An assessment of the effectiveness of use of mnemonics and
acronyms by struggling students in improving their IGCSE
Chemistry grades.
By
Tedius Nyomombe
1
AIM
•
The aim of this research is to find the effectiveness of mnemonics and acronyms
developed by IGCSE chemistry students in improving grades of students who score low
marks in chemistry experiments.
INTRODUCTION
Many students find Chemistry subject challenging. There are many reasons why students find
chemistry difficult to learn. In schools and universities, the lecture is probably the oldest and
most common teaching method, considered to be an effective way to present new material in a
manner in which student learning is mediated by the teacher. The lecture has been described as
“a grossly inefficient way of engaging with academic knowledge” (Laurillard, 2002).
Nevertheless, the lecture provides an opportunity for a very large number of students to be
exposed simultaneously to a large amount of information, and it will likely play a key part in
the learning experience of university students in the foreseeable future (Lowry, 1999). In the
traditional lecture, the level of students’ involvement in the process of learning can be quite
low, and “a major problem with the lecture is that students assume a passive, non-thinking,
information receiving role” (McKeachie, 1994). A lack of understanding of familiar words
used to convey meaning in chemistry; a lack of understanding of technical terms introduced in
the study of chemistry also affect student performance. Chemistry remains one of the top five
challenging subjects on examination boards. The objective of this study is to explore the
various mnemonics used by struggling students in chemistry and suggest strategies that can
facilitate students’ conceptual understanding. A collection of the mnemonics may promote
students’ interest, curiosity and understanding of chemistry concepts. A mnemonic is a device
such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assists in remembering something, for
example Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain for the colours of the spectrum (red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Mnemonics have probably used subconsciously before,
even without the person‘s intentional knowledge. Mnemonic devices are any technique that
helps translate information into a form that makes it easier to retain than in its original form.
Mnemonics are visual images and organizational devices. This includes rhymes and poems,
acronyms, songs and outlines tools. Parents and teachers should use them to help
children/students improve their memory to recall important information. During the present
and future time of eLearning, the mnemonic can be an effective instructional device/ strategy
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that should not be overlooked. Retaining and recalling new information can be very challenging
for students. Research has shown that mnemonic strategies are highly effective for helping
students retrieve important information. A mnemonic is an instructional strategy created to
improve retention and recall of information through the use of visual or auditory clues. These
clues improve students’ ability to make connections between their existing knowledge and new
information.
Problem statement
Many students find Chemistry subject challenging. Students find it difficult to recall colour
changes, identifying important compounds and reaction conditions. One of the most important
topic involves identification of ions in chemistry. This topic constitute a lot of weight in the
practicals and alternative to practicals examination paper. Academically weaker students often
device ways of remembering important aspects and these are seldom shared and perfected
amongst other learners.
Research Questions
Can use of mnemonics improve grades for tests and experiments in chemistry for students who
poorly performing students? Are there any other brilliant mnemonics out there that students
are quietly using?
Objectives
•
Teach students how to identify ions
•
students write a test and an experiment on identification of ions
•
Recording and analysis of results
•
Introduce use of mnemonic to students and retest them for them to apply mnemonics.
•
Analyse results do a seminar to compile useful mnemonics used by chemistry students
Justification of the study
Mnemonics are an instructional strategy created to improve retention and recall of information
through the use of visual or auditory clues. These clues improve students’ ability to make
connections between their existing knowledge and new information. Creating their own
mnemonics can help students remember chemistry content and the mnemonic better than
reading mnemonics generated by others. Generating mnemonics is an effective strategy to
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remember information because it prompts students to deeply process the material. New
methods of teaching that involve student participation are proven ways to get better grades
from students. The research will enable compilation and creation of a list of useful mnemonics
for chemistry. The resources that are procured for the research will go a long way in retooling
the school laboratory and also enable the teacher to operate effectively.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Chemistry is the study of the properties and behaviour of matter. It is a natural science that
covers
the elements that
make
up
matter
to
the compounds composed
of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, properties, behaviour and the
changes they undergo during a reaction with other substances (Brown et al (2018). The number
of Chemistry in Zimbabwean schools is rising. This is because of the change in industrial
dynamics were STEM students have more opportunities than Humanities and commerce. The
government has also increased access to education by allowing students to study subjects of
their choice. Private schools are also augmenting government effort by enrolling high numbers
and affording every child an opportunity to study. While teaching methods in science continue
to evolve, theory and experiments in the laboratory remain a key component in this curriculum
(Bernhard, 2018). A school must be well resourced in terms of infrastructure, finances and
skilled staff. As a practical subject, the subject requires a well-designed laboratory. Chemistry
subject is a very important part of Morden school curriculum. Chemistry is amongst subjects
commonly referred to as STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics). STEM
subjects are a vital in the development of a country. These science subjects are the backbone
of industrialisation, technology and medicine. Most if not all universities across the globe
require applicants in engineering, science and medicine to have chemistry at advanced level.
