I know, I know.
But someone searched this. Seriously.
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Monday, January 28, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Does Writing Really Help You Remember?
Yes.
That said, I can think of at least three different things this question might mean. Fortunately, the answer to each is the same--at least in the short form. It does, or at least it can.
If you mean, "Will writing something down soon after the fact help you remember it later?" my experience definitely says yes. I was an avid journaler from the age of nine into my twenties, and I definitely find that reading my old journals brings back memories--not just flat stories that I can remember happening, but actual visual, experiential memories. Whether or not the act of recording itself helps afix something in your mind, I'm not certain. But it seems likely, because of the second kind of writing to remember that springs to mind--the kind you do when you're studying or trying to memorize a speech. Recreating your notes or reformatting them into an outline is a great way to help information seep into your brain and take hold.
The third possible meaning is a bit different (and I'm a bit less certain about the answer), but I still think the answer is yes. That's writing to remember something that you've already forgotten. For instance, can journaling help one to recall childhood incidents that have been buried, or just plain slipped away? Can writing down as much detail as you DO recall about a crime or an accident help to recreate the scene in your mind in order to fill in the blanks? I think so. And I think psychologists think so.
Which brings us right back to where we began. Does writing really help you remember? Yes, it can.
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
That said, I can think of at least three different things this question might mean. Fortunately, the answer to each is the same--at least in the short form. It does, or at least it can.
If you mean, "Will writing something down soon after the fact help you remember it later?" my experience definitely says yes. I was an avid journaler from the age of nine into my twenties, and I definitely find that reading my old journals brings back memories--not just flat stories that I can remember happening, but actual visual, experiential memories. Whether or not the act of recording itself helps afix something in your mind, I'm not certain. But it seems likely, because of the second kind of writing to remember that springs to mind--the kind you do when you're studying or trying to memorize a speech. Recreating your notes or reformatting them into an outline is a great way to help information seep into your brain and take hold.
The third possible meaning is a bit different (and I'm a bit less certain about the answer), but I still think the answer is yes. That's writing to remember something that you've already forgotten. For instance, can journaling help one to recall childhood incidents that have been buried, or just plain slipped away? Can writing down as much detail as you DO recall about a crime or an accident help to recreate the scene in your mind in order to fill in the blanks? I think so. And I think psychologists think so.
Which brings us right back to where we began. Does writing really help you remember? Yes, it can.
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
What is the French Word for White?
Blanc or blanche, depending upon whether the noun modified is masculine or feminine. This seems to be a fairly pressing issue out there, since I've gotten about a dozen unique hits to RockStories on variations of this question over the past couple of weeks. The only single question that brings more traffic is "5000 words is how many pages?"
This seems like a good opportunity to once again offer a few tips on effective web searching. You see, it's very unlikely that a web page that offers the answer to this question will contain the text "What is the French word for white?", yet when you enter that text, that's what Google (or Yahoo, or MSN, or whomever you've chosen to use) goes looking for. In fact, it's likely that there are very few web pages anywhere in the world that use the phrase "What is the French word for white?" That may be why the people asking this question keep landing on my writing blog, which does NOT contain the answer to their question (but which does contain a post that uses both the phrase "french word" and the word "white").
I just searched the phrase "is the french word for white" (in quotes) and turned up numerous useful responses. Because, after all, that EXACT PHRASE is part of the sentence, "Blanc is the French word for white," and THAT'S the sentence we were looking for.
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
This seems like a good opportunity to once again offer a few tips on effective web searching. You see, it's very unlikely that a web page that offers the answer to this question will contain the text "What is the French word for white?", yet when you enter that text, that's what Google (or Yahoo, or MSN, or whomever you've chosen to use) goes looking for. In fact, it's likely that there are very few web pages anywhere in the world that use the phrase "What is the French word for white?" That may be why the people asking this question keep landing on my writing blog, which does NOT contain the answer to their question (but which does contain a post that uses both the phrase "french word" and the word "white").
I just searched the phrase "is the french word for white" (in quotes) and turned up numerous useful responses. Because, after all, that EXACT PHRASE is part of the sentence, "Blanc is the French word for white," and THAT'S the sentence we were looking for.
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
What Does the Catechism of the Catholic Church Say that Dogs Go to Heaven?
The Catholic church (like, I believe, all mainstream Christian religions) teaches that only human beings have immortal souls. The Catechism says "Of all visible creatutes only man is 'able to know and love his creator.' He is 'the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake,' and he alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God's own life. It was for this end that he was created and this is the fundamental reason for this dignity." (356)
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
Do You Have to Know How to Write Good to Blog?
I found this post over at Wingnut SEO; it's definitely in the spirit of this blog, both in that the question was pulled from search stats and in the tone of the answer, which is both tongue-in-cheek and factual at the same time. Check it out: Do You Have to Know How to Write Good to Blog?
Another adventage to posting this link: Wingnut said s/he wasn't in the top 50 search results for this term, but now that s/he's used that phrase in a post title and I've used it in a text link, that may all change. And you all know how I enjoy random search traffic outcomes.
What's wrong with Cinderella, anyone?
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
Another adventage to posting this link: Wingnut said s/he wasn't in the top 50 search results for this term, but now that s/he's used that phrase in a post title and I've used it in a text link, that may all change. And you all know how I enjoy random search traffic outcomes.
What's wrong with Cinderella, anyone?
Wondering what the heck this is all about? Visit What's This Blog All About, Anyway?
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