ASSOCIATIONS AND MNEMONICS

Mnemonics are most useful for memorizing terminology and lists of facts, rather than concepts.

1. Use word mnemonics -- such as HOMES to remember the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior.
2. Use sentence mnemonics -- such as "Kings play cards on fairly good soft velvet." to remember the biological classification system: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species, variety.
3. Use mnemonics for spelling and for keeping terminology straight: A principal is a pal; a principle is a rule. Cyanates, I ate (harmless chemicals); cyanide, I died (poisonous chemicals).
4. To improve memory, add humor and an "off color" element to your memory device.