What are some memorizing techniques that you have developed for Civil Services preparation?

This pdf is a must read. It is just 6 pages.

It is done by professor dunlosky, who has gone through many studies on efficient learning techniques and summarized it in this paper.

What works and What doesn't

I find that even the least efficient methods have some or the other utility, especially in the initial stages of collating information. But thanks for the interesting read, I’m sure I’ll find utility for it in my B.Ed classes 😅

1. Brainstorming 

2.Active Recall

3. Multiple Revision 

4. Mental mapping 

5. Visualization. 

6. Reading through activities like speaking,writing. 

7. Voice notes 📝. 

Can you please share the PDF again? The link is dead.

I don't have very efficient memorization techniques and mostly rely on repeated readings! But here are a few things that I can suggest.

1. Spaced revision- Not letting anything go unrevised for too long.

2. Memory pegs for lists [Duties, Articles, Schedules]- Remembered them from a Roman Saini video 4-5 years ago and haven't forgotten since.

    - 1=sun, 2=shoe, 3=tree...

3. Finding linkages- If I read 'X' from a booklet in my notes, then I note down every important thing that I know about X on the side of the page. Doing this repeatedly creates good linkages and the topic gets revised decently every time I come across it in difference places in my notes.

4. Finding Patterns- Constitutional articles jump from center→ state by following

    -Rule of 89: for Art (72 to 88)- {80, 82} and Art (99 to 111) - {108}

    -Rule of 90: for Art (112 to 124)

5. Mnemonics [It'll work as long as it makes sense to you]

    -MP ON KD: WtE for protected areas of NEI [Manas-Pobitora-Orang.....]

    - NtS order- Astana, Bishkek, Tashkent, Dushanbe, Asghabat | AsBiTaDu As

    - Buddhist councils-

            RVPK- Rajgir Vaishali Patna Kashmir

            AKAK- Ajatshatru Kalashok Ashoka Kanishk

6. Using brute force- Repeating the order in my head till it makes sense

     - NtS→ nallamalla velconda palconda nagari seshachalam javadi shevaroy panchmalai sirumalai palani

7. Using Maps/ Diagrams- Way easier to remember visuals/ images/ numbers than words

Eg- 

8. Explore Method of loci- At the moment, I can recall ~first 100 digits of PI using that method. It's not UPSC related but it definitely works for small lists of 10-15 items

9. Use Google maps to your advantage-Plot stuff and see the locations relative to other places. .

Eg- 

Same. Works well for me as well.

Somehow I'm not able to attach pdf. Just goggle what works and what doesn't by dunlosky. The first link you'll get the pdf

1. Following colour-coding in my online notes on Evernote- 

Red for data. Green for definitions. Yellow for core arguments. I've been using this code since I started my preparation. This has helped me lessen the time taken in note-making now. When I read an article online, the brain looks for Red, Green, and Yellow!

2. Developing eidetic memory:

An eidetic memory has great potential to recall. Most of us rely on short-term memory. We read something. Take up another thing having finished first. We try to recall the first thing we read, 2-3 days later.

The downside to relying on this approach is you need to keep coming back more often to read the content to keep it alive in your memory! This will be a decent approach if there's less to read. However, it becomes hectic and frustrating given the mammoth syllabus we need to cover. Re-reading also leads to dilution of interest in the subject and a general inertia arising out of the sense of 'I-have-already-read-this-thing'!

This was something I realized while studying. 

I tried to work more on eidetic memory ('Suits' was the inspiration :p). Started mapping images with my content.

Eg: for Constitution Assembly Debates, I picked a google image of CA and attached it in the topics where I had to mention CA debate with respect to different topics. Like President, FRs, DPSPs. If 'President' was asked, CA image would instantly pop up and I would write the CA debate.

Likewise, I mapped Economic Survey's Lavander, Pink colored cover pages of 2019, 2020 in data and observations in economy notes. I was able to write specifically whether a certain fact was in ES2018,2019 or 2020 after this activity.

And so on...in other subjects.

It was an investment well made. If a certain topic was asked in the exam and I proceeded to write, these images popped up first. So, this hack helped me produce specific content on different topics.

3. Weaving interlinkages: I highlighted this point some time back here in detail (not able to find it now). One important way to improve memory is to train the mind to associate new information or images with other images or previously known information. This has already been highlighted by@Steph_Curry in his point 3. I also do that activity.

Associations can be used to remember nearly anything, and it is a surefire way to ensure that you remember something for longer than a few moments. Using associations or chunking information in the memory greatly improves the recall ability.

These are old-school approaches. I encourage others to provide details on some productivity tools, apps like Anki to help us learn tech-based hacks :)

I summarise, highlight in that, and then re read. Mostly, my approach is about condensing information to be remembered to a level where I can revise a lot in a less time like a subject or two in a day.

I try to not overcomplicate things. Even stuff read just once in passing at times strikes you in the exam hall. In the end, it’s all about doing something I think, and not about doing things perfectly..

I found three most effective techniques for retaining what I read:

1. Most ancient - reading it from book and repeating it two times by uttering it 

2. Keeping photo of any random person and explaining him what I read 

3. Taking test after reading 

Bonus: Reading it from other source is like challenging yourself on how much you have retained from the previous source and that keeps your brain sharp

Can u link the video u talk about in point 2? 

I usually recall everything which I have studied during the whole day while laying on my bed. Serves two purposes helps me sleep, helps in revision. Also, it's the first thing I do after waking up. I think this helps me reduce the number of revision iterations required to memorize something. Also spaced revisions as suggested by@Steph_Curry and others is what I do for better recall. 

https://explore.acads.ai/s/courses/5e1482fde4b0d6dc1d24702d/take here have a look at it. 

Whatever is possible to mark on a map, I do it (Ex - GI Tags, UNESCO Heritage, Congress Sessions, region wise Bhakti saints, etc), and add relevant information there itself in brief.

I realised I remember things I've heard/seen better than things I've read. So, in addition to newspaper reading, listening to TV debates/podcasts on important topics helps. And good youtube videos for recent geographical/environmental phenomena instead of reading newspaper articles on the same.

Asking friends to quiz me (Ex - Constitution Articles, Wetlands).

And the rest is all old school stuff - re-reading, revising, short notes, etc.

writing puns/jokes and comments like "lol" next to the text. also use exclamation marks for nor reason except to stay at comically high levels of engagement while reading, higher visibility when reviewing.

for facts: if it can be placed on a map, i do that. if it can be reduced to a diagram/flowchart, i do that. arrows flying everywhere on the page. make lists of data next to the relevant paragraph so that I only look at the written words and not the printed words ( like in TN history book)

for principles: save full sentences online/ notebook. then write smth about that in order to clarify my own thoughts on it. brain dump. go back to it every few weeks/ when bored and do some assumption-storming, get clearer writing.

force my dog to listen to my rote memorization/summarizing.