You may find you can remember something for years, or even decades, then all of a sudden, it’s gone. That is generally because you have learned something similar that creates interference leading to confusion. Unfortunately, it can be nearly impossible to be able to predict when interference will occur when learning. The following are some tips to help prevent interference:

Keep the item unambiguous

Stick to the minimum information principle

If you notice interference, eliminate it immediately

Optimizing the Wording

How things are worded can dramatically affect the way you learn and store the information. The brain will respond to more straightforward and more optimized wording and therefore increase the speed at which you learn and store the data.

Also, by using optimized wording, the sentences are more readable and less tedious, which keeps the reader engaged, and you are more likely to retain the information.

Take a look at the example below:

Wordy Cloze Deletion - Less Optimal

Question: In 1985, Aldus used PageMaker to invent desktop publishing. There was little competition for years, so no improvements were made. Then Denver-based…shot past. PageMaker remains No. 2

and is owned by Adobe.

Answer: Quark.

Here it is with fewer words:

Question: In 1985, Aldus used PageMaker to invent desktop publishing but failed to improve. Then…shot past (PageMaker remains No. 2).

Answer: Quark.

And even fewer words:

Question: Desktop publishing was invented with PageMaker by Aldus, but it didn’t improve. Soon it was outdistanced by …

Answer: Quark.

More words removed:

Question: PageMaker failed to improve and was outdistanced by …

Answer: Quark.

And finally:

Question: PageMaker lost ground to …

Answer: Quark.

Can you see how much information can be removed because it is non-essential, and you are still left with the same answer each time? The only item you needed to learn and remember was Quark. You may find some of the other bits of information are important to you, and if that is the case, store them separately by using cloze deletion again and optimizing the wording.

If you try to learn all the non-essential information, your learning will slow down dramatically. Remember, in this example, the only thing you needed to learn was Quark; the rest of the data was irrelevant. It takes some time to master these techniques, but once you have practiced often enough, it will become second nature, and you will start doing it without even thinking about it.

Referring to Existing Memories

When learning, if you refer to other memories, it can enable you to store your item in a more efficient context, reduce interference, and simplify the wording. Personalizing memories is a great way to keep

them and recall them at a later date. In the following example, you will see you can save a lot of time if you relate the information to a personal reference.

Difficult:

Question: What is a soft bed that doesn’t have a back or arms called?

Answer: Divan

Simpler:

Question: What is a soft bed without backs or arms called? (like the one at Donald’s house).

Answer: Divan.

By personalizing the information using a memory of the item, you can recall much easier what the name of the bed is. Instead of having to try and remember what the piece of furniture is, you can simply recall having seen one before from your memory. When you personalize information, there is a lesser chance of interference, which can speed up your learning pace.

Prioritizing Tools

As mentioned previously, prioritizing what source you use for your knowledge dramatically speeds up the learning process. Prioritizing is determining what information is essential and what is not, which removes the excess data you don’t need. As you practice prioritizing, you will work out which is the best way for you to learn, whether it is from books or media.

Prioritize Your Information Sources: Because you learn from a wide variety of sources generally, it is vital to prioritize which sources are more useful. You need to work out how much of your time you should spend on each source, with a higher amount of time source a priority, and then work your way down. The more you practice this technique, the easier it will become to work out what is the most useful source and what can be put aside for the sake of a better source.

Knowledge Extraction: You seldom need to memorize an entire article or book, unless it is for a specific test that requires it. So you need to work out which information to extract that will improve your knowledge on the topic. You can do this by highlighting sentences, phrases, or paragraphs, or you could cut and paste to a document, so only relevant information is studied. It will take a while for you to be able to recognize how much information and how much detail your head can manage.

Setting Priorities While Learning Tools:

Remember

With the highly important information, rememorize it. This will enable you to recall it quickly when it is needed. Also, if there is any content that has changed, rememorize that as well.

Rescheduling

Schedule the next repetition date manually. This will help to store it in your encephalon.

Executing Repetition

With specifically vital information, perform the repetition before the due date of the repetition.

What Have We Learned in Simpler Form?

If you don’t understand, don’t learn.

You need to learn the information and understand it before you try to memorize it. If you are just remembering and have no clue what it means, it won’t store correctly and will be completely useless. Your ability to recall the information would be lost. So make sure you comprehend the information before you try to memorize it.