Page 32 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power

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Tester: read and understand this section (until “end of All tests”) before actually giving the test.

List-Learning Test (brief version of standard tests)

The tester needs a pencil and paper, and access to a watch or clock.

The tester gives the subject the following instruction: “I am going to read you a list of words.
Listen carefully because when I'm through I want you to tell me all the words I read to you. The
order in which you repeat the words does not matter. Are you ready?”

The tester then reads the following list of words in a normal conversational voice at a steady pace,
clearly pronouncing all the words.

cry step load
plate pound shirt
hip blank queen
fold gift teach

Immediately after reading this list, the tester says, “Now tell me every word in the list that you
remember.”As the subject recites the words, the tester checks them off against the list above. The

tester scores the number of words correctly recalled. Near misses (for example, jacket instead of
shirt or toad instead of load) are scored 0, and all other errors also get a 0. There is no minus
scoring for wrong words (no penalty).

Number of words correctly recalled: _____

(range 0 to 12)

Then the subject is distracted (e.g., with conversation or by doing chores or other tasks) for the
next fifteen minutes. Then the tester asks how many words the subject remembers from the original
list of words. Using the same rules (near misses and wrong answers each get 0) as with the initial
presentation, the number of words correctly recalled is noted.

A key factor in this test is that the subject should not be given a warning that the list of words will
need to be recalled fifteen minutes after the initial presentation.

End of All Tests