SOC137: THIS COURSE DOES NOT REQUIRE A FINAL EXAM

SYLLABUS

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS NOW!

1.) YOUR ASSIGNMENTS are   on   this SYLLABUS.   READ   IT   ALL   BEFORE   YOU   BEGIN   YOUR   WORK.     Links   for assignments are on this document.  For textual readings, use the “Access Class Downloads” link on your class page. Any additional links will be on this syllabus.  

2.) To SUBMIT WORK …

A. FIRST, complete your assignments for “WEEK ONE” on paper or computer.  Essays MUST be double spaced and size 12 Times New Roman black font.   Always save your work.   Always type final work unless it is a drawing or graph.  DO NOT SUBMIT SCANS OF WORK that are not for the purpose of a special project, art, or a mathematical graph or hand done math worksheet by which the answers could not be typed.   Still copy that scan or photo to this document.  Keep photos/images small.

B. NEXT,  Type or  copy & paste  typed responses  that  you have prepared,   in  the spaces provided on  THIS DOCUMENT.   Only add your responses in the boxes that ask for them – such as “Add Responses Here”. Some assignments may require you to upload a photo or scan. PROOFREAD and double check your work. REPEAT “A” AND “B” FOR EACH WEEK. Save your work.

C. Then, submit your form with the ALL FIVE WEEKS COMPLETED. DO NOT SUBMIT WEEK BY WEEK. WE NO LONGER ACCEPT WORK WEEKLY. YOU MUST SUBMIT ALL FIVE WEEKS AT ONCE. Go to the website and select “Student Services” and then “Submit Your 5-Week Portfolio”.

3.) GRADES: The evaluator will grade each weekly assignment and average your grades.   You will receive a reply in about 5 business days. Your 5 weekly grades must average to a 2 (“C”) or better to receive your credit.You will be given only ONE ADDITIONAL opportunity to improve your averaged grade so submit your best.   If your course does not require a final exam, you will receive a Grade Report as your official transcript for the completion of your class.  If your class requires a final exam then you must request it (Read #4).

4.) VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT: If your syllabus says “REQUEST YOUR FINAL EXAM”; then you must

return to the school’s website and request your final exam. You will need to ask a non-related adult to

supervise you while you test online. This can be a teacher or counselor or family friend. If it is not a school

counselor, you will need to provide the persons legal ID number on your request form. All components of

your course, including your final exam must be completed by the end of the 8th week from the time of your

registration. YOU WILL NOT BE REMINDED NOR RECEIVE EXTRA TIME – your class will close after the

allotted 8 weeks and you will not be issued a credit. If you have a medical emergency preventing you from

completing your class, contact the number below.

5.) MESSAGE directly from the site for assistance.  Also use the “Homework Help” assistance form the website.  For 

urgent matters call Dr. Stroud TUES – THUR 10AM TO 6PM at 773-499-2668 or text MON – FRI 9AM – 5PM

Plagiarism Statement

I understand that I must use research conventions to cite and clearly mark other people's ideas and words within my paper. I understand that plagiarism is an act of intellectual dishonesty. I understand it is academically unethical and unacceptable to do any of the following acts of which I will be immediately expelled without refund:

To submit an essay written in whole or in part by another student as if it were my own. To download an essay from the internet, then quote or paraphrase from it, in whole or in part, without acknowledging

the original source.

To restate a clever phrase verbatim from another writer without acknowledging the source.

To paraphrase part of another writer's work without acknowledging the source.

To reproduce the substance of another writer's argument without acknowledging the source.

To take work originally done for one instructor's assignment and re-submit it to another teacher.

To cheat on tests or quizzes through the use of crib sheets, hidden notes, viewing another student's paper, revealing the answers on my own paper to another student through verbal or textual communication, sign language, or other means of storing and communicating information--including electronic devices, recording devices, cellular telephones, headsets, and portable computers.

To copy another student's work and submit the work as if it were the product of my own labor.

 Course SOC137: The Science of Mnemonics - Memory Training:  ‘Mnemonic' is another word for memory tool. Mnemonics are methods for remembering information that is otherwise quite difficult to recall.  The basic principle of mnemonics is to use as many of the best functions of your brain as possible to store information. The three fundamental principles underlying the use of mnemonics are imagination, association and location. Working together, you can use these principles to generate powerful memory training or mnemonic systems. Memory training is a process of consciously retaining, storing and recalling experiences. Through learning, knowledge is acquired, and through memory this knowledge is made available. Through memory training, creative memory is optimized. This course’s purpose is to enhance and train memory for self-improvement.

INTRO TO Mnemonics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62zX5x-bgEM

MnemonicsMemory Training for Enhanced Mental Fitness

Memory training is a process of consciously retaining, storing and recalling experiences. Through learning, knowledge is acquired, and through memory this knowledge is made available. Through memory training, creative memory is optimized for self-improvement

There are different types of memory, temporary or short term, which is stored for a very short period of time in the brain- a millisecond to a few minutes, and permanent or long term. Short term memory can become long term through focused attention, associated ideas, and repetition.

