PLEASE HELP: Anxiety before reading important books

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I'm surly, does that count?

Yep! Better surly than trolly.

[Nancy Fulda]

Originally Posted by FatGuy

Wow, really? So handwriting my notes is that important for the process of remembering things?

For many people, yes. You'll have to experiment and see what works for you, specifically.

The physical process of using a pen and paper uses different cognitive pathways than keyboard typing. (This is a trick authors are taught to use sometimes - if you're stuck on a manuscript, try writing the next scene with pen and ink in order to jiggle your brain cells) But of course, it's not going to be the best method for everyone.

Here's a list of 20 other ways to study more effectively. Some of them work for me, some of them don't. (I cannot, for example, under any circumstances work or study effectively with music on. I listen to the music instead of paying attention to my work.)

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I'm surly, does that count?

I'll let it pass this time.

[FatGuy]

Originally Posted by Nancy Fulda

For many people, yes. You'll have to experiment and see what works for you, specifically.

The physical process of using a pen and paper uses different cognitive pathways than keyboard typing. (This is a trick authors are taught to use sometimes - if you're stuck on a manuscript, try writing the next scene with pen and ink in order to jiggle your brain cells) But of course, it's not going to be the best method for everyone.

Here's a list of 20 other ways to study more effectively. Some of them work for me, some of them don't. (I cannot, for example, under any circumstances work or study effectively with music on. I listen to the music instead of paying attention to my work.)

Woah, thanks for sharing that! I'm looking at your link now.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by FatGuy

Wow, really? So handwriting my notes is that important for the process of remembering things?

Honestly, I think it depends on the person. I think us pre-internet people remember things wrote down by hand because that was how we learnt but my nephew can't remember anything he wrote but can if he types it.

On the other hand, if you want my other half to remember anything I think tattooing is the only way to go. Seriously, memory recall of a stunned haddock that one.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Honestly, I think it depends on the person. I think us pre-internet people remember things wrote down by hand because that was how we learnt but my nephew can't remember anything he wrote but can if he types it.

On the other hand, if you want my other half to remember anything I think tattooing is the only way to go. Seriously, memory recall of a stunned haddock that one.

Actually, research supports what Nancy Fulda wrote.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Froide

Actually, research supports what Nancy Fulda wrote.

And as with any research there are exceptions.
The best advice I can give the OP is try all the advice here and see what works for you.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by Froide

Actually, research supports what Nancy Fulda wrote.

Of course it does.

On the other hand, research has also proven that a glass of wine a day is good for you, bad for you, has no effect & the latest ground-breaking study decided that it depends.

This years Ig Nobel Award for biology went to someone who proved that if you attach a weight to the arse of a chicken it walks like a dinosaur

Research is fun

BTW : The Ig Nobel awards are given for unusual or trivial research in science, nearly as good as the darwin awards.
Full list of the winners
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._Prize_winners

[Froide]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Of course it does.

On the other hand, research has also proven that a glass of wine a day is good for you, bad for you, has no effect & the latest ground-breaking study decided that it depends.

This years Ig Nobel Award for biology went to someone who proved that if you attach a weight to the arse of a chicken it walks like a dinosaur

Research is fun

BTW : The Ig Nobel awards are given for unusual or trivial research in science, nearly as good as the darwin awards.
Full list of the winners
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._Prize_winners

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

And as with any research there are exceptions.
The best advice I can give the OP is try all the advice here and see what works for you.

While your dismissals are valid in many cases (e.g., backlit screens are bad for one's eyes/not bad for one's eyes), learning via multiple learning modalities (i.e., learning styles) does improve retention and mastery, so I'm sticking by my statement. Granted, some people learn/remember better via some means than others (e.g., reading/watching, listening, tactile means), but the more approaches one uses, the better the learning and retention. Criticisms of the multiple learning styles approach seem to center on whether or not it's appropriate or useful for students to be separated by learning style, the validity/reliability of learning style assessment instruments, and whether or not instructors should gear lessons to favor any given learning style. But those debates don't negate the valid/reliable upshots for learners:

• Some people learn better via some modalities than others, and
• Employing multiple modalities is better than only one
• Taking notes via pen(cil)-and-paper forces people to process material the see and/or hear in ways different from seeing/hearing, and the written note-taking process improves learning/retention over not taking written notes

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

On the other hand, research has also proven that a glass of wine a day is good for you, bad for you, has no effect & the latest ground-breaking study decided that it depends.

This years Ig Nobel Award for biology went to someone who proved that if you attach a weight to the arse of a chicken it walks like a dinosaur

Research is fun

BTW : The Ig Nobel awards are given for unusual or trivial research in science, nearly as good as the darwin awards.
Full list of the winners
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._Prize_winners

I never checked this year's winners
That egg thing is pretty good too.

[4691mls]

Remember that it's OK if you don't take in all the information in a book the first time through. There is nothing wrong with re-reading!

[FatGuy]

Here's a new question:



I'm trying something new.

Since I feel so much anxiety before I read a book and therefore this is such an unpleasant feeling, I've been rewarding myself after reading by having a dessert treat like a chocolate.

When you guys are about to read an educational book that you don't find interesting, how do you reward yourself?

Before you read an educational book, what words do you think to yourself before reading it?

Any help would be great!!!

[Cinisajoy]

I tend not to decide if a book will be interesting before actually looking at it.
You are thinking too hard.
Now as to rewards, what do you want?
My personal reward for getting through a bad class was ok focus on this class for 30 minutes then do something you enjoy for 30 minutes.
That could be a book, a game or whatever you enjoy.

[Catlady]

Just read the darn books, for goodness' sake!

[FatGuy]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I tend not to decide if a book will be interesting before actually looking at it.
You are thinking too hard.
Now as to rewards, what do you want?
My personal reward for getting through a bad class was ok focus on this class for 30 minutes then do something you enjoy for 30 minutes.
That could be a book, a game or whatever you enjoy.

Thanks! I'll give this a try.