• Home
  • Courses by Subject
    • Accounting
      • Accounting
      • Bookkeeping
      • Payroll
      • Xero
    • Administration
      • Administration
      • Business Administration
      • Medical Secretary
      • Personal Assistant
      • Secretarial
    • Animal Health & Wellbeing
      • Animal Care
      • Dog Grooming
      • Vet Assistant
      • Zoology
    • Building & Construction
      • Construction
      • Landscaping
    • Business & Finance
      • Banking
      • Business
      • Business Communication
      • Business Management
      • Consultancy
      • Excel
      • Finance
      • Logistics
      • Sales
      • Supply Chain Management
      • Trading
    • Design
      • Gardening
      • Graphic Design
      • Interior Design
      • Web Design
    • Digital Skills
      • Analytics
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing
      • CompTIA
      • CompTIA A+
      • Computer Science
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Cyber Security
      • Data Science
      • Ethical Hacking
      • IT
      • IT Support
      • Networking
      • Penetration Testing
    • Ecology
      • Sustainability
    • Education
      • A-Level
      • GCSE
      • Teaching
      • Teaching Assistant
    • Fashion & Beauty
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Massage
      • Nail Technician
    • Health & Safety
      • Construction Health & Safety
      • Work Health & Safety
    • Healthcare
      • Care
      • Childcare
      • Counselling
      • Criminal Psychology
      • Health
      • Healthcare Management
      • Mental Health
      • Nursing
      • Nutrition
      • Personal Training
      • Psychology
      • Public Health
      • Social Care
    • Hospitality & Events
      • Event Management
      • Floristry
      • Hospitality
      • Wedding Planner
    • HR
      • CIPD
      • Human Resources
      • Learning & Development
    • Law & Justice
      • Criminology
      • Forensic Science
      • Governance
      • Law
      • Legal
    • Management & Leadership
      • Agile
      • Change Management
      • Leadership
      • Lean Six Sigma
      • Management
      • Operations Management
      • Personal Development
      • PRINCE2
      • Project Management
      • Quality Management
      • Real Estate
    • Marketing & Communication
      • Digital Marketing
      • Marketing
      • Media
      • Music
      • Public Relations
      • Social Media Marketing
    • Microsoft
      • Microsoft
      • Microsoft Azure
    • Programming
      • App Development
      • Cisco
      • Cisco CCNA
      • Coding
      • Programming
      • Python
      • Software Development
      • SQL
      • Web Development
    • Tourism
      • Travel & Tourism
    • University
      • Business Management
      • Business
      • Criminal Psychology
      • Criminology
      • Finance
      • IT
      • Law
      • Marketing
      • Psychology
    • Blended
    • In-class
    • Online
    • A-Level
    • Advanced Certificate
    • Advanced Diploma
    • Award
    • Bachelors
    • CertHE
    • Certificate
    • Certified
    • CPD
    • Diploma
    • ELCAS
    • Extended Diploma
    • Foundation
    • GCSE
    • Level 1
    • Level 2
    • Level 3
    • Level 4
    • Level 5
    • Level 6
    • Level 7
    • Level 8
    • LLB
    • LLM
    • Masters
    • MBA
    • MSc
    • Postgraduate
    • Practitioner
    • Short
    • Undergraduate
    • University
  • Courses by Providers
    • Acudemy
    • Avado
    • BARBRI
    • Brunel University London
    • CIPP
    • Course2Career
    • DLC Training
    • DPG
    • e-Courses4you
    • Hudson
    • ICS Learn
    • Institute of Supply Chain Mana
    • International Career Institute
    • ITonlinelearning
    • Learning People
    • London College of Contemporary Music
    • London School of Business and Finance Online
    • Next Level Impact
    • Online Courses Learning
    • Open Study College
    • Samuel & Co
    • The Career Academy
    • TPT Consultancy & Training
    • University College of Estate Management
    • University of Essex Online
    • University of Liverpool Online
    • University of Roehampton Online
    • Walbrook Institute London
    • How To Become
    • Career Advice
    • Study Tips
    • Quizzes
    • Resources
    • Industry Insider
  • Top Courses
  • Become a Partner
  • Contact us
  • The Workforce Training Hub
 

Published 19 Nov 2018

How Mnemonics Can Save You Study Time

by CoursesOnline Contributors

Browse Courses Today!

