Mnemonics: Beyond lol, omg, and wtf

As my students gear up for (read: freak out over) their upcoming first lab practical exam -- an experience in which they must identify labeled bone specimens while I time them -- they are memorizing, memorizing, memorizing. Some use flashcards, some rewrite their notes, some test each other. I think some just sit and cry.

Meanwhile, on my facebook page this week, I had two separate friends who don't know each other post complaints/questions/observations about the abbreviations we all have come to use in our emails, fb posts, tweets, and txts. One friend used an abbreviation -- SMH -- that a whole bunch of people didn't know. I didn't know it either until he wrote it out: Shaking My Head.

The second friend was lamenting the general loss of punctuation that has come along with so many LMAOs CUs and ROFLs.

It has all brought to mind an old trick used in many fields to remember seemingly random collections of terms: the mnemonic device.

Named for the Greek Titan goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, a mnemonic device often takes the first letter of each word that must be memorized and turns that word into another word starting with the same letter. You string the words together in a sentence. Most people try to make the sentence funny; then it's easier to remember. Then, when you remember the sentence, you should, in theory, then recall the original words. Here's an example:

Dr. Coco says, "For the lab practical, you must know the 8 carpal bones (the bones of the wrist). They are arranged in 2 rows of 4 bones each. Their names are, in order, from thumb side to pinky side, and starting with the proximal (closer in to the body) row: Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetrum, Pisiform, Trapezium, Trapezoid, Capitate, Hamate."

Student says, "WTF?"

Dr. Coco says, "The textbook gives this mnemonic: Sally Left The Party To Take Carmen Home."

Student says, "That makes sense."

Dr. Coco says, "But I can never remember the names of these people, so I have a better one: Scared Lovers Try Positions That They Cannot Handle."

Student says, "But that makes no sense. If they're scared, why would they try a new position?"

Dr. Coco says, "Touche. Point well-taken. Maybe they're Super Lovers. Or Sad Lovers. Or maybe they're still Scared, but they Try stuff They Can Handle. Just don't substitute Stuff for Positions That. Get it?"

Student says, "WT... OK, I just made one up, and it's better because it actually has to do with anatomy: Stop Letting Those People Touch The Cadaver's Hand!"

Dr. Coco says, "Wow, that is good. I'm gonna write it down."

I really did have a lab group in my current class at Santa Monica College come up with that last one and present it to the class. Quite clever. I'm adding it to the list for next semester. They had to repeat it a few times for me to write it down, and then I was unable to remember it after class. That's the problem with mnemonics, for me at least. I can never remember the sentence that is supposed to trigger my memory!

Some people do really well with mnemonics, but not me. So... what's a girl to do?

I'll tell you what a former -- and outstanding -- student of mine did. This student, Antranik, already had a blog when he started my class a year ago. He didn't want to stop writing, so he added an anatomy category to the blog, and he basically rewrote his notes on my lectures and posted them. So cool! Several of his classmates found those posts useful for their studying. Then he wrote a separate post all about study skills, and here's the link:

http://antranik.org/10-study-tips-and-skills-thatll-bring-out-the-genius-in-you/

Now, I'm serious, he did really well in my class. Legally, I can't tell you exactly how well. And I do not grade on a curve or any such thing. But it would behoove you to at least take a gander at his study tips and his anatomy notes. BTW he's got Physio, Bio, and Pharm categories under the Sciences tab, so if you need those, check them out.

Ultimately, each person has to figure out how their own brain processes information -- and retains and recalls it. Some people are visual learners, some are auditory. Some need both types of input. I always have a collection of phones on my desk recording my lectures, but at West LA College this semester, one student is actually videotaping the lectures because he needs to see me talking when he listens to the recorded lectures. Some people are kinesthetic learners and do better when they physically rewrite their notes, sometimes over and over, and then see their own handwriting. Whatever it takes.

The bottom line is, PTYS (play to your strengths) DWYGD (do what you gotta do) and DWJD (don't whine, just do). I made those up. But I believe in those things, especially the DWJD one.

And I'm still waiting for the interpretive dance version of those 8 carpal bones.

                                                       We can't remember a thing with our heads cut off!
     http://www.freeimageslive.com/galleries/buildings/abstract/pics/museumpiece03376.jpg


ADDENDUM TO THIS POST:
A former -- and also successful -- student of mine commented below and included a link to a Berkeley student's blog that had some study tips. Her link didn't hyperlink, so I'm doing that here:

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~calblog/wordpress/2012/08/29/study-tips-from-jade/