In a former professional life, I acted on stage and had to memorize hundreds of pages of lines, deliver them with ease, and be so familiar with the scene that I could improvise should I forget a line. Little did I know how much this training would benefit me until I had to memorize the DSM for an Abnormal Psyc course and once again tapped into this skill while studying for the EPPP.Â
Recitation
Vocal, “out loud” recitation, is highly effective for transferring information from short-term to long-term memory and helps with your review because it employs more senses than other review techniques. By saying concepts out loud instead of just in your head, you’re consolidating new information and strengthening neural pathways, which means better recall!!
Tips for Making Recitation Work for You:
- Say the concepts out loud as if you’re explaining them to another person, better yet, say them to another person. Don’t have someone? Explain the concepts to your pet, a toy, or a wall, just say it out loud! Focus on relaying the core components of the concept, rather than word for word recall.
- Use flashcards and say the answer out loud, not in your head. Check out this post on SAFMEDS and how it can up your flashcard game.
- Record yourself. If you record yourself, you can play this back anywhere, pause the recording, and finish the sentence. This will allow for active rehearsal and will engage multiple senses, which will increase the likelihood of the information sticking.
- Up your game and do some other physical activity while reciting the information. If you can do this while doing something else (e.g., walking, jogging, engaging in a mundane physical task like folding laundry), you’re increasing your ability to recall that isn’t dependent on a specific context like things being quiet or you sitting still. In the testing room, there will be distractions and conditions different from your study environment, and with this strategy, you’ll have the comfort of knowing you recalled information in varied situations.
Will you feel silly talking out loud? Probably. Will it be worth it if it helps you remember concepts more easily and ultimately pass the EPPP? Definitely.
How have you made recitation work for you? Share your tips in the comments!