Mnemonics are learning techniques designed to improve memory retention. They are highly effective for making new information relevant and will speed up your revision sessions.

How Do Mnemonics Work?


Otherwise known as a ‘memory device’ or ‘memory aid’, a mnemonic (pronounced with a silent m) is a tool that makes use of anything from images, codes, songs, rhymes to help you remember a set of arbitrary information. As memory aids, they are particularly useful for memorising new things, long lists or a specific set of data. You will have already used mnemonic devices during your education without realising!


You probably remember from primary school many funny phrases that generated acronyms such as:

  • Never Eat Shredded Wheat

    North East South West

  • Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain

    Colours of the spectrum

  • My Very Excited Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies

    Order of planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

  • May I have a large container of coffee?

    The value of Pi: The number of letters in each word form the numerals of pi = 3.1415927

You may also recognise short songs such as:

  • ‘I can sing the rainbow…’

    For remembering rainbow colours.

  • Days of the month

    Thirty days hath September/April, June and November/All the rest have thirty-one/except February alone/which has eight and a score/until leap year gives it one day more.

The Mnemonic technique is not just for primary school and early learning, but for life. Used for any field, from music, languages to physics, mnemonic devices help improve memory by making associations in your mind.

They are also amazing for quickly triggering and unlocking long-term memory. This is where stubborn pieces of information are kept and buried in the past. You don’t need to remember the whole system. Just thinking about the beginning of a song or rhyme will help bring back the rest or most of it in a matter of seconds. This is what’s called the successful transfer of artificial memory to natural memory. Natural memory is part of your instinct and can be recalled automatically. Only certain sets of information make in the natural memory bank. The rest get placed in long-term memory and need to be trained to be part of natural memory. Using mnemonic devices are the most effective method for this form of memory training.

Applying Mnemonic Techniques


The great thing about mnemonic devices is that you can customise them whichever way you want. By connecting chunks of information to a phrase, colour or image that is relevant to you makes it more meaningful and enjoyable. You will form closer, more personal and emotional links with your field of study. It will become a part of you and your educational growth.

There are many other easy mnemonic methods that can improve your learning experience:

  • Mind-maps and Peg Lists

    These will make texts and data more visual! If you are having trouble memorizing from the page, it could be that you are more suited to a visual style of learning. Too many letters and numbers can pile up and become one big mass of information. Transforming your work into one or multiple diagrams of your choice will help you recall it in fast-paced scenarios like a timed exam.

  • Shape Systems

    When compiling notes, you can attribute a topic, theme or even a number with shapes. This will help you sort through them mentally when the document is unavailable. Commonly used shapes are candles and swans (usually denoting the numbers 1 and 2).

  • Body Parts

    Using the body is a mnemonic technique with proven results. By turning your information into something solid and tangible it no longer exists as an abstract thought, but as a real thing. The ‘knuckle strategy’ is a well-known tool for remembering the calendar. The knuckles represent the months with 31 days, while the dips in between the finger joints represent the months with 30 days (and February with 28 days).

  • Imagination

    Applying mental scenarios and auditory markers to words and phrases is a great way to remember. This is easier than it sounds as many connections happen naturally. For example, the French word for ‘winter’ is ‘hiver’, which sounds like ‘shiver’, which can be connected to the cold. This makes it much easier to recall. You can relate your own past events to new information. For example, if a description in a text sounds like a recent holiday, you can connect the two thoughts so whenever you think of one you will be able to recall the other easily. This will make the recognition quicker as it is personal and has the back-up of another layer of memory to bolster new retention.

