How to Memorise Content For Your Exam in 4 Steps

You’re in an exam. You’ve revised all night. You read a question. But wait, you can’t recall the content.

What exactly was the answer again? You re-read it several times, desperately hoping that it will trigger some part of your cerebral cortex into magically recalling the answer. But nothing.

The worst thing is, it’s not as if you didn’t study. How has some of it just slipped your mind?

We’re going to make sure you’re never in this situation again with our 4 steps to effectively memorise content for your next exam!

Learning and Memory

Step 1: Read over what you learned in class/studying that evening

Step 2: Set aside a weekly time to read over what you learnt that week

Step 3: Constantly read over content 

Step 4: Have room for flexibility

Learning and Memory

Here’s the science: the human brain can only retain so much when you cram. I’m serious.

Andrew J. Fuligni, a Professor of Behavioural Science from the University of California, has noted that sacrificing sleep (*ahem cramming*) is “counterproductive” for students.

Maybe you’ll remember a few bits here and there.

But remembering whole concepts from your entire Economics syllabus from last-minute revision the night before your trials? That’s just not going to happen.

Just take a look at this graph! 

Stahl SM, Davis RL, Kim D, et al. CNS Spectr. Vol 15, No 8. 2010.

Keep in mind: the HSC is a year long marathon with check points at internal exams, trials, and assessments, not a short sprint right before final exams.

So how do you study whole ideas and remember answers in their entirety?

You need to be remembering information throughout the year to achieve consistently high marks.

Don’t worry, one way to do this is to re-structure how you study, to remember what you study in the long-term.

Continual revision and then perhaps one period of “re-revision” right before an exam means you can retain so much more information.

How to Memorise Content Effectively

Step 1: Read over what you learned in class/studying that evening

The information should be fresh in your head if you paid attention, so this should be quick. If you have homework on that topic, even better, because you’re getting two birds with one stone.

You can even do this on the train/bus/inhale all the contents of the fridge. 

Step 2: Set aside a weekly time to read over what you learnt that week

Even better, quiz yourself. Science (also know as the European Journal of Cognitive Psychology) says that…

Testing or quizzing yourself on a weekly basis can greatly improve exam marks, compared to just re-reading material.

Use papers from class or try and construct your own papers. Write it in your schedule and make it real. Even give it a name. “Weekly revision for HSC Sunday fiesta”. And be realistic, and give yourself a limit. I’d recommend about 30 mins per subject.

Need some support digesting the content you’ve learnt? Our team of Dee Why tutors can help you out if you’re based in the Northern Beaches.

Step 3: Constantly read over content 

Make sure you skim over all the content you’ve learnt thus far in your HSC journey, this will ensure you can memorise content effectively.

Give yourself a whole weekend to bathe in papers, revision quizzes and class notes.

When it comes exam time, you’ll still have to study. But you’ll really be impressed by how much less time you’ll have to spend “re-learning” content, because you’ll have constantly revised throughout the term.

This way, you’ll have so much more time to do more important and useful things before exams, like past exam papers, or even time to yourself.

Step 4: Have room for flexibility

I know I’ve set out a fairly regimented schedule, but that’s just the “ideal”.

Of course there’s room for flexibility. If you learnt very little that day, you could read it the next day, or if you’ve got a particularly hard week, skip one week, then revise two weeks work at once, etc etc.

Leave yourself some wiggle room if need be.

The idea is that constant revision will help you learn content more effectively in your “HSC marathon”, thus effectively avoiding the trauma of sitting in an exam room post-cram and only remembering half the content.

Looking for some extra help with study?

We pride ourselves on our inspirational coaches and mentors!

We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home, online or at one of our state of the art campuses in Hornsby or the Hills! Take a look at the comprehensive tutoring support we provide for all K-12 subjects in Bankstown! 

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today! 

Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at [email protected] or check us out on TikTok!

Sophia Zou completed the HSC in 2013 and considers it her mission here to help students make the most of their final years at high school. Her interests include political science, Simon and Garfunkel, and pretending to be a tea aficionado. Alongside tutoring at Art of Smart Education, she spends her time playing the piano and studying Government & IR and Languages at the University of Sydney.