词汇一直以来被视作语言学习的一个重要因素，然而不少中国学生在英语单词学习和记忆方面存在困难，这便阻碍了他们综合语言技能的发展。鉴于这个问题，一种词汇学习策略——关键词记忆术由艾特金森于1975年提出，其有效性在大量国外研究中得到证实。本次研究旨在检测该策略对于低效能中国大学生学习英语词汇是否同样有效。若证实有效，这将帮助他们提高英语词汇学习的效率，并且形成自主学习策略。通过实验和非正式访谈，本研究比较了实验组（使用关键词记忆术）和控制组（使用死记硬背方法）在即时测试和延时测试中的成绩。实验的结果证实了关键词记忆术对于单词长时记忆的效果明显优于死记硬背方法。根据加工水平理论和双重编码理论，这得益于采用关键词记忆术对发音相似的汉语关键词和英语目标词的意义构建联系时产生的互交式心理意象。然而在短时记忆方面，关键词记忆术相较死记硬背方法没有显著优势。通过访谈实验组的学生，本研究还发现关键词记忆术能激发他们学习英语词汇的兴趣。这些结论为关键词记忆术在课堂教学上的应用提供了有益借鉴，但是如何克服其局限，使其更适用于中国英语教学环境仍需要进一步研究。

Vocabulary has been regarded as one of the most important factors in language learning, but many students find it difficult to memorize English words, therefore, impeding their development of integrated language skills. In view of this problem, a vocabulary learning strategy—the mnemonic keyword method (MKM) was proposed by Atkinson in 1975 and has been proved effective in the research abroad. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of this method on English vocabulary learning for low-proficiency college students in the Chinese EFL context. Such a study is significant to improve their efficiency of vocabulary acquisition and help them form an autonomous learning strategy. By means of two experiments and the informal interviews, the research compares the scores of immediate test and delayed test between the experiment class (using MKM) and the control class (using rote rehearsal). The results of experiments affirm that MKM is significantly more effective than rote rehearsal on long-term retention, owing to the interactive mental imagery created by linking phonetically similar Chinese keyword with the meaning of English target word, which has been warranted by the Levels of Processing Theory and the Dual Coding Theory. In respect of short-term memory, however, the mnemonic keyword method does not present overwhelming advantage over the rote rehearsal. Through the informal interviews with students using MKM, the research also discovers that MKM can arouse their interest in learning English vocabulary. These findings provide the positive suggestions for applying the mnemonic keyword method to EFL classroom teaching and learning, but how to overcome its limitations and develop it more suitable for the Chinese EFL context still needs further research.