There are also two categories of memory. Declarative memory is what we use to remember facts and events, such as your phone number, or anniversary. Procedural memory is what comes into play for procedures and abilities, such as riding a bicycle, driving a car, or tying your shoes. Muscle memory of dancers and martial artists are of this procedural type. Both types benefit from memory training.

How To Improve Memory

You already remember things. How do you do that? Your address, your phone or social security number. Think about these. What is it about these things that make them so memorable? Maybe the sheer repetition over time.

Perhaps it's a matter of identifying with the information. "This is MY number". Try identifying with whatever it is you need to remember.

Need to remember how a word is spelled? Visualize the word in the upper left portion of your visual field. Lump the letters into several 3 or 4 letter chunks. Repeat the visualization of these chunks several times.

Special Repetition

There is a hidden time factor to memory training. Repeat a new piece of information several times, then think of anything you have known for years.

What does it feel like to know something for years? Transfer that "feeling" to the "new" piece of information to be remembered. Then repeat this feeling of knowing several times.

Gently and in a relaxed way, synchronize your breathing with the rhythmic repetition of this "new" thing that "you have always known". Surprise yourself with the ease of memory training when you're relaxed and use the appropriate method.

Memory does not release itself into a sharp, never erring instrument instantly, but must be nurtured and trained regularly in order for it to become that next generation retention instrument we all hope for.

What is Mnemonics?

Designing Mnemonics for Memory Training'Mnemonic' is another word for memory tool. Mnemonics are methods for remembering information that is otherwise quite difficult to recall. A very simple example is the '30 days hath September' rhyme. The basic principle of mnemonics is to use as many of the best functions of your brain as possible to store information.

The three fundamental principles underlying the use of mnemonics are imagination, association and location. Working together, you can use these principles to generate powerful memory training or mnemonic systems.

Imagination is what you use to create and strengthen the associations needed to create effective mnemonics. Your imagination is what you use to create mnemonics that are potent for you. The more strongly you imagine and visualize a situation, the more effectively it will stick in your mind for later recall. The imagery you use in your mnemonics can be as violent, vivid, or sensual as you like, as long as it helps you to remember.

Association is the method by which you link a thing to be remembered to a way of remembering it. You can create associations by:

placing things on top of each othercrashing things together merging images together wrapping them around each otherrotating them around each other or having them dancing togetherlinking them using the same color, smell, shape, or feeling

As an example, you might link the number 1 with a goldfish by visualizing a 1-shaped spear being used to spear it.

Location gives you two things: a coherent context into which you can place information so that it hangs together, and a way of separating one mnemonic from another. By setting one mnemonic in a particular town, I can separate it from a similar mnemonic set in a city. For example, by setting one in the town of Horsham and another similar mnemonic with images of Manhattan, we can separate them with no danger of confusion. You can build the flavors and atmosphere of these places into your mnemonics to strengthen the feeling of location.

Creative MemoryUnleash Your Creative Memory And Deepest Motivations

Creative memory activates all brain areas (thus eliciting cooperation between them becomes easier).

Memory also stores the motivations of our various parts which can be acknowledged and fulfilled. We want to encourage broader perspectives by envisioning new meaning in your life experiences.

Through creative memory, you draw on many inner resources and skills: memories of life experiences, dreams, your imagination. Association involves the generation of ideas, images and experiences from your past that can later be shaped to beneficial ends.

When you understand how your memory works, and when you use simple brain-friendly techniques, you can vastly improve your memory to the point you will never doubt your memory again. Never. Ever.

In the New Age the Daughters of Memory shall become the Daughters of Inspiration" -- William Blake

Self-concepts, imagination, dreams and creative memory are all born in childhood. We are engaging this process to accent the empowering influences that accompanied us through life but perhaps haven't matured. We also want to acknowledge those parts of us that stifle our best efforts... those parts that sabotage our greatness. We don't want to confront these aspects per-se, which increases the antagonism within. Actually we want to embrace these parts, lovingly thanking them for looking out for our best interests, and "relieve them of duty".

Like the World War 2 soldier, stranded on some South Pacific island still dutifully carrying out his original mission, not realizing that the war has been over for years, we have aspects within, standing on alert, ready to crush resembling an enemy. The unfortunate thing is that these parts were trained when we were defenseless children and the "enemy" of that time may no longer be a threat. In fact, what these parts guard against might be just what we need to develop now... eloquently talking to strangers, standing before a crowd to deliver a speech, standing up to "authority figures", or expressing what we feel within.

Creative memory allows us to ask these parts what it is they want for us. Sensitive "listening" will render answers. Thank this part for wanting that benefit for you, then offer a more mature method of securing it. Further, find out from the part what it was looking for through seeking the first result. Ask the part, "if you had THAT (intended result) fully and completely, what would that give you which you want even more?" Repeated questioning and listening leads to profound states of fulfillment, all without further alienating aspects of ourselves that have been isolated for too long.

Focus on the most significant aspect of your memory. You might visualize a particular room or the backyard of your house on a summer day when something significant happened to you: a fateful accident, a moment of serious conflict, an unexpected gift, a moment of friendship or intimacy. These are the elements of creative memory.

Childhood provides a treasure house of creative memories... turn your attention to it. Raise up the sunken feelings of this enormous past... your personality will grow stronger... out of this immersion in your own world, healing comes. This adds new meaning to your life.

