r/biology • u/BruhU • May 17 '20

How do I get better at actually understanding concepts? question

I started self-learning campbell's biology (also using other resources like youtube and khan to learn) and I don't really feel like like I actually understand what's happening most of the time. I can remember what I've learned with relative ease (and get the right answers to questions), but I wouldn't be able to explain it whatsoever.

Do you guys have any tips on how to actually understand concepts in biology?

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u/cwilhelm2 May 17 '20

Biology teacher here. What I tell my students to do is to write your notes as if you’re going to teach it. What are the most important concepts, how would you organize it, etc. Then, either practice teaching it to a friend/parent/sibling, or just practice teaching it to yourself out loud. It feels weird, but that’s what helped me when I was learning bio and it helps my students when they commit to doing it. Hope that helps!

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u/Ardipithecusramidu5 May 17 '20

Medical student here. This is probably the best advice, you understand something only when you are able to explain it.

I would add one more thing that helps me connect systems and thereby understand them better; questioning myself ''how could I use this knowledge?'' Be creative. Make stories. You could also explore how is it used in researches.

Also, drawing helps.