The three fundamental principles underlying the use of mnemonics are:

Working together, these principles can be used to generate powerful mnemonic systems.

Association: is the method by which you link a thing to be remembered to a method of remembering it.

Things can be associated by:

1. being placed on top of the associated object
2. crashing or penetrating into each other
3. mergeing together
4. wrapping around each other
5. rotating around each other or dancing together
6. being the same colour, smell, shape, or feeling

Whatever can be used to link the thing being remembered with the image used to recall it is the association image. For example, linking the number 1 with a goldfish.

Imagination is used to create the links and associations needed to create effective memory techniques - put simple, imagination is the way in which you use your mind to create the links that have the most meaning for you. The more strongly you imagine and visualise a situation, the more effectively it will stick in your mind for later recall. Mnemonic imagination can be as violent, vivid, or sensual as you like, as long as it helps you to remember what needs to be remembered.

Location provides you with two things:

Location provides context and texture to your mnemonics, and prevents them from being confused with similar mnemonics.

Visual Learners: relate most effectively to written information, notes, diagrams and pictures. Typically they will be unhappy with a presentation where they are unable to take detailed notes - to an extent, information does not exist for a visual learner unless it has been seen written down. This is why some visual learners will take notes even when they have printed course notes on the desk in front of them.

Visual learners make up around 65% of the population.

Auditory Learners: relate most effectively to the spoken word. They will tend to listen to a lecture, and then take notes. Often information written down will have little meaning until it has been heard, it may help auditory learners to read written information out loud. Auditory learners may be sophisticated speakers, and may specialise effectively in subjects like law or politics.

Auditory learners make up about 30% of the population.

Kinaesthetic Learners: learn effectively through touch, movement and space, and learn skills by imitation and practice.

When you are creating a mnemonic, e.g. an image or story to remember a telephone number, the following things can be used to make the mnemonic more memorable:

• Use positive, pleasant images. The brain often blocks out unpleasant ones
• Exaggerate the size of important parts of the image
• Use humour. Funny or peculiar things are easier to remember than normal ones
• Similarly rude or sexual rhymes are very difficult to forget!
• Symbols (e.g. traffic lights) can be used in mnemonics
• Vivid, colourful images are easier to remember than drab ones
• Use all the senses to code information or dress up an image. Don't forget that your mnemonic can contain sounds, smells, tastes, touch, movements, feelings as well as pictures

 The important thing is that the mnemonic should clearly relate to the thing being remembered, and that it should be vivid enough to be clearly remembered whenever you think about it.

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