The Use of Color on Studying

I have always believed that a person should utilize any and all avenues to encourage learning. This is especially true when you are trying to memorize terms that are unfamiliar. Color, believe it or not, can be a helpful contributor to the learning process. In a 1987 study entitled: The Effect of Color and Imagery as Mnemonic Strategies on Learning and Retention of Lexical Items in German by Purdue University's Martha Nyikos Ph.D., it stated that the use of color enhanced learning. Although images were helpful, they did not have the impact on learning that the use of color had on student retention. Students that utilized a color-coding system of learning did significantly better than those students that just sat down and began memorizing terms. This may be something you might want to consider the next time you are working on flash cards.

Although the use of flashcards is highly suggested in my classes, the proper application is important. Here are the following keys:

1. Color code the cards by subject matter (For example: Bacteria-green, Bones-
blue etc.)
2. Make the cards as brief as possible (They are reminders not recreations of
the book!)
3. Study them! If, for example, you need to learn the landmarks of the ulna,
color code the ulna purple with the word ulna on the front of the card and the landmarks (olecranon, coronoid etc.) on the back.

Try it out and see if it helps. It sure couldn't hurt could it?