Memorize Technical Terms & Definitions

Step 1: Have a visual of your terms and definitions side by side. It doesnt matter much if you have them all listed on a single sheet of paper or each on a flash card, but make it easy for your eyes to focus on one term at a time. You will want the term and definition next to each other like so: "Eidetic memory - the ability to recall images with vividness bordering on actual visual perception; total recall; also called photographic memory."

Step 2: If you have a long list of definitions, try to group them in sections, say 5 or 10 at a time. You will want to do this so you won't get overwhelmed. Each time you run through a group of terms and definitions, try running through them one more time (many times you can do this off the top of your head without even looking at your paper). Then once you have it burned in your brain, cross that group out and move on to the next group.

Step 3: Now here is the important part. The trick on memorizing terms and definitions and never forgetting them. In order to memorize something you dont know, you need to relate it to something you do know. In addition to this, you must transform that into a photographic picture, image, or story. The best way to explain this better is to give an example.

Definition: eidetic - ei · det · ic [ahy-det-ik]

of, pertaining to, or constituting visual imagery vividly experienced and readily reproducible with great accuracy and in great detail.

We will want to create an image for both the term and the definition and link them together. Keep in mind, the more ridiculous or silly the image is that you create, the easier it will be to remember. The first few images that come to my mind when hearing the word eidetic is eye, dept, and tick (eye-dept-tick or ei-de-t-ic). Create a vivid image in your mind by closing your eyes and picturing a man with his Eyeballs (eye - ei) poping out of his head looking at all of his dept or bills (dept - det) for Tick exterminations (tick - tic). Even though this seems a bit silly, picture this image in your mind for a split second and you will never forget the term Eidetic. Now link that term to the definition. "Visual imagery" can be related to paintings. Picture the room full of paintings - however even though these paintings were beautiful imageries they have been chewed up by all of the ticks. Make sure that you link an image in your definition to an image in your term.

Heres another example, just a bit shorter:

emesis - em·e·sis [ěm'ĭ-sĭs]

the act of vomitting.

Two words that immediately pop out are "me" and "sis" (sister). Try picturing a caveman sitting on a big stone carving of an "E". He looks at his sister and says "Me Sis Vomitting" (or in english, "My sister is vomitting"). That's it, if you can picture it in your mind for just a second you can remember it for as long as you like - and it only takes a second to memorize it.