/sci/ - Science & Math

I should add:
I am a 'maths person'. Like, I get Maths quite easily. I can't do creative shit for my life, but I get logical stuff (hence my degree).

I also struggle to actually just sit down and work. Once I am working, I'm fine. But getting to the point where I say "okay, work time" is something I struggle with.

1. I go to the foundation. In math, it is all about that. Look where it begins and follow it. All math can make sense if you do this. Math is inherently about understanding logical steps and conclusions. Do not ever overthink/overcomplicate in math (or really in general). The beauty is that it is all there when you relax and follow logic.

2. When I am studying? Classical all the way. Doesn't work for everyone though. If you find it distracts you more than helps you, turn it off.

3. Usually I'll get a buzz going from a few hits of weed and then get a cup of coffee. I don't smoke much while studying though. Just enough to make my brain calm. Not always a good idea though! Caffeine really helps me in keeping my brain active throughout.

>>5119831
>1) Go to foundation
Yeah I do that. How do you make notes?

>2)Classical
I'll try classical. Never listened to it before.

>3)weed and coffee
I can't smoke weed (on medication that it conflicts with) but I normally have coffee.

>>5119866

Take notes the same way your professor gives them. If he proves something, have every step of the proof written down (unless you feel you already know the proof well). There isn't a secret to notetaking. It's just a way to record information the professor gives you. The only information you need to worry about, at least in math, is the proof.

1. Make sure that you understand how the problem works and not just a cook book approach to solving it. Work through a couple of simular problems and then it becomes second nature.

2. Currently Cello-Metal, but I tend to listen to any genre that is light on lyrics and upbeat while studying.

3. Coffee and Snuff. The coffee gets me wired and then the nicotine helps me focus or so I've made myself believe.

>>5119830
>
I also struggle to actually just sit down and work. Once I am working, I'm fine. But getting to the point where I say "okay, work time" is something I struggle with.

Very much this. I also absolutely require music. Preferably something droning with repetitive patterns, and certainly no vocals. IDM, ambient, dark ambient, noise. It shuts out the rest of the world.

I always found math to be very easy.
For some reason, many teachers go with
Theory > application > shortcut which tends to confuse many people.
I (and most others who are the least bit intelligent) usually try to see the gimmick or the shortcut, simplify everything to just a set of principles, then find out how to apply it to solve problems and only then look at the proof and deeper meaning of what you are learning.

I.e learning something like isolating for x: bring it to the other side and do the opposite operation. I would as a kid literally imagine a number jumping from one side and becoming negative. Then use that shit to solve word problems and only then see that it works by doing the inverse operation on each side of the equation.

>>5119976
My high school teachers just did Shortcut>Application. I was so far behind when I started college thanks to this nonsense. I knew how to solve calculus problems but I didn't know how to think logically through them because I didn't know the theory behind what I was doing. I guess that's the problem with going to a shit-tier 2A public school in west texas.

>>5119822
>What methods do you guys use to study and learn your university/college/school work?
Time
All the time.
Consistent reading and pretending to explain questions to your imaginary friends help a lot as it gives you insight into your own knowledge
>Do you listen to music?
Yes, but it's a distraction, listen to two tracks every 30 minutes as relaxation. then go back to time consuming grinding
>3
coffee

>>5120075
Learning maths without knowing the logic and proof behind it is retarded in my opinion.

That's why I love engineers. Hurr durr I'm an engineer. I can do this maths. Then me, as a actual mathematical science student, ask them to simply even explain why they are doing what they are doing, and they have no idea.

I find it easiest to learn theory and application first together and then shortcut afterwards. Like, I do practical examples while doing the theory. It helps you drill the theory into your brain in an easy to remember way.

>>5119866
what medicine are you on that you claim conflicts with weed?

>>5120154
Here's the reality of the development of practical mathematics in most cases, though: the application comes first, then the method, and finally, the proof.

Calculus was invented to solve problems, then it was used productively for many years before someone found a way to "prove" that it worked, and when they did, they claimed that the reasoning calculus was originally based on was flawed (limits over infinitesimals), until years later it was proved that it wasn't (infinitesimals, it turns out, can be made rigorous). Physics in particular is always out ahead of "mathematical rigour".

