RETENTION AND RECALL DEFICIT DISORDER?

There are so many what I call alphabet diseases today, I thought that I'd make one up to add to the list.  Allow me to introduce RRDD, Retention and Recall Deficit Disorder. I define RRDD as the inability to retain new information for a long period of time. As far as I know there is no such disorder BUT retention and recall are well documented areas of study.

The jury is back and the verdict is in…instructional design professionals around the world believe that to improve long term retention, spacing study of the subject over time is superior to cramming for a test.

“The spacing effect is one of the oldest and best documented phenomena in the history of learning and memory research.” Harry Bahrick & Lynda Hall (2005, page 566), quoted in the Journal of Memory and Language,a well-respected refereed journal.

Facts show that subject matter that is taught at an event is rapidly forgotten. Some research suggests that we forget 46% of what we read in 24 hours unless we review it, 79% after two weeks, and 81 % after 28 days (Pauk, Walter. How To Study in College, Sixth Edition, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997.).

What this means to you is that it is important for you to review the entirety of what was covered in class and to space it over time with repetition.

Well there you have it, RRDD. Mankind in general forgets more than they retain after a learning event unless they review the material preferably over an extended period of time. Don't think of yourself as an exception to the rule. Retention and recall are vital to passing the exam. I cannot over emphasize the importance of 1.) preparing a written plan 2.) studying for the exam spacing the study process over time and 3.) using Transcender to help identify the areas of study that you need to focus your attention.

Don’t let your hard work and time (and don't forget the money) spent attending a PMP Exam preparation course go to waste. Prepare a plan and commit yourself to study. Earning the PMP will definitely prove to be worth your time.