Learning new things can be a slow and sometimes painful process. The good thing is that it compounds over time. Learning new things makes it easier to learn new things.

Below are five techniques you can use to help you study more efficiently and how you can use A.I. right now to make them even better.

Note This article assumes you are familiar with tools like ChatGPT. If you have not used it, please check it out now!

The article is broken up into two parts: first Understanding, then Remembering.

Part 1 - Understanding:

Technique 1 - Be Active

Understanding new information is not something that happens passively. New information does not just flow in and stick; it requires some work. While reading about something, try using one of the following ways to engage with the information:

• Jot down key ideas.
• Make connections to to what you already know.
• Write out questions as they come up.
• Form predictions
• Finally, try explaining the material to someone else.

The key here is to be actively engaged in the material. Reading alone is not enough; you have to pause and engage before moving on.

Use ChatGPT to ask questions or reframe the topic in simpler terms.

Can you explain {ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO LEARN} to me like I'm 5?

Treat this like your personal tutor! Follow your curiosity up and down rabbit holes.

Warning: ChatGPT is not perfect and may occasionally hallucinate (provide convincing-sounding but inaccurate information).

To prevent hallucinations, use the following prompt. Replace the content inside the triple quotes (""") with your own material.

You are an expert tutor. Your job is to answer questions based on the following text.

"""
Within a nervous system, a neuron, neurone, or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell that fires electric signals called action potentials across a neural network. Neurons communicate with other cells via synapses - specialized connections that commonly use minute amounts of chemical neurotransmitters to pass the electric signal from the presynaptic neuron to the target cell through the synaptic gap. The neuron is the main component of nervous tissue in all animals except sponges and placozoa. Non-animals like plants and fungi do not have nerve cells. The ability to generate electric signals first appeared in evolution 700 million years ago. 800 million years ago, predecessors of neurons were the peptidergic secretory cells. They eventually gained new gene modules which enabled cells to create post-synaptic scaffolds and ion channels that generate fast electrical signals. The ability to generate electric signals was a key innovation in the evolution of the nervous system.[1]
"""

How do neurons communicate again?

Tip: If you have a bunch of text or a large document, you can use Claude 2. It has a bigger context window to accept more text.

Technique 2 - Use Multiple Channels

Explore receiving information from multiple channels. If you mainly read, try watching a video or listening to a podcast on the subject….but don’t forget to be active.

Part 2 - Remembering:

Technique 3 - Self-Testing

Instead of re-reading the material, try using quizzes to test yourself. If you are like me, the material can almost seem obvious when it is right there in front of you. Self-testing helps you be honest about what you actually remember, plus the act of recalling information from your memory is what helps it stick long term!

Use ChatGPT to create quizzes

Replace the content inside the triple quotes (""") with your own material.

Can you convert the following text into a few multiple-choice questions?

"""
An atom is a particle that consists of a nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by an electromagnetically-bound cloud of electrons. The atom is the basic particle of the chemical elements, and the chemical elements are distinguished from each other by the number of protons that are in their atoms.
"""

Technique 4 - Spaced Repetition

Not much to say here other than to just try developing a spaced repetition habit. In the world of memory, it's time well spent! Anki is a great tool for this.

How A.I. can help: Use A.I to automatically generate flashcards from a block of text. Replace the content inside the triple quotes (""") with your own material.

You are an expert flash card creator. Your job is to convert the following text into several focused note cards. To do this use the following steps:

When generating questions and answers, make sure they follow these rules:
1 - Make sure the question is focused on one detail
2 - Make sure the answer is focused and concise
3 - Make sure the question is clear about what it is asking for
4 - Make sure the question is not open ended

"""
Did you know that it's the only known planet to support life? The diversity of life forms, ecosystems, and climates on Earth is mind-boggling. The planet is about 4.54 billion years old, and its atmosphere, which is essential for life as we know it, is composed mainly of nitrogen and oxygen.

Earth's geology is pretty dynamic too. The outer layer, called the lithosphere, is divided into tectonic plates that are constantly moving. This movement can lead to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the creation of mountains.

And let's not forget the water! About 71% of Earth's surface is covered in water, with the majority in the form of oceans. The interconnectedness of Earth's water cycle is crucial for sustaining life.

Our planet is also home to some extreme environments. From the icy depths of Antarctica to the scorching heat of deserts, Earth showcases a wide range of climates and landscapes.

Speaking of extremes, Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth, reaches an elevation of 29,032 feet (8,848 meters) above sea level. On the flip side, the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean is the deepest point on Earth, plunging down about 36,070 feet (10,994 meters).
"""

Warning Manually creating flashcards is one way to engage with the material. If that is how you engage with the material, then skip this step!

Technique 5 - Use Mnemonics

Create mnemonics as a way to group information that does not have any natural groupings. For example, use "Roy G. Biv" to help remember the colors of the rainbow. Or, PEMDAS to help remember the order of operations in Math.

Let A.I. generate mnemonics: Let A.I. generate several different mnemonics then pick the one you think you will remember the best.

We created a Mnemonic Generator just for this!

Additional Resources

• Learning how to Learn - Online course that teaches these techniques in depths
• Writing Effective Flashcards - an essay with detailed examples about how to write flashcards that work.
• How to Read a Book - A book about how to read books

"It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop." - Confucius

Happy learning!