Proofs are a matter of taste. You still have to pick your axioms, and this is a non-trivial task.

Motivation for method, method, support for validity of method is the right order to teach in, what's best for the student. People make all sorts of excuses for teaching it the other way around, but what it comes down to is our lowest monkey instincts: making students obey you on faith makes you feel dominant and powerful. Teachers don't want to serve their students, though it's really what they should be doing, they want to lead them, to command them.

It's the same reason teachers are opposed to standardized testing, the same reason we have the same people teaching and testing, doing work and judging whether the work was done well. Teachers want to feel like masters over their students.

>>5120202
Accutane. My dermatologist told me that I can do whatever drugs I want (as in they wont conflict, she obvs wasn't telling me to do them) except weed. It supposedly makes you depressed and suicidal as fuck (I looked it up and there are a few stories out there as well).

>>5120223
Some great points!

I love this board. No trolls and everyone seems fairly educated!

>>5119822
I meditate about 15 minutes every morning and every night.

Nuclear Physicist doing work @ MIT

>>5120276
>No trolls
>GSSHHHDD

Whenever I'm studying, I can go on for about an hour or two a piece. My method is to reorganize what I read in my own language in order to explain it back to myself, linking it with precious concept who are sometimes used in a more implicit manner in the manual. In short, I write an essay as I'm studying.

Problem: after an hour or two I start to feel [frustrated/disgusted/full] and the only thing I then want to do, it seems, is one or two hour of listening to music that fuel day-dreaming, which is disgusting. But I don't know what else I should do to clear myself of the feeling of "being full" after a short period of study.

Anybody?

>>5119866
Please, tell me what medication you take that conflicts with weed, or are you just too much of a pussy to ask around campus?

>>5120327
>>5120256
Oh. My. God.

Just read this, you gotta be fucking kidding me. Your dermatologist is full of shit. I took accutane for acne and smoked tones of weed, I graduated high school that year with 1st honors. Not depression or whatever you made up. I still smoke weed, accutane is just high amounts of vitamin A. That's LITERALLY all it is. Vitamin A DOES NOT conflict at ALL with tetrahydrocannabinol or ANY of the cannabinoids in weed.

>>5120338

that's not funny bro my cousin got AIDS from shooting a weed needle into his vein and then he OD'd on it and died.

>>5120368
true story

>>5120368
But 'weed' is not injected.
They only smoke it.
Perhaps you are confusing it with heroin?

>>5120453
Smoking is pussy style.

>>5120456
I do not think anyone at all ever injects it.
That is not the method of use for this specific drug.
You are mistaken.
Your cousin probably took heroin, not marijuana.

>>5120368
Weed also killed all those monkeys in that experiment too.

People trolling hard in here.

I'm actually on the same track!
1. Studying math... Like already said, just calm down and use the basics. Don't overcomplicate things but be thorough with the rules. Always simplify.

2. I do listen to music, usually stuff in other languages so that I have a beat to keep my mind active but I can't start thinking about the lyrics. Sometimes you just have to turn it off and work on whatever you're doing.

3. I don't take anything to study, but do take breaks and walk around, especially if you get stuck. Once you've stared at a problem enough to have it memorized, go for a walk or have a snack and think about the problem in a different, relaxed environment.

As a quick number 4, I have found that programming is usually best done without music (it's just too distracting for me compared to listening while doing math). Also, programming on linux is nice, but I'm getting side tracked. Goodluck!

the best way to study ANY subject is constant repetition.

>>5120595
No, rote learning is the worst way to learn anything. You don't retain it for any longer than you need to and you don't necessarily understand it.

Most math majors would stop being friends with you just for suggesting that.

>>5120652
This.

>>5119830
>I can't do creative shit for my life


Mathematics is not for you. Quit now.

Examples, examples, examples.

Learning the theory/concepts can often be better than just rote memorization of equations, but examples are always helpful in both math and science.

>>5120804
You know he meant art creative stuff, not creative logical thinking in mathematics. They are indeed different types of creativity, though I do agree there is creativity in math.

>>5120652
>No, rote learning is the worst way to learn anything.
That's because you're stupid.

>>5120910
>rote learning
>not for retards

lol go back to your flashcards, people are learning here.