LET’S GET STARTED!

Week 1 

Brain Reflection                                                  

Brain Reflection: http://www.brainmetrix.com/brain-reflection/

This is a simple exercise to test the reflection of your brain, the faster the better, try to get a score of 0.20 in this  reflex test. When you manage to reach that score then that means you’re very fast, if you can’t achieve that score then keep practicing. Practice makes perfect!

Human   reflection   is   the   capacity   of   humans   to   exercise   a willingness   to   learn   more   about   our fundamental nature, purpose and essence.  Brain reflection  invariably leads to inquiry into the human condition  and   the essence  of   humankind  as  a  whole. Humans  often  consider   themselves   to  be   the dominant   species on   Earth,   and   the   most   advanced   in   intelligence   and   ability   to   manage their environment, thanks to the mind reflection.

Instructions for the brain reflection exercise:

Click   on   “start”   to begin   the   exercise   for   the   brain   reflection,   and   get   ready,   when   the   colorchanges then click on the big square as fast as you can, try to click in 0.20 second, that you would mean that you have a super-fast reflection. Keep track of your time and attempts. Good luck! (Allow a minute for program to load.)

RESULTS

1.) What was your slowest time?2.) What was your fastest time?

3.) How many attempts did it take you to attain your fastest time?

Add Responses Here

Reflex Test: http://www.brainmetrix.com/reflex-test/ 

Test your reflex with this fun to do exercise, the faster the better, try to get a score of 58 points in this exercise.  Once you reach that score then you’re very  fast,  and we should congratulate  you,  keep  it up! Humans often consider themselves to be the dominant species on Earth, and the most advanced in intelligence and ability to manage their environment, thanks to the mind reflection and adaptation to their environment. Test your reflex and have fun doing it!

Instructions for the reflex test:

You have to wait for a message to ask you if you’re ready, once you click ok then the game will start. You have to start clicking on the green buttons as fast as possible, if you take too long or miss the right green square the color will change to red exactly on the square you incorrectly hit. Keep clicking until the 60 seconds are over, if you get a score of 58, then you’re super-fast and you should be proud of yourself that you have such a quick reflex. Note that if you have a touch pad then this will not be a perfect game for you, because this game needs a mouse to be played faster, a touchpad on your laptop doesn’t react as fast. Try to use a mouse for it. Keep track of your score and attempts Good luck! (Allow a minute for program to load.)

RESULTS

1.) What was your lowest score?

2.) What was your highest score?

3.) How many attempts did it take you to attain your highest score?

Add Responses Here

SilverSphere: http://www.brainmetrix.com/silversphere/ 

The brain possesses a tremendous power, most of it is dormant, there are many reasons to wake some of that potential up, for once that would help you live a better life, stimulating areas of your brain is a healthy process, in this page we will try to wake up (if dormant) the brain creativity potential. This game enables you to enhance the way you use your skills on strategy and planning, the better you do, the better you show your skills in planning your life. Creativity is the ability to solve problems and create knowledge,  which  also  manifests   in   the  production  of  previously  non-existent   information.  All  new elements of information are based on preceding ones, and they are “new” because they restructure the preceding items and insert foreign informational elements into them. In other words creativity is also a mental phenomenon, skills and tools capable of originating and developing innovation, inspiration or insight. and might result from right or forehead brain activity

How to play:

In the game you will have a silver ball that you will need to move to a direction of a hole where you will  be able to sink the ball so that you can reach the next level, but it’s not going to be easy, there will be obstacles between the silver ball and a target (hole), with the help of your creativity you can find a way to pass the level you’re playing, remember that the silver ball can only push boxes and not pull them, there are 25 levels can you pass them all? Good luck in improving your brain creativity skills.  Keep track of your score and attempts Good luck! (Allow a minute for program to load.)

RESULTS

1.) What was your highest level?2.) What was your highest score?

3.) How many attempts did it take you to attain your highest score?

Memory Test: http://www.brainmetrix.com/memory-test/ 

You will be able to take a memory test after learning about the memory techniques. There are many techniques that can make the memorization process easy and effective, some individuals memorize a large number of digits or words just by utilizing msome memory techniques and tricks that can be used by average  individuals,  and therefore  increase the results significantly  for anyone who tries them,  if you’re only interested in taking the memory test first, then scroll down to the bottom. 

Look at a list of the most common memory techniques before taking the memory test:

The  Link  Method:  The Link  Method  is  one of   the  easiest  mnemonic techniques  available,  yet  quite powerful.   It   is  not quite as reliable as a peg technique, as  images are not tied to specific,   inviolable sequences. It functions quite simply by making associations between things in a list, often as a story. The 

flow of the story and the strength of the visualizations of the images provides clues to an easy retrieval of the stored piece of information.

The Number/Rhyme System: The Number/Rhyme technique is a very simple way of remembering lists of items in a specific order. It is an example of a peg system – i.e. a system whereby facts are ‘pegged’ to known sequences of cues (here the numbers 1 – 10). This ensures that no facts are forgotten (because gaps   in   information   are   immediately   obvious),   and   that   the   starting images   of   the   mnemonic visualizations are well known. At a simple level it can be used to remember things such as a list of English Kings or of American Presidents in their precise order. At a more advanced level it can be used to code lists of experiments to be recalled in a science exam.

