Formulating questions about the material improves understanding from "summary" of Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown,Henry L. Roediger III,Mark A. McDaniel
As you engage with new material, don't just passively absorb it - actively interrogate it. When you ask questions about the information you're learning, you're not just passively receiving knowledge, but actively engaging with it. This process of formulating questions forces you to think deeply about the material and make connections between different pieces of information. By asking questions, you're essentially testing yourself on what you know and what you don't know. This self-testing process has been shown to be a highly effective way to improve retention and understanding. It helps solidify the information in your memory and makes it easier to recall later on.
Questions can take many forms - they can be factual, conceptual, or even speculative. The key is to ask questions that require you to think critically about the material and to connect it to what you already know. This process of active retrieval strengthens your memory and helps you build a more robust mental framework for the information you're learning.
When you ask questions, you're also creating a more interactive learning experience for yourself. Instead of simply being a passive recipient of information, you're actively engaging with the material and shaping your understanding of it. This active engagement leads to deeper learning and better retention of the material over time.
So the next time you're studying or learning something new, don't just read or listen - ask questions. Challenge yourself to think critically about the material and make connections between different pieces of information. This simple but powerful strategy will help you improve your understanding and retention of the material in a meaningful way.
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