 It can sometimes feel overwhelming when you need to process a lot of new information like memorizing an entire book for an exam. How do you make sure you understand and retain all of this information? You do this with elaboration. The processing method used to efficiently store all those new facts and tidbits. Elaboration helps you to learn more easily. It's an essential skill that you as a student can put to good use. There are various ways to elaborate and what works best can vary from time to time or from person to person. For example, you could create summaries or mindmaps, allowing you to reprocess the information and learn to draw connections with other data. It's also helpful to engage actively with the material. Try explaining what you've learned to someone else, for instance. This way you discover what you already know and what you need to repeat. Or quiz yourself on the study material. All of this aids you in better understanding and remembering the information. Practice this skill by approaching a task differently than you usually would. Do you always write summaries? Try making a mindmap for a change. By experimenting with new ways of learning, you discover what works best for you and how to make it easier for yourself. Do you want to elaborate further on this? Click here.