Article - The Difference Between Memorizing and Understanding
This article continues your student learning-skills series, focusing on why understanding produces deeper and more transferable learning than memorization alone. The Difference Between Memorizing and Understanding Introduction Imagine two students preparing for the same examination. Student A spends hours memorizing definitions, formulas, sentences, and answers. The student can remember many things exactly as they appeared in the textbook. Student B spends time trying to understand what the ideas mean, why they work, and how they connect to other ideas. The student may not remember every sentence word-for-word, but can explain concepts in their own words and use them in new situations. Both students are learning—but they are learning in very different ways. This leads to an important question: Is memorizing the same as understanding? The answer is no . Memorization and understanding are both useful, but they serve different purposes. Memorization helps you remember information. ...