Memory techniques and mnemonics

In short: Mnemonics are memory aids that make information easier to remember, often through images, stories or associations. They have been used since antiquity and are still used in memory sports today.

In more detail: The brain remembers unusual, vivid and emotionally charged content better than abstract facts.

In detail

• Method of loci: Information is mentally “placed” at known locations along a route.
• Acronyms: The first letters of several terms form a memorable invented word.
• Mnemonic rhymes: Rhymes or sentences that help recall the correct order or meaning.
• Story method: Terms to be remembered are linked into a coherent, often absurd story.
• Number memory systems: Numbers are translated into letters or images to make them easier to retain.
• Repetition: Mnemonics do not replace repetition but strengthen the initial memorisation.
• Application: Especially useful for vocabulary, facts and sequences (lesegeschwindigkeit-und-schnelllesen).