Mnemonic

A mnemonic (pronounced "nemonic") is a pattern that makes it easier to remember certain information. It may consist of words, letters, or images that represent more complex details.

For example, "Every Good Boy Does Fine," which helps music students remember the notes on the lines of the treble clef: E, G, B, D, and F. The name "Roy G. Biv" represents the order of colors in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Mnemonics are also used to remember technical concepts. For example, the phrase "Please Do Not Throw Sausage Pizza Away" represents the seven layers of the OSI model — Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application. Each word begins with the same letter as the corresponding layer, making the sequence easier to recall.

While phrases formed from initial letters are common mnemonic devices, mnemonics can also use rhymes, songs, poems, visual associations, and other memorable patterns. Some mnemonics form an acronym, while others create a sentence in which each word represents a separate item.

Why Mnemonics Work

Creating easily recognizable patterns makes it easier for the human brain to retrieve complex information. It organizes several details into a single mental "chunk," which reduces the amount of information that must be recalled separately. The more distinctive or imaginative the association is, the more memorable it may be.

Having a difficult time remembering something like a birthday or a password? Creating your own mnemonic might help.