Memory

Memory is a funny thing, it can either significantly enhance your studying skills or seriously hinder them. Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a photographic memory. However, there are certain techniques that one can use to enhance their learning through memory. These techniques include mnemonic devices, and the link system. Both of these strategies aim to improve ones learning via connections one makes in his or head.

The two courses that incorporate the most memorization into the structure of it are law and public policy, and contract law. Both these courses are in the same realm so the mnemonic devices and link systems I use for them can usually be incorporated into both. The first mnemonic device I created was for law and public policy, it is: plac. It stands for problem, law, application of that law, and case. This is how lawyers are supposed to interpret and analyze problems and cases. First you recognize the issue, then the rules that are pertinent and relatable, then applying those rules to fit the case problem, and finally a case to provide precedence. I created a link system for contract law. The most important concept in this course is, "what would a reasonable person do?" So the link I made was an image of my dad with a scale. This is because, truthfully, my dad is the most reasonable person I have ever met; and the scale just reiterates the point of fairness. So whenever I am analyzing a case the first thing I do is picture my father with the scale and immediately remember to think, "what would a reasonable person do?"

I am both a kinesthetic and visual learner so writing and visualizing things does pay dividends. I applied these concepts of mnemonic devices, and link systems to two different courses to maximize my learning. The material that I applied it to were both law classes that require a substantial amount of memorization. These strategies worked perfectly for these courses and I will continue to create acronyms and links to enhance my learning.