When to use Mnemonics | University College

Using Mnemonics to Remember Information

Why It Matters?

The point of studying is to learn - and remember - information. Many strategies exist for effective studying - one strategy is to use mnemonic devices. This strategy involves the use of words, imagery, even rhymes to reorganize and condense information so it is easier to remember. Researchers think they work well because they tap into how the brain naturally stores data. In one research study, mnemonic devices were found to be a very efficient way to learn - people using them learned procedures much more quickly.

How/When To Use?

Mnemonic devices are best used to remember long lists of pieces of information, or unrelated pieces of information. These strategies include:

Acronyms	Using the first letters of a list of items to form a word. Example: “HOMES'' - to remember the names of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior)
Acrostics	Similar to acronyms, but use the first letters to form new words that can be combined into a sentence. Example: “My Very Educated Mother Just Sent Us Nachos” to remember the order of the planets (Mars, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
Associations	Link new information to something you already know. Example: To remember the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, picture an “e-manual” open on your screen, and a plate of macarons next to the computer.
Songs & Rhymes	Set the information needed to a song or rhyme. Example: “i” before “e” except after “c,” or if sounded like “a” as in “neighbor” and “weigh.”
Method of Loci	Imagine the items in an area you frequent. Example: to remember the 4 causes of the Great Depression, imagine walking into your bedroom and seeing 4 model cars crashing on the floor (stock market crash), a stack of someone else’s money on the desk (buying on margin), 4 duplicates of your laptop (overproduction), and a dead plant (agricultural decline). The sillier the images, the easier to remember!
Chunking	Dividing a list of numbers into smaller “chunks.” Example: phone numbers - xxx-xxx-xxxx, your student ID number.

Action: You may want to start with something simple, like remembering someone’s name by associating it with someone/something familiar to you. You may also find it easy to memorize your student ID number by chunking it. Then, review your classes for the ones that require you to memorize lists, procedures, pieces of something larger, charts, etc. Find a topic you’re currently studying that requires memorization and choose one of the mnemonic devices to help you. With time and practice, you’ll discover which device works best for you with which kind of information.

Using Mnemonics to Remember Information

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