How to Memorize an Essay

Co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD

Last Updated: March 4, 2023 References

Memorizing an essay is a great way to ace tests, rock presentations, and increase your overall knowledge. If you want to memorize an essay word for word, take things slowly by studying short parts one at a time. Memorization techniques such as visualization and physical cues can help you recall this information on demand. Of course, sometimes you don’t need to memorize things exactly. You may find it more useful to memorize the main ideas or important quotes instead.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Learning Each Part of the Essay

1
Make a schedule. Plan out how long you have to memorize the essay. If you have more time, you can study a little each day for 20 or 30 minutes. If you only have a day or 2, you can memorize it in 30-minute chunks with a break of an hour or 2 in between.^{[1]
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2
Break the essay down into parts. Memorization is easiest when done in small chunks. Break the essay down into small sections. Depending on the length of the essay, each section might be a few sentences, one paragraph, or even one page.^{[2]
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3
Memorize a little bit each day. Start early when you need to memorize something. Give yourself 1 day for every paragraph or page. Master 1 section each day. Once you have memorized 2 sections separately, try putting them together.^{[3]
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4
Read the essay out loud to start learning it. Reading the essay out loud is important because it forces you to read and speak every single word in the essay. This will help you remember it.^{[4]
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5
Test yourself after reading. After you have studied the text for a while, put it down, and recite as much as you can from memory. At first, you may not remember much, but every time you practice, you will recall more and more.
- Use a partner to test you on what you've memorized. If you miss a word or forget a line, they can prompt you by telling you the next word or two.
- You might also want to arrange to practice in front of an audience of a few people. This will help to add some pressure, which may be beneficial to you later.
6
Start from the end if going from the beginning is not working. If the essay is long, you may find it easier to start at the end. Begin by memorizing the last sentence or paragraph, then move back to the sentence or paragraph right before that 1.^{[5]
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7
Break up your study session to memorize quickly. If you only have a short time to learn the essay, you should study it in small doses with breaks in between each session. Use memory boosting techniques, such as visualization and walking back and forth, to help make your memorization more effective.^{[6]
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- For example, you might study it for 15 minutes and take a 10-minute break before studying for another 15 minutes.
- Try writing out the essay once or twice. This can improve your memory.^{[7]
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- Avoid cramming the night before. Memorizing something in 1 session is not the most effective way to learn it. Repetition in small chunks will help more than cramming the essay all in 1 long session.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Recalling Information

1
Visualize parts of the essay. Associate different parts of the essay with images. You might imagine the essay coming to life as you recite it. When you need to recite the essay, recall the images to help you remember the words.^{[8]
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- For example, the first part of the essay might be about tiger conservation, so you might visualize tigers as you go through this part. The second part may be about their habitat, so you might think about a jungle.
2
Use memory palace techniques. Imagine a room or building that represents your essay. For every main point, place a piece of furniture inside. Associate each piece of furniture with a point you have to remember.^{[9]
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- For example, if the main parts of the essay are about family, cooperation, and communication, you might imagine a photograph (family), a table (cooperation), and a telephone (communication).
- When you need to recall the essay, imagine yourself walking from the photograph to the table and then to the telephone in the proper order.
3
Link passages to physical movement. Gestures can help you memorize parts of the essay by associating words with movements. You might tap out a certain pattern when you start a paragraph, or gesture outwards to emphasize a particular word.
- Pacing can help improve recall. Some people even find doing a simple dance to be useful as they try to memorize the essay.
4
Give yourself cues if you will present the essay. As you memorize the speech, give yourself a prompt or cue that can remind you which part goes where.^{[10]
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- Practice hand gestures with your speech. Put certain gestures at specific spots in the essay.
- If you are allowed to use flashcards, you might write the basic outline on a series of cards. Glance down at these as you go along.
- You might ask a friend in the audience to give a signal if you are forgetting a line.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Remembering the Main Ideas of an Essay

1
Reduce it to an outline to remember the main points. Write an outline of the essay's main ideas, concepts, and arguments. Make sure you only include the most important information, and organize it in the correct order. You might memorize the outline instead of the entire essay.
2
Make flash cards if you want to learn quotes. If you need to recall quotes from literary or academic essays, write the quotes on flash cards. Memorize the quotes 1 at a time. Make sure you also learn the author, year, and any other information that may be tested.^{[11]
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3
Draw the main ideas of the essay if you are a visual learner. Sketch out a flowchart or map of the main ideas of the essay. Put the thesis in the center of the chart, and draw lines out to its supporting ideas.^{[12]
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- When you need to remember the essay, you can redraw the chart to help you remember all the different pieces you need to recall.
- You can also draw images in your chart or sketch out the main events of the essay in comic form.

References

More References (3)

Community Q&A

Question

How do I memorize an essay for defense or presentation?

Expert654123

Community Answer

First, write down the points. Understand what you are writing down. Devote some time for understanding the topic. The more you understand, the easier it will get for you to learn your essay.
Question

How do I be confident that I know everything when memorizing an essay?

Community Answer

Record yourself on your phone reciting your essay and play it back. Take note of any areas that you seem uncertain about, re-memorize those areas, and record yourself again until you're comfortable that you come across confidently.
Question

I learn the essay with no mistakes and I say it in front of my friends, but when I enter the stage to say it in front of everyone, I forget everything. What can I do?

AleLy

Community Answer

Imagine you are not on a stage. Imagine your eyes are closed and there's no one in the room, or that you're just practicing with your friends. Focus on what you have to say and don't think about the audience.

Warnings

Cramming the essay the night before may not help you remember the entire essay. It is better to start early.

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