The Number/Shape System: The Number/Shape system is very similar to the Number/Rhyme system. As with the Number/Rhyme system it is a very simple and effective way of remembering lists of items in a specific order. It is another example of a peg system.

The   Alphabet   Technique:   The   Alphabet   system   is   a   peg   memory technique   similar   to,   but   more sophisticated than, the Number/Rhyme system. At its most basic level (i.e. without the use of mnemonic multipliers) it is a good method for remembering long lists of items in a specific order in such a way that missing items can be detected. It is slightly more difficult to learn than the Number based techniques.

The Journey System: The journey method is a powerful, flexible and effective mnemonic based around the idea of remembering landmarks on a well-known journey. In many ways it combines the narrative flow   of   the   Link Method   and   the   structure   and   order   of   the   Peg   Systems   into   one   highly effective mnemonic. Because the   journey   method   uses   routes   that   you   know   well,   you   can   code information to be remembered to a large number of easily visualized or remembered landmarks along the routes. Because you know what these landmarks look like, you need not work out visualizations for them!

The   Roman   Room   Mnemonic:   The   Roman   Room   technique   is   an   ancient   and effective   way   of remembering unstructured information where the relationship of items of information to other items of information is  not  important.   It functions by  imagining a room (e.g.  your sitting room or bedroom). Within that room are objects. The technique works by associating images with those objects. To recall information, simply take a tour around the room in your mind, visualizing the known objects and their associated images. 

The  Major   System:   The  Major  Memory   System   is   one  of   the   two most   powerful  memory   systems currently available. It requires a significant investment of time to learn and master, however once it is learned it is extremely powerful. It is the application of mainly this system that forms the basis of some of   the   extraordinary,   almost   magical,   memory   feats   performed   by   magicians and   memory technicians. After looking at the memory techniques, try to play this simple game, and see how good your memory is. Try to memorize the sequence, or pattern that the game follows. Can you pass level 9?

How to play the memory test:

Click go, and then watch which purple rectangles the computer changed into yellow, then when it says “Player’s turn”, choose the same rectangles that the computer briefly highlighted into yellow before, if you get it right you will be taken to the next level, it gets harder after each level, that will test your short 

term memory to the limits, good luck!  Similar to “Simon”.

Keep track of your score and attempts Good luck! (Allow a minute for program to load.)

RESULTS

1.) What was your highest level?2.) How many attempts did it take you to attain your highest score?

Memory Game http://www.brainmetrix.com/memory-game/ 

Memory improvement is part of this memory game, the process can be done with few steps that can be easy and   performed   effortlessly.  Many   people   have   trouble   remembering   faces   or names.   How   to remember things is only a technique that you need to utilize, for example to remember a face you just need   to  examine   a   person’s   face discretely   when   you   are   introduced.   Try   to   find   an  unusual feature, ears, hairline, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, complexion, etc.

Create an association between that characteristic, the face, and the name in your mind. The association may be to link the person with someone else you know with the same name. Alternatively it may be to associate a rhyme or image of the name with the person’s face or defining feature, try to apply that to one of the memory games below.

Also when you are introduced, ask for the person to repeat their name. Use the name yourself as often as possible (without overdoing it!). If it is unusual, ask how it is spelled or where it comes from, and if appropriate, exchange cards. Keep in mind that the more often you hear and see the name, the more likely it is to sink in.

Also, after you leave the person, review the name in your mind several times. If you are particularly keen you might decide to write it down and make notes, that would help and improve your memory search process The methods suggested for remembering faces and names are fairly simple and obvious, but are useful.  Association either with images of a name or with other people can really help. Repetition and review help to confirm your memory.

This memory game is going to activate some areas of your brain responsible for memory acquisition which therefore can help your memory improve. Enjoy it and try to finish before 1:30 min.

RESULTS

1.) What was your fastest time?2.) How many attempts did it take you to attain your fastest time?

Memory II: http://www.memory-improvement-tips.com/pattern-memory.html 

 RESULTS

1.) What was your highest score?

2.) How many attempts did it take you to attain your highest score?

Memory III: http://www.realage.com/better-memory/concentration-brain-game For your enjoyment

Week 2

MEMORY AND CARDS

http://mnemotechnics.org/x/video/nelson-dellis-on-abc-nightline-2564.html

(for your interest)

MEMORY POWER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJk7m8mSRNw&feature=related

Share your notes below

Add Responses Here

REFERENCE GUIDE OF MNEMONICS

http://www.eudesign.com/mnems/_mnframe.htm

The Best Memory Trick

If you have memory problems, you might not be using your brain in the right way. The solution? Learn the best memory trick used by professional memory performers.

These performers amaze us with all sorts of memory feats, such as magically remembering the exact order of the 52 cards in a deck (or even several decks!). You might assume these people have photographic memories, but you would be wrong. Most of them only have average memories.

Instead, memory performers use a technique that I will call "Visualization and Association" (V&A), or simply visualization. This is a fun memory trick that anyone who wants to have a great memory can learn. If you have trouble remembering your school work, or facts related to your job, or current events, or people’s names, or any other type of information, the solution is to learn V&A and make it a personal habit you use every day.

