The process of using memory is as natural as breathing, however many processing processes are required for us to function properly. The journey that information takes as it is processed into memories is complex and involves many stages. This article will look at the concepts of short-term and long-term memory. The two concepts generally accepted as existing are short-term memory and long-term memory. As the names suggest, these stores will hold memories for a short period of time or for a longer period. Long-term memory is the storehouse of experiences and knowledge that we acquire throughout our lives. The warehouse is believed to have unlimited space and the memories stored within it are much more durable than those stored in short-term memory. Long-term memory is thought to store remembered information in episodic or semantic memories. Episodic memories would be those in which the individual remembers events. The sights and smells of Christmas, or the memory of events in which he or she played a crucial role for a sports team would both be episodic. Semantic memories, on the other hand, would not have as much contextual information involved. A person's memory of multiplication tables or the knowledge needed to drive a car would be semantic memories. Using both types of memory, we can store important moments in our lives vividly, so that the memories that form our knowledge do not contain too much extraneous information (Terry, 2009). Short-term memory is in the storage capacity and duration of storage. Capable of memorizing a few characters for about fifteen seconds, it allows us to investigate the information we process and decide its greatest value. Items like a phone number for a support line we can only...... half of the document ......author. Over time, the author has discovered that when working to encode text-based information there needs to be audible information in the background to allow better focus on the text-based material. In this test, the information that was successfully encoded was easily recalled. By looking at the stages and segments involved in long-term and short-term memory it becomes easier to see how difficulties in encoding, processing, or storing memories can occur. While it may seem relatively easy to remember, it is ultimately a rather intricate process. Works Cited Sarkar, S. (2007). Memory, phonological circuit and speech perception. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/365065/memory_phonological_loop_and_lingual.html?cat=4Terry, W.S. (2009). Learning and memory: Basic principles, processes, and procedures (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon