This article was written by Dr. Piotr Wozniak and is one of the SuperMemo Guru series articles on memory, learning, creativity, and problem-solving.
catalogue
- introduction
- Summary: 20 rules
- New rule: Incremental reading
- Meta rule: The Joy of Learning
- Meta rule: Applicability
- Meta rule: Simplicity
introduction
The way we express knowledge in learning has a profound impact on memory. Carefully designed questions can simplify the learning process, while well-organized knowledge can ensure it stays with you for a lifetime.
The book "Effective Learning: 20 Rules for Expressing Knowledge" was compiled in 1999, describing the important rules required for effectively expressing long-term memory problems. The following is a concise summary (especially for those interested in incremental reading).
Summary: 20 rules
- Do not study content that you do not understand.
- Learn before memorizing.
- Start from the basics and then move on to complex content.
- Keep the problem simple.
- Images help with memory (see: video).
- Learn memory techniques, such as hook lists.
- Avoid lists, collections, and enumerations (which can be handled through fill in the blank deletion method, as shown in the video).
- Personalize and provide examples.
- The fill in the blank deletion method is fast and has strong memory ability.
- Use redundancy (similar projects that raise similar questions from different perspectives) (see: Knowledge Darwinism).
- Use references.
New rule: Incremental reading
With the emergence of incremental reading, the rules have been modified and reordered.
Changes in expression strategies in incremental reading:
- Understanding may be a part of the learning process, and creating fill in the blank deletions for poorly understood phrases is acceptable.
- Learning and memory can be carried out simultaneously (see: video).
- In the early stages of the learning process, projects may be more complex. They will gradually simplify based on knowledge priority and available time.
- Multiple fill in the blank deletions can often replace memory techniques for different expressions of the same statement (see: Knowledge Darwinism).
- Lists, collections, and enumerations can be easily handled by filling in the blanks (see: video).
- For personalization, add your own story to the text you want to learn. Creatively expand.
Meta rule: The Joy of Learning
The simple and universal touchstone of a good expression is the joy of learning. Every time you notice a decrease in learning enjoyment, go back to this article and see if you can find any rule violations that lead to a decrease in enjoyment.
Meta rule: Applicability
We should strive to maximize the applicability of knowledge.
Human intelligence is based on knowledge, with abstract knowledge being particularly important. Abstract knowledge is based on rules, such as 2+2=4. Such rules can be used in various contexts and contribute to problem-solving abilities. Rules are more useful than facts. For example, knowing that 2+2=4 (rule) is more useful than knowing that a friend's phone number starts with 4 (fact). Rules and formulas are more applicable than facts. For more details, please refer to: Abstract Knowledge.
Meta rule: Simplicity
When representing knowledge, we should always strive to express atomic memory in a context of good understanding. If learning is enjoyable, the project may be well expressed. The following diagram explains why simple memories are easier to retain:
Memory complexity: simple and complex memories
Figure: Memory complexity illustrates the importance of the principle of minimum information. When memorizing simple questions and answers, we can rely on simple memory connections and refresh them uniformly during review. The concept of complex memory may be activated in an incomplete manner or in different orders depending on the context. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve a uniform increase in memory stability during review. Complex projects are difficult to remember. A simple project example could be a word pair, such as apple=pomo (Esperanto). To identify an apple, a complex network of connections may be required. The connection between Apple and Pomo is irreducible (i.e. has been simplified to the maximum extent possible).
For more articles on memory, learning, sleep, creativity, and problem-solving, please refer to Super Memory Guru.https://supermemo.guru/wiki/20_rules_of_knowledge_formulation
Published on 2025-06-30
广东
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