“I cannot remember the books I have read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many of your study strategies–habits you have developed on and relied on over time–work great! Still, many students find when they start college or take on more challenging course material that some habits might need to be tweaked. Reflection is a powerful tool, and LSC is ready to help you delve into thinking about what study habits continue to work for you and what you might want to change – studying for college can be very different than studying in high school; you will be expected to not just memorize things, but to apply and evaluate information.
“How To Study – Learning Strategies Center”. 2021. lsc.cornell.edu. https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/.
Suggested Reading
Frank, Thomas. 2017. “How To Use The Feynman Technique To Learn Faster (With Examples)”. College Info Geek. https://collegeinfogeek.com/feynman-technique/.
Named after the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman – who, in addition to being a brilliant scientist, was also called “The Great Explainer” for his ability to relay complex ideas to others in simple, intuitive ways – the Feynman Technique is a method for learning or reviewing a concept quickly by explaining it in plain, simple language.
“How To Remember What You Read”. 2018. Keeping Up With The Penguins. https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/how-to-remember-what-you-read.
It’s all well and good to read a lot of books. You flip those pages every night before bed, at every bus stop, and on every lunch break. You watch your bookshelf pile up with tomes you’ve torn through in record time. But what good is all that effort if you don’t remember what you read?
“How to Study”. 2021. wikihow.com. https://www.wikihow.com/Study.
When you sit down to study, how do you transfer that massive amount of information from the books and notes in front of you to a reliable spot in your mind? You need to develop good study habits. At first, it’ll take a good deal of conscious effort to change your studying habits, but after a while, it’ll become second nature, and studying will be easier to do.
“How To Study Effectively: 12 Secrets For Success – Oxford Learning”. 2017. Oxford Learning. https://www.oxfordlearning.com/how-to-study-effectively/.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when learning how to effectively study. Studying methods should be tailored to each student. Everyone has different abilities, so it is important to determine what works for you and what doesn’t.
⭐ Hunter, Madison. “6 Powerful Study Techniques To Help You Master The Toughest Topics In Data Science”. 2022. Medium. https://medium.com/towards-data-science/6-powerful-study-techniques-to-help-you-master-the-toughest-topics-in-data-science-a04d9c7a39b6.
Not just for data scientists. In her article Ms. Hunter discusses six study techniques for anyone who wants to expand their knowledge and master everything they need to start in their chosen field. I appreciate her approach in that she addresses what each technique is good for and how you can use it to study data science (or whatever field you are pursuing).
1. Spaced Repetition: Spaced repetition is the process of “reviewing information at gradually increasing intervals”.
2. Active Recall: Active recall is a study technique that involves “retrieving information from your brain”.
3. The Feynman Technique: The Feynman Technique was developed by Nobel-Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, a pioneer in the field of quantum computing and nanotechnology, who was known as the “Great Explainer” for the great lectures he delivered at Cornell and Caltech.
4. The SQR3 Method: The SQR3 method is a “reading comprehension method named for its five steps: survey, question, read, recite, and review”.
5. Leitner System: The Leitner System was developed back in 1972 by German science journalist Sebastian Leitner.
6. Mindmapping: A mindmap is a visual representation of ideas and concepts as they relate to a single topic.
Labh, Sunny. “5 Powerful Study Tips From Richard Feynman”. 2022. Medium. https://piggsboson.medium.com/5-powerful-study-tips-from-richard-feynman-f7a94dbb35fd.
When it comes to teaching and learning, Feynman was an exemplary personality. He was an impeccable student who taught himself advanced calculus and mastered it by the age of 15. He developed his own mathematical notations and symbols before he entered college. According to physicist Steve Hsu, Feynman was one of the highest scorers from the USA in the Putnam Mathematical Competition, which is one of the toughest math competitions in the world, and the Princeton entrance exams where he scored highest in physics and mathematics. The guy was hell of a genius!
“Self-Studying Mathematics”. 2021. Medium. https://medium.com/math-simplified/self-studying-mathematics-abd99ff1f6bf.
I always enjoyed the social aspects of learning quite a lot. Discussing with friends and classmates about some problem, talking with my teachers about some baffling proof, or participating in online communities regarding mathematics had always been a joyful experience. Moreover, it was always a process that would usually speed up learning significantly. However, the positive effects of social interactions on learning mathematics is not what we are going to discuss here, as the title prominently unveils.
⭐ “The Feynman Technique: A Beginner’s Guide To Learning Fast”. 2019. Develop Good Habits. https://www.developgoodhabits.com/feynman-technique/.
Using the Feynman Technique allows you to apply the concepts that you learn to real-world problems because you are able to grasp the concepts and processes of complex ideas.
⭐ “The Most Effective Methods To Study Mathematics”. 2021. Medium. https://www.cantorsparadise.com/the-most-effective-methods-to-study-mathematics-6da2876237b0.
Mathematics is the language of nature. There’s no better tool out there to study and learn about the world and the universe in general other than mathematics. We use it in our everyday lives from buying things to calculating our calorie intakes to stay fit. Hence, it isn’t just important for mathematicians or physicists but everyone. Mathematics, for most people- specially students-is considered to be a difficult subject. The thing that makes math difficult for many students is that it takes patience and persistence. For many students, math is not something that comes intuitively or automatically — it takes plenty of effort. It is a subject that sometimes requires students to devote lots and lots of time and energy.
Mathematical Mysteries 