The Psych Files Podcast » Mnemonics

Episode 96 (video): The Phonetic Alphabet Part 2

Michael — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:52:42 +0000

In this video you’ll learn exactly how the phonetic alphabet system works. In the last episode you saw me memorize – almost perfectly – a list of 20 top sci-fi movies. How did I do it? I’ll show you how each number becomes a letter, each letter becomes a word and each word becomes an image that will help you memorize just about any size list. Skeptical? You won’t be after seeing exactly how the phonetic alphabet works.

Resources on the Phonetic Alphabet System

Here is a Word document which contains all the information on the phonetic alphabet you saw me show in the video (and contained in the image below).
Here’s an image containing the words and images I used in the video:

Episode 95 (video): Advanced Mnemonics: The Phonetic Alphabet Part 1

Michael — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:40:02 +0000

Did you know there’s a mnemonic device that is more powerful than the "One is a bun" pegword mnemonic? It’s called the Phonetic Alphabet. This is a system you can use for lists that have more than 12 items. In this video I show you how the phonetic alphabet system works. Every number becomes a letter and a concrete word that you can visualize to help you remember a list of any length. See how to put mental imagery and your memory to work in this video.

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Episode 32: Mnemonics and Two Keys to Learning

Michael — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 21:24:37 +0000

To learn or not to learn: that is the question this week on The Psych Files. Come with me as I explore mnemonic techniques, learn to memorize Hamlet‘s famous speech, and learn 2 keys to true, lasting learning.

Need to memorize the parts of the brain? This will help:

Resources For This Episode

Click to read the article in New York Magazine by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman about the psychology of sleep.

Here’s an article entitled, "Sleep Builds Long Term Memories" which explains from a neurological perspective why sleep is essential to long term learning

The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, and at Play

Mnemonic Techniques:

Acronyms: “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge” and ROY G BIV
Rhyme – “30 days has September”
method of Loci
Pegword (“one is a bun”)
Keywords