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Connecting the Dots

Memorization forces understanding

PAUK will be invaluable in helping you connect the dots. It’s a common misunderstanding that Learning Systems which are based on the Flashcard methodology are only useful for rote memorization. Although this might be true for drilling vocabulary in foreign languages, this idea simply false when it comes to more complex matters. Why?
Let’s use the phenomena of the global Wind Patterns as an example. To know the answer for a question such as “What wind patterns are present in subtropical latitudes?”, you would likely need to have an understanding of why “variable winds mixed with calm” is the correct answer. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_latitudes) There is an explanation within in the context of the global wind patterns and once you have finished dissecting the entire subject of global wind patterns, you will find your own logical explanation of why this specific region is dominated by “variable winds mixed with calm”.
When PAUK forces you to answer a question like the one above, your brain immediately searches for a logical reason for the answer. Your brain will try to clarify it and connect the dots. You will then know the topic as soon as your brain finds a reasonable explanation and it becomes a part of your long-term memory.

It is often the case that students just don’t know the basic facts. If they fail in school, it’s not because they aren’t getting it, it’s mostly because they didn’t memorized the elementary facts which are required to generate logical context.
The right preparation will make the difference here. Remembering the dots easily makes it a breeze to connect them.
You don’t have to become a nerd. You just need to use the right method to prepare for your exams, which will save you enough time to allow you to still have your social life :-)

Why knowing the dots is relevant for your perceived intelligence is also described in this article: “The information you can hold in your mind at one time is the information you can interrelate.”

Facts are best remembered if they also make sense within the context

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