EFFECTIVE MEMORIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR LAW SCHOOL! (and where have I been??)

Summary

In this video, Tina shares effective memorization techniques that helped her in law school and bar review. She emphasizes understanding concepts before memorizing, breaking down long paragraphs, using trigger words, highlighting general rules and exceptions distinctly, reading aloud, repeating, writing and reciting, using mnemonics, focusing on essential memorization, and self-testing with drawing lots.

Takeaways

• 📚 Understand before memorizing: Comprehension is crucial before attempting to memorize, as it leads to deeper retention and better long-term memory.
• 📝 Break down long paragraphs: Dividing complex legal provisions into smaller, manageable parts makes them less overwhelming and easier to understand.
• 🔑 Create trigger words or key phrases: These act as memory aids to quickly recall specific provisions or concepts.
• 📋 Maintain a master list: A simple list of provision numbers and their corresponding trigger words or key phrases can be a powerful tool for quick recall and review.
• 🖍 Use distinct markings for general rules and exceptions: This makes it easier to differentiate between the two when reviewing material, enhancing understanding and memorization.
• 🗣 Read aloud for better retention: Speaking the material out loud can improve memory, as it engages the auditory sense in addition to the visual.
• 🔁 Repetition is key: Repeating the material multiple times is fundamental to memorization and retention.
• ✍️ Write and recite: Writing down and reciting the material helps to reinforce memory and test recall in various situations.
• 🧠 Use mnemonics: Pneumonics or mnemonic devices can aid in memorizing lists or sequences by creating associations that are easier to recall.
• 🚫 Don't memorize unnecessary information: Focus on memorizing only what is essential, saving cognitive resources for the most important information.
• 🎲 Test your memory with the draw lots method: Randomly selecting provisions to recite can simulate the unpredictability of real-life recall situations and test your memory effectively.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Tina's video?

The main topic of Tina's video is memorization techniques that she found helpful during law school and bar review.

Why did Tina take a break from her channel?

Tina took a break from her channel due to the demanding nature of her work, which left her with limited time for other activities.

According to Tina, why is it important to understand the material before memorizing it?

Understanding the material before memorizing it is important because it leads to better retention and comprehension, preventing the need for constant re-memorization.

What is the first memorization tip Tina suggests?

Tina's first memorization tip is to understand what you are trying to memorize before attempting to memorize it.

How does Tina recommend breaking down long paragraphs for easier memorization?

Tina suggests breaking down long paragraphs into shorter portions by using slash marks to separate different ideas within the text.

What is a 'trigger word' or 'key phrase' in the context of memorization?

A 'trigger word' or 'key phrase' is a word or phrase that serves as a memory jog, helping to recall the provision or concept you are trying to memorize.

Why should you create a master list of provisions and their trigger words or key phrases?

Creating a master list helps with quick recall and serves as a useful review tool for exams, providing a simple and organized reference.

What method does Tina recommend for distinguishing between the general rule and exceptions when memorizing?

Tina recommends using a distinct color or symbol to mark the general rule and a different, distinct mark to highlight the exception.

Why is reading aloud beneficial for memorization according to scientific studies mentioned by Tina?

Reading aloud is beneficial for memorization because it engages the auditory sense, increasing the likelihood of remembering the information.

What does Tina suggest for effective memorization when dealing with a large number of provisions?

Tina suggests mastering one provision at a time before moving on to the next, to avoid confusion and ensure proper memorization.

How does Tina recommend testing your memorization after you have finished memorizing the material?

Tina recommends using the 'draw lots' method, where you write down the numbers of provisions on pieces of paper, draw lots, and recite the corresponding provision.

What is Tina's advice on using mnemonics for memorization?

Tina advises using mnemonics, such as taking the first letters of an enumeration or creating a story with them, to help retain and retrieve information more easily.

What should you do if you don't have to memorize something, according to Tina?

Tina advises that if you don't have to memorize something, then you shouldn't, and to focus on understanding the material instead.

How can you make your learning more effective by combining different senses?

By combining visual and auditory information, such as writing down and reciting what you're memorizing, you cover multiple senses and enhance the learning process.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Returning to Channel and Memorization Techniques

The speaker, Tina, returns to her channel after a month-long absence due to work commitments and expresses gratitude for the support received. She introduces the topic of memorization techniques that she found effective during law school and bar review, emphasizing their utility for students with limited time. Tina clarifies that she does not possess a photographic memory and hopes her tips will help others with average memory skills. She stresses the importance of understanding material before memorizing it for better long-term retention, contrary to the common practice of immediate memorization without comprehension.

