Mnemonics is a technique to help you memorize information that otherwise would be hard to recall. The science behind it, according to the Alamo Colleges website article "Strategies for Success," is that it uses the way the brain works to "code" information for recall. Different techniques work better for different people and your individual brain patterns determine what works best, according to the article. Different people, for example, will find individual ways to remember the same telephone number. Some people may best employ visual anchors--images that symbolize information-while others may recall information using the sense of touch.
Acronyms
Mnemonics help students learn the order of the planets.
Creating acronyms customizes complex pieces of information, making them easier to recall. Most commonly used for lengthy names, acronyms can become words in their own right and most people use them everyday in conversation: The NFL-National Football League and SCUBA-Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Elementary school students use a popular acronym to remember the planets of the solar system in order: Mr. VEM J SUN (and his dog, Pluto) creates an effective way to recall Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (even though Pluto has been demoted). Create your own acronyms by using the first letter of each word in a phrase or name you need to remember.
Rhymes and Songs
A simple song helps children learn the alphabet.
Using rhymes and melody to recall information guides human memorization from the earliest stages. Use rhythm, rhyme and memory for rote memory rather than for comprehension, advises Intelegen, Inc., a company specializing in using brain waves to accelerate learning and ease stress. The alphabet song, for example, begins toddlers' entrance into the world of learning. Create your own lyrics to favorite songs using items you need to memorize for the most effective use of this technique.
Chunking
Chunking makes sense of strings of numbers such as telephone numbers.
The memorization technique called chunking provides a convenient way to remember numbers and other collections of information. Chunking stems from the idea that human short-term memory (STM) retains about seven items for about 30 seconds, according to a Palomar College's web pages on memory techniques. To remember a string of numbers with this technique, break the string into smaller chunks-such as pairs or trios. Chunk the numbers according to any pattern that works for you.
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