Being good at memorisation will definitely assist students in their studies and exams. There are some questions that require students to regurgitate formulas or definitions, and these do not require much understanding.
How big of a function does having good memory play in doing well for Chemistry exams?
Some of us believe that Chemistry has a 50-50 chance that memorisation is required to answer questions in the school exams, as there are many chemical formulas and expressions as well as the different colours that are exhibited when it comes to chemical reactions that result in pH changes. I will say that the percentage is around there because students cannot escape the need for memory work in every topic covered in both O and A level Chemistry. They have to memorise names of compounds, the different kinds of chemical reactions produced and etc.
Other ways to help improve my memory of Chemistry lessons?
However, one work around to aid students in trying to remember accurately is to create mindmaps or summary table or list so that students can capture the essential information that is easy to look through in one glance. Visual diagrams or the referencing of commonly seen questions are also other ways to help student to consolidate the huge amount of information that they need to take in.
Having these visual aids and tools are handy when students need to revise for their exams. Students can start to create a rudimentary mindmap or summary table first and slowly add in new information as the Chemistry school lessons proceed over the course of the school year. That would allow students to slowly build up their treasure trove of compilation materials that will prove useful leading up to their national exams. Students will also benefit a lot if they constantly go over Chemistry problems, either by topic or in an exam style format.
Sometimes, some Chemistry tuition classes will also incorporate some of these elements into their lessons and help students to compile the necessary information if students feel lost or do not know how to start with the process of creating their own study tools.
At the end of the day, there is no shortcut in terms of trying to remember the different terms and formulas by heart. Having a good memory does help in the process but students still need to put in sufficient amounts of time to memorise the Chemistry materials. The only “shortcut” here is to create visual aids and summary tools that students compile along the way so that they do not have to rely solely on textbooks which will look daunting after the school syllabus has been completed.