Memory Aids
People find certain things harder to remember. Lists and Numbers are things people commonly stuggle with. There are a few techniques or "tricks" you can use to make this easier.
Acronyms.
Take the first letter of each word and make it into its own word. This can make more complex ideas easier to remember.
eg:
- CPU >> Central Processing Unit
- SOHCAHTOA >> Sine = Opposite / Hypotenuse, Cosine = Adjacent / Hypotenuse, Tangent = Opposite / Adjacent >> ( trigonometry , angles of right angled triangle, maths)
Mnemonics
Takes the idea of Ancronyms a step further and uses each letter to make a word that is easier to remember. Put the words into a funny phrase and it sticks.
eg.
Planets of the solar system
- My very eager mother just served us nine pizzas or
- My very eager mother just served us noodles
Mecury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, (Pluto)
Network Layer model for Computer Science
- A Tiny Nurse, Doctor Lewis?
Application, Transport, Network, Data Link
It is often best if you come up with your own Mnemonic - it makes it personal and easier for you to remember.
This approach can be used to help with spelling too.
Silly Songs.
This can build on mnemonics. For example spelling Mississippi.
- M I double S I double S I double P I
- or “Mrs M, Mrs I, Mrs S S I, Mrs S S I, Mrs P P I, Mississippi”
or these Physics formula song, and Quadratic equation songs.
There aren't a huge number for Computer Science, especially not at GCSE level and without the occasional swear word ..but you can always make up your own.
Remembering Numbers and Dates
Remembering numbers can be tricky so turn the numbers into words
The Spanish Armada was in 1588, It was an invasion by sea using ships so "A large invasion - Galleons!" Count the letters in each word : 1,5,8,8 which gives you your date. This one works quite well as it links back to the topic as well making it easier to remember.
When working in Hex your "column" headings are 1, 16, 256.. If you struggle remembering the 256 then "Go Count Digits". As Hex is a number system this ties in nicely.
Memory Walks / Memory Palace
This works around the idea of linking objects with the thing you are trying to remember. It can work really well with names. Some of you have probably played the name game where you name an object, or an animal starting with the same letter as your name eg Fiona Fox. The person then links the two things - the name and a mental image of a fox.
You can do this with other objects and make a story to "walk through" For example a hard drive...
There was a waiter who wanted to put memories in a storage box. He balanced everything on a shiny metal platter, on his right arm. Things kept sticking to the platter as it was magnetic. He stumbled and dropped everything and the platter broke and he lost all his memories.
You can do this with actual physical objects too rather than just imaging them. The story is easier to remember and gives you the key information you need.
