dragonbook

35 usually be able to tell by the end of the course if a book is worth looking at again. (And, by the way, don’t sell back your education! Keep your books!)  Recite With anything you’ve read, see if you can summarize the material (or, at least, answer your initial question) in your own words.  Reduce-record Jot down your recitation, or make an outline of what you’ve learned. This process really helps you retain what you’ve learned. Also, it’s very helpful to underline important/striking passages and make marginal notes that will help you remember important ideas. Discourse on Method is great practice. What should be marked, highlighted, or noted in this book?  Reflect You will remember material far better if you think about it and react to it even in a negative way. Miranda’s diatribe against Descartes was a perfect way for her to remember what he said. Or consider today’s lecture: This idiot combined math and history in the same class. He put a circle on the board that I couldn’t read. He said some incomprehensible thing about the argument from design that no one could possibly be expected to understand. And he wanted us to laugh at a stupid joke that said mathematical proofs took a long time, were absolutely right, and absolutely useless. The point is that you don’t want to be a passive receiver of information. Complete processing and retention of information requires you do something with it—and waiting until exam time is often too late. You will, by the way, be amazed at how much better you learn if you’ll talk about readings, lectures, etc. outside of class—even if it’s just to complain about them.