7 mnemonic rules to study effectively

Studying can be difficult if you have to memorize items without context or associations. Check out these techniques to make it a little more efficient and bearable.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid rough memorization of some parts of the notes. The good news is that There are many mnemonic rules to study and save cognitive effort at the same time.

It is not necessary to suffer while you learn. Ensuring effective memorization and saving time will not only leave you more free moments, but will also reduce anxiety at exam time. Therefore, don’t miss any of these tricks to retain information; I’m sure some will work for you.

What is a mnemonic rule?

A mnemonic rule is a short phrase, artificially constructed, that serves to remember concepts easily. It is based on the tendency we have to better remember what is novel or unusual. Therefore, if you manage to construct a sufficiently extravagant phrase, it is very likely that you will have no problems remembering it.

Mnemonic rules to study better

That said, let’s go with some techniques to build these rules that help you remember what you absolutely have to memorize. Don’t miss any.

1. Relate numbers and letters

This rule is useful when remembering dates and numerical data. It consists of making a sentence where each word has the same letters as each of the numbers. For example, if your bank code is 2256, you can create this sentence: “It’s(2) a(2) cute(5) kitten(6).” If you remember it, you will only have to count the letters in each word.

2. Convert

This is one of the mnemonic rules to study that is a little more complex, but very beneficial when remembering figures that have no associated concepts and creating passwords. It involves replacing each number with a letter that looks similar. An example of this would be 8470, which could be transformed into “CAT”.

3. Take the first letter

One of the most popular mnemonic rules to study is that of take the first letter of a list of words to memorize and form a sentence with them. Below is an example.

You have to memorize the main rivers of Spain: Miño, Duero, Tajo, Ebro, Guadiana, Guadalquivir, Júcar and Segura. Therefore, you have the letters MDTEGGJS.

It could be transformed into “Deep Inside You Are Guardiola and Goya Playing Solitaire.” In this way, the phrase is easy to remember because it is extravagant. You would only have to pay attention to the first letters to remember the rivers.

4. LOCI method

Although this method is more complex than the previous ones, some people find it very successful. To carry it out, physical places are related to the list of items that must be remembered.

Imagine that you have to memorize a succession of kings. To use the LOCI method, take your school as a reference, for example. From that point, each new king in the line of succession would be a different location; Let’s say, in this case, the stops on the subway line to your house.

As a curiosity, this technique It is also used to help recover self-affirming and positive information in people with depression, notes an article in Clinical Psychological Science.

5. Chain syllables

This method is similar to taking the first letter of each word, but using relevant syllables instead. It is beneficial for remembering associations and norms. One of the most famous examples is the one used in chemistry: “When the BEAR blows the whistle, PerICO blows the whistle.”

With this formula, it is easy to remember that acids with a name ending in “bear” form salts that end in “ite.” Acids ending in “ico”, on the other hand, form salts with an “ate” ending.

6. Stimulate creativity

Another one of these rules to memorize will require some imagination. For those people who are easy to remember by associating concepts and giving meaning to sequences, this is one of the favorable ones.

It consists of creating a short story with the concepts to memorize. Thus, context and emotionality are added to raw data. If you link a list of names of historical figures to a scene in an office, for example, it will be easier for you to come up with the words by remembering that story.

7. Make up words

If you have trouble remembering the stories you produce or the words you link to items, this mnemonic will solve those problems. Just put together the first syllables from the list that you have to memorize and build a word with them.

An example: do you have to memorize the noble gases? Helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon and oganeson. Try HENEARKIP XERAOGA. The atypical nature of the word will help you retain it better.

Do mnemonic rules help you study less?

Yes and no. On the one hand, they will help you retain more quickly, but they do not replace the rest of the study techniques. Its usefulness lies in giving meaning and notoriety to data that must be retained without context or association, but memorizing notes is not enough to acquire knowledge. The objective is to settle data in memory that is recoverable in the long term.

Therefore, do not forget that the best way to study is to combine the techniques that work best for you, organize your time well and keep your physical and mental health in an optimal state. Good luck with those hours that pass between notes.