Does Better Memory=Better Grades?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between memory improvement and academic performance, particularly in the context of various fields of study such as biology, art history, physics, and engineering. Participants explore whether enhancing memory can lead to better grades and share their experiences with memory improvement courses.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that memory improvement courses could potentially enhance academic performance, particularly in subjects that rely heavily on memorization.
  • Others argue that understanding concepts and problem-solving skills are more critical than rote memorization, especially in fields like physics.
  • One participant notes that while memorization may help in introductory biology courses, it does not guarantee long-term retention or success in advanced studies.
  • Another participant shares a personal anecdote about a friend who excelled in medical school due to a talent for memorization, indicating that memorization can be beneficial in certain contexts.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the effectiveness of memory courses, suggesting that many may not provide value and that traditional memorization techniques have been known for a long time.
  • A participant reflects on their own experiences, noting that while they excelled in biology through memorization, they found physics more challenging and less reliant on memorization.
  • There is a discussion about the role of instructors and the design of tests, with some suggesting that poor test design can lead to an overemphasis on memorization rather than understanding.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the extent to which memorization impacts academic success across different fields. While some believe it is crucial in certain subjects, others maintain that comprehension and problem-solving are far more important. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall effectiveness of memory improvement courses.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight that the effectiveness of memorization may vary significantly depending on the subject matter and the level of study. There are also references to the influence of teaching methods and test design on the perceived importance of memorization.

  • #31
physstudent1 has resurrected a bit of a necrothread here but I found it quite interesting to read up on the earlier conversation.

I think that your initial comprehension of something has a large influence on how much rote memorization you end up needing to do. I do well with many different academic topics and with many things in my field, software engineering.

But a couple of times, once when I was in high school and for a little while when I was in college, I worked as a Certified Nurse's Aide and I was absolutely horrible at it. The steps you had to go through for various procedures just didn't make sense to me so I had to try to memorize these long lists of steps. Whereas for many other people everything just sort of made sense and they could practically guess what to do next because they had some inherent understanding I did not.

Similarly, I went to college with a woman who had worked as a Nurse's Aide and is now a paramedic. That sort of work - and paramedics have much more complex and longer protocols and procedures they have to follow - makes perfect sense to her and is relatively easy but doing any sort of academic work required enormous effort on her part and lots of rote memorization.
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  • #32
hahah oh wow I did not see the date! which brings me to the question of how I ended up at this topic at all...oh well
 

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