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Number and rhyme techniques

Use the number-rhyme technique to peg information in list form as suggested in Mind Tools Opens in a new window, a bit like hanging clothes with clothes pegs on a washing line. You tag numbers to this particular list of words because they rhyme, and then you attempt to link the words in some way to the information you need to remember.

Lateral thinking brainteasers

The next step is to link these image numbers to the material or items you have to remember. To find out how this works, look at an example of this memory number-rhyme technique from Mind Tools Opens in a new window.

  1. Bun
  2. Shoe
  3. Bee
  4. Paw
  5. Hive
  6. Bricks
  7. Heaven
  8. Gate
  9. Line
  10. Hen

The example uses a chronological list of ten Greek philosophers Opens in a new window, but you could use it to remember any particularly difficult list like the names of theories or of theorists, or artistic movements.

I have problems with my short-term memory and I found the only way I could remember to take my library books back was that every time I'd go to carry my backpack to go to uni I'd ask myself if I had any books to return. It worked every time.
— John
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