Page 114 - A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science

patterns in your brain. This is precisely what we saw in chapter 4, in the
“Practice Makes Permanent” section, with the picture of the darkening patterns
in the brain that occurs with repetition. 15
Improvement because of the testing effect occurs even when the test
performance is bad and no feedback is given. When you are self-testing while
you are studying, however, you want to do your best to get feedback and check
your answers using solutions manuals, the back of the book, or wherever the

solution may lie. Also, as we’ll discuss later, interaction with peers as well as
instructors helps with the learning process. 16
One reason why building solid chunks is so helpful is that you get plenty of
mini-tests in while you are creating those chunks. Studies have shown that
students, and even educators, are often shockingly unaware of the benefits of this
kind of mini-testing through retrieval practice. 17

Students think they are just checking how well they’re doing when they do a
mini-test of their recall. But this active test of recall is one of the best learning
methods—better than just sitting passively and rereading! By building your
library of chunks, with plenty of active practicing at retrieving material over and
over again, and testing your recall, you are using some of the best methods
possible for learning deeply and well.

NOW YOU TRY!

Build a Mental Solution Library

A key to building mental flexibility and expertise is to build your library of chunked solution
patterns. This is your rapid-access data bank—always handy in a pinch. This idea isn’t just
useful for math and science problems—it applies to many areas in life. That’s why, for
example, it’s always a good strategy to look at where the emergency exits are relative to
your seat on an airplane or your room in a hotel.

SUMMING IT UP

Chunking means integrating a concept into one smoothly connected
neural thought pattern.
Chunking helps increase the amount of working memory you have
available.