# Intro ... # Stages of reading **What two stages should you go through when reading?** Two stages you should go through when reading are: 1. Consumption. 2. Digestion. **Does consuming more material mean that you'll learn more?** *No*, consuming more material doesn't mean that you'll learn more. > **Is it more important to take in more information or retain more information?** > It is more important to *retain more information.* **Is it possible to remember everything you read?** *No*, it isn't possible to remember everything you read. > **Why shouldn't it be the goal to just memorize everything you read?** > It shouldn't be the goal to just memorize everything you read *because just memorizing information will not help you in reasoning and problem solving.* > > **What should be the goal with reading and learning?** > The goal with reading and learning should be *to remember everything you need to remember so that you can use it the way you need to use it.* **Is all information equal?** *No*, not all information is equal. # PACER System **What does the acronym PACER stand for?** The acronym PACER stands for: * P - Procedural. * A - Analogous. * C - Conceptual. * E - Evidence. * R - Reference. **Why is it important to recognize what type of information you're reading?** It is important to recognize what type of information you're reading *because there are different digestion strategies you should be using depending on the type of information you're reading.* > **Why is it important to use the best digestion strategy depending on the type of information you're reading?** > It is important to use the best digestion strategy depending on the type of information you're reading *because it will make it easier to remember within a shorter amount of time.* **What do you do during the consumption period of reading?** During the consumption period of reading, you *determine which category that the information you're reading belongs to.* **What do you do during the digestion period of reading?** During the digestion period of reading, you *use the specific targeted strategy for retaining that information in your long-term memory.* # Procedural **What is procedural information?** Procedural information is *any information that tells you how something should be executed.* > [!example] Two examples of procedural information > 1. Coding. > 2. Languages. **What is the best digestion strategy for procedural information?** The best digestion strategy for procedural information is *practice.* > **Where and when do you need to practice procedural information?** > You need to practice procedural information *in the real world as soon as possible.* > > **What two things can you do if you don't have time to practice procedural information?** > > If you don't have time to practice procedural information, the two things you can do are: > > 1. Move on to something else. > > 2. Stop reading until you have time to practice. **Consumption and digestion should be ...** Consumption and digestion should be *balanced.* > **Everything you ... must be ... in order for you to retain and use it.** > Everything you *consume* must be *digested* in order for you to retain and use it. **Is it better to not consume information if you don't have time to digest it, or is it better to continue consuming information until you have time to digest?** It is better to *not consume information if you don't have time to digest.* **What percentage of information is forgotten after just consuming it?** After just consuming information, the percentage of it which is forgotten is *90%.* # Analogous **What is analogous information?** Analogous information is *information that's related to something you already have prior knowledge about.* **What is an analogy?** An analogy is *a comparison between something you already know, even something that's in a different subject, and a new concept.* **What should you be thinking about when consuming information?** When consuming information, you should be thinking about *whether or not the information is related to something you already have knowledge about.* **What is the best digestion strategy for analogous information?** The best digestion strategy for analogous information is *critiquing the analogy.* > **How do you critique an analogy?** > You critique an analogy *by critically examining how good the analogy is.* > > **What four questions should you ask when critiquing an analogy?** > Three questions you should ask when critiquing an analogy are: > 1. How are these things related? > 2. How are these things different? > 3. When does the analogy not make sense anymore? > 4. Is there a better analogy? **Why is it important that this system doesn't feel natural?** Is it important that this system doesn't feel natural *because there are biological limitations to what the brain can learn in a given amount of time.* **How does analogous information relate to procedural and conceptual information?** Analogous information relates to procedural and conceptual information in that *analogies can be used to aid in remembering procedural and conceptual information.* # Conceptual **What is conceptual information?** Conceptional information includes *facts, explanations, theories, principles, applications, and the relationships between other concepts.* **What are the two types of information you need to solve problems?** The two types of information that you need to solve problems is *procedural and conceptual.* > [!example] Example of using both procedural and conceptual knowledge > While you may know the procedure for properly listening to someone's heartbeat, you still need the conceptual knowledge of what a heartbeat is and what conditions could affect someone's heartbeat. **What is the best digestion strategy for conceptual information?** The best digestion strategy for conceptual information is *mapping.* > **Why is mapping conceptual information effective?** > Mapping conceptual information is effective because *concepts inherently exist within a network of other concepts.* **What does an expert see in a problem?** In a problem, an expert sees *the concepts involved in the problem and how they connect with each other.* **What does a beginner see in a problem?** In a problem, a beginner sees *separated, individual concepts with no relationships between them.* **What should you do if you don't have the time or materials to create a map as you consume information?** If you don't have the time or materials to create a map as you consume information, you should *slow down consumption.* # Evidence **What is evidence type information?** Evidence type information is *information that helps make conceptual information more concrete.* > **What can evidence type information be used for?** > Evidence type information can be used *as examples to prove a conceptual point.* > [!example] Example of using evidence type information to prove a conceptual point > You may know the reasons why World War 1 began, but you'd need the evidence type information such as the specific dates, events, locations, and people involved to make that concept concrete. **What is the best digestion strategy for evidence type information?** The best digestion strategy for evidence type information is *storing and rehearsing it.* > **How do you store evidence type information?** > You store evidence type information *by collecting it and noting it down somewhere.* > > **When should collection of evidence type information happen?** > > Collection of evidence type information should happen *as you're reading.* > > **How do you rehearse evidence type information?** > You rehearse evidence type information *by asking yourself three questions about it:* > 1. How do you use this information? > 2. How do you apply this information? > 3. What type of conceptual information is this an example of? > > > **What are some ways you can challenge yourself to use and apply evidence type information?** > > Some ways you can challenge yourself to use and apply evidence type information include: > > * Solving problems. > > * Writing detailed answers to questions. > > * Creating explanations. > > * Teaching it to someone else. > > * Writing essays which use the evidence as a supporting example for a larger concept. > > > > **When should rehearsal of evidence type information happen?** > > Rehearsal of evidence type information should happen *later in the day or week.* **Why is it important to not neglect the procedural, analogous, and conceptual information when learning evidence type information?** It is important to not neglect the procedural, analogous, and conceptual information when learning evidence type information *because those types of information are what evidence type information builds off of.* # Reference **What is reference information?** Reference information is *any information which doesn't change your conceptual understanding but adds specific details.* > [!example] Four examples of reference information > 1. The exact value of a mathematical constant. > 2. A specific gene involved in a particular mutation. > 3. The name of a very specific molecule of a disease. > 4. A list of attributes used to define a variable for coding. **What is the best digestion strategy for reference information?** The best digestion strategy for reference type information is *storing and rehearsing it.* > **How do you store reference information?** > You store reference information *the same way as evidence type information.* > > **How do you rehearse reference information?** > You rehearse reference information *by practicing flashcards using spaced repetition.* # Putting it all together ...