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A New Way to Keep Memory Sharp as the Brain Ages

Test yourself on jokes, names, other information

by: Tina Adler, from: AARP Bulletin, January 28, 2011

En español | How often have you heard a funny joke, only to later forget the punch line? If your memory for jokes and other important information isn't as sharp as it used to be, stop doubting yourself and start quizzing yourself instead.

See also: 4 tips for a better memory.

Testing yourself on information you are trying to remember — whether it's a punch line, the name of a person you just met or the request your boss made — is one of the best ways to make sure that information sticks, research shows. In a recent study comparing different strategies for studying for a short science test, college students did best when their studying involved taking practice tests on the material, the researchers reported Jan. 20 in the journal Science.

Answering test questions requires retrieving information from memory, and that is more useful than merely reviewing the material, report psychologist Jeffrey Karpicke and Janell Blunt of Purdue University. Good test questions require students to reconstruct what they know, which itself enhances learning, the team reports.

Despite the popularity of playing "brain games" to build mental muscle, games tend to strengthen only the specific skills used in that particular game, recent studies have found. Testing yourself, on the other hand, will help you remember information longer, according to Henry Roediger III of Washington University and Andrew Butler of Duke University, in an article in the Jan. 15 issue of Trends in Cognitive Science. Experiments have shown that taking a test can more than triple a person's recall, relative to only studying the material, they write.

Older elephants are renowned for never forgetting faces. — Geoff Moore/Gallery Stock

The how-to of self-testing

Testing works equally well if someone tests you or you test yourself. Here's how it works: Before you go into a party (or any event) where you will be introduced to new people whose names you want to remember, remind yourself to test yourself. Then when you first meet someone, use that old trick of saying the person's name right away — even if it's just "nice to meet you, Sam." After a minute or so, say the name to yourself. Repeat as needed, gradually increasing the time between self-quizzes to up to about 10 minutes.

"You want to wait long enough that it's difficult to retrieve it, but while you can still get at it," says David Balota of Washington University. "The best procedure is to learn what works with your memory."

If you are reading something that you really want to remember, don't bother rereading it numerous times, says David Gallo of the University of Chicago. Instead, read it once, then re-quiz yourself. Consider making flash cards, a time-honored self-testing technique.

Next: What memory experts do to remember. >>>