ABSTRACT
Memory is an intimate part of who we are. Most of our knowledge of memory comes from experiments. This chapter addresses what an experiment is and how it compares with other types of data collection. It examines various methods of memory research. The chapter looks at the learning situation, followed by tasks that can be used to test memory contents and structure. It considers issues of conscious introspections. During learning, it is possible to manipulate not only what a person is doing but also the nature of the information itself. Along with each of these methods, the chapter also looks at some basic, well-established principles of memory whose discovery can be attributed, at least in part, to these methods. For those interested students, ways of calculating some memory measures, perhaps for a laboratory section or a research project, are provided.
