Nontraditional Students - Reading Retention Techniques For the Over 40 Crowd

Going back to school years later can be quite a daunting experience! An added challenge is that memory is not always what it used to be. Studying, retaining information, and being able to retrieve that information when needed might seem discouraging.

If you are a non-traditional student going to college for the first time, reading and retaining information found in your academic books is one of the keys to success. You may be assigned hundreds of pages to read each week. You probably do not have the time to sit down and read every single word, concentrate on every sentence, and memorize all of the material verbatim.

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Fortunately, there are some simple techniques to help you retain the information you read. These techniques are not overwhelming and they take up surprisingly little time.

The first time you read the assigned material, do not try to read the entire thing. Concentrate on reading the Chapter title, Section or Subheading titles and then the first sentence or two of each paragraph. However, do be sure to read the entire summary of the section or chapter (most academic books have a "summary" or "think critically" area at the end of each chapter). This summarizes the information you will need to retain.

Within a day or two (for better memory retention), read the summary of the section or chapter first. Then, skim the entire material using your highlighter. Again, do not read to memorize - read to find and highlight key points and concepts. Highlight areas where you have questions or feel unsure. Go back and focus on these areas.

Within another day or two, outline the chapter in your own words - create a quick set of notes. Do this in a way that will be helpful for you - it might be in a formal outline or it might be by creating a flowchart or hierarchical list of information.

If there are dates, names, or other information you need to remember, consider using mnemonic devices to help you to remember. Mnemonic devices are memory aids or techniques that help you retrieve information from your memory. Create acronyms, acrostics, poems and rhymes to help remember essential information. After all, if you can't retrieve it, what good does all that studying do?

Finally, re-read the section headings, chapter summary and your personal outline before class or before your exam.

Never try to read and retain everything in one long study session. Studies on learning and memory show that this is perhaps the worst technique to use if you want to retain and retrieve information. Happy studying!

Nontraditional Students - Reading Retention Techniques For the Over 40 Crowd

Amy Doughten

Amy is a non-traditional student pursuing her degree at Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Track her progress by reading her blog at http://backtocollegenow.wordpress.com. Her book, A Step by Step Guide for Going Back to College as a 40-Something, will be published February 2010.

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