Cramming isn't the ideal way to study for an exam, but you're here.

準備考試不該死記硬背，但你人都在這了。

You've come to this video likely with an exam tomorrow or...in a few hours.

你點開這部影片，有可能明天就要考試，或是幾小時後。

So, let's focus on what you can do to optimize your time.

所以就來看看如何有效抱佛腳吧！

How do you effectively cram for your exam?

該如何有效地準備考試？

You might not be able to learn a lot but you can store a bunch of information into your short-term memory.

你或許是沒辦法「學」到很多，但你可以「記」下很多東西到你的短期記憶裡。

Try using the ancient technique of the Memory Palace.

試看看流傳千年的「記憶宮殿」。

Dated back as far as 80 B.C., this technique involves associating ideas you want to memorize with memorable places like your home.

最早出現於西元前 80 年，這個技巧的訣竅就是將你試圖記憶的事物和一個地方聯想起來，比如你家。

One study had medical students create Memory Palaces to help them remember the actions of insulin.

一項研究讓醫學生利用「記憶宮殿」記起胰島素的作用機制。

In this example, you might store glycosis in your living room and ketogenesis in the kitchen.

以這個例子而言，你或許會將「糖酵解」收在你的客廳，「酮生成」則收在廚房。

Then you can mentally travel through your house to recall each room.

然後你就能在腦海回顧你的家，喚起收在每間房間的記憶。

Those who create memory palaces perform significantly better on tests than those who don't.

考試結果是，那些利用「記憶宮殿」的學生比其他學生要好很多。

And the reasons for this is that our visual and spatial memory is quite strong and connecting information to those already existing memories proves extremely effective.

背後的原因是，我們的視覺及空間記憶很強，而將訊息和我們固有的記憶聯想起來更是非常有效。

You should also use mnemonic devices wherever possible.

你也應該試著用順口溜。

Trying to memorize the Kreb's Cycle?

需要背下克雷布斯循環嗎？(克雷布斯循環：有氧呼吸的第二階段。)

Take the beginning of each product, and make a sentence out of it!

取出每個流程的名字開頭，用它們造句！

"Can I keep singing songs for my Oscars?''

「我能夠為了奧斯卡繼續唱歌嗎？」(C-I-K-S-S-F-M-O)

You can also create rhymes or songs.

你也可以利用押韻或是歌曲。

This method has been proven in several studies as a way of committing information to memory.

許多研究都已證實，這個方法的確有效幫助記憶。

And the weirder you make them, the better!

而且聯想得越奇怪，效果越好！

Now, does your exam prep include rereading your notes and text book?

你準備考試的方式是不是重讀筆記和參考書呢？

You're not alone - but you should cut it out!

很多人都這樣做，但這樣其實沒什麼效果！

A study had participants read an educational text.

一項研究要求受試者閱讀一篇教育性文章。

One group was then instructed to reread the text a second time where the other group only read it once.

其中一組受試者要讀兩次，另一組則是只讀一次。

They were then tested through multiple choice, short-answer questions, and text summaries to gauge their ability to retain the information.

然後他們同樣接受了多選題、簡答題和文章概述的考試，藉此測量他們記憶訊息的能力。

The experimenters found no significant differences in performance between the two groups, suggesting that rereading provides no clear benefit.

實驗發現，兩組之間並無明顯差異，所以光靠閱讀顯然沒什麼助益。

And while we know exams are stressful, put some energy into de-stressing while studying and during your exam.

還有，雖然考試讓人壓力山大，但在準備考試期間記得適時抒壓。

Stress causes your body to release adrenaline, increases your heart rate, and can make you sweat.

壓力會使你的身體釋出腎上腺素，增加你的心率，使你流汗。

And about 20 minutes after feeling stressed, your body undergoes a delayed stress response, releasing the hormone cortisol.

在高壓狀態下 20 分鐘後，你的身體會有延遲性壓力反應，釋出皮質醇荷爾蒙。

Cortisol attaches to receptors on the hippocampus, which is a seahorse shaped region of your brain that is part of the limbic system.

皮質醇會被上海馬迴的受器接收，那是你大腦邊緣系統中，一個長得像海馬的部位。

And it's the hippocampus that's responsible for turning short-term memories into long-term memories.

而海馬迴正是負責把短期記憶轉成長期記憶。

But when cortisol binds to the hippocampus, it impairs retrieval of memory.

但是當海馬迴遇上皮質醇，記憶的接收能力就會耗損。

Therefore if you are stressed, you will have a more difficult time recalling information during an exam.

因此，在壓力之下，你在考試的時候就會很難喚起記憶。

So take some deep breaths!

所以深呼吸吧！

But just "turning off" stress is easier said than done.

不過「放輕鬆」這句話說比做容易。

That's why you need a study technique that is stress proof.

這也是為什麼你要有一個不會受壓力干擾的讀書技巧！

Scientists recommend testing yourself!

