Russian journalist Solomon Veniaminovich Shereshevskii rose to fame in the mid-1920s when he was called out for not taking notes at a speech he attended.

To public astonishment, Shereshevskii was able to recall word for word the entire speech, according to a story on Wikipedia.com. Although he became well-known for his amazingly powerful memory, Shereshevskii made average scores on a variety of intelligence tests, nullifying the idea that the two were linked.

Train Your Brain | Brain Map | Brain Power Games

A key part of Shereshevskii's ability to recall details was his application of mnemonic devices, or word associations. This technique is one of the many tricks everyday people can use to improve their memory.

Make Connections

Mnemonic devices rely both on repetition and association between information and lists of data. Rhyming is often common as with the example, "In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue."

Teachers often encourage students to use mnemonic devices to remember things that fall into certain orders, such as reading music. Starting at the bottom of the staff the notes are E, G, B, D and F. "Every Good Boy Does Fine" is a mnemonic device for remembering this order.

This strategy is based on the idea that the human mind can easily remember data attached to spatial, personal or otherwise meaningful information. That sort of thing is easier to remember than random sequences.

Multiple Senses

The neuropsychologist Alexander Luria studied Shereshevskii over a span of 30 years and came to the conclusion that Shereshevskii had extremely strong synaesthesia, which is when stimulation of one sense produces a reaction in every other sense. That is, they can "smell" a color or some other association.

Involving all of your senses is one of the most common suggestions to improving memory. If you characterize yourself as a visual learner, the mental health nonprofit Helpguide.org suggests reading the information you want to remember out loud or rewriting important passages.

Chelsea Schindler, an analyst with Boeing, said she improved her standardized test scores by utilizing multiple senses while studying.

"I'm a visual learner," Schindler said. "If I read something, I could picture the answer, or picture the paragraph it was in the book, especially if I drew out pictures to remember the concepts or the answers, I was pretty good."

Pay Close Attention

Perhaps the most basic way to recall information begins by paying attention. It takes roughly eight seconds of focusing intently on something for the information to process into the appropriate memory center, according to Helpguide. Multitasking or loud, distracting environments aren't conducive to learning.

Kelly Perry, an insurance claims representative, deals with people on a regular basis and said remembering names is vital for her.

"I use little hints in my head like 'Julie with the cute shoes,' or 'Tom with the big forehead,'" Perry said. "I have noticed if you focus on character traits, it helps. Also, if you meet someone, initially repeat their name (in conversation)."

According to Texas A&M University's Student Services center, it is a commonly accepted myth that most people will remember less than 10 percent of the names of the people they meet. In reality, people remember faces, but often don't make a connection between the face and the name.

Perry said this is often the case with her encounters.

"A lot of times I remember faces so well, I have to pretend like I did not meet someone prior because they do not remember me," she said.

In March, a study published in the journal Science shed light on the effects of odor on human memory during sleep. Scientists found that a whiff of a familiar scent can help a sleeping brain remember things it learned the evening before. In an experiment, subjects experienced the scent of roses while they studied and later slept and subsequently scored about 13 percent better on memory tests.

Write It Down

While the findings still leave many questions as to how memories are formed, Helpguide suggested that getting organized might be a nice, short-term solution. Ditch the string around your finger and pick up a pen and paper. Carrying a notebook to jot down thoughts or even investing in a datebook means you can use both words and pictures to retain information.

When dealing with complex material, focusing on the basic ideas versus minute details may often be the best option.

Margaret McEwen teaches high school SAT and PSAT preparation courses and said sometimes learning vocabulary begins with a basic understanding of the word.

"The word list (I use) consists of the words used in sentences and gives antonyms and synonyms," McEwen said. "This helps the students learn words exponentially."

Many students try to learn information through cramming. Experts say this is usually the most ineffective way to retain facts. By reviewing ideas the same day you learn it and at various intervals after that, it becomes second nature.

"Writing words out and constantly testing myself to recall information gave me a pre-test scenario, so I knew I could recall information on the fly and in different orders," Schindler said.

Think Smart

Perhaps the best way to improve your memory is simply by having a positive attitude.

The Texas A&M tips say that telling yourself you have a bad memory can actually hinder your brain's ability to remember, while positive mental feedback can lead to success.

Blog Posts:

Exercise Your Brain

Free Brain Training

Comments On Brain Training

Other Family Features:

How To Stop Nagging

Some Owners Treat Pets Like Kids

It Can Be Easy Being Green

Is Your House Making You Fat?

Which Sunscreen Is Right For You?