Even if you only have an average memory, or even a bad memory, you can still use the visualization technique to memorize things easily and well. Small children have been taught this technique, so anyone can learn it.

How the V&A Technique Works

This method takes advantage of an amazing fact about human memory: most people remember images better than verbal or written information. For example, I can easily imagine the different houses that I have lived in during my life, even though I might have a hard time remembering all the addresses and phone numbers.

Images are concrete, while raw information is often abstract. With the V&A technique, you convert the abstract information into easy-to-remember mental pictures.

These images are literally mental hooks that allow you to retrieve the information from your long-term memory.

Before I explain how to do the V&A memory technique, let me explain why it works. I have already mentioned that images are easier to remember. But it goes beyond that. Other important aspects of memory that V&A takes advantage of are concentration and repetition.

If you can’t focus, you won’t remember what you are trying to learn. The V&A process forces you to focus. Why? Because you are actively using the material. To change facts into mental images, you must focus - you have no choice. Creating mental images is a powerful way to focus the mind. This process helps create Original Awareness of the material, as it has been called by memory guru Harry Lorayne.

In addition, exposing yourself to the material over and over while creating images provides repetition, or reinforcement. If someone you meet tells you their name one time, you might or might not remember their name. But if they remind you during the conversation what their name is, you will remember their name more easily because you heard it more than once. (Most people we meet don’t help us out like that, though!) When creating your mental images, you naturally repeat the details until you get each image clear in your mind.

So the V&A technique boosts your memory for three reasons:

Images are easier to remember than facts Creating images forces you to focus ("Original Awareness")

Reviewing your images reinforces your memory of the material

By the way, V&A is not time consuming; instead, it saves time. Creating mental images does take a few moments. But if you practice a little each day, you will get very fast.

Think about this: how much time have you wasted repeating something over and over in the hope of remembering it, and then you forget it anyway? Use the V&A memory trick, and you will remember the information very well the first time. And it will stick.

A Short Example - Stratovolcanoes

Let's use visualization & association to memorize the shape of stratovolcanoes, so we can both easily recognize them and remember what they are called.

There are three types of volcanoes: shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes, and cinder cones. Shield volcanoes are wide and flat, with slow moving lava. Stratovolcanoes are high and pointed mountains that explode violently during eruptions. Cinder cones are small, form quickly, and are composed primarily of light cinders and ash.

For this example, we want to remember about stratovolcanoes in particular. Good examples of stratovolcanoes are Mt. Fuji in Japan or Mt. Ranier in North America. But how can we easily memorize

that "stratovolcano" is what they are called?

The trick is to convert the sound of the word "stratovolcano" to a mental image, then connect that mental image with a mental image of Mt. Fuji, Mt. Ranier, or another similar volcanic mountain of that shape (or even just a drawing of that shape).

To me, the prefix "strato" sounds a bit like "straight oh" (like the letter O). It's not necessary to match the entire sound of the word exactly. Remember, we're just hoping to create a mental hook that we can use to retrieve the fact from memory later. Basically, we're creating an artificial reminder that will jog our memory later.

"Straight O" can be represented various ways depending on your imagination. Straight reminds me of a ruler, and the letter O could be a gigantic series of letter O's marching up the mountain.

Simply put, I now envision a steep mountain with giant O's lined up very straight going up the side. To the right is a drawing that represents "stratovolcano" ("straight-o-volcano") as I'm picturing it in my mind.

You can see that the image doesn't need to be complicated. But it does need to be clear about what is being represented. The more clearly you can visualize the image, the better the image will act as a "hook" for you to retrieve the information from memory.

That's it! The next time I want to remember what those tall, mountainous volcanoes are called, my mind will immediately recall this image of a ruler above giant O's that are going straight up the side of Mt. Ranier or Mt. Fuji. I'll think, "Lined up O's... straight O's... ah, yes - strato... stratovolcano."

Important: the larger, more incredible, sillier, or more outrageous you make the images, the better they will work as mental hooks. That's because your mind remembers the unusual far better than the ordinary.

More Complex Example with Visualization Plus Linking

Now, here's a longer example that includes linking (associating) multiple facts with each other. Let’s suppose your biochemistry teacher asks you to memorize the most common "nucleotides", chemicals that are part of everyone’s DNA.

The teacher tells you there are five types of nucleotides: adenine, guanine, cytosine, uracil, and thymine.

Now, how can you remember this information for the exam? If you simply repeat the names of the nucleotides over and over, you might forget one or more of them in a short time.

The V&A trick is to create mental images and associate the images together in your head. (The

association part is often referred to as the Link Method.)

Here are the steps for using the V&A technique:

1. Think of easy words or phrases that sound like the hard words.

Examples:

nucleotide = "nuclear tide"; adenine = "add a knee"; guanine = "gong knee"; cytosine = "sight a stream"; uracil = "you’re a sill"; thymine = "thigh meat"

The easy words don’t have to sound exactly like the hard words. The easy words act as a reminder. You will automatically remember the hard words if you recall the easy ones. Trust me on this.

