This is probably the right crowd to ask: all the memory techniques that I have seen seem to be for memorizing sequences. Are there any techniques for remembering factual information more powerful than SRS? Like for the main points of a technical paper or similar?
A: Ironically, not much better than when I started this whole journey. The techniques I learned, and used in the memory contest, are great for remembering structured information like shopping lists or phone numbers, but they don't improve any sort of underlying, generalizable memory ability. Unfortunately, I still misplace my car keys.
SRS seems to be the right answer for increasing the long term recall of just about anything. For main points of a tech paper, you could probably use the link method to associate a strong image for each of the main points in the technical paper and then link them.
Then you could pump those images into your SRS system for review.
You can find info on the web about link methods and recall, or you can just grab Higbee's "Your Memory : How It Works and How to Improve It" from Amazon. I found old copies pretty easily in university libraries as well.
