What Is Rote Memorisation?

Rote memorisation is when you learn something by repeating it again and again until your brain remembers it automatically.

Think of it like learning your times tables. You probably said "2 times 2 is 4, 2 times 3 is 6" over and over until you just knew it. That's rote learning. 

In this guide, we’ll take you through what rote memorisation is, and how you can use it to enhance your learning.

Key Takeaways

• Rote memorisation means learning information by repeating it over and over until it sticks

• It's brilliant for memorising facts, quotes, formulas, and dates you need to recall quickly

• It doesn't help you understand concepts deeply, so you need to combine it with other revision methods

• Works best when paired with techniques like flashcards, spaced repetition, and active recall

Rote Memorisation: A Simple Definition

Rote memorisation is different from understanding something. When you use rote memorisation, you're training your brain to recall specific information, word-for-word. You're not necessarily thinking about what it means or how to use it – you're just making sure you remember it perfectly.

Rote learning has been around forever. It's how people memorised poems, phone numbers, and religious texts before we had the internet to look everything up. And it still has its place in revision today.

How Does Rote Memorisation Work?

The basic idea is simple: repetition creates memory.

Every time you repeat information, your brain strengthens the connection to that memory. Eventually, the information moves from your short-term memory (where you forget things quickly) into your long-term memory (where it sticks around). Research shows (opens in a new tab) that these types of memory have different qualities: short term memories decay and can be of limited size, while long term memories are not limited like this. 

Common rote learning methods:

• Reading notes out loud over and over

• Writing the same information multiple times

• Chanting formulas or dates

• Using flashcards on repeat

• Copying key facts until you remember them

The more you repeat something, the easier it becomes to recall. Your brain starts recognising the pattern, and eventually you can retrieve the information automatically. We have a whole guide on how to use spaced repetition to maximise these benefits.

When Is Rote Memorisation Useful?

Rote learning isn't suitable for everything, but there are definitely times when it's exactly what you need.

Memorising Quotes for English Literature

If you're studying set texts like Macbeth or An Inspector Calls, you need specific quotes ready to use in your essays. Rote memorisation helps you learn these word-for-word.

How to use it:

• Write key quotes on flashcards

• Say them out loud repeatedly

• Test yourself by writing them from memory

• Link each quote to a theme or character

Once you've memorised the quotes through repetition, you can focus on understanding how to analyse them properly.

Learning Formulas for Maths and Science

You can't solve maths or science problems if you can't remember the formulas. Rote learning helps you commit them to memory so they're ready when you need them in exams.

Examples:

• Area of a circle: πr²

• Quadratic formula: x = (-b ± √(b²-4ac)) / 2a

• Speed = distance ÷ time

Write them out repeatedly, say them aloud, or create mnemonics to help them stick. Once they're memorised, you can practise applying them to different problems. Our guide to creating mnemonics will help you.

Remembering Key Dates in History or Facts in Geography

History and Geography exams often test specific facts, dates, and definitions. Rote memorisation is perfect for learning this kind of information.

What to memorise:

• Important dates (e.g. 1914 – start of World War One)

• Key definitions (e.g. tectonic plates, GDP, democracy)

• Place names and geographical features

• Historical events in chronological order

Once you've memorised the facts, you can focus on understanding cause and effect, making links between events, and writing strong exam answers.

When Rote Learning Isn't Enough

Rote memorisation has limits. It's brilliant for remembering facts, but it doesn't help you understand concepts or apply knowledge to new situations.

Where rote learning falls short:

• Understanding complex ideas: You can memorise what photosynthesis is, but that doesn't mean you understand how it works

• Problem-solving: Knowing a formula is useless if you don't know when or how to use it

• Essay writing: Memorising quotes is great, but you still need to analyse them properly in your answers

• Applying knowledge: Exams often test whether you can use what you've learned in new contexts, not just recall facts

This is why rote memorisation works best as part of a bigger revision strategy. Use it to lock in key information, then combine it with deeper learning techniques. Save My Exams Learning Hub has plenty of resources to help you get started. 

How To Make Rote Memorisation More Effective

If you're going to use rote learning, do it properly. These tips will help you remember information faster and make it stick longer.

Use flashcards for quick repetition

Write the question on one side and the answer on the other. Test yourself repeatedly. This combines rote learning with active recall, which is even more powerful. There are plenty of flashcard resources on Save My Exams.

Space out your repetition

Don't cram everything in one sitting. Review the information today, then again tomorrow, then three days later, then a week later. This is called spaced repetition, and it's scientifically proven to improve long-term memory.

Say it out loud

Reading information silently doesn't work as well as saying it aloud. When you hear yourself speaking, it creates another memory pathway in your brain.

Write it by hand

Typing is faster, but writing by hand helps your brain process and remember information better. Copy key facts, quotes, or formulas multiple times until they stick.

Test yourself regularly

Don't just read your notes over and over. Close your book and see what you can recall from memory. This forces your brain to actively retrieve information, which strengthens the memory. 

Mix rote learning with understanding

Once you've memorised something, take the next step. If you've learned a formula, practise using it. If you've memorised a quote, practise analysing what it means. Use our past papers or exam questions to test your application.

Rote Memorisation vs Active Recall: What's the Difference?

These two techniques sound similar, but they work differently.

• Rote memorisation is about repetition. You read, write, or say something over and over until it sticks. It's passive – you're feeding information into your brain.

• Active recall is about testing yourself. You try to retrieve information from memory without looking at your notes. It's active – you're pulling information out of your brain.

Both are useful, and they work brilliantly together.

How to combine them:

1. Use rote memorisation first to learn key facts (e.g. repeat a quote ten times)

2. Then use active recall to test yourself (e.g. close your book and write the quote from memory)

3. Repeat this process using spaced repetition over several days or weeks

This combination is much more effective than rote learning alone. You're not just memorising – you're training your brain to recall information under pressure, which is exactly what you need in exams.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Downsides of Rote Learning?

Rote learning is great for memorising facts, but it has some clear weaknesses.

It doesn't help you understand concepts deeply. You might remember that mitosis happens in cells, but if you've only used rote learning, you won't understand the actual process. It's also easy to forget information learned through rote memorisation if you don't keep reviewing it. Without understanding to back it up, the memory fades quickly.

Finally, rote learning doesn't teach you how to apply knowledge. Exams often ask you to use what you've learned in new ways, and rote memorisation alone won't prepare you for that. The solution? Use rote learning for memorising key facts, then pair it with deeper study techniques.

How Can I Memorise Things Faster?

Speed up your memorisation by using multiple techniques at once.

• Say information out loud instead of just reading it silently. Write it by hand rather than typing. Create visual images or silly stories to link facts together (this is called mnemonics).

• Test yourself regularly instead of just re-reading notes. Your brain remembers things better when it has to work to retrieve them.

• Break information into smaller chunks. Don't try to memorise an entire essay or chapter at once. Focus on one key fact, date, or quote at a time.

• And finally, space out your revision. Studying for 20 minutes every day is far more effective than cramming for two hours the night before.

What's the Best Way To Learn Quotes for English Literature?

Start by choosing your quotes carefully. You don't need to memorise the entire play – just pick 2-3 key quotes for each character or theme.

• Write each quote on a flashcard with the speaker and context on the back. Say the quote aloud repeatedly until it feels natural.

• Test yourself by trying to write the quote from memory. Check for accuracy – getting even one word wrong can lose you marks.

• Link each quote to a theme, character, or analytical point. This helps you remember not just the quote itself, but how to use it in essays.

• Review your quotes using spaced repetition. Go over them today, tomorrow, then again in three days, then a week later. By exam time, they'll be locked in your long-term memory.

Final Thoughts

Rote memorisation definitely has its place in revision. It's perfect for learning facts, quotes, formulas, and dates that you need to recall quickly in exams.

Rote learning works best when it's part of a bigger strategy. Don't just repeat information mindlessly. Combine it with understanding, active recall, and spaced repetition for maximum impact.

Use rote memorisation to lock in key information. Then take the next step – understand what it means, practise applying it, and test yourself regularly.

When you get the balance right, you'll remember more, understand deeper, and perform better in exams. 

References

What are the differences between long-term, short-term, and working memory? - PMC (opens in a new tab)