Short-term memory, or Working memory is where the learner processes the information to be stored in long term memory. Generally, seven chunks of information, plus or minus a couple, can be handled by the working memory at one time. How chunks are organized depends on the information contained within them. Chunks can be fairly large, if the information in the chunk is already known by the learner.

For instance, the line of letters:
JFKFBIAIDSNASAMIT
would be difficult to remember unless you broke them into these chunks:
JFK FBI AIDS NASA MIT

Learners can also use rehearsal as a means to encode the information to their long term memory. However, the accuracy and amount of information retained from rehearsal is affected by the time that has passed between the rehearsal and required recall of information.

Encoding is the process of relating the new information to information that the learner already retains. The learner tries to make the information meaningful and connect it to concepts already understood. The learner can ask themselves questions and create songs or acronyms to remember the information.