Two ways into the same idea
Your memory can store an idea as words and also as an image. When you have both, you get two separate ways back to it. If the words slip, the picture may still be there, and the other way around. Pairing an explanation with a simple visual is one of the more reliable ways to understand and remember new material.
The key is that the picture shows the same idea as the words. A cute stock photo next to your notes does not count. A diagram of how blood moves through the heart, placed next to a few lines explaining it, does.
Pick a visual that fits
Different kinds of information have different shapes. Match the visual to the shape:
- Timelines for events in order, like history or the steps of a project.
- Flowcharts for processes and decisions, like how a bill becomes law.
- Labeled sketches for parts of a thing, like a cell or a bike.
- Simple charts for numbers and how they compare.
You do not need to be good at drawing. Boxes, arrows, and stick figures are enough. Neatness matters much less than whether the drawing shows how the parts connect.
Draw your own
Looking at a good diagram helps. Making one yourself often helps more. To draw it, you have to decide what the main parts are and how they link. That is real thinking, and it is a lot like the why and how questions from the last lesson.
A useful habit is to close the book and try to sketch the idea from memory. Then open the book and compare. The gaps in your drawing show you what to review.
What about "visual learners"?
You may have heard that people are visual, auditory, or hands-on learners, and that you learn best when lessons match your type. This idea is very popular, but it is not well supported by research. People do have preferences, but teaching to a preferred style has not been shown to improve learning.
The good news is simpler. Nearly everyone learns better from words and pictures together than from words alone. So you do not need to know your type. Just use both.
Try it
Take one page of notes from something you are learning. Without looking at the source, draw a simple diagram, timeline, or flowchart of the main idea in five minutes. Then check it against your notes and fix anything you missed.