April 2010

At this time of examinations, I thought this word may be useful.  A mnemonic (pronounced ni-mon-ic), is a pattern of letters or words used to help you remember something.  It often involves a rhyme of some kind: we all remember "Never eat shredded wheat" for the points of a compass (north, east, south, west).  This is one that everyone knows, but you can make ones up for yourself, perhaps involving the names of family, or friends.  For example, the Malay word for friend is "kawan"; if you have a friend called Cowan you could remember the Malay word by associating the two. 

Little rhymes help.  What if you were trying to remember some Russian vocabulary? The Russian word for knife is "nozh."  What about this? "Eat your nosh (food) with a knife."  The Russian word for brother is "brat." I am guessing, but I think we could all remember "my brat of a brother"!  Longer patterns can also be used: "So bark a number of dogs" for "sobaka" which is Russian for "dog."

I don't have a great memory, and am always jealous of those who can recite long poems, or speeches from Shakespeare.  I have never been able to do it.  Even my favourite speeches from Shakespeare fade.  That one from King Lear when he is out in the storm - "Poor naked wretches, wheresoever thou are, that bide the pelting of this pitiless storm...I have taken too little care of this...Take Physic Pomp...distribution should undo excess, and each man have enough."  Great words, but I would have to look up the rest.

Never mind. Here are my revision tips, for what they are worth.

Try to condense your notes so that you are left looking at fewer pieces of paper the closer you get to the exam.

Mind maps.  Mind maps.  Mind maps.

When on study leave make sensible use of your time: up reasonably early; get some fresh air (walk, jog, offer to go for pint of milk); be at your desk before 10am; work in sessions.  Do something completely different at some point in the day: read a book, play football, play the guitar, ride your horse, or (if you must!) have a game or two of FIFA 10.

Good luck!

(Thanks to the late Anthony Burgess for some of the language examples).