05:02

📝 Breakdown and Visualization for Memorization

Tina suggests breaking down long paragraphs into shorter sections to make them less overwhelming and more understandable. She recommends using slash marks to visually divide complex legal provisions and creating trigger words or key phrases to aid memory recall. She advises writing these triggers down in a master list for quick reference and review, which can be beneficial during exams and recitations. Tina also discusses the use of distinct colors or symbols to differentiate between general rules and exceptions in memorization, enhancing the ability to identify and recall them effectively.

10:04

🔊 Reading Aloud and Repetition for Enhanced Memory

The speaker highlights the benefits of reading aloud for memorization, supported by scientific studies showing improved memory retention. She recommends using earplugs to facilitate this method without disturbing others. Tina emphasizes the power of repetition, suggesting that reading the material multiple times is key to memory retention. She advises focusing on mastering one provision before moving on to the next to avoid confusion. Additionally, she promotes writing and reciting the memorized material as a method to reinforce learning and test recall in distracting environments, which is crucial for real-life application.

🧠 Mnemonics and Self-Testing for Memorization

Tina introduces the use of mnemonics, a learning technique that aids in information retention and retrieval, with a focus on creating acronyms from the first letters of items to be memorized. She provides an example of creating a memorable story from these acronyms to enhance recall. The speaker also advises against memorizing information that can be understood, reserving memorization for essential elements and enumerations. Lastly, she recommends self-testing through drawing lots, a method that simulates the unpredictability of real-life recitations and exams, and encourages revisiting the master list of triggers when forgetting occurs.

Keywords

💡Memorization Techniques

Memorization techniques refer to methods used to aid in the retention and recall of information. In the video, the speaker discusses various strategies that helped her in law school and bar review, emphasizing their utility for anyone needing to memorize large amounts of information, particularly law students. Examples include understanding the material before memorizing, breaking up long paragraphs, and using trigger words.

💡Comprehension

Comprehension is the ability to understand or assimilate information. The video stresses the importance of comprehending the material before attempting to memorize it. This is crucial because memorizing without understanding can lead to shallow retention, making it difficult to recall information long-term, as illustrated by the speaker's advice to 'read first, analyze first, understand the concept first'.

💡Trigger Word

A trigger word or key phrase is a term used to jog one's memory and facilitate recall. In the context of the video, the speaker uses trigger words like 'exercise of rights' for specific legal articles to help remember complex legal provisions. This technique is part of her memorization strategy, making it easier to recall information during exams or recitations.

💡Master List

The master list is a tool mentioned in the video for organizing and reviewing memorized material. It consists of a simple list of provision numbers and their corresponding trigger words or key phrases. This list aids in quick recall and serves as a review tool, essential for law students who need to memorize numerous legal provisions.

💡General Rule and Exception

In legal studies, distinguishing between the general rule and its exceptions is crucial. The video suggests using different colors or symbols to mark these, making it easier to identify and remember them. This method is particularly useful in law school where understanding and recalling these distinctions is often necessary for exams and practical application.

💡Repetition

Repetition is a fundamental principle in learning and memory, emphasized in the video as key to memorization. The speaker advises reading and repeating the material multiple times to enhance retention. This aligns with scientific studies that suggest reading aloud, a form of repetition, can improve memory retention.

💡Recitation

Recitation in the video refers to the act of verbally expressing what one has memorized. It is a method of self-testing and reinforcing memory. The speaker recommends reciting provisions out loud, even in distracting environments, to ensure that the memorized information can be recalled under various conditions, mirroring the unpredictability of real-life testing situations.

💡Pneumonics

Pneumonics are memory aids that assist in retaining or retrieving information. In the video, the speaker discusses using the first letters of an enumeration to create mnemonics, such as 'lcqaq' for a legal enumeration. This technique helps in memorizing lists or sequences by converting them into more memorable forms, often through acronyms or phrases.

💡Self-Testing

Self-testing is a method of evaluating one's own understanding and memory of material. The video introduces the 'draw lots' method, where the student randomly selects a provision to recite, mimicking the unpredictability of a real exam. This technique helps in preparing for the spontaneity of legal recitations and exams.

