Order Matters

If you are trying to remember a list of items, the order of your list makes a big difference. Many studies have shown that items at the beginning and end of a list are easier to remember than items in the middle. You can use this fact to your advantage by placing the harder or more complex items at the end of a list. You could also spend more time on the items in the middle.

For example, suppose you want to memorize some French phrases before going on a trip to France. Try putting the longer and more difficult phrases at the beginning and end of the list and the short simple phrases in the middle.

Another method of making sure you give equal attention to all the items in a list is to use flash cards and shuffle the order every time.