget and re-memorize, keep in mind during the exam