Occam's Razor - Keeping it Simple

Albert Einstein cautioned us that, "Everything should be made as simple as possible but no simpler." 

His advice echos a commonly practiced principal in science called, "Occam's razor."  

Keep this principal in mind whenever you approach a problem.  This strategy will also prove helpful in the future when you are designing experiments and explaining how, or why something is the way it is.  It is even a helpful tool to use when dealing with whatever problems you encounter in life. 

Here is a pretty good explanation of the concept:

"Ockham's razor - also written, 'occam' is attributed to the fourteenth century Friar, William of Ockham, has become the hallmark of scientific theories ever since.  

Ockham stated that 'Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily.'  This has been taken to mean that whenever two or more explanations exist for a given phenomenon, the simpler one is generally preferable.

In other words, scientists use Occam's 'razor' to cut away any superfluous elements of a theory preferring to leave only the simplest explanation necessary, for logic dictates that the simpler answer tends to be more preferable than an overly complicated one.  This little rule is useful in any logical situation, even beyond the realm of science."

                                                                                    - From: Physics - Everyday Science at the Speed of Light, 2010

Note-Taking Tips - 2 - Getting on-line notes into a Word Document

This post is very detailed, however once you've gone through it, you will not forget it and the payoff is having awesome notes that you can easily edit and review in the future. 

Create folders for each subject in your Flash Drive - for example;

1]  Click on the 'Save As" button in your 'File' pull-down menu located at the top left corner of your computer screen.
2]  Press the 'New Folder' button and type in, "Science - Fall 2012" into the highlighted area.  A best practice would be to create similar folders for each of your classes.
3]  Open the folder, and save your newly created document into it - make sure you label the document in a way that you can easily identify its contents for easy reference and future use.

You can then copy the provided outline which has already been laid-out for your coursework in the on-line Course Map.  

To copy and paste from it;

1]  Highlight what you want to copy 
2]  Press the buttons, "ctrl" and the key, "c" at the same time, and then 
3]  Open up a new Word Document
4]  paste what you copied into your Word Doc by pressing, "ctrl" and the key, "v" at the same time.

Using the prepared outline for a given subject is helpful because all the guesswork has been taken out of your note-work taking experience; the outline  lets you know exactly what you need to know and even what order you need to know it.  

In education, we call this process, 'scaffolding' - meaning that what you learn builds on what you have already learned in the past.  Courses typically follow this pattern; They start out with basic, general information and then build on it from there.  Stating with simple concepts a course of study then builds upon that knowledge by adding more complicated, and sophisticated information.

Being familiar with the way courses are laid out puts you at a distinct advantage in comparison to your fellow students.  Knowing how to process that information through development of superb note-taking skill will help to assure you are getting the most out of your coursework.  Mastering these techniques, plus a few test-taking strategies, and people will be looking at you in complete awe.  Thanks to your efforts to master these techniques, you are guaranteed to be at the top of that intellectual mountain.  Few people will be able to understand you anymore.  Before you know it, people will be calling you a, 'braniac,' or 'Doctor,' and eventually, 'Boss.'  Go figure...

At this point, you can begin populating your outline with your notes and vocabulary etc.  All you have to do is copy your Vocabulary, Direct Instruction notes,  Lab instruction notes, and homework etc. onto the new Word document you have just created.  Your next step is to fine tune your notes by spell-checking and grammar checking them so they are a beautiful representation of how they are organized in your mind.  Be certain to save your work often so that it doesn't get lost.  Now your masterpiece is available for future access. 

Excellent note-writing is a Habit of Mind that you will soon master.

Copying and correcting for grammatical and/or spelling errors will also help to sharpen your writing skills.  It increases your familiarity with Word's powerful features - like bold facing, underlining, highlighting, italicizing, creation of headers and numbering your pages at the bottom etc.  Working with Word docs  offers you another opportunity to review the study material.  Working so actively on your notes also helps familiarize you - not only with where the information is located in your notes -but how you have it organized too.   These developed skills contribute mastering what you have been studying.

Excellent notes, guarantee your ability to pass every one of your quizzes, assessments and exams with flying colors.

Remember:  Notes are an extension of your memory - the better you write them, the more organized your thoughts will be. 

Always be willing help your peers who are struggling to master this powerful skill.  If you notice someone is having a difficult time, please help them out.