To study medicine or engineering at university, the student must have passes in chemistry.
Conventionally students take at least three subjects at Advanced level be it local Zimbabwe
School examination council or Cambridge International Examination. Students usually
combine Chemistry with mathematics and either physics or biology. Chemistry thus becomes
a central subject in the study of sciences at A Level. Chemistry plays a pivotal role in the
technological development of any country since it is embedded in our everyday life (List &
Levitt, 2005). The study of Chemistry enables learners to be creative and innovative in industry
and society by promoting the application of Chemistry in industrial processes for value
addition, beneficiation of natural resources and harnessing of available opportunities for
entrepreneurship. Most chemistry curriculums including ZIMSEC Chemistry syllabus enables
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learners to develop skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, decision making and
production. Students are also made aware of their environment and can carry out meaningful
research. The scheme of assessment for Form 5 and 6 Chemistry comprises of two sections
namely continuous assessment, and summative assessment (Primary and Education, 2022).
The final grade in Form 5 and 6 Chemistry is 30% continuous assessment and 70% summative
assessment. The Cambridge advanced level 9701 chemistry syllabus has a practical component
that constitute up to 11.5% of the total mark. There is also a planning, analysis and evaluation
component of up to 11.5%. Zimbabwe has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa (Pasara,
Mutambirwa and Diko, 2020). The incoming government after independence prioritised and
expanded schools programs. A lot of schools were built including secondary school in an
attempt to have a 10km accessible school for children. Research shows that students frequently
generate mnemonic cues to help them remember difficult or abstract information (Tullis &
Maddox, Metacognition and Learning, 2020, 15, 129). Self-generated mnemonics have the
potential to be particularly effective means of remembering target information because they
can transform abstract information into meaningful units, connect information to existing
schema, and create distinct retrieval routes to the targets.
Jurowski, K., Jurowska, A., & Krzeczkowska, M. (2015) contacted five experiments that they
compared the effectiveness of self-generated mnemonics to mnemonics generated by others
for remembering chemistry information. Generating one’s own mnemonics consistently
boosted recall for both the chemistry content and the mnemonic itself. However,
experimentally boosting recall of mnemonics through retrieval practice did not affect recall of
associated chemistry content. These results indicate that improved recall of chemistry content
is not caused by better recall of the mnemonic itself; rather, generating a mnemonic involves
deep and effortful processing of chemistry content that boosts recall more than reading
someone else’s mnemonic
Belleza et al, (1983) compared the effectiveness of phonetic- and semantic-encoding
mnemonics for recall and learning of abstract words and city names in 2 experiments with 124
and 116 college students. In Exp I, an incidental memory paradigm with a 1-min retention
interval was used to compare the 2 types of encoding mnemonics, and in Exp II, intentional
learning with a 24-hr retention interval was used. Results show that the semantic-encoding
mnemonic resulted in significantly better recall performance than did the phonetic-encoding
mnemonic in both experiments. Recall of city names was as good with the 24-hr retention
interval as with the 1-min retention interval. Findings also show that phonetic encoding was
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slightly easier to use. It is concluded that revision of some standard mnemonic-encoding
procedures should be considered and more emphasis placed on semantic encoding. In
mathematics, SohCahToa is a mnemonic device that is used to help remember how to calculate
the angles and sides of the right angled triangle using trigonometric ratio.
•
Sine is opposite over hypotenuse
•
Cosine is adjacent over hypotenuse
•
Tangent is opposite over adjacent
These trigonometric ratios are used for right triangles to determine theta, or the non-right angles
in the triangle. If theta is known then they can also be used to determine the length of a triangle
side. Some researchers however discourage the use mnemonics in acquiring knowledge. They
argue that it promotes laziness, cramming and a casual approach to work which results in poor
grades. Mnemonics cannot work to retain complex information and detailed descriptions that
often have more marks in exams. Students can have Dutch courage approaching an exam and
they can face more problems in future while remembering other topics without mnemonics. It
is therefore important to identify students and group according to abilities and interest in the
subjects. Students undergoing remedial will surely benefit from developing reminders during
study. This study will examine the potential impact of a mnemonic acronym on the learning,
the execution, the resilience toward interruptions, and the mental representation of an eightstep procedural task with sequential constraints.
