Formula for success in learning. The power of knowledge
by Dr Piotr Wozniak, September, 1998

This text is supposed to present you with simple steps toward managing information and toward rock-solid knowledge that shall add immense power to whatever you want to accomplish in your private or professional life. No cheap miracles. Just a clear and straight approach based on facts and science

I have been working on the problem of effective learning for 16 years now since, as a student of molecular biology, I first understood how I could greatly change the quality of all my actions were I able to improve the retention of what I studied for exams and not only. I would like to share my experience with you for one major reason: I want to see more people enjoying the blessing of empowering knowledge. If we all could learn and understand more, the world would definitely look better for all of us. Although I represent a company that is involved in commercial distribution of software tools and material for enhancing learning, I guarantee that after going through my 20-minute course you are likely to experience noticeable improvement in your learning ability without spending a penny!

Many of you will find the first three points obvious. Please do not stop reading if this is the case.

This is the shortest path to empowering knowledge:

1. Get hungry for knowledge - if your motivation for getting knowledge is weak you can stop reading this text. The rest of my advice will not work. Your motivation cannot be shallow (like for passing an exam, showing off at a party, impressing the boss, etc.). You have to find the clear-cut link between knowledge and the value it brings to life. Do you like science programs? Are you interested in how your computer works? Do you surf the net looking for news? If yes, you are probably on the right track. Can you spend more than 30 minutes on a totally uncreative and non-intellectual activity (e.g. gossip, adult magazines, unadulterated laziness, etc.)? If yes, you may have a problem with learning. The hunger for knowledge grows as you get more educated (the more you know the more you know you don't know). So there is an excellent remedy for poor motivation: learn more and see how it can impact your and others' life. Research shows that strong motivation may actually count more than your IQ
   
   
2. Identify what you really need - you must first clearly identify the areas of knowledge that are most likely to positively influence your future. You will not even be able to skim the surface of the world's knowledge resources in your lifetime! The earlier you realize this the faster you will reach the point at which you will see that three well-selected pieces of knowledge may possess a nuclear power that blasts the entire shelf of ill-picked books. See how much time you can spend on learning daily. Only a lucky few can afford more than an hour per day to learn new stuff. If this is the case with you, the problem of knowledge selection is yet more burning. Take a long-term perspective. Do not get crazy about learning just one subject, e.g. English, Excel or Economics! You will need lots of general knowledge on health, sociology, history, natural sciences, etc. Only those who can grasp the full picture are well positioned to be successful in their efforts
   
   
3. Locate sources of information - unless you are in your student years, going through entire manuals and book collections may not be the best way to accomplish your goals. Limited time may make you prefer an incremental approach. You can read and study lots of sources at the same time and pick only this what is of the highest priority. Have you discovered the power of the Internet? Lots of answers can now be found on the web. Lots of stuff like this article (short, free, and, hopefully, making an impact). Obviously you should cast your net wide. TV, news magazines and the library are still irreplaceable in many areas
   
   
4. Formulate knowledge for active recall - this is the first point on the list that will require some convincing. Effective learning must be based on repetition. Otherwise whatever you learn will sooner or later be forgotten. Do not believe programs or theories which claim you can develop memories lasting for lifetime! Everything you remember for life is in one way or another rehearsed by your memory (even if sometimes you are not aware of the repetition). The concept of permastore (indelible memory) is true only if you understand it as long-lasting memories that reach beyond your expected lifespan. No acquired memories last for ever. Consequently, you must repeat to remember. However, an effective repetition must be based on active recall. Your brain must generate the answer, it cannot just passively process it. It is not enough to read that George Washington was the first US president. You need a question! For example: Who was the first US president? You will be disappointed to find out that still a great deal of learning material available worldwide does not stick to the active recall principle! Additionally, whatever is based on active recall may not meet your expectations. Do you like running through exercises at the end of a coursebook? Probably not. The sad and painful truth is that you will probably have to formulate most of the knowledge you want to master by yourself. After all, you will be getting it from various sources: CNN, Internet, Newsweek, encyclopedias, business journals, science journals, etc. These are not suited for learning as they are just plain sources of information. The time you invest in formulating knowledge for active recall will be returned manifold as long as you stick to the remaining principles of the presented procedure! (esp. Point 2: selecting only material that you need, and Point 5: repeating it in a rational manner). Our knowledge about effective knowledge representation for learning is quite advanced. You will need lots of time to perfect this skill and understand that the time spent on rethinking the formulation is time well spent. You will definitely want to become familiar with Tony Buzan's concept of mind maps. For more information see: www.mindman.com
   
   
5. Repeat the material in properly selected intervals of time - this point is most likely to enhance your learning skills even if you are a seasoned student! As mentioned earlier, you must repeat the learned material to make sure it really remains in your memory. The most difficult problem to solve is how to properly select the timing of repetitions. This problem has been solved for you and is immediately available as the SuperMemo method of fast learning (the name SuperMemo is derived from super memory and has nothing to do with memos). You can start using SuperMemo in minutes. Once you learn how to use SuperMemo, you will forever remain free of worries about being or not being able to remember the knowledge you learn. In newer versions of SuperMemo software, you can even tell the computer what proportion of knowledge you want to retain in memory (between 90-99%). Naturally, the more you want to remember, the more work you will have to put in repetitions
   
   
6. Do not spare time on managing your knowledge - once you start learning effectively using the previously mentioned principles, you must not forget that your needs and the world around you change. This must find its reflection in learning! Repetitions of the learned material must become a standard fixture in your daily schedule. This time will be spent well if you carefully reassure yourself at each repetition that the material you learn is really worth the time you put in it. It must be up-to-date, useful and properly formulated. You may be saving 70-90% of your time if you make sure you remove or reformulate the hardest 5% of your learning material! The newest version of SuperMemo makes it possible to reschedule, postpone, dismiss, reedit or simply delete all material whose place in the learning process is changing.
   

Many of you are now skeptical of whether the above procedure is really worth the initial investment of time and adapting your mind to a new approach:

• Is knowledge really so central to my life?
• Is this active recall stuff really critical? Why should I rewrite on paper or in a computer what I hear or read? Isn't it an awful waste of time?
• Is the SuperMemo method really a must? Aren't my currently used methods sufficient? Reading a 5-page article, searching for shareware or shelling out a couple of dollars might be barriers many of you will not be ready to pass! Sticking with regular repetitions may be an even steeper obstacle

I have devoted all my academic and professional life to promoting the above approach and I guarantee results to anyone who will have the will to try and the persistence to continue.

If you have any doubts or you suspect the above method does not work, please write to me: Piotr Wozniak. I haven't yet had an e-mail left without a response

Click here to get SuperMemo