Reading and Memory

I have a quite poor memory. I try to make connections while I read and retain information, but I find it hard to do so because my memory isn't strong enough. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to become a better reader and improve my short term and long term memory, or memory in general?

The key for me was making what I was reading about interesting to me and relevant to my life. If I am having trouble with a subject, I do a lot of research about it on the Internet, wandering around at will, until I hit upon things that make sense to me and connect with my life or interests. Sometimes I "ignore" the school readings or just skip around in them, preferring to get a larger picture by a whole lot more Internet research. Ask and answer your own questions, "imagine" what it was like to be someone living under "those" conditions (history, social science, etc.) See if you can tie two of your subjects together (write an English assignment about a history subject you are studying also) and put any "people" in their historic perspective, "ground" them. If you have science or math problems, see if you can make them concrete; write about them, draw their structures, model them, go outside and observe them, whatever you need to do to connect as many of your senses together to help your memory.

I have to summarize what I am reading by putting each paragraph or two into my own words either in computer notes, notebook paper, or in the margins of the book (for books you plan on keeping, and yes, I know this is a sacrilege to some). I also can catch it immediately, if I don't understand something. That way I can I can clarify it in the moment by looking up more information online, as Perna suggests, and put this in my notes too where it is pertinent.

This takes more time but I also then have a condensed summary to review for tests, only having to go back to the book to look at graphs and images if applicable.

I don't know if this might help but knowing how poor my memory is, once I started doing this, as well as what Perna suggested above, made a huge difference in my retention.