Learn abstract or logical concepts
When you try to learn something complicated, abstract or logical concepts, explain the
something with your word.
something with your word.
Quote from Richard Feynman:
The only way to have real success in science, the field I’m familiar with, is to describe the evidence very carefully without regard to the way you feel it should be. If you have a theory, you must try to explain what’s good and what’s bad about it equally. In science, you learn a kind of standard integrity and honesty.
I don't know who said this, but this is good quote as well:
You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.
If you can't explain it, it means you don't fully understand it. Hence if you can explain it, (ideally) without looking at any text or memo, it means you fully understand it.
Explain
If you can explain the something with your word, that means you understand what it is. The intention of this is to memorize the concept as "Episodic memory" rather than "Semantic memory" because episodic memories are usually easier to recall.- Suppose we want to learn how to use "cd command" (which is a command used for command line).
- Read the explanation and try to understand what it says.
For example,
CD (Change Directory) is a command used to switch directories in MS-DOS and the Windows command line...
-cited from Computer Hope http://www.computerhope.com/cdhlp.htm
- Without looking at the explanation, try to explain what you have read just now "with your words".
If I explain "cd" with my words:
cd is a command used to move to other directories from a current directory in the windows command line and other similar systems...
(Just verbal explanation is also ok, but it's better if you write it down because you can refer to it later and it is good to memorize the explanation. Markdown (How to use Markdown) is good to make a clean-looking explanation easily.)
- If you could explain the thing with your words, it means you have understood the concept.
- Go to another page of the textbook and learn another thing.
"cd" is already learned because you could explain the thing without looking at its explanation. So go to another page of the textbook and maybe learn "ls" command...
We used "cd command" for example here, but this "thing to learn" can be anything; mathmatical concept, programming language and so on.
In short, to learn something abstract, explain it. Explain correctly but with your word.
(But explain with honesty. Honesty is important when you write reports or research papers and so on in your future.)
In short, to learn something abstract, explain it. Explain correctly but with your word.
(But explain with honesty. Honesty is important when you write reports or research papers and so on in your future.)
Mindmap
When you get used to learning by explaining, you can also try Mindmap. You can make notes of variety of things with shorter time if you use mindmap. Also, it contains colors, images, relationships expressed by connectors, so it is good to organize and memorize things.
I use mindmap to take notes during meetings, but it is very good to organize what is discussed in the meetings. I think this is also good to take notes during lectures.
Memorizing foreign words
Let's say, we will memorize Japanese words and their meanings. For example, this word 行く(iku, yuku), which has a lot of meanings.
行く means to go, move to, (with で) go with, to continue etc.
But actually you don't need to memorize all of the meanings. Because you can guess the meaning from the first meaning "to go". Almost all of the other meanings come from the metaphor of "to go".
So what you need to do is memorize the first meaning "to go". If you know the first meaning, actual meaning of 行くcan be guessed from the context. In fact, this is what native speakers do. They don't memorize all of the meanings like dictionary.
So, to memorize foreign words, my recommendation is always memorize only one or two meanings for each word. Not more than two. It makes memorization easier and also makes imagination of the meanings easier.
行く means to go, move to, (with で) go with, to continue etc.
But actually you don't need to memorize all of the meanings. Because you can guess the meaning from the first meaning "to go". Almost all of the other meanings come from the metaphor of "to go".
So what you need to do is memorize the first meaning "to go". If you know the first meaning, actual meaning of 行くcan be guessed from the context. In fact, this is what native speakers do. They don't memorize all of the meanings like dictionary.
So, to memorize foreign words, my recommendation is always memorize only one or two meanings for each word. Not more than two. It makes memorization easier and also makes imagination of the meanings easier.
Memorizing foreign words 2
It is very important to repeat "forgetting" and "recalling" to memorize. Let's say, we want to memorize these 4 french words: acheter, écouter, tante, bras.
At first, we check the first two words and carefully read them.
acheter: buy
écouter: listen
Then carefully read next two words:
tante: aunt
bras: arm
Then you should have forgotten the first two french words and its meanings. Try to recall them.
If you have successfully recalled that they were acheter (buy) and écouter (listen), then you should have forgotten the next two french words. Try to recall them.
If you have successfully recalled they were tante (aunt) and bras (arm), then go to the next 4 words. If you have failed, go back to the first words.
Memorizing mathematical formulae
This page might help. Also my recommendation is to install an app for mathematical formulae and try to memorize in bus, train or in bed. If you use your phone to study, you don't need to use your desk, which makes you less tired.
Moreover, if you study in bus or train, you can avoid wasting time that is spent for commuting. Study and try to memorize everyday. It is how I studied.
Moreover, if you study in bus or train, you can avoid wasting time that is spent for commuting. Study and try to memorize everyday. It is how I studied.
For solution for Math problems, I think the important thing is to understand the strategy. Look at the math problem, and if you can explain how to solve the problem, ot means that you know enough for the math problem.
Motivate yourself
When you don't feel like studying, it is very hard to start studying on a desk. In my opinion, it is almost impossible to study and get a meaningful result when you aren't motivated. You might think, even if you aren't motivated, you can force yourself to be at desk and start studying. It might be possible for a very short period to force yourself to study even if you aren't motivated, but from my experience, it won't last long. 10 or 15 minutes later, you just leave the desk for something else.
What I want to emphasize here is motivating yourself is very important. For example, when I want to study something for programming, I watch something that motivates myself at first. Check information on exciting new programming tools (maybe something like K8S), watch youtube videos which are provided by exciting programmer, or read some interesting anecdotes of programming on internet. Anything is OK to motivate you.
But without being motivated, you can't keep studying for a long time. Don't forget to motivate yourself. Motivation doesn't appear out of nowhere.
What I want to emphasize here is motivating yourself is very important. For example, when I want to study something for programming, I watch something that motivates myself at first. Check information on exciting new programming tools (maybe something like K8S), watch youtube videos which are provided by exciting programmer, or read some interesting anecdotes of programming on internet. Anything is OK to motivate you.
But without being motivated, you can't keep studying for a long time. Don't forget to motivate yourself. Motivation doesn't appear out of nowhere.
