Not only is my short-term

memory horrible, but so is 

my short-term memory.

             ~ Anonymous

To remember new information, you need to link it to something you already know. Memory works a lot like a filing cabinet, where similar information is organized together. 

A young child learns that an animal with 4 legs, a long tail, and a head with ears and is called dog. Later, he sees a similar animal and calls it dog. However, the new animal goes "moo" instead of "woof," so the child learns that an animal with 4 legs, a long tail, and a head with ears that goes "woof" is dog. And his brain adds a new folder for the word cow.

The brain is constantly being bombarded with sensory stimuli--what you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. If our brains allowed us to recognize all of those sensory stimuli all of the time, we would be so overwhelmed with the details of everyday life that we would not be able to function. So our brains filter the information, only letting through what is most important.

Then the real work begins. Unfortunately, a second filter is prevents information from moving from short-term memory into long-term memory. Repetition is one of the keys, but meaningful repetition is the primary focus. You are more likely to remember something that is meaningful to you. When you manipulate concept in a variety of ways, the neural pathway to the correct filing cabinet (and the correct drawer and folder) are strengthened, making it easier to remember the information. However, strengthening these pathways takes time and effort. Working within your preferred learning style (e.g., visual, auditory, kinesthetic, multimodal) helps!

Consider this simplified drawing of how memory works: Memory Cycle