Chapter 100. Organization Helps Encoding

Learning Objectives

hierarchies
arranging information in structured outlines or charts to show the position of each item in relation to the other items
memory
the process of remembering information that has been learned
retrieval
getting information out of memory storage so it can be used
chunking
arranging information in units of manageable size to assist encoding
clustering
arranging information in logical categories to assist encoding
encoding
getting information into memory so that it will be available later
Organization Helps Encoding
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Courtesy Tom Ludwig
Learning Objective:

Contrast the techniques of chunking, clustering, and forming hierarchies in the improvement of memory encoding.

Review

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1. We remember organized information better than we remember random items. Why? Because organizing individual items into a meaningful structure helps during both encoding (registering information in memory) and retrieval (getting information out of memory storage).

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2. Chunking is a way of organizing bits of information into units of manageable size, such as grouping letters into words or words into sentences. This often makes the information more meaningful, and therefore easier to remember. It also can reduce the number of units that need to be held in memory storage.

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3. Chunking can work in two directions: If we need to remember a large number of individual items, we can group those individual items into larger chunks, rearranging them if necessary to create the meaning. But if we need to remember a long string of information in a particular order, we can break the string down into smaller chunks.

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4. Clustering is a way of organizing information into logical categories of related items, even if it means rearranging the order of the items. Here we have an unorganized shopping list of 10 items. By clustering the items by food type, we make the list easier to remember.

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5. A final way of organizing information is to form hierarchies—grouping items according to their place in a logical outline within a particular area of knowledge.

Practice 1: Organization Techniques

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Practice 1: Organization Techniques

Select the numbers to see an example of chunking in action. Then select the “Continue” button.

An Example of Chunking

Organizing information during encoding makes it more meaningful, and that helps us remember the information. A simple form of organization is breaking a long string of information into shorter meaningful units, or chunks—a process called chunking.

For example, the string of numbers shown below is too long for most people to hold in their memory, at least if they are treating each number as a separate unit of information. However, if you know that the string of numbers represents a U.S. telephone number, you can divide the string into meaningful chunks, as shown when you select the numbers.

Chunking the information reduces the memory load and makes it more likely that you will recall the entire number accurately.

country code area code individual telephone
16163925111

An Example of Clustering

In the case of a telephone number, the individual items (numbers) occur in a precise order. But if order isn't important, another organizational strategy to make information meaningful is to rearrange it into logical clusters of related concepts—a process called clustering.

For example, consider this 8-item list: bicycle, red, train, orange, boat, banana, blue, apple.

If the order of items in the list isn't important, you would probably remember the items better if you first rearranged them into clusters of "vehicles," "fruits," and "colors" and then encoded each item as a member of its category.

But if you did that, where would you put “orange”?

bicycle
red
train
orange
boat
banana
blue
apple

An Example of Hierarchies

When memorizing information for an exam, chunking and clustering may help a little. However, a better encoding strategy is to use hierarchies—rearranging the material into outline form before committing it to memory. First, cluster related items together to form categories. Then cluster related categories to form higher-order categories. Organization by hierarchies provides a meaningful structure for the material, thus improving both encoding and retrieval.

Parts of the Brain
Lower Brain Structures
Cerebral cortex
Limbic System
amygdala
cerebellum
frontal lobe
hippocampus
hypothalamus
medulla
occipital lobe
parietal lobe
temporal lobe
thalamus

Practice 2: Demonstrate the Value of Chunking

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Practice 2: Demonstrate the Value of Chunking

Select the “Begin” button to start the memory test. Then select the NEXT button and move to Quiz 1. You can try this test as many times as you like.

A series of 9 random numbers will appear, either one at a time or in groups of 3. After all the numbers have been presented, select the response box and type the numbers you saw in the exact order in which they appeared. Don't separate the numbers with spaces or any other character. When you have entered all the numbers you can recall, select the “Finished” button.

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Type the numbers you saw:
Correct answer:

Quiz 1

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Quiz 1

Match the terms to their descriptions by dragging each colored circle to the gray circle in front of the appropriate definition. When all the circles have been placed, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

Select the NEXT button and move to Quiz 2.
Perhaps you should go back to review methods to improve memory encoding.
clustering
hierarchies
chunking
organizing items into units of manageable size
organizing items into logical categories
organizing items into an outline of levels

Quiz 2

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Quiz 2

Drag each term to the corresponding example. When all the terms have been placed, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

Perhaps you should go back to review methods to improve memory encoding.
Select the NEXT button and move to the Conclusion.
clustering
hierarchies
chunking
Three words appear at the top of the screen, labeled clustering, hierarchies, and chunking.  Three images appear below these words on the screen.  On the left size of the screen is the following string of letters “Z2020MY593Z”.  The following is written below this string - “Z”, “2020”, “MY”, “593”, and “Z”.  In the middle of the screen are three boxes with words in each. The first box has the words for bicycle, train, and boat written inside. The second box has the words for red, orange, and blue written inside.  The third box has the words for banana and apple written inside.  On the right side of the screen is a tree diagram showing the parts of the brain.  There are three levels, from top to bottom.
      Parts of the Brain
      the first level Lower Brain Structures
      the second level cerebellum
      the second level medulla
      the second level thalamus
      the first level Cerebral Cortex
      the second level frontal lobe
      the second level occipital lobe
      the second level parietal lobe
      the second level temporal lobe
      the first level Limbic System
      the second level amygdala
      the second level hippocampus
      the second level hypothalamus

Conclusion

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