Best way to memorize large amounts of data

[silentstriker]

So I have an exam on Saturday for which I have been procrastinating. So now, I have three days to memorize large amount of data, as in, many different biochemical pathways, the names of each steps, being able to draw, all the catalysts, enzymes, energies, etc.

For one pathway, (Glycolysis), I found a mnemonic on wiki (another one is not safe for family forum): "Goodness Gracious, Father Franklin Did Go By Picking Pumpkins (to) Prepare Pies": Glucose Glucose-6-P Fructose-6-P Fructose-1,6-diP Dihydroxyacetone-P Glyceraldehyde-P 1,3-Biphosphoglycerate 3-Phosphoglycerate 2-Phosphoglycerate (to) Phosphoenolpyruvate [PEP] Pyruvate"

That works great, but does nothing for remembering the structures, and all that. Obviously that's just one pathway, and I need to memorize many.

So my question: are there any memory tips or tricks that people use to increase recall and/or to memorize more efficiently? Right now, I'm just writing it out until I remember it without looking. Which obviously is time consuming.

[Precambrian]

The hard way. Revising and re-revising till I can spell it in my sleep.

[Top_Cat]

Nah, you've got the best way. Your brain remembers associations with 'concrete' (pie, car, statue, painting) words better than abstract (art, life, etc.) ones so word association between what you're trying to remember and related concrete words does the trick. Like you said, though, time consuming.

[silentstriker]

Damn it, this is going to be annoying. I looked at the different sequences, and that's about 16 mnemonics minimum. I need a mnemonic for the mnemonics. And then learn to draw about 160 structures, plus all the energies, enzymes, for each of them. I'm totally screwed. I had learned Glycolysis in intro to bio, but I forgot it more completely than I thought possible - it's literally like learning it all over again. Now in Biochem, that introductory knowledge would have helped, and I could focus on the enzymes, and energies, and reactions, but guess not...

[Top_Cat]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Damn it, this is going to be annoying. I looked at the different sequences, and that's about 16 mnemonics minimum. I need a mnemonic for the mnemonics. And then learn to draw about 160 structures, plus all the energies, enzymes, for each of them. I'm totally screwed. I had learned Glycolysis in intro to bio, but I forgot it more completely than I thought possible - it's literally like learning it all over again. Now in Biochem, that introductory knowledge would have helped, and I could focus on the enzymes, and energies, and reactions, but guess not...

No-one to blame but yourself.

Anyway, we've heard your chicken little-esque cries of "I'm screwed" before and you've killed the exam. Not impressed. haha

[duffer]

Yeah, shouldn't you be spending your time studying rather than wasting it by asking randoms how best to study?

[Redbacks]

Seems kind of stupid to make people remeber so much stuff for an exam, would have though part of knowledge is to be able to apply it, not neccessarily reproduce what has been put in a text book. The world memory champion (not a name to remember) used the technique of going on a walk with a number of landmarks on the way. At each point he would associate a picture with the location and walk this route a few times.

I suppose during the exam you could play out this walk sequence and get some sequential information out. If I was struggling with something, much easier to use this technique in Eng/Maths, I would make a note to read over it and just blurt it down during reading time.

[Langeveldt]

Writing things down over and over again seems to help me.. The standard of my notes tends to be textbook, just a thought

[pasag]

For me, it's typing it out and reading it over again and again. Lists usually help as well.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Paying attention in class.

[Corli]

Originally Posted by Redbacks

The world memory champion (not a name to remember) used the technique of going on a walk with a number of landmarks on the way. At each point he would associate a picture with the location and walk this route a few times.

I use that method quite often, associating the pictures with different rooms in my house. I actually memorized all South Africa's Test captains that way. I don't know whether it'll work for memorizing biochemical structures though.

I have to ask, what's the point of having to memorize biochemical pathways? We got books containing the pathways all through our tests and exams. It seems almost as pointless as memorizing the entire periodic table...

[alternative]

When i need to remember the biochemical pathways like TCA cycle, Glycolysis or even the fatty acid synthesis was by putting them on a massive paper and then like back of a useless calander or something and then practice the equations. Therefore the equations also makes sense when you need to understand the pathway and also helps you memorise every single detail as to how much ADP is used and ATP transformations.

[alternative]

Originally Posted by Corli

I have to ask, what's the point of having to memorize biochemical pathways? We got books containing the pathways all through our tests and exams. It seems almost as pointless as memorizing the entire periodic table...

Its not more to remember the pathway but how the pathway works. For me the biggest concern was when you look at Glycolysis you would need to know where the ATP is taken place and where NAD is changed to NADH and stuff like that.

It's really important not memorizing but understanding it end of the day, when you want to put all the pathways into place.

[SirBloody Idiot]

Used to always do this for Geography and Human Biol.

There's one I always remember, but don't remember what it stands for any more (so maybe not the greatest advertisement):

Curtly Ambrose loves Madonna's furry ****.

[Precambrian]

lol!