I learned it the hard way: to learn anything, one must play to their own strengths.
When we were into the start of the new school year in the latter half of 2020, our professors gave us students a form to evaluate our preferred learning method(s). The pandemic had just upended the world’s “old normal” in favor of the “new normal,” giving birth to the distance learning system in the Philippines. The form was based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, wherein we were asked about our level of agreement to a given statement related to our skills and preferences on a Likert scale. In the end, I garnered the highest points in linguistic intelligence, followed by logical-mathematical and musical.
Although the validity and efficacy of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence are still disputed in the scientific community, it has helped me shape my learning method especially in subjects that I don’t particularly excel at. Growing up, any knowledge that is language-related came naturally to me as opposed to anything related to numbers. This is why language plays a huge role in my learning as a STEM student.
Now, this guide is exactly what it says it is: a guide. This may not be a 100% effective solution to every student of science out there, but I will be most honored if this humble article will have served its purpose to anyone who reads it.
1. Focus on the logic.
Don’t just take a passage at face value and memorize it. In science, many passages comprise concepts, which in turn compose postulates and theories. Whenever faced with the challenge of internalizing a scientific principle, try to imagine a scenario where it applies. Ask yourself some questions about it, and answer it to the best of your understanding. Simply memorizing a passage is like a building something without the proper foundations; it is bound to crumble the moment you forget it.
In electronics, for example, a longer wire means more resistance because of the longer path electrons must flow through. Meanwhile, a wire with a larger diameter has lower resistance because electrons have more space or area to flow through. In learning scientific principles like this, pondering on its logic and asking questions help cement the idea into your head.
2. Learn the etymology of a scientific word.
To those who have affinity to words, this may be helpful. It is common knowledge that most of the scientific vocabulary comes from Latin and Greek. The word cell was coined by Robert Hooke in the 1660s from the Latin word cellula. Some of the affixes in the metric system, such as kilo- and mega-, come from Latin and Greek. Scientific symbols come from Greek — and scientific names of different species are based in Latin!
In biology, for example, cells can be categorized depending on the existence of a nucleus inside it: prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The ‘pro-’ which comes from the Greek word πρό (‘pro’) means “before,” and the ‘karyote’ which comes from the Greek word κάρυον (‘karyon’) means “nut” or “kernel.” Therefore, the word prokaryote means “before kernels.” The kernels signify the nucleus, which means that prokaryotes do not have nuclei in them. (They have what is called a nucleoid instead.)
However, if etymology does not work, then word association may help, as is highlighted in the next tip.
3. Use mnemonic devices.
Mnemonic devices are not just “My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Noodles,” or “ROYGBIV.” It’s not only letters; other mnemonic devices such as musical mnemonic device, rhythmic mnemonic device, and the method of loci also help learners have a higher retention of information.
As illustrated in the image below, mnemonic devices also include acronyms, acrostics (arguably the most common one in studying), rhymes, chunking, clustering, and imagery.
When you have to remember what “tetravalent” means, you may associate tetra- with the word that you see whenever you buy juice or milk in a tetra pack. The pack has four edges, so it makes sense to think that “tetravalent” must be related to the number 4, right? (Or, if you are a native Greek speaker or a learner of Modern Greek, you may associate “tetra” with the Greek word τέτταρες (“téttares”), which means “four.”)
Relating concepts from different fields can also improve your recall of a specific information. As a form of clustering similar information, for example, when you are trying to remember what valves do, you may associate that with an electronic component called the diode. Both organs/components make sure that the flow of the blood/current is in one direction. Using clustering as a mnemonic technique doesn’t have to be complicated and technical like my example, but incorporating seemingly irrelevant knowledge may help improve recall.
Both situations mentioned above can be considered as an example of the clustering mnemonic device.
4. Make mind maps.
Alongside graphic organizers, mind maps can help you outline the concepts visually. At the center of mind maps is the topic, and the branches surrounding it deliver the subtopics and the sub-branches deliver the sub-subtopics. With mind maps, you are not only organizing the concepts under a topic but also engaging your spatial capabilities. This can be helpful when you try to recall a specific concept by visualizing your mind map in your head.