>Studying CS
For it's very important to seperate my 'home/relax'-zone and my 'work/study'-zone.
I just can't really concentrate when I sit at my desk in my room. All I want there is watching movies and surfing on the internet on my laptop.

When I'm at uni I either work together with some friends of mine to prepare a weekly project/exercise or seek the the place with the least distractions. No laptop, no music, not many people.
The ideal room would be completely empty, but a desk and a chair.

Drugs? You don't need drugs to study. Have a bottle of cold water and/or some coffee with you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabola

creative

>>5120942
You actually code on a computer that you don't own? Nothing wrong with it, I just can't imagine not having total control over my dev. environment except for maybe at work.

>>5120925
>learning math with flash cards

U wot m8?

>>5121195
That's what rote learning boils down to. Doing the same thing a bunch of times so that you have the processes memorized without having to have any real understanding of what the fuck is going on.

>>5121321
All of my required classes that had nothing to do with my major in a nutshell. Flashcard an hour before a test, pass with 4.0

1. I have a terribly hard time studying. I've never really done it pre-college, and now that I'm in college and shit is getting tough, I'm having to start learning how to do it. This is what I've been doing:

>Go to every class
and pay attention. Ask questions when you're confused. Actually try to learn. Take good notes and try not to daydream too much.
>read the book
Read the chapters assigned all the way through, at least once, and reread them for parts you don't understand. Ideally you should do this before the lecture.
>do chapter problems
They're usually at the end of each chapter, it's good practice. Buy the solution manual if it exists, or get someone who knows their shit to check your work.

If you do these three things you should have no problem understanding the concepts and doing well in the course. My problem is I work as well so I don't always make time to do all of these and my grades suffer directly. This method isn't just for math, it works for just about everything.
2. Listen to whatever, instrumental stuff works best, there is an amazing amount of diversity you can find in non-lyrical music.
3. Depends entirely on the subject. If it's anything other than math I can smoke as much weed as I want and study. If I really need to focus, I don't do it hardly ever but adderall does really work. It will make you want to study all night and then do you and your family's taxes.

>>5120942

>Drugs? You don't need drugs to study. Have a bottle of cold water and/or some coffee with you.
>Have a bottle of cold water and/or some coffee with you.
>some coffee with you
>coffee
>You don't need drugs to study

>>5120338
>accutane
>Isotretinoin, INN, ( /ˌaɪsoʊtrɨˈtɪnoʊ.ɨn/)[1] is a medication used mostly for cystic acne. It is also a chemotherapy treatment used in brain, pancreatic and other cancers. It is used to treat harlequin-type ichthyosis, a usually lethal skin disease, and lamellar ichthyosis. Its effects are systemic and nonselective. It is a retinoid, meaning it is related to vitamin A
>related to vitamin A
>related to vitamin A
>related to vitamin A
Does not equal BEING vitamin A
God damnit people are stupid.

As for combining it with weed; there doesn't seem to be any direct toxicological effect of it, just more negative reports from users of both. Though of course I only googled this for 5 minutes so who knows.

1) I kind of just listen during lectures and read the text book in small 40 minute intervals at the night. Do practice problems... ect... Kind of highschool.
2) When I'm working, I'm listening to music. It's the only way I can concentrate
3) I've been drinking tea like an addict since I was 9 so I guess that counts? I have a pretty good caffeine at this point.

>>5119822
you seem to like lists:
1) Go to every class, dont skip out, even if your running late, havent eaten and look like shit, still go to class

2) Listen to the teacher carefully, If you like the analogies he/she is making, draw them write down key words that will help you remember later

3) Studying is just as much about understanding the material as it is about understanding yourself and how you learn best. you may like to do practice problem after practice problem, you may like to read and understand general theorems, you may like to study with a group of people.

4) Understand what you teacher wants from you. notice the way tests are written, write down anything the teacher gets excited about.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
personally, I spend very little time actually practicing problems, when I do it is with a group of people. to study I re-read my notes, skim the book paying closer attention to theorems. by reading a problem you should be able to run through your head all the large steps you need to do to solve it. If there is a problem I am not sure I can do I'll do it by hand. this is true for all my (math and applied math) classes.