💡Understand vs. Memorize

The video differentiates between understanding and memorizing, advising that understanding should be prioritized over memorization when possible. The speaker suggests that memorization should be reserved for material that cannot be simply understood, such as legal elements and enumerations, highlighting the importance of efficient use of cognitive resources.

Highlights

The importance of understanding material before memorization for better retention.

Memorization tips are applicable to various educational levels, especially beneficial for law students with limited time.

The presenter's personal experience with average memorization skills, making the tips relatable for many viewers.

Breaking down long paragraphs into shorter portions to make them less overwhelming and more understandable.

Creating trigger words or key phrases to aid in memorization and quick recall.

Listing trigger words or key phrases on a master list for efficient review and exam preparation.

Using distinct colors or symbols to differentiate between general rules and exceptions in memorization.

The benefit of reading aloud for enhancing memorization as supported by scientific studies.

The underrated use of earplugs to facilitate reading aloud in various environments without disturbing others.

The power of repetition in memorization and the recommendation to master one provision before moving to the next.

Writing and reciting as a method to lock in memorized information and test oneself in distracting environments.

Combining visual and auditory learning to enhance memory retention through writing and reciting.

Using mnemonics, such as acronyms, to help retain information more effectively.

Creating stories from mnemonics to make them more memorable, even if the stories are outrageous.

The advice against memorizing unnecessary information to conserve brain power for essential material.

Self-testing through drawing lots as an effective method to simulate the classroom environment and enhance recall.

The presenter's encouragement for viewers to apply these memorization techniques to improve their study habits.