5. In studying and taking notes, consider your preferences.
Don’t be embarrassed of using a lot of colors in your notes — your notes are yours. Your study environment and preferences of learning methods matter. In my case, I like to do calculations on whiteboards instead of scratch papers mainly because I prefer the quickness of doing erasures with it than with scratch papers. Meanwhile, I like to draft graphic organizers in old notebooks and finalize it digitally. I don’t have an objective reason for these preferences, because they are that — preferences.
Some people who learn visually or spatially may find themselves wanting to produce colorful notes, where the headings are in calligraphy or the illustrations are masterfully done. Some people who prefer learning audio-visually may find themselves watching more tutorial vides online than skimming their textbooks.
If you prefer a more digital approach to studying, then go for it! Through the years, there have been numerous productivity tools that has catered to every student’s needs. From online flashcards to online quizzing platforms, there are surely many tools to choose from. Whatever study and note-taking method you enjoy, the goal should be to learn as much as you can through it.
6. Practice the Feynman Technique of learning.
I’ve only known about the Feynman Technique, but it has helped me greatly in studying scientific concepts. An article by the University of Colorado-Boulder outlines the Feynman Technique as follows:
Step 1 — Study
The first step is easy. In fact, anyone who’s reading an article about learning processes is probably already doing it.
All you have to do is choose a topic and start studying.
Step 2 — Teach
Once you’ve completely covered the topic, it’s time for step 2. You’re going to teach it to someone else.
Step 3 — Fill the Gaps
Step 3 involves going back to studying, but with an intense focus on these gaps. The aim of step 3 is to remove these weaknesses and turn them into areas of strength.
Step 4 — Simplify
This step is extremely effective at building your cohesive understanding of a subject. To be able to cut away clutter and explain something so clearly that even young children with limited vocabulary can understand, is extremely difficult. Attempting to do this, forces you to not only deeply master the information/skill but to also grasp how all of the different elements join together.
The key statement encapsulating the last step in the Feynman Technique is Albert Einstein’s, “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.” While the Feynman Technique may seem laborious, I argue that it will help you in the long run. With a subject as vast as science, using this technique repeatedly in your studies can improve your recall, understanding of the concept, and even your interpersonal skills. When you teach someone what you’ve learned with the objective of making them learn what you’ve learned, you blend the aforementioned skills into one holistic skill.
7. Apply what you learned.
Studying and applying what you learned to real life is a gratifying way to use your knowledge. This is similar to students asking what algebra serves in their lives, a boat I have been in, or what use it is to learn trigonometry. (Not everyone is inclined to mathematics or find it as fascinating, but knowing its applications may just increase their appreciation of the subject.) But in science, seeing the real-life applications of scientific concepts may boost your studying morale.
When you go outside, having just learned the science of blue skies, you may think about how the air molecules in the atmosphere reflect and scatter blue light. Or, having just learned about gravity, you may marvel at the fact that you are lighter on the moon or weightier on Jupiter than on Earth.
If you’re a keener student of science, you may find yourself experimenting with certain electronic components and designing your own circuit on a breadboard, hoping that your objectives in creating it can be applied in real life. The goal of applying your knowledge is to be aware that what you know can do wonders to the world. (It may even inspire you to learn more!)
Being a student of science — or any subject — is a rigorous role, but knowing your strengths and weaknesses is an important factor in determining your study methods. In this guide, I have shared some of my favored methods when I study. Some of them I apply to other subjects, such as mathematics (which, unfortunately, I’m average at) and English. Some of the methods in here may not be what you prefer, but I hope that you’ve learned something from reading this.
Ask yourself, what type of learner am I, do I recall information better when I see it or when I listen to it or when I read it in a text? From there, you may work on creating your own guide to learning a subject. There is no easy way to excellence at a subject, but a guide towards it may keep you steady.
Further reading:
- Distance learning in the Philippines: A year of hits and misses — Rappler
- Mnemonic Devices — Peak Performance Center
- The Impact of a Mnemonic Acronym on Learning and Performing a Procedural Task and Its Resilience Towards Interruptions — Journal of Statistics Education
- Training pre-service mathematics teacher to use mnemonic techniques — Journal of Physics
- Learning From the Feynman Technique — Evernote
- The Feynman Technique in Academic Coaching — University of Colorado-Boulder
