Help and advice on how the test works.
There are two stages.
Stage 1 : Memory Commit
You get to see 12 images, words, numbers or statements. Some of the statements contain multiple elements of information. For example, 'John walked the dog to the park'. You need to try and memorize all aspects of this. Who did the walking ? Who did John walk with ? Where did John walk to ? Clearly, it's best if you don't go writing things down as while that might help your memory, it wouldn't be much of a test of memory.
Stage 2 : Memory Recall
To make things easier and to make it work on a computer screen test a little better, the answers are multiple choice. As there are a limited number of answers then statistically, you might get an answer right simply by guessing. The other problem with multiple choice is that it tends to 'jog' your memory increasing the performance of memory statistics. However, it make the test easier to take.
Yes. The quicker you move through the 12 items you need to memorize and the quicker you take the stage 2 multiple choice, the higher your score. Note that we time each individual item not the entire lot. Which means if you want to spend a very long time on one item, it won't have a huge effect on your overall score as each item/question is reviewed separately.
At the end, you get a percentage to rate how well you did and a comparison to see how you compare. It seems easy, but it's not !
Generally, anything over 70% on the memory test is considered a good score. The average varies but it does run between 50-60%. Clearly, it is possible to get 100% if you work very quickly and get everything correct. If you are getting a lower score then have a read through ways to improve my memory.
You only need to memorize 12 items but there are more than that in the system. If you take the test again, you might get a few of the same items again but you should get a different selection which allows you to take the test a few times. We decided on twelve items from running the test many times with more and with less. We found that in some cases by the time item number 12 had been seen, many people were struggling to remember what the first ones were ! So by making it shorter, it would have helped but that's not really the point of the test.
Yes. At the end of the test alongside your memory score, you will also get a list of the items you didn't get correct. If you want to play the test a few times then we would recommend that you don't look at these. By taking time to view them at the end of the test you will have considered them for longer. If you see them again during the test this will have helped and the time aspect will not play such an important part in calculating your memory score.