We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

What Is the Best Way to Retain Information While Studying?

Updated: Jun 07, 2020
Views: 1,917
Share

This article is written in a font, or typeface, that is meant to be easy to read, but if we really wanted you to remember everything, we might want to switch to "Sans Forgetica." The new font, invented by a team from Australia's RMIT University, is based on design and psychological principles of memory and retention. But how is it possible for a font to help you remember?

It might seem counterintuitive, but Sans Forgetica was created with the intent of being somewhat difficult to read, including leaving gaps within the letters. According to typography lecturer Stephen Banham, there's method to the madness. "The mind will naturally seek to complete those shapes and so by doing that it slows the reading and triggers memory," he said. The font came out of a study that employed approximately 400 students. They ended up recalling 7 percent more of the text they read in Sans Forgetica than in Arial. Janneke Blijleven, a senior marketing lecturer, said the font creates a good "memory trace," which makes it ideal for studying but not for long reads. A novel written in Sans Forgetica "would probably produce a headache," Banham said.

Facts about fonts:

  • Steve Jobs built many early computer fonts and named them after cities he loved, including Toronto, Chicago, Geneva, and Venice.
  • Vincent Connare created the much-maligned Comic Sans, but only used it once, to send a complaint about his broadband service.
  • To compare fonts, many people type the word "Handgloves."
Share

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By anon1003235 — On May 25, 2020

An increase of 7% does not seem worth all the effort.

Share
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-is-the-best-way-to-retain-information-while-studying.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.