Transcripts

it has been a while so what are my

memorization techniques

hi guys welcome back to my channel i'm

tina and it has been a while

i apologize for being gone for around a

month now but it's really just because

work has been

killing me yeah you will find it in

legal practice sometimes even if you

want to do it

all do well at your job exercise drink

enough water eat your vegetables

spend time with your family indulge in

your hobbies maintain a social life

sometimes it's just impossible to do it

all and that's totally fine

sometimes other things have to take a

backseat to what you have to prioritize

right now so yeah for the past month

what i really needed to prioritize was

work thank you to everyone who has been

leaving me such sweet messages and

comments i really really appreciate your

support thank you so much for

understanding

now i'm back yay so today i'm gonna be

sharing with you guys some memorization

tips which worked well for me in law

school and in bar review these

memorization tips work for anyone though

even if you're in college or in high

school but they're particularly helpful

if you're struggling law student with

super limited time on your hands

like i once was by the way personally i

am not gifted or good at memorization

there are just some people because who

have photographic memory you know

well i wasn't and i'm still not one of

them sana

so especially to you guys out there who

are just average at memory work like

i am i hope that these tips work as well

for you as they did for me

i've mentioned some of these tips before

in passing in some of my previous videos

but i will mention some of them again

here because i think it's important that

all my tips about memorization be

centralized into one video specifically

about memorization

so what are my memorization techniques

let's goes ago

my first tip is to understand first what

you are trying to memorize

this is incredibly important and

incredibly basic comprehension before

memorization always remember

if you try memorizing something without

having understood it first then you're

basically going to be trying to memorize

a jumble of words that you can't even

make heads or tails off it just won't

make sense

i know that as law students

so it may seem counterintuitive to spend

your precious minutes understanding

something before just memorizing it

straight away

but believe me if you blindly memorize

something without having properly

understood it first

then your retention is going to be

extremely shallow and superficial yeah

you may be able to recite what you

memorized the next day and time for

recitation but you won't have forgotten

it already in one week

because your retention will just be that

short term then you're going to have to

re-memorize it again during midterms

again during finals again during your

bar review subjects in fourth year

and again during bar review so if you

look at the big picture it's really such

a waste of your precious time

remembering things short term isn't

enough because it's important to retain

long term what you've memorized

short term retention will get you

through tomorrow's recite but it won't

get you through the bar exam

read first analyze first understand the

concept first

take the time that you need to absorb it

and once you've done that

memorize my next tip is to break up long

paragraphs into shorter portions

law students know that many prohibitions

of law have so many ideas jump back

into one provision and when you're

staring at those super long provisions

are lost then it just gets very

overwhelming

i've said before that you cannot consume

a huge block of ice if it's in the form

of a huge block of ice

but you cannot tune it if you break it

down into little itty-bitty bite-sized

pieces

so let's say that you're faced with a

very long paragraph when you're reading

the prohibition and

endness concept one then legend

agreement slash mark then you're reading

it again soprano

and again your concept two then again

slash mark

when you do that right away just by

putting a simple slash mark you

immediately see the break or the

division in ideas

you immediately make an intimidating

looking provision much friendlier and a

lot more understandable

my next tip is to create a trigger word

or a key phrase for the provision that

you're trying to memorize

a trigger word or key phrase is

something that will jog your memory just

by looking at it

it's an aha word or phrase

something that when you see you go aha

for example for article 19 of the civil

code the key phrase that i would use

is exercise of rights for article 20 it

would be willful or negligent damage

for article 21 it would be willful loss

or injury we all have different styles

or preferences for creating our trigger

words or our key phrases right

so i won't tell you how you should come

up with yours what i'm telling you is

that you should have them you should

definitely have trigger words or key

phrases for the provisions that you're

trying to commit to memory now once

you've identified your trigger words or

your key phrases for the provisions that

you're trying to memorize

then list them all down on a separate

piece of paper or on a separate document

in your ipad

in that list don't write anything except

for number one the provision number and

do your trigger word or your key phrase

this will be your master list of

provisions and trigger words or phrases

it should be very simple and looks

something like this that master list

is very useful for quick recall purposes

as in you glance at it and you know

parang true love is something that you

can use for recit when you're supposed

to recall what you memorized in a split

second

you can also use it as a reviewer for

your exams my next tip applies to when

you have to memorize the general rule

and the exception

use a distinct color or symbol to mark

the general rule

and then use only one distinct mark to

mark the exception so for example you're

reading your kodo right highlight the

general rule and for the exception

use a symbol the symbol that i used in

law school to mark exceptions was a

circle with an x inside

when you do this the general rule is

easily apparent

and so is the exception keep in mind

that you don't just study material once

rather you review your material again

for midterms again for finals again for

your bar review subjects in fourth year

and again during bar review

if you highlight the general rule and

the exception in the exact same way

general rule highlighter exception blue

highlighter button when you go back to

your material later it will be so hard

to identify which the general rule and

which the exception is

because everything just looks like one

big chunk of highlighted text

but if you mark the general rule a

certain way and you mark the exception a

different way

when you're memorizing interviewing you

will immediately see ah this is the

general rule

ah these are the exceptions to that

general rule

my next tip is to read aloud what you

are memorizing scientific studies

suggests that you are more likely to

remember something if you read it out

loud so as you're memorizing

mouth what you're memorizing to yourself

read the provision out loud to yourself

as you're memorizing it

just be considerate of the other people

around you who are trying to study too

so

vowel the thing that helped me do this

in law school and in bar review was

earplugs this is because when you wear

earplugs you can hear yourself even if

you murmur something to yourself

very very softly if you don't wear

earplugs then just to hear yourself over

the ambient noise in starbucks or in the

library then you're going to have to

raise your voice

