The following test is designed for you to subjectively reflect on your
memory abilities now. Make an extra copy of this test, so you can
answer it again after you have spent a month working on improving
your memory. That way, you can monitor any improvement. The first
time you take the test, answer each question as honestly as you can
and total up your score. This will help you notice the areas where
you especially need to work on memory improvement, such as learning
to pay better attention, increasing your ability to encode information,
and improving your ability to retrieve names, faces, places, and
dates. Rate your memory on a scale of 1 (you forget most or all of
the time) to 5 (you typically remember very well), and then obtain
an average for each category (total up the ratings in that category
and divide by the number in that category).
TEST #1: RATING MY MEMORY
My Overall Memory
My Memory for Everyday People, Places, and Things1
(average of my scores for the categories below)
People’s names
People’s faces
Where I put things (e.g., keys, eyeglasses)
Performing household chores
Directions to places
Personal dates (i.e., birthdays, anniversaries)
My Memory for Numbers
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Phone numbers I have just looked up
Phone numbers I use frequently
Bank account numbers
Computer passwords
Combinations for locks and safes
My Memory for Information
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Words
What someone has told me in a conversation
What I have learned in a classroom lecture
Reading a novel
Reading a nonfiction book
Reading an article
Reading the newspaper
My Memory for Activities
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Appointments
Performing household chores
Shopping for items at a store
Speaking in public
A meeting at work
My Memory for Events
(average of my scores for the categories below)
Earlier today
Yesterday
Last week
Last month
6 months to a year ago
1–5 years ago
6–10 years ago
When I was a child
After you finish rating each particular item, find the average for
remembering that type of information. Then, look at your ratings to
assess how well you are doing in different areas. Commonly, you will
find you remember best those things that are most important to you,
since you naturally pay more attention in those areas. But, where are
you especially weak? Those are areas ripe for improvement.
Use this test as a guide to help you determine where you especially
want to increase your memory. Later, after you have worked
on developing your memory over the next month (or however long
you take to do this), retest yourself without looking at how you rated
yourself before. Afterwards, compare your before-and-after ratings.
Generally, you will find you improve, though your subjective ratings
can be affected by other factors, such as how you are feeling when
you take the test.
In any case, your second set of scores can help you decide what
you want to work on next if you want to continue to improve your
memory. In fact, if you’re into charts and graphs, you can plot your
ratings every month to chart your continued progress.
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