Memory Strategy: Storytelling
Storytelling is a memory strategy that makes it easier to recall information by turning the facts and concepts that you need to remember into a story. Stories are easier to remember because our brains are better able to recall narratives, emotions, and sequences of events. Storytelling is useful when you have large amounts of information to recall and/or you find the information to not be very interesting or engaging.
How to Create Your Own Story
- Understand what information needs to be memorized: Identify key points (e.g., facts, dates, concepts) and look for any connections, patterns, or sequences that could serve as part of your story.
- For my physics class, I need to remember Newton’s three laws of motion: Inertia, Force, Action & Reaction. Let’s focus on the first law of inertia: an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force.
- Transform information into characters and a setting: Assign characters to different elements. Develop a setting where you can place the characters into a specific time/location (real or fictional).
- I can decide that Isaac Newton will be the main protagonist of these stories. Newton is on a grand quest to save his kingdom from a mysterious force that is disrupting the peace. I will characterize inertia as one of Newton’s knights: the Unmoving Knight.
- Turn details into a plot: Create a storyline out of the details and characters. When possible, use vivid imagery and emphasize emotion, since our brains tend to better recall visual information and strong emotions.
- In my story, the journey begins with the Unmoving Knight, a character known for being steadfast. He does not budge from his position unless an external force acts upon him. One day, while standing at the castle gates, a great wind blew through. Yet, even with the force of the wind, the Unmoving Knight stayed perfectly still until the king ordered him to move. This demonstrated Newton’s First Law of Motion – the knight would not move unless an external force (the king’s command) acted upon him.
- Practice: Tell the story aloud or to another person. As you practice, try to recall the information without looking at your notes. You can practice retelling the story in multiple ways by focusing on different details, narrating it in reverse order, or asking yourself questions to see how well you can remember details.
- I can mentally walk through the story of the Unmoving Knight and visualize the story components. I can pair the story details with the information I need to recall. I can ask myself questions to test my knowledge, such as “Who was the character that stayed still unless acted upon by an external force?”
Try It!
Go through the steps to create your own story.
- Understand what information needs to be memorized: Identify key points (e.g., facts, dates, concepts) and look for any connections, patterns, or sequences that could serve as part of your story.
- Transform information into characters and a setting: Assign characters to different elements. Develop a setting where you can place the characters into a specific time/location (real or fictional).
- Turn details into a plot: Create a storyline out of the details and characters. When possible, use vivid imagery and emphasize emotion, since our brains tend to better recall visual information and strong emotions.
- Practice: Tell the story aloud or to another person. As you practice, try to recall the information without looking at your notes. You can practice retelling the story in multiple ways by focusing on different details, narrating it in reverse order, or asking yourself questions to see how well you can remember details.
If you would like additional support or want to practice the strategy of storytelling, schedule an appointment with one of our academic coaches.
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Memory Strategy: Storytelling
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