that's annoying to the people around you

don't be that annoying law student

yeah earplugs are super underrated i got

mine at true value

my next tip is to repeat repeat repeat

beat beat

read the material that you're supposed

to memorize again and again over and

over and over it's been well established

that repetition is the key to memory so

read and repeat and

read and repeat do it as many times as

you have to and as much as your time

allows

founding your brain with the same

information again and again over and

over definitely helps with the retention

if audio codes work for you then you can

also use those

you can just play them over and over

while you're doing your other activities

like driving or exercising

also if you need to memorize a bunch of

provisions then i recommend

that you master first the one provision

that you're memorizing now

before moving on to the next one if

major hillary

young memorization mode of the current

provision then don't go on to memorize

the succeeding one yet

you'll just get confused promise so go

one by one

my next tip is to write and recite to

really lock in what you're memorizing it

greatly helps to number one

to write down what you're memorizing and

to recite to yourself what you're

memorizing you can write and recite as

you're memorizing or you can also do it

after to test yourself

to write literally all you have to do is

to get some scratch paper and to write

down what you're memorizing or what

you've memorized

yes scratch paper to look at it

just write down the provision as you're

memorizing it this technique helps

because it adds another layer to your

learning

which helps you ingrain even more what

you're studying to recite them on

pretend that you're reciting in front of

your professor and

simply recite the provision out loud

it's actually also useful to recite to

yourself when there are intentional

distractions around

because then you're really testing if

you can remember the provisions in an

uncomfortable environment for example

you can recite the provisions out loud

when you're making dinner

or driving when walking or when the tv

is on or

there's music playing in the background

when you're in comfortable environments

like for example when you're sitting

quietly at your desk or when you're

lying on your bed

it's so easy to remember what you

memorized but in reality you will not be

asked questions in comfortable

controlled environments

instead you will be asked questions

about what you memorized in

uncontrolled environments with so much

pressure namely in daily law school

recitation and in highly time pressured

exams

so when you're memorizing you have to

make sure that you can regurgitate

whatever it is you memorized no matter

what the situation

whether it's in your bedroom or in your

classroom test yourself in distracting

situations so that you can be sure that

you will remember what you memorized

in distracting situations writing and

reciting to yourself what you've

memorized actually ties in with my

earlier tip about repetition we've

already established that repetition is

great for attention right

when you write and recite to yourself

when you memorize you are actually

repeating to yourself what you're

learning

in verbal and in written format it's

just another form of repetition also

you're covering all basis of learning

because your learning is not just visual

but actually also auditory and as they

say the more senses you use while

learning

the more effective learning will be the

better you are at combining visual and

auditory information

the better you can remember what you've

learned my next tip is to use pneumonics

a mnemonic is basically any learning

technique that will help you retain or

retrieve information in the human memory

based on my experience taking the first

letters of an enumeration or the first

few letters

is really the most common demonic for

law students for example let's say that

you have to memorize this enumeration

law students usually make mnemonics by

taking the first letters of the

enumeration

so here it would be lcqaq you could also

rearrange it so that it's catchier so it

could be

clack if you find that random jumble of

letters difficult to memorize

you can also add in the next few letters

of the enumeration so here it would be

la co q q

to make it even catchier and easier to

remember you can even rearrange those

mnemonics to form something easier to

say

for example akola q2 you can even take

it a step further by creating a story

for your mnemonics

your story doesn't even have to make

sense in fact sometimes when the story

is so outrageous

that makes it even easier to remember

for example here your story could be

lazy condors actually quack quack it

sounds funny right

some people say that for better

attention you should make mnemonics

which are special to you

or which have some sort of meaning for

you for example young lazy condors

actually quack quack but honestly

what law student has time for that

time realistic so for me generic

pneumonics like clock

are enough to get the job done if you

don't want to make your own pneumonics a

great reviewer which already has

mnemonics is sun bedder red no it's also

known as memory eight the best

promise my next tip is that if you don't

have to memorize something

then don't your brain is finite your

brain can only take so much studying and

information and in law school it's just

so much information so when you're

studying you should use that brain power

only for what you need

when you have the chance to choose

between understanding something or

memorizing something

always choose to understand rather than

to memorize of course

there are some provisions which you will

have no choice but to memorize but what

i'm saying is that for those provisions

which you don't have to memorize

dance don't do it if understanding a

provision is enough

do not memorize it anymore memorize only

what cannot be simply understood

for example the most common things which

a law student cannot just understand but

actually has to memorize

are elements and enumerations under the

law obviously there's just no way around

that one you really will have to

memorize

but otherwise don't my next tip is to

test yourself by drawing lots

this step applies when you already

finished memorizing what you had to

memorize

you can't memorize in a vacuum you have

to self-test your recall in different

ways this is the point wherein you'll

want to test your recall to do this use

the draw lots method on pieces of paper

write down the numbers of all the

different provisions which you memorized

then fold up those pieces of paper draw

lots and recite

away never mind if you look crazy

drawing lots with yourself

okay drawing lots is an effective

self-training method for memorization

because by adding the element of

surprise

it replicates the classroom environment

wherein you have no idea what your prof

will ask you to recite and if you're

drawing lots and reciting and you forget

something

then you can always go back to your

master list of trigger words and key

phrases which you earlier made

so yeah guys that's it those are all my

tips for memorization

if you already have an excellent memory

then good for you

you are ready it counts but if you have

just

average memory skills like the rest of

us myself included

then i hope that these tips will be

useful to you in some way if you like

this video then please give it a thumbs

up

please also don't forget to subscribe to

my channel and to hit the notification

bell below so that you guys are informed

of my future videos

thank you so much for watching stay safe

and see you in my next video

bye so it may seem counterintuit

so it may seem

it's five o'clock