What are some methods used for remembering information?

One way that many find helpful is creating mnemonics. A mnemonic works by associating whatever you're trying to learn with something that's already easy to remember. For example, the sentence "Every good bird does fly" is a mnemonic for the lines on the treble clef: EGBDF. On their own, they're relatively meaningless letters, but when they're associated with a meaningful sentence, they're much easier to remember. Another mnemonic is the word "Fast"--it describes things to check for in the case of a stroke (Facial droop, Arm drift, Slurred speech, Time).

Another thing that helps is to repeat what you're trying to memorize over and over, or write it over and over a line at a time until it's memorized. It can be particularly useful to do these things before bed, as "sleeping on it" can actually help you to remember.

Another method some people use is creating a visual image in their head of the item they're trying to remember. For instance, if you were trying to remember a grocery list, you would number the items on your list. Then, for each number, you would think of something you could easily remember visually; for instance, the number 1 looks like a candle stick, so a candle would be a good visual image for the number 1. Then, you'd create a picture in your head involving the number and whatever item is first on your list--the stranger, the better, because unusual things are easier to remember. Let's say the first item was milk. You could picture a farmer trying to milk a cow by candlelight and tripping, spilling the milk. Or you could imagine using milk to put out a candle because the faucets are suddenly running milk. Whatever comes to mind that you'll be able to remember later.

First answer by Kjps. Last edit by Kjps. Contributor trust: 62 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 16 [recommend question]