2. Now, think of a simple mental image for each easy word. Silly images are fine. Actually they are better, because silly things are easier to remember.

Try to see each image vividly in your mind.

Examples:

nuclear tide = nuclear bomb mushroom cloud exploding in ocean waves (not silly)add a knee = adding a knee to one of your legs, so that you have three knees (silly) gong knee = hit your knee, it sounds like a metal gong (musical instrument) sight a stream = a stream flowing in the distance you’re a sill = you are lying sideways under a big window - you are the window sill thigh meat = fried chicken, thigh piece

3. Now, associate the mental images to each other, in order.

Again, make sure to imagine the mental pictures clearly. Imagine the colors, shapes, sounds, and movement in your images. This will help the pictures stick in your mind.

nuclear tide to add a knee: connect the "tide" in your nuclear tide image with the three knees image. Perhaps imagine yourself with three knees trying to wade through the tide at the beach.

add a knee to gong knee = the word "knee" already connects these two. So, the image of you wading three-kneed through the tide could make you think of hitting your knee making it sound like a gong.

gong knee to sight a stream = you’ve already used "knee" in two images. To prevent confusion, tie the "gong" to the sight a stream image. Your image of hitting your knee like a gong could make you think of you seeing a distant stream with hundreds of gongs floating down river.

sight a stream to you’re a sill = now, tie "stream" to your sill image. As a separate image, imagine yourself as a window sill, and a stream is flowing through the window getting you all wet.

you're a sill to thigh meat = now, create a separate image associating "sill" with a fried chicken thigh. Perhaps imagine someone closing a window onto a box of fried chicken. It makes a greasy mess, and one of the chicken thighs gets smushed on the sill.

4. That’s it. Now, review it. The teacher asks you to name the five nucleotides that make up DNA. See if you can do it by recalling the images in your mind. Start with your image of "nuclear tide".

Let’s walk through it. The teacher says "nucleotide" or you see the word written on the test, and immediately your image of a mushroom cloud in the ocean tide (nuclear tide) comes to mind. Next, "tide" should remind you of your three-kneed self wading through the tide. You have an extra knee ("add a knee"), so the first nucleotide is adenine.

The three knees image makes you think of your "gong knee" image, so the second nucleotide is guanine. The gong knee reminds you of all the gongs floating down a distant stream in your sight ("sight a stream"), so the third nucleotide is cytosine.

Next, the stream reminds you of the window that a stream is flowing through, with you as the window sill ("you’re a sill"), so the next nucleotide is uracil. Finally, the window sill reminds you of a window closing on a box of fried chicken, with the fried chicken thigh ("thigh meat") getting smashed = thymine.

It’s true, it took me a few moments to type this description of what you are seeing in your mind. But the mental process is actually very fast. The images literally flash one after the other in your mind’s eye, and you instantly know the answer.

Some scientists believe we never forget anything. Nine times out of ten, the reason we can’t remember is that we can’t find the information in our brains. It’s there, we just can’t get to it. We have not made it a habit to create the mental hooks (the mental images) that we need to grab and pull out the information.

That’s what I meant at the beginning about not using your brain in the right way. If you practice the V&A memory technique, you will get very good at creating the mental hooks for anything that you want to remember.

At first, it may seem like an artificial way to remember something. But remember, Visualization & Association is what the memory performers use, and it works. It’s actually a lot of fun, once you get the hang of it. It really taps into your creativity.

LAB: Now apply the technique of “visualization” as taught above to memorizing all 50 states in alphabetical order. Share in a written summary (below), how you applied the technique along with the results. Use “time” and “technique” words.

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A workout for working memory

New research suggests that mental exercises might enhance one of the brain's central components for reasoning and problem-solving.

By SADIE F. DINGFELDER

Monitor Staff

September 2005, Vol 36, No. 8

Print version: page 48

http://www.apa.org/monitor/sep05/workout.aspx

Discuss the findings in the research journal article. What new knowledge was gained? How is this information useful?

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Week 3

The Memory Gym

http://www.memorise.org/memory-gym

Foe EACH exercise,

1.) List the title

2.) Summarize your progress (strengths, weaknesses, growth)

3.) Share the mnemonic technique/s/ you used along with your final score

Names for Faces: See if you can remember who is who!

Flashing Numbers: Random numbers automatically generated and flashed at you! Can you remember them all?

Spoken Numbers: This site will speak ‘em, you store ‘em! How many can you store in your head?

Flashing Cards: Keep practicing this one and you’ll be able to memorize a pack of playing cards!

Flashing Random Words (English): If you can master this, you’ll be able to do your shopping without a list written on paper!

Count The Dots: See how fast you can count the dots!

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How Memory Works

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwo2WxM87-g&feature=fvwrel

Provide a summary of your notes.

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The Photographic Memory - Lecture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3XIVm98hmI

Provide a summary of your notes.

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Memory Research – latest news

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sWnkBf5V7s&feature=related

Provide a summary of your notes.

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LIFE HACKER – EXTREME MEMORY TRAINING

http://lifehacker.com/5897708/how-to-train-your-brain-and-boost-your-memory-like-a-usa-memory-champion

Provide a summary of your notes.

