# Regarding rote memorization + how much time/how many repetitions it should take? **URL:** \ **Category:** Homework and Study Help\ **Created:** [August 12, 2019, 9:09am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/regarding-rote-memorization-how-much-time-how-many-repetitions-it-should-take/40784 "2019-08-12T09:09:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pakupaku9](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/pakupaku9/32/6274_2.png) [@Pakupaku9](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/Pakupaku9)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 9:09am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/regarding-rote-memorization-how-much-time-how-many-repetitions-it-should-take/40784/1 "2019-08-12T09:09:03Z")
I’m starting to rote memorize a book of 300 pages. I plan to finish the rote in 2 days. I’m novice in this practise. I pick one line from a paragraph, repeat it 5-6 times then next line then next line and so on. Then I try to recall the paragraph. Sometimes I can recall, sometimes not. Then I let it go and sleep in night and next day I vaguely remember whatever I’ve memorized. Then I try to recall it which takes too much, is a struggle (became I can’t recall everything) and gets boring. I have no other option but to rote memorize. I’m bad at memory palace and story learning. Although I’m putting the efforts, I’m worried about two things= 1. It takes too much time. Sometimes I can but most of the times I can’t recall the paragraph even after repeating many times that causes frustration. 2. Second repetition gets even more burdensome. I memorized some parts yesterday (whole day) and today I tried to revise it. But I got frustrated seeing that I recalled only some of it and it was taking too much time. I thought I’d spend even whole day today to just revise the same book. So I left it. 3. I have never memorized before, so I don’t have any experience with this practice. I’m worried what if all my repetition goes into vain? And when will it become solid in my brain? What about those parts that I can’t instantly/on second repetition recall? Do I keep going and going and going? Just repeat, repeat, repeat then recall, recall, recall and trust my brain that it’ll store everything? If yes, how much time or how many repetitions are ideal? So that I know when to set deadlines and when to move on to next book. Since I don’t trust my memory, I waste days on one book (sometimes on the same topic) trying to memorize in a “perfect” way. I really want to know how much is the ideal time for rote memorization? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![elitely](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/elitely/32/5962_2.png) [@elitely](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/elitely)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 10:04am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/regarding-rote-memorization-how-much-time-how-many-repetitions-it-should-take/40784/3 "2019-08-12T10:04:02Z")
Write what you have read down on a paper just after you have finished reading! Write from memory(you will be disappointed seeing not much can be remembered easily!!!) 😉 But as you keep writing what you read,remembering gets easier! + Record the passages/notes with your smart phone,and listen to the recorded audio in your leisure times…or before sleep! + Use “Spaced Repetition” to lighten the stress of reading so many stuffs! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RMBittner](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/rmbittner/32/5956_2.png) [@RMBittner](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/RMBittner)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/regarding-rote-memorization-how-much-time-how-many-repetitions-it-should-take/40784/4 "2019-08-12T11:29:46Z")
> [@Pakupaku9](#): > > I have never memorized before, so I don’t have any experience with this practice. In America, we have the phrase, “You must learn to walk before you can run.” I can’t help feeling that you’re jumping into a very difficult—and advanced—memory challenge without having learned and practiced the foundational techniques that will help you to achieve your ultimate goal of memorizing a book. I don’t want to discourage you and your efforts so far. But I can’t help feeling that you are setting yourself up for failure because you are _starting_ with one of the most advanced memory challenges you could choose. You say you have not been able to memorize information using either the memory-palace method or the story/linking method; it’s possible that the underlying reason for that may make it difficult for you to do memory work of _any_ kind. I think there may be value in trying those approaches again and figuring out what may be holding you back from being successful with them. Bob ---
**Author:** ![OldGrantonian](https://forum.artofmemory.com/user_avatar/forum.artofmemory.com/oldgrantonian/32/2492_2.png) [@OldGrantonian](https://forum.artofmemory.com/u/OldGrantonian)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2019, 1:33pm UTC](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/regarding-rote-memorization-how-much-time-how-many-repetitions-it-should-take/40784/5 "2019-08-12T13:33:04Z")
For memorizing books, there are several posts on this forum. I haven’t read any of these, so if any of them are not relevant, please tippex them out. > [@spaced repetitions for entire extensive textbooks](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/spaced-repetitions-for-entire-extensive-textbooks/30053): > > So we agree spaced repetition is the way to retain stuff. but if you have to keep huge chunks of information like MEDICAL SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS maybe , is that possible i mean, the time required to just finish one topic is huge itself. and if the whole day is spent in covering one topic only, the next day you just want to study a new topic (because you know the previous topic again will take so much time to revise) … bottom line : i think spaced repetitions can not work for really extensive/bulky b… > [@Combining Spaced Repetition and Method of Loci for long-term memorization of information dense content (e.g books)](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/combining-spaced-repetition-and-method-of-loci-for-long-term-memorization-of-information-dense-content-e-g-books/30355): > > Greetings fellow memorizers, I want to submit (what I hope) is a novel method for the memorization of (what I like to call) information-dense content; this method is specifically for long term usage and retention. I define information-dense content as any content which contains too many pieces of information to adequately memorize (by traditional methods). This more or less refers to textbooks or large novels. When I refer to traditional methods, I am not speaking of mnemonic techniques, but … . The following link contains links to other posts: > [@How to memorize a 500 page book verbatim](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/how-to-memorize-a-500-page-book-verbatim/37698): > > This post contained ideas on a method to memorize a 500-page book verbatim. You can find related information in the posts below: [How to Memorize a Book](https://artofmemory.com/wiki/How_to_Memorize_a_Book)[Gavino's Massive Memory Palace System](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/gavinos-massive-memory-palace-system/28227)[Gavino's Massive Memory Palace System - Practical Examples](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/gavinos-massive-memory-palace-system-practical-examples/28098)[Guide to memorizing a book](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/guide-to-memorizing-a-book/29853)[Memory Palace FAQs](https://artofmemory.com/wiki/Memory_Palace)[How to Memorize a Textbook](https://artofmemory.com/wiki/How_to_Memorize_a_Textbook)[Video Game Memory Palaces](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/video-game-memory-palaces/29142)[spaced repetitions for entire extensive textbooks](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/spaced-repetitions-for-entire-extensive-textbooks/30053) (The original post was removed by request.) Leave a comment below if you have questions! … > [@Guide to memorizing a book](https://forum.artofmemory.com/t/guide-to-memorizing-a-book/29853): > > This is my guide on how to memorize a book(since everyone asks). I will try to keep this as succinct as possible. Before reading, one should have read the [getting started guide](https://artofmemory.com/wiki/Getting_Started), and be familiar with memory palaces, linking, etc. IMHO, there are five main ways to memorize a book. Way 1: Memorize just the title and author. Way 2: Memorize title, author and the table of contents/main plot points. Way 3: Memorize a couple main ideas and/or quotes from each chapter. Way 4: Memorize the main idea of… Thanks.