I'll sometimes listen to music to study, as mentioned before lyricless, instrumental, and soundscapes are the best to keep noise distractions to a minimum.

from my experience as a non coffee drinker, caffine isnt conducive to remembering ideas. I'll get really motivated but I am not really effective at learning after drinking coffee. the best thing for me is to be clear headed, its hard to get into studying at first but after you dive in the time seems to fly

>>5119822
1) I solve problems and refer to textbooks/the internet when I'm unable to solve problems.

2) Yes, but more typically I listen to white (actually brown, prefer the deeper tones) noise.

3) Marijuana, LSD, psilocybin occasionally, but I mostly study sobre. Caffeine or nicotine (pills, not cigarettes) if I need stimulants.

>>5120223
Coming across this was worth reading all the other diarrhea posts in this thread

>>5119822

> method

I find a good manual and go with it's flow

> music

Techno, Chillout, Ambient, Indie, Post-Rock, Death Metal, Jazz, really mechanical Bach-style classic... Anything that's kind of predictable and light on lyrics.

> Substances

I take Concerta (same substance as Ritalin) to treat the ADD I've been diagnosed, and I can't even describe how much it helps with concentration.

I also take coffe, to the point of developing pretty solid addictions during exams periods and having to sufer 2-3 days of withdrawal-related headache afterwards.

Seems stupid, but having some beer for when the work's done helps, too.

Sometimes, I know that I can't study at home without falling into some distraction. In those cases, I get up early and go to a library or some place like that.

Physics student here

>1)What method do you use to study Maths/Applied Maths?
Depends on time constraints, if i have enough time i try to understand the theory before solving and while solving problems, if no time just the latter.

Think about stuff not only while studying, but at any time of day.
I have found myself understaning a concept i was struggling with just thinking of it on the bus or the bed, just about to sleep
2)Do you listen to music?
If i can, yes, most of the time
3)Do you take anything to help study? (medicine, coffee or whatever?)
Coffee when im tired
Sugary stuff helps a lot
I only take them when i feel my performance isnt being good, otherwise i try to do without both

>>5122765
Also, i always study at libraries, cant do shit at home

Get good sleep at night, wake up early

Do exercise (i find i have trouble falling asleep the days i dont do any)

>>5122771
>study at libraries
This, this, this.
I can't ephasise enough how good it is to study at a library compared to home. There are just too many distractions at home.
I feel more focused and motivated at a library.

>>5120276
take off your tripcode, nigger

>>5119822
>1)What method do you use to study Maths/Applied Maths?
Do as many problems as possible. Make sure to understand theory and concepts. Understand how what theorems mean and how they are proved.
>2)Do you listen to music?
not usually
>3)Do you take anything to help study? (medicine, coffee or whatever?)
no (adderall is for the azns)

>weed
Enjoy your short attention span and lack of memory.

When I was studying Diff Eq or whatever, I would go about it like this: Start by taking a certain situation and describe how to solve it only in words, so that you start to develop familiarity with the jargon and can actually recognize what problems are asking. Do an example problem symbolically, and then do an example problem using numbers.

1)What method do you use to study Maths/Applied Maths?
You make sure you understand EVERY SINGLE LINE in the textbook and you make as much problems as you can possible do
2)Do you listen to music?
NO. NO. NO.
3)Do you take anything to help study? (medicine, coffee or whatever?)
No. If you aren't really fascinated by the information and don't really WANT to learn the material, you shouldn't be a student in the first place.

That last bit is the best hint I can give you. Make sure you WANT to learn the material. Become curious. Look up extra information that's not in the textbook. If you succeed in this, you will find that times goes by way to quick, because your mind is completely in the subject.

Once again; if you don't WANT to learn, you should drop uni and find another direction in your life.

>>5123092
Also: drop the tripcode.

>>5122877
You think this (if happens) happens for ever? I stopped smoking weed almost two years ago, and sometimes I think my short attention span might be because of it, but I don't really know. Any scientific research about it?

>>5123226
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahydrocannabinol#Scientific_studies_indicating_side-effects :
>Some studies claim a variety of negative effects associated with long-term use, including short-term memory loss. [...] One study reports altered memory-related brain function (23% better memory for the cannabis users in recalling the end of a list of things to remember, but 19% worse memory for cannabis users in recalling the middle of a list of things to remember) in chronic daily cannabis users.
There are links to studies in the references.