科學家建議你考考自己！

Practice tests are not only a scientifically-supported means of improving memory recall, but they stand up to stressful situations.

科學認證，「練習考試」不只幫助你喚起記憶，而且能抵抗受壓狀態。

Scientists found that when individuals used practice tests and were put into a stressful situation, they performed as well on tests as those who didn't have any stress stimulus.

科學家發現：受試者先行練習考試後，就算面臨許多壓力，考試結果還是和那些沒有任何壓力的受試者一樣好。

FMRI studies have also found that practice tests increased the hippocampus ability to connect to other regions of the brain.

核磁共振研究也發現：「練習考試」提升海馬迴連結大腦其他部位的能力。

So even though cortisol may impair some pathways, studying with practice tests creates new paths to route around blockages.

所以即使皮質醇會來壞事，「讀書時練習考試」卻能夠幫助另闢途徑、不受干擾。

Feeling distracted?

覺得容易分心嗎？

Try a mini workout!

試著做些小運動！

Studies show that those who've worked out for 15 minutes and then complete a memory task complete tasks significantly faster than those that haven't exercised.

研究發現：考前運動了 15 分鐘的人，要比那些沒有運動的人要快完成考試。

Even a simple walk can make a difference.

即使只是簡單散個步也有作用。

But you also need to take a minute and think about the way that you personally study best!

但你也該停下來想一下，哪一種讀書方式才是最適合自己？

Metacognition is the analysis of one's own learning or thinking processes.

「後設認知」意指針對個人學習或是思考過程的分析。

Studies have found that students who have poor metacognitive skills, meaning they lack awareness of assessing their own strengths and weaknesses, perform worse on tests.

研究發現：那些不擅於評估自己優勢及劣勢的學生，考試的結果也比較糟。

So look inward on ways you have been effective before and implement those strategies.

所以回顧一下，自己過去用哪個方法讀書很有效？然後利用那些技巧。

If you know that studying solo works best for you, skip out on the cramming session with your classmates. It is crunch time after all!

如果你知道自己最適合一個人讀書，那你就別參加同學的讀書團了吧！畢竟那可是關鍵時刻！

There's also one other really important distinction to make: are you cramming late into the night because you know very very little about the topic for your upcoming exam?

還有另一個很重要的差別：你因為不知道考試要考什麼，讀書讀到熬夜嗎？

Or are you hoping to perfect an already strong base of knowledge?

或者，你希望就靠自己已經很扎實的知識基礎？

If you've already studied, GO TO SLEEP!

如果你已經讀過書了，快去睡覺！！

There is more than a century's worth of research concluding that sleep is essential for memory retention.

上百年來研究都指出：要維持記憶，睡眠是關鍵。

But if you really only can spare a few minutes to sleep, consider rocking.

但如果你在考前真的只有幾分鐘可以睡，試試看「搖搖入睡」。

That's right.

你沒聽錯。

A recent study found that participants who slept on a bed engineered to gently rock were able to fall asleep more quickly, sleep more deeply, and perform better on memory tests the next morning.

近期一項研究發現：在會微微搖動的床上睡覺的受試者，比較快入眠而且睡得更深沉，隔天的記憶考試也表現得比較好。

So rockabye baby really works!

所以搖搖入睡真的有用！

Of course, if you want to avoid cramming next time and get ahead, or even just learn something completely new, be sure check out our sponsor The Great Courses Plus, which is a subscription on-demand video learning service with lectures and courses from top professors from around the world!

當然啦，如果你下次考試不想再抱佛腳，想要遙遙領先，或是學一些新知識，記得去瞧瞧我們的贊助者 The Great Courses Plus，這是一個訂閱的學習串流平台，包含來自世界各地上百位教授的多種課程！

Looking for more tips to get the most out of your mind?

想要知道更多活用腦袋的方式嗎？

We would recommend "Optimizing Brain Fitness" taught by Professor Richard Restak, which includes 12 lectures, including how to feed your brain, enhance your working memory and practice for peak performance.

向你推薦 Richard Restak 教授的《大腦樂活健身》課程，總共有 12 堂，內容包含如何讓大腦吃得健康、提升工作記憶，還有練習出色表現。

With a library of over 11,000 video lectures about anything that interests you... science, math, history, literature, or even how to cook, play chess, or become a better photographer, it's an amazing service.

擁有超過 11000 堂課程，肯定有你會喜歡的！海納科學、數學、歷史、文學，甚至是教你煮菜、下棋、拍照，真是厲害的平台！

The Great Courses Plus is giving our viewers a FREE trial.

The Great Courses Plus 提供給我們觀眾免費試用。

You can show your support for AsapSCIENCE by visiting TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/ASAPScience.

支持我們的頻道，前往 TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/ASAPScience！

Use link in the description below to start your free trail today.

按下底下描述欄的連結，今天就開始你的免費試用。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos every Thursday.

也別忘了訂閱我們，每週四收看最新的科學影片哦！