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Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory is the brain's durable storage system, holding information beyond the roughly 30-second window of working memory. Material reaches long-term memory only if it has been encoded well, and retrieval from long-term memory depends on both the quality of the encoding and how recently and often the material has been retrieved before.

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Related Terms

Working Memory
Working memory is the brain's real-time processing system, responsible for holding and manipulating new information as it's encountered. It has a hard capacity ceiling — approximately five to nine…
Encoding
Encoding is the process by which information moves from working memory into long-term memory, where it can later be retrieved. Encoding quality depends on what the learner *does* with the material —…
Retrieval
Retrieval is the act of pulling stored information back into working memory for use. Every act of retrieval strengthens the memory trace — which is why testing outperforms re-reading, and why…

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