Don't try to memorize by swallowing the whole thing down in one gulp. How well you learn something, not how fast you learn it, is critical in comprehension. Therefore, it is important not to memorize by studying all the material at once. Experiment to see what time period is best for you. Something that doesn't make sense to you is hard to learn.
Some people find that reciting material to be learned helps make it more meaningful.
Vocalizing provides a kind of feedback as you say the words. It also forces you to organize the material in a way that is natural and easy to follow. Relate new information to something you already know. An isolated idea or fact is hard to remember. However, if you associate it with information with which you're already familiar, it will be more meaningful and thus easier to organize and remember.