Remembering with Slash Recall Patterns
I have recently finished writing exams. I am studying part-time, so I did not have that much time to study as things at work is quite rough this time of year. I thought that I would try out a new technique I read about a while ago in Remember Everything You Read: The Evelyn Wood 7-Day Speed Reading & Learning Program.
The technique consists of drawing slash recall patterns of the material you need to study. The slash recall pattern consist of lines and branches to provide a summary of the material. This is especially useful for memorizing theory, but can also be expanded to break up formulas or steps into small elements which are easier to remember.
This technique is effective as (with most diagrams) it combines both sides of your brain. You use your creative side of the brain in drawing the diagram and the layout also stimulates the logical part of your brain. Also as you are designing your own diagram, it is easier to remember.
I was able to condense the material (which was mostly theory) from about 500 pages to about 15 pages of diagrams. I had one diagram for each chapter in my textbook and it covered more or less 70% of the material (I focused on the most important material and added some extra just to be sure). Having each chapter laid out visually before you, you have a good overview and can also better understand how the different components fit together.
The following diagram is an example of one I used for the first chapter of my Advanced Database Management course:
It is very quick to draw the diagram and also to redraw it until you can do it without thinking. Each branch represents a section of the material which can then branch out into subsections. You can make it as detailed as you want, but it is much easier to remember if you keep it as simple as possible.
In the exam situation, I scanned the paper to identify the required sections. Then I drew the diagrams for those sections. I spent about a third of my time just recalling and drawing the diagrams. Then when you have all the material right in front of you, answering the questions is almost trivial.
I found this technique extremely useful, not only in the amount of time it saved me in terms of studying, but also in remembering the material. I would certainly use it again. PS: I aced my exams!
