Fiona McPherson has a PhD in cognitive psychology. For many years she has followed the research into how the human brain thinks and learns and remembers, and communicated that knowledge and its practical implications to a lay audience. She has done this through her long-running websites (memory-key.com and mempowered.com), and her books. Her guiding principle is that people are more likely to use effective strategies if they understand how and why they work, and know precisely when and when not to use them. She has a particular interest in study skills and language learning.