Mnemonics

Having discussed the types of knowledge, below are the guidelines to knowledge
acquisition that emerged from how knowledge is represented and organized.
First: Process the material semantically
Knowledge is organized semantically and thus, knowledge acquisition is optimized when
the learner focuses on the meaning of the new material.
For example: Which word fits the sentence: “He met a __________________on the
street?” Is it (a) friend or (b) tree?
According to Fergus Craik and Endel Tulving, words processed semantically are better
learned than words processed phonemically or structurally.
Second: Process and retrieve information frequently
To test and retrieve information numerous times, retrieving and self-producing can be
contrasted with simply reading or copying it. The so-called generation effect has shown that
passively studying items by copying or reading them does little for memory in comparison to
selfproducing, or generating, an item. Applying this to the academic setting, this principle points to
the need for frequent practice tests, worksheets or quizzes.
Reflection Journal
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Third: Learning and retrieval conditions should be similar
How knowledge is represented is determined by the conditions and context in which it is
learned, and this in turn determines how it is retrieved. Information is best retrieved when the
conditions of learning and retrieval are the same. This is known as encoding specificity.
Encoding specificity is important in terms of the questions used to test memory or
comprehension. Different types of questions tap into different levels of understanding. For
example, recalling information involves a different level of understanding and mental processes,
than recognizing information. Likewise essay and open-ended questions assess a different level of
understanding than multiple-choice questions. Essay and open-ended questions generally tap
into a conceptual or situational understanding of the material, which results in the integration of
text-based information and the reader’s prior knowledge. In contrast, multiple-choice questions
involve recognition processes, and typically assess a shallow or text-based understanding. A textbased
representation can be impoverished and incomplete because it consists only of concepts and
relations within the text. The level of understanding likely developed by a student preparing for a
multiple-choice examination with open-ended or essay questions.
Fourth: Connect new information to prior knowledge
Knowledge is interconnected. As such, new material that is linked to prior knowledge will
be better retained. A driving factor in text and discourse comprehension is prior knowledge. Prior
knowledge helps the reader to fill in contextual gaps within the test and develop a better global
understanding or situation model of the text.
Fifth: Create cognitive procedures
Procedural knowledge is better retained and more readily accessed. Hence, one should
develop and use cognitive procedures when learning information. Therefore, one should develop
and use cognitive procedures when learning information.
Procedures can include shortcuts for completing a task as well as memory strategies that
increase the distinctive meaning of information like mnemonics.

Mnemonics are strategies considered as memory aids that provide a systematic approach
for organizing and remembering facts that have no apparent link or connection or their own. It
provides tools necessary to memorize and recall almost any information by providing ready-made,
effective cues for retrieving information. Many mnemonics rely on making a word or phrase out
of the first letters of items in a list. Other mnemonics use rhymes, music or other devices to help
students access information. One example is the word identification strategy to identify
unknown words. The steps are remembered using the first-letter mnemonic, DISSECT.

D-discover the context

 I-isolate the prefix
 S-separate the suffix
 S-say the stem
 E-examine the stem
 C-check with someone; and
 T-try the dictionary
Another example is R-O-Y-G-B-I-V which represents that spectrum of colors in the color
wheel. Thus:
 R-red
 O-orange
 Y-yellow
 G-green
 B-blue
 I-indigo
 V-violet
Let’s Try. Now, it is your turn to create your own mnemonics. There is nothing to stop you
using them for learning fact and dates, for memorizing lists of notable people in the arts, sciences,
philosophy, medicine, politics, or any other field. In fact, you can use it for making a list of things
you regularly have to be able to recall, such as items you might need on a grocery list. On this
score, make a mnemonic of the things that you will need when shopping at a grocery STORE.

Reflection Journal

I learned the following from this chapter.

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I was particularly interested in the subtopic
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I want to learn more about
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