When Colleen first learned the word “ominous,” she pictured a large, dark cloud to help her remember its meaning. Which term best describes this example?

Colleen creates a mental picture—a large, dark cloud—to remember the meaning of “ominous.” Using a mental picture to encode or recall information is called visual imagery, so the best answer is visual imagery. Elaboration involves connecting new information with other knowledge, while retention refers to keeping information in memory.

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