METHODOLOGY
Apparatus
Basic calibrated chemistry laboratory apparatus and glassware, water distiller, additional
Bunsen burners, charts, projector, laptop.
Chemicals
Various cations and anions, acids bases etc.
Instruments
Water distiller, printer, and projector
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Procedure
30 students studying chemistry at X High School will participate in the research over a period
of 5 months. The students will be introduced and taught how to identify ions which is a very
important topic in the syllabus 0620 IGCSE. Students will then carry out an experiment on
identification of ions before writing a test on the topic. The teacher will assist students revise
the test and introduce use of mnemonics to recall colours and various ions. Students will carry
a second experiment and attempt another test applying taught mnemonics. The teacher will
schedule the results sand statistical analysis noting any improvements on the average pass rate.
A seminar will be organised for students to meet up and share their approaches in chemistry
and also compile as many mnemonics as possible.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Students performance in experiments and tests will tabulated on a marks schedule and assessed
by statistical comparison. Results obtained by students after introducing mnemonics will also
be recorded and assessed. Students are expected to come up with a list of mnemonics that they
share with each other during the seminar. Student performance will be recorded in the format
below.
Name of
Experiment
Test
student
mark
mark
Final mark
Class
Grade
average
A*- G
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RESEARCH PLAN
DATE
TASKS
Notes
WEEK 1
Lessons identification of No use of mnemonics
ions, acids and bases
Week 2
Week 3
Experiment
Stuents given a test on the topic of test for ions
Test
Students carry out an experiment to identify ions
Lesson on identification Use of mnemonics and acronyms
of ions
Remedial
Week 4
Week 5
Experiment
Students given a test on the topic of test for ions
Test
Students carry out an experiment to identify ions
Result
scheduling
analysis
and Teacher to statistically analyse differences and
comparisons of the results.
Remedial
Week 6
Seminar
with
invited Seminar sharing mnemonics
schools
Wee 7-12
Compilation
of Key researcher compile all sourced mnemonics
mnemonics
Week 13
Test
Remedial students write a test and apply studied
mnemonics
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PROPOSED BUDGET
Lab apparatus, test tubes, pasture pipettes,
£800
Bunsen burners, test tube holders etc
Water distiller
£250
Chemicals, salts, indicators, acids, cations £250
and anions etc
Laptop, Epson projector, internet
£750
Seminar booking charts, food and transport
£250
PPE, Safety and training
£100
Administration costs
£100
Total
£2500
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REFERENCES
1. Bellezza, F. S., Day, J. C., & Reddy, K. R. (1983). A comparison of phonetic and
semantic encoding mnemonics. Human Learning: Journal of Practical Research &
Applications, 2(1), 49–60.
2. Bernhard, J., 2018. What matters for students’ learning in the laboratory? Do
not neglect the role of experimental equipment!. Instructional Science, Volume 46, p.
819–846.
3. CAIE (2020) ‘Syllabus Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry 9701’,
(November 2020). Available at: www.cambridgeinternational.org/ISO9001.
4. Jurowski K, Krzeczkowska M, Własiuk P, Jurowska, A. (2014). Preliminary studies
about knowledge and applications of mnemonics methods by Polish pupils, students
and teachers in: P. Cieśla, A. Michniewska (ed.) Teaching and Learning Science at all
Levels of Education, Pedagogical University of Kraków, Kraków 2014, ISBN: 978-837271-880-8, 29-37.
5. Jurowski, K., Jurowska, A., & Krzeczkowska, M. (2015). Comprehensive review of
mnemonic devices and their applications : state of the art. International E-Journal of
Science,
Medicine
and
Education, 9(3),
4–9.
http://iejsme.imu.edu.my/openaccess/c/1428205512707
6. List, J. A. & Levitt, S. D., 2005. What Do Laboratory Experiments Tell Us About the
Real World?. Chicago, University of Chicago.
7. Pasara, M. T., Mutambirwa, T. K. and Diko, N. (2020) ‘The trivariate causality among
education, health, and economic growth in Zimbabwe’, Sustainability (Switzerland),
12(4), pp. 1–15. doi: 10.3390/su12041357.
8. Primary, M. O. F. and Education, S. (2022) ‘MINISTRY OF PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION CHEMISTRY SYLLABUS’.
9. Tullis, J. G., & Qiu, J. (2022). Generating mnemonics boosts recall of chemistry
information. Journal
of
Experimental
Psychology:
Applied,
28(1),
71–
84. https://doi.org/10.1037/xap0000350
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