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How Mnemonics Help
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Mnemonicsarememorytools that can help you learn or remember information more easily.
One of the most common examples of a mnemonic device is the “A-B-C-D…” song, which helps us learn the English alphabet. Another common example of a mnemonic device is the acronym “ROYGBIV,” which helps us remember the sequence of colors in a rainbow.
While songs and acronyms are two types of mnemonics, there are several other types as well. This article explores how mnemonics help with memory and the different types of mnemonics you can use.
Did You Know?The use of mnemonic devices to store information is believed to go back to the ancient ages. The Greek poet Simonides is credited with first discovering mnemonics, or the ancient art of memory, in 447 B.C.
Did You Know?
The use of mnemonic devices to store information is believed to go back to the ancient ages. The Greek poet Simonides is credited with first discovering mnemonics, or the ancient art of memory, in 447 B.C.
How Do Mnemonics Help With Memory?
Mnemonics can help your memory in a variety of ways:
Different Types of Memories
Types of Mnemonics
Listed below are some of the different types and examples of mnemonic devices.
Musical Mnemonics
You may not remember even one pageful of words from your favorite book, but you probably remember the lyrics to dozens of songs. That’s becausemusiccan be an effective tool when it comes to learning and recall.Advertisers know this, which is why they use catchy jingles to promote products.
These are some examples of musical mnemonics:
Rhyme Mnemonics
Like songs, rhymes and poems are also catchy and make it easier to remember information, due to the use of repetition and rhyming words.
For instance, the “‘I’ before ‘E,’ except after ‘C,’ or when sounding like ‘A’ as in ‘neighbor’ or ‘weigh’” spelling rule helps us remember the correct order of the letters “I” and “E” in different types of English words.
Or the next time you’re trying to remember the number of days in each month, try this rhyme mnemonic:
“30 days hath September, April, June, and November.All the rest have 31.Except February, my dear son.It has 28 and that is fine.But in a leap year it has 29.”
Acronyms and Acrostics
These are among the most common types of mnemonics. To form this type of mnemonic, the first letter of each item in a list is used to form a word (an acronym) or a phrase (an acrostic).
These are some common examples ofacronymsthat function as mnemonic devices:
Is an Acronym the Same as a Mnemonic?Some acronyms are mnemonics. However, all acronyms are not mnemonics and all mnemonics are not acronyms.
Is an Acronym the Same as a Mnemonic?
Some acronyms are mnemonics. However, all acronyms are not mnemonics and all mnemonics are not acronyms.
These are some common examples of acrostics:
NASA has a handytoolthat you can use to create your own acrostics.
Keyword Mnemonics
Keyword mnemonics involve using keywords and visual cues to create association and cue yourmemory.
These are some examples of keyword mnemonics:
Try making your own keyword mnemonics for anything else you need to remember. They can be particularly helpful while learning words in aforeign language.
Spelling Mnemonics
Spelling mnemonics can help you spell out difficult words. These are some examples of spelling mnemonics:
You can make your own spelling mnemonics for words that you struggle to spell. In fact, research shows us that using mnemonic devices can help improve your vocabulary.
Alliteration Mnemonics
You can use alliteration mnemonics to keep track of names, dates, or other important information.
You can use mnemonics to remember all kinds of information, such as the dates of historical events, the laws of physics, or the names of your colleagues. Mnemonics can also keep you fromforgettingsomething important you need to keep track of, like passwords or the list of groceries you need to buy.
If you’re trying to learn a specific piece of information, you can check if there are existing mnemonics for it online. For instance, if you’re trying to memorize the year that Christopher Columbus set sail, there is already an existing rhyming mnemonic for it: “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”
Alternatively, you can choose to make your own mnemonics. A 2022 study found that making your own mnemonics can improve your chances of remembering the information because the association holds more meaning for you.
Why Can’t I Remember My Dreams?