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Week 4

Our brains are engineering masterpieces which specialize in soaking up information as if it were a sponge. You disagree? Just READ this page and you will discover just a small hint of what memory skills your brain already has! 

The world's top memory sports competitors all began by using this technique then adapted it to specific tasks and now they are able to memorise 1000s of digits, 100s of items in a list, 100s of names and faces etc etc.. The list goes on. The truth is that everybody has a SUPER BRAIN capable of memorizing as much as the champions do. Improving your memory adds value to your life no matter who you are, whether you are a student, businessman, nurse, tradesperson and the list goes on... 

That's enough spiel, let's get stuck into this! Take the following list of items and try to memorize them as you normally would (read each item once and try to remember the list): 

1. football

2. television

3. bottle

4. bookshelf

5. skipping rope

6. printer

7. car

8. planet

9. cat

10. stripes

11. banana

12. sky

13. pip

14. mug

15. dust

16. number

17. cable

18. paper

19. paint

20. hot dog Now take a moment to write down those words from your memory without referring to the list. No cheating! Don't worry about the correct order.

Done? Now check to see how many you remembered correctly. You have done well if you remembered 10. Most people manage 6 or 7. However, anyone should be able to remember all 20 quite easily and in order! SHARE YOUR RESULTS

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The next few paragraphs will forever change your ability to remember!

To successfully memorize the list of 20 items we are going to use association. Why association? Because association is how memory works. Hence we are going to associate the items in the list to each other and incorporate them in one imaginative story! This may sound ridiculous but it works.

With practice you will achieve proficiency in doing this and will be able to do it as second nature. We will spare the technical details of why association works for now. The remainder of this site will prove

this theory by putting it into action. For the proof we will use a fresh set of 20 random words. Of course these words could be a shopping list, or key points you have to learn for an exam but we will

just use 20 random words from all over the place.

Instead of listing the words, they have already been incorporated into an imaginative story and highlighted with yellow so you know which ones we are trying to memorize. Read the story below, picture yourself in it and focus on the highlighted words. After you have read the story, look away from this screen and attempt to write down all 20 highlighted words. The more creative we get the

better. There should be no limit to what you imagine in your story. Here goes...

Early one morning you are woken by the crowing of a ROOSTER. Startled, you LEAP out of bed so high you crash through the ceiling and find yourself high up in the air about to land on the CLOUDS.

Caught by a cloud you sink deep into the softness and discover that clouds are made of COTTON and feel so cosy to lie in. It feels so enjoyable to roll around in the cotton that you lose yourself in the

moment and forget to watch out for the edges when all of a sudden you FALL off the edge of a cloud! Rushing downward through the air you begin to panic as you accelerate towards the ground

and SCREAM so loud your throat almost tears apart and you wake the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk from his slumber. The kind hearted giant reaches down and catches you in his humungous dry and scaly giant HAND just before you hit the ground. After some friendly CONVERSATION with

the giant you ask him to put you back down on the ground. He obliges "yes sir" with his Earth rumbling deep voice. He mistakenly lowers you into a pool of sloppy and gooey MUD. The mud is

cold and sticky and it comes up to your knees. It takes some effort but you eventually make your way out of the slush and step into a field of beautiful purple FLOWERS, the sweet smell entering your

nose is the best thing that has happened to you all morning. As you're making your way through the

flowers towards home you stumble upon a trees that grow CHOCOLATE. Thinking it would be a delicious breakfast you climb a tree and begin to indulge. While you are stuffing yourself the weather

begins to heat up and now the chocolate from the trees are melting and leaking like taps and engulfing the entire ground! You quickly get out of the tree to hurry back home but the chocolate

becomes too deep and and difficult to walk in so you decide to start SWIMMING in the sea of chocolate. After some freestyle and backstroke swimming you get to a floating CHERRY in the

middle of the chocolate sea and grab on to its stem for some rest. After some rest, a pirate SHIP appears over the horizon and spots you holding on to the floating cherry. They sail their ship towards you and anchor it right next to you and drop a very long rope of platted HAIR for you to climb. You take hold of the hair and pull yourself up to the deck and realise that the hair is the captain's actual hair! You ask him how he grew such long and strong hair. He points at a stack of delicious looking

cream filled BISCUITS and explains that his entire crew maintains a diet of those biscuits to maintain their strengh and vitality. The outlaw biscuit munching pirates take you back to a sandy shore and drop you off and leave you with a JEWEL encrusted biscuit as a memoir of your travels with them.

You thank the pirates and set off on foot to make your way home when all of a sudden you hear the sound of ringing BELLS as your foot gets caught in something and you trip over falling face first into

the sand. You blow some sound of your mouth and look up to see a pair of pointy ended jester SLIPPERS with shiny silver bells attached to the toe ends. Since they are a perfect fit and left

unattended on a deserted beach you slip them on and walk all the way home where you are greeted by your beloved FAMILY who has missed you dearly since you set off on your unexpected adventure.

The End.

Now take a moment to look away from the screen and attempt to write down the highlighted words.

Done? How many did you remember this time? Share your results.

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Journey System – Memorizing Words using Journey System

Lesson Objective: To be able to remember a larger set of items using the Journey System.