If your current study techniques are failing you, introduce mnemonic devices into your revision session.


Memory aids will make arbitrary information more visual and meaningful. With mnemonics, you will memorise with skill using personally customised tools to help you think faster and learn more effectively.

With science-backed learning tools at your disposal, you’re equipped to learn anything.

Explore our extensive list of courses and find your next qualification.

Browse Courses Today!

Enjoy this article?

Subscribe now to receive articles like these straight to your inbox
CoursesOnline Contributors

Navigator Illustration
Not sure which course to choose? Let us recommend the best courses to suit you!
gator tooltip icon
Our course navigator helps refine thousands of courses into a personalised list that suits you. Click to answer each question, so we can provide you with the best possible courses, tailored to your preferences.
Not sure which course to choose? Let us recommend the best courses to suit you!

Try our navigator tool and find the right course.

Start Here
Navigator Illustration

Related Articles


How Soft Skills Can Get You a Job

Why are soft skills the most valuable skills you can develop...

Claudia Reiners
Jul 3, 2018
Read More

Home Learning – The Brilliant Study Solution For Young Mums

Read on as we explore the benefits of home learning. Traditi...

CoursesOnline Contributors
Jul 10, 2018
Read More

Study Tips: Science Backed Ways to Study Effectively

So you've set up your ideal study space, perfected your time...

Claudia Reiners
Aug 28, 2018
Read More

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get expert advice, insights, and explainers on tricky topics — designed to help you navigate your learning journey with confidence.

By submitting this enquiry I accept the "Privacy Policy" and "Terms of Use"
  • Popular Subjects
  • Qualification Type
  • How to Become
  • Bookkeeping
  • Computer Science
  • Counselling
  • Hair & Beauty
  • Human Resources
  • IT
  • Networking
  • Payroll
  • Psychology
  • University
  • Web Development
  • View More
  • Advanced Diploma
  • Bachelors
  • Certificate
  • Diploma
  • ELCAS
  • Foundation
  • Level 2
  • Level 3
  • Level 4
  • Level 5
  • Level 7
  • Masters
  • MBA
  • MSc
  • Postgraduate
  • Short
  • Undergraduate
  • A-Level
  • Award
  • University
  • View More
  • How to Begin a Career in IT
  • How to Become a Bookkeeper
  • How to Begin a Career in Trading
  • How to Become a Change Management Consultant
  • How to Become a Cloud Architect
  • How to Become a Construction Health & Safety Officer
  • How to Become a Cryptocurrency Expert
  • How to Become a Forensic Scientist
  • How to Become a Financial Modeller
  • How to Become Java Certified
  • How to Become a Leadership Coach
  • How to Become a Manager
  • How to Become a Mentor
  • How to Become Microsoft Certified
  • How to Become a Psychologist
  • How to Become a Public Health Consultant
  • How to Become a Software Developer
  • How to Become a Software Tester
  • How to Start Your Career in Human Resources
  • How to Become Xero Certified
  • View More

Newsletter sign up

We'll email you updates on job trends, career advice, study tips, news and more.
Courses
  • All Courses
  • Online Courses
Education Providers
  • Our Providers
Resources
  • Our Blog
  • How to Become
About us
  • About CoursesOnline
  • FAQs
Contact us
  • Advertise your course
  • Become an Affiliate
Privacy Policy Terms of Use
Certified B Corporation
Tafecourses Facebook Tafecourses LinkedIn Tafecourses Instagram
Certified B Corporation
Copyright © 2025 Coursesonline.co.uk
All Rights Reserved.
Back to Top

Newsletter Sign Up

We’ll email you updates on job trends, career advice, study tips, news and more.

By submitting this enquiry I accept the "Privacy Policy" and "Terms of Use"

Coursesonline.co.uk uses cookies. By continuing you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more.

GDPR - Logo
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Additional Cookies

This website uses additional cookies to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Cookie Policy

More information about our Cookie Policy