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How to Review Information for Committing to Memory Reviewing notes and documents become habits for law students. However, only the successful students consciously use reviewing techniques geared to commit information to memory. It helps them to make maximum use of their time and get the highest possible benefits. We are, of course, not talking about short-term memory here, but of committing information to long-term memory so that the given labor remains useful for a longer period of time. Review is tightly related with recall. With time we
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Use the SQ3R method for learning infor-
forget details of what we learned at a session and
mation: Use the learning technique of ‘Survey,
ultimately are able to recall little of what we learned.
Question, Read, Recall, and Review. Following
This leads to a great waste of effort taken cumulatively
SQ3R as a strategy for learning helps you to rap-
over longer spans of time. However review strategies
idly internalize new information and commit it to
can help shift storage of information from short-term to long-term memory.
long-term memory. •
Don’t stint on sleep: While wasting time by sleep is not desired, lack of sleep is desired less.
Strategies to review information:
Research has shown sufficiently that lack of sleep affects learning abilities and abilities to commit
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Review as soon as possible: Start reviewing
information to memory. While nighttime is great
material that you have learned immediately or as
for studies due to the lack of noise and distur-
soon as possible. You don’t have to go through
bance, providing the required amount of sleep to
the entire stuff. Start with reviewing at least a
the body is necessary for studying. Review and
few lines or paragraphs at a time, and soon you
recall information in your mind while on bed – it
would establish a chain of recall.
will help to bring sleep and also help to embed
Write in your own words: There are few tools
the information in your mind.
as conducive to committing something to memo-
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ry as writing down a subject in your own words.
Revisiting information periodically for a time, after you
So try to rewrite and restructure notes as often
have first encountered such information, is necessary
as possible.
to commit it to long-term memory. Review strategies
Build a routine: Try to make reviewing a con-
and habits are essential to cultivate for this reason.
tinuous habit and build a routine schedule for
Once the information is stored in the right manner, a
reviewing material. Such time would be diffi-
little review even after years can bring things rushing
cult to find later in life, but as long as you are a
back to mind.
student you can afford the time, and would be amazed at the skills you’d develop. The acquired skills would stay with you throughout your career as a lawyer
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Oh, another thing. It is always helpful to take notes during reviews. Law students already know that this is essential, but it doesn’t harm to stress the fact once again.
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