The journey system is a powerful technique for remembering. It is based upon remembering stops in a journey and associating the items to be memorized, to the locations in your journey. An example of a journey could be one around your house. The Living room being one stop, the Kitchen being the next, Bedroom, Bathroom, Backyard, and so on. You can have many journeys and as many stops in each journey as you like. For example, some people have a 52 stop journey that they always use to memorize a deck of playing cards. They simply associate each card to a stop in the journey. One card per stop. Example, King Of Spades can be seen as a large spade being used to take hot bread out of the oven (oven being one stop in the journey). A more detailed lesson on memorizing playing cards will be posted in the near future, so do not despair if you are having great difficulty memorizing a deck of playing cards at the moment using only the information in this lesson. On with the lesson…

Try making up a journey with 10 stops now. Make sure you can visualize and remember the stops clearly and with as much detail as you can as this will help with the recall process. Once you have made your 10 stop journey, it is time for the fun to begin. The aim is to associate the item to be memorized with a corresponding stop in your journey. Just say I want to remember the items:

Tennis ball, Amplifier, CD, Book, Stereo, Guitar, Playing Cards, Glue, Subwoofer and Cake.

Living room: I’d imagine it filled with TENNIS BALLS to the ceiling with family and friends falling about and playing games. I see Andre Agassi popping out from underneath a pack of balls. I throw the tennis ball at his shiny head.

Kitchen: I carry my guitar AMPLIFIER across the kitchen when I suddenly slip and the amp goes flying into the kitchen sink. I examine to see the extent of damage when I suddenly receive 10,000 volts of electric shock.

Bedroom: I wake up one morning hoping I’d find money from the tooth fairy, but instead I find a cheap pop CD that I hate.

Bathroom: Reading my favorite BOOK in the toilet when Oh noo it slips out of my hands and falls into yes you know where.

Backyard: Having a huge barbecue out the back. The boys are playing cricket. Music and dancing for the women. All of a sudden the ball is smashed into the brand new 50 stack CD STEREO. Pieces of plastic break off the STEREO sprinkling all over the backyard

Study: My annoying little brother comes into the study while I’m doing some research and shows me he can play Metallica with an off tune GUITAR. I end up trying to snatch the guitar off him but I get electrocuted instead. zZZapP!

Balcony: I decide to memorize a deck of PLAYING CARDS. Due to an error I flick the cards out and eventually throw the deck off the balcony in frustration. The cards shower a pedestrian crossing by.

Swimming pool: I decide to lie down and tan beside the pool. I ask my little brother to bring me some suntan lotion but instead he brings me GLUE. I whack on the glue thinking its suntan lotion. I start chasing my little brother around the pool with my hands glued to my face.

Garage: My mate is installing the third 15inch SUBWOOFER for my car in the garage. Once installed we put our ear muffs on and test the system. The next day I get complaints from New Zealand saying my system was a tad loud.

Gymnasium: I’m going for a record 350 kilo bench-press. On my eighth rep my evil little brother comes running in out of nowhere and slams a massive CAKE into my face. Luckily nothing happens to me because I’m huge and we both end up laughing the moment away.

As you are making up your stories try to relax, do not rush anything, take as much time as you can. The more detail you imagine while developing your story, the easier it will be to remember. For more notes on Relaxation and concentration see Lesson 9 (not released yet). Use your senses to touch, smell, hear, see, and taste the item to be remembered. Try picturing the item as being extremely big, maybe even as big as the universe. Imagination is endless.

Exercise: Create a journey with 20 stops and try to memorize 20 items.

Note: Your journeys must be concreted into your memory! You must know them better than your own address! If you can, also try to interact with the stops in your journey. This helps to create more powerful associations.

SHARE YOUR PROGRESS IN A SUMMARY BELOW

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Weeks 5

MEMORY HEALTH

Video of lecture on brain fitness and neuroplasticity

http://playwithyourmind.com/brain-fitness-news/video-of-lecture-on-brain-fitness-and-neuroplasticity/

Provide a one full page note-summary on brain fitness and neuroplasticity

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http://www.helpguide.org/life/improving_memory.htm

1. What is meant by, neuroplasticity?

2. What role do exercise and sleep play in memory health?

3. What effect does laughter, friends and fun play in memory health?

4. How does stress effect memory health?

5. What foods promote good memory health?

6. Give an example of each of the six mentioned mnemonic devices listed.

RESOURCE: A six year old demonstrates the LOCI Method

http://mnemotechnics.org/x/video/6-year-old-memorizes-us-presidents-with-the-method-of-loci-1379.html

7. What from this article will you apply to your own life? Share.

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MNEMONIC DEVICES BY CATEGORY

http://www.mnemonic-device.com/

Thoroughly investigate the site by category. For each category

1.) List the category title “Arithmetic, Bible, Geography etc”

2.) List your top 2 mnemonic devices

3.) Add one of your own mnemonic devices for each category.

Arithmetic Astronomy

Bible

BigHistory

Biology

Chemistry

Computer

Economics

Geography

Geology

History

Languages

Law

Literature

Medical

Miscellaneous

Music

Navigation

Other

Physics

Politics

Science

Scouting

Time

Traffic

Weather

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