7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patten BM.The history of memory arts.Neurology. 1990;40(2):346-352. doi:10.1212/wnl.40.2.346West N.Mnemonics are useful memory tools in modern medicine.Ugeskr Laeger. 2014;176(50):V66204.Knott D, Thaut MH.Musical mnemonics enhance verbal memory in typically developing children.Front Educ. 2018;3. doi:10.3389/feduc.2018.00031University of Central Florida.Nine types of mnemonics for better memory.Cirigliano MM.Musical mnemonics in health science: a first look.Med Teach. 2013;35(3):e1020-e1026. doi:10.3109/0142159X.2012.733042Ghoneim NM. Elghotmy H.Using mnemonic strategies to improve primary stage pupils' vocabulary learning and retention skills.Res J of Eng Lang and Lit. 2395-2636.Tullis JG, Qiu J.Generating mnemonics boosts recall of chemistry information.J Exp PsycholAppl. 2022;28(1):71-84. doi:10.1037/xap0000350
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patten BM.The history of memory arts.Neurology. 1990;40(2):346-352. doi:10.1212/wnl.40.2.346West N.Mnemonics are useful memory tools in modern medicine.Ugeskr Laeger. 2014;176(50):V66204.Knott D, Thaut MH.Musical mnemonics enhance verbal memory in typically developing children.Front Educ. 2018;3. doi:10.3389/feduc.2018.00031University of Central Florida.Nine types of mnemonics for better memory.Cirigliano MM.Musical mnemonics in health science: a first look.Med Teach. 2013;35(3):e1020-e1026. doi:10.3109/0142159X.2012.733042Ghoneim NM. Elghotmy H.Using mnemonic strategies to improve primary stage pupils' vocabulary learning and retention skills.Res J of Eng Lang and Lit. 2395-2636.Tullis JG, Qiu J.Generating mnemonics boosts recall of chemistry information.J Exp PsycholAppl. 2022;28(1):71-84. doi:10.1037/xap0000350
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Patten BM.The history of memory arts.Neurology. 1990;40(2):346-352. doi:10.1212/wnl.40.2.346West N.Mnemonics are useful memory tools in modern medicine.Ugeskr Laeger. 2014;176(50):V66204.Knott D, Thaut MH.Musical mnemonics enhance verbal memory in typically developing children.Front Educ. 2018;3. doi:10.3389/feduc.2018.00031University of Central Florida.Nine types of mnemonics for better memory.Cirigliano MM.Musical mnemonics in health science: a first look.Med Teach. 2013;35(3):e1020-e1026. doi:10.3109/0142159X.2012.733042Ghoneim NM. Elghotmy H.Using mnemonic strategies to improve primary stage pupils' vocabulary learning and retention skills.Res J of Eng Lang and Lit. 2395-2636.Tullis JG, Qiu J.Generating mnemonics boosts recall of chemistry information.J Exp PsycholAppl. 2022;28(1):71-84. doi:10.1037/xap0000350
Patten BM.The history of memory arts.Neurology. 1990;40(2):346-352. doi:10.1212/wnl.40.2.346
West N.Mnemonics are useful memory tools in modern medicine.Ugeskr Laeger. 2014;176(50):V66204.
Knott D, Thaut MH.Musical mnemonics enhance verbal memory in typically developing children.Front Educ. 2018;3. doi:10.3389/feduc.2018.00031
University of Central Florida.Nine types of mnemonics for better memory.
Cirigliano MM.Musical mnemonics in health science: a first look.Med Teach. 2013;35(3):e1020-e1026. doi:10.3109/0142159X.2012.733042
Ghoneim NM. Elghotmy H.Using mnemonic strategies to improve primary stage pupils' vocabulary learning and retention skills.Res J of Eng Lang and Lit. 2395-2636.
Tullis JG, Qiu J.Generating mnemonics boosts recall of chemistry information.J Exp PsycholAppl. 2022;28(1):71-84. doi:10.1037/xap0000350
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