Let’s say you want to be smart about a given topic. What’s better: read several books on the topic, or subscribe to a couple blogs and passively read the latest articles? If you had asked me this question a few years ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated: reading books will make you more well-informed. Books explore […]
Which Learning Methods Actually Work?
Here’s an interesting article on the effectiveness of various study techniques—and in particular—which ones have evidence supporting them. Some of my thoughts on the key findings: Self-Explanation and Reading Elaborative learning and self-explanation were found to be moderately effective. This is similar to the Feynman technique, but I’d argue the use of the method was […]
Why You Should Read Textbooks
Okay, file this piece of advice in the pile that nobody is going to follow (even though they probably should): you should read more textbooks. Let’s assume for a second that you’re one of the few people who does read to learn more about the world. Let’s also assume that you’re interested in topics that […]
Rethinking “Learn it Once”
When I wrote Learn More, Study Less in 2008, one of the big pieces of advice was to “learn it once”. The main idea being that, while review is still necessary, you shouldn’t procrastinate on what you’re learning—if you don’t understand something, the pre-exam cram session isn’t the time to learn it. I stand by […]