let's say Anne puts "x" amount in the account at 1.2% rate annually, that means after 1 year, she will have "x" + 1.2% of "x", or 1.012x to be exact.
the 1.2% rate, kicks in as the period of a year is met.
now, what if Anne puts it in the monthly compounded type? that means, the compounding period is a month, so after 1 month, she has 1.2% extra, or 1.012x, and after 2 months, she will have 1.2% extra of 1.012x, or 1.012144x, and after 3 months, she will have 1.2% extra of 1.0121x, or 1.012145728x and so on.
anyhow, the shorter the compounding period, the more the 1.2% kicks in, the more accumulation in the account.