Working memory is a term that refers to the area of memory that people utilize to solve problems and for active thinking, according to Purdue University-Calumet. An effective working memory is able to sort new information in a way that makes it easy to commit to long term memory. Several strategies for improving working memory involve the use of mnemonic devices.
Chunking
Chunking is a strategy in which an individual combines several pieces of new information into a single unit or chunk, according to Purdue University-Calumet. An example from Center for the Advancement of Teaching presents a sequence of 16 numbers: 1492177620041812. People may have difficulty remembering a series of random numbers, but by chunking the numbers into smaller pieces, people can find them easier to recall. Arranging the numbers as 1492, 1776, 2004, and 1812 chunks them into four units of four numbers each instead of one unit containing 16 numbers and presents them as years, which is a familiar concept.
First Letter Technique
The first letter technique involves creating a mnemonic device from the first letter of a series of items or pieces of new information. An example from Center For the Advancement of Teaching presents the name "Roy G. Biv" as a mnemonic device for remembering the colors of the spectrum, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. In this example, arranging the first letters of the colors into a name is a way of relating new information in the working memory with information in the long term memory.
Method of Loci
An example of method of loci from Center For the Advancement of Teaching asks you to place seven items into different rooms of a house. The seven items can be a birdcage, dollar, knife, pill, rain, shoe, skull, smoke and wrench. The areas of the house are the bathroom, bedroom, hall, kitchen and living room. You must then recall each of the seven items. The theory behind this exercise is that you will find it easier to remember the name of an item if you associate it with a certain room of the house. One way to do this is to use the first-letter technique, such as associating birdcage with bathroom or bedroom.
