Improving memory for facts

<p>This is starting to bother me a little. I'm currently enrolled in APUSH, and test grades make up the entirety of my grade in the class so far. They're weighted 50% MCQ's and 50% FRQ's to reflect the format of the AP exam. I usually do decently on the FRQ's, but it's the MCQ's that kill me. I use POE (Process of Elimination) for all of them, but then for a number of questions, it comes down to choosing between either three or two and I end up picking the wrong one most of the time. I'm not sure why this happens. Perhaps my brain isn't able to retain all those facts, or maybe my memory is just bad. Do any of you have any great memorization techniques you could recommend? Each of my tests covers 2 chapters each, which is the equivalent of around 40 pages in my book, so there's a LOT for me to remember.</p>

<p>Hmm…I would suggest that you focus on key concepts. When you’re taking notes, if your teacher repeats something or spends a lot of time covering a certain topic, study that information. While definitions are beneficial, they aren’t usually what you’re tested on. Study the concepts and when two or three things are being compared, for example the different colonies, take notice of the similarities and differences. The multiple choice questions will likely cover some of those factors. Names are relatively important, so know a few of the main people, but don’t spend too much time on them. Don’t worry about dates too much, just have a general idea of when things took place. Anything that the book lists, I would take note of. The rest is basically judgement. If you don’t remember reading about a choice, or the option doesn’t make sense, it’s likely the wrong answer. Best of luck in the future!:)</p>