It is critical that we all develop good networking skills, along with the desire to offer people a hand up when they need it.  You never know, someday you may need help as well.  Invest in your,  'Helper's Bank Account' and when a rainy day comes, you will be able to draw from it. 

Remember the axiom, "Helping others helps me." It is a great feeling to know that your thoughtfulness made someone's world a little better.  More than that, people remember acts of kindness.

Note-Taking Tips - 1 - word-processed notes

 

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius --- and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - Albert Einstein 

Note-Taking Tips for Students - Part 1/2

Taking notes when viewing your on-line classes is one of the most effective ways to understand the material being presented in class. Unless you have a photographic memory, you'll need to learn this important skill. Follow these general guidelines and you’ll be a pro in no time.

1. Come to 'class' prepared. Always bring enough paper, a writing instrument of your choice and a flash drive to class.
   
2. Be organized and follow a routine.  If you are also writing out your notes, it's not a bad idea to start a new page for each new class, but your on-line classes have outlines already laid out in a logical order.  All you have to do is copy & paste the outline into a Word document, and then transfer your on-line notes to it.  For written notes, be sure to put the date on the top of the first page. This way you will know exactly where the notes for each topic begin.  For written notes, organize them in their own separate binders/spiral notebooks.
   
3. Don’t try to write down every word your teacher says. You will not be able to, even if you can write very fast. More importantly, in trying to do so, you will miss the overall point your teacher is trying to make.  Whenever possible, write down the information in your own words.  You can always pause the on-line instruction when you are writing your notes.  Using the preexisting course outline format for typing in your notes is a good idea because they have already been prepared perfectly for you to copy what you have already typed into the e-notes and then paste them into Word documents that you are  storing in your flash-drive memory sticks.
   
4. Write down the big ideas. Listen for facts, connections, and main ideas. This may take a while to get used to, because you will need to divide your attention between listening to the teacher and writing your notes. Don’t get frustrated. In time, this will become easier.
   
5. Use abbreviations for commonly occurring names and words. You can develop your own abbreviations, so long as you don’t forget what they stand for. For example, in a lecture on Einstein, you might write his name out the first time, and then abbreviate it as "E" throughout the rest of your notes. Long words such as government can become "govt" and federal can become "fed." Develop your own system and stick to it, once it works.
   
6. Again, for written notes, leave lots of room on the page. When writing, leave ample space between ideas. This is like pausing before you begin a new sentence. Your notes will much easier to read, and you’ll have space to add information later on, if needed. Don’t try to cram everything onto one piece of paper. Copying and pasting your e-notes into Word documents helps you to further organize your thinking because you have to fit the right information you are copying into your outline.  Correcting spelling, and grammar mistakes, helps you sharpen your spelling and writing skills.   Remember to use Word's spell checker (misspelled words are automatically underlined in red.  Green underlining in Word docs indicate mechanical (too many spaces between words) or grammatical errors.  A note of caution: be careful with both features because not all words are stored in the Word doc dictionaries, and not all grammar mistakes are grammar mistakes.  Nevertheless, both features are convenient tools that will  enhance your writing skills.
   
7. Use diagrams and pictures where necessary. Sometimes it is helpful to draw pictures that illustrate the connections between ideas, sequences, or events. Don’t be afraid to draw pictures that will help you understand the material.
   
8. Write down corresponding page numbers from other textbooks or reading materials you are referencing as you study the topic at hand. Teachers often use the textbook to refer to ideas you’re learning in class. Recording the page number of corresponding ideas and homework assignments can come in handy later on.
   
9. Review your notes for accuracy. It’s a good idea to look over your notes sometime after class for accuracy and completeness. Consider doing this just before doing your homework to get yourself back in the mindset of the material. 
10. Compare your notes with fellow students - if that is at all possible. Sometimes you are going to miss something said in the lectures. Consider forming a partnership with another student at the beginning of class on whom you can rely (and vise-versa) for comparing notes. 
11. Get used to typing out your notes because you will be able to do so on a laptop during lectures when you get to university.  Typed notes are easier to read.  You can also learn a lot when you are copy-editing and correcting any errors.  This is a great skill to develop as you listen to your on-line lectures.  Develop it now while you have the time.

* Adapted from McGraw Hill note-taking strategies