Article: Make sure that you are using an up to date map to study. Look for maps on reputable, regularly updated websites online, and print one out if you prefer to study a paper map. Otherwise, consider buying a new map to study at an office supply store, book store, or online. For instance, visit the National geographic website at http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/maps for accurate, up-to-date world maps. To keep from being overwhelmed, focus on only one or two continents at a time while studying. Trying to cover the entire map at once will break up your concentration and make memorization more difficult. If necessary, cover the parts of the map you are not concentrating on to keep your eyes focused. For example, devote each day of the week to studying one of the seven continents: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America (including Central America) and South. Isolate the countries that you have trouble remembering and give them extra attention when studying (e.g. note the other countries and bodies of water surrounding them). Make a list of all of the countries that you make three or more guesses about without getting the right answer. When testing yourself, make a point to identify the countries you have difficulty remembering first, rather than the ones you recognize easily. To reinforce your knowledge of where countries are located on a world map, quiz yourself alphabetically. Choose a continent and try to name each country in it in alphabetical order. By making the studying process more complex, you will sharpen your focus on the material and challenge yourself more thoroughly. It can also be helpful to have a friend or family member quiz you, which can be more challenging. They don't have to quiz you alphabetically. Instead, they could ask a question like, "Which countries border Laos?" or "What's the southernmost country in South America?" Use new stories and global current events to contextualize the countries you are trying to place. For instance, look up and memorize countries that are currently in the headlines to get a better sense of the geographical context of those news stories. Alternatively, if there are countries that you are having trouble memorizing on the world map, search them in Google News to get more information about them and create stronger mental associations. Mnemonic devices are silly phrases or rhymes that help you remember the order of things. They don't have to make sense, and sometimes if the phrase is really wacky it is easier to remember. Try creating mnemonic devices to remember the order of certain countries from north to south or west to east. For instance, a mnemonic device used to list the countries in South America from north to south is: Baby Goats Eat Ham, Not Cold Peanuts. The phrase provides the first letter of each country (Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama).
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Use an up-to-date map. Go by continent. Prioritize countries you have trouble identifying. Quiz yourself alphabetically. Tie in current events. Create a mnemonic device.