Mnemonic medium prompts signal what the author finds important

Mnemonic medium prompts are interleaved into the reading experience, not just supplied afterwards. One way this changes the reading experience is that it gives the author an opportunity to emphasize the details they find most important. This subtly pushes me to pay more attention to certain details, and gives me permission to pay less attention to others. It may also cause me to re-read if I felt I didn’t grasp the angle emphasized in the prompts. (See also: The mnemonic medium may push readers to read more slowly and attentively)

Yuanting Mao:

They remind me of important implications I was missing (which I think often happens: Tacit knowledge works both ways. Readers often overlook important skills and facts, which the author could then remind them using prompts)

Last updated 2023-07-13.