Lecture #9: How to Read so that you *Retain* Information

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This is the ninth in a series of lectures, intended for first-year college students, tentatively titled "How to Do Well in College." This lecture, however, applies to anyone who reads anything. In it, I recommend a specific version of marginalia, whereby one summarizes information in the margins of texts. This forces the reader to engage with the meaning or content of what they are reading and therefore absorb the material. I also tell a story about an economics course that I took in college, and there is a bonus rant about how speed reading is a scam.

[@Skippy24]

As a Law Student I read 5 to 6 hours a day, I somehow use this method without knowing that this is a thing and I can assure you that this is very effective.

[@dangomwandira7631]

What's your best revision method 🤔. Starting exams on 28th April 😢

[@BenDreemurr44]

​@@dangomwandira7631 good luck on your exams? Have you started studying and revising? If so, I want some advice.

[@chongochishimba6207]

Hell no 5-6 hrs finna kill me 🤣😂

[@Skippy24]

@@dangomwandira7631 Hi, one of the best advise I can give is to scheme the table of contents first, understand the sequence of chapters, the most important part of the books starts at the beginning where the foundation is being layed down. Before you start reading READ the title of the chapter first, then as you read relate it to the title. Example, REVISED PENAL CODE: CHAPETER 1: WHAT IS FELONY Understand each sentences and relate it to the title "Felony". Same goes with the SUB CHAPTER

[@Skippy24]

@@dangomwandira7631 While doing that, write a note at the blank page of the books which relates the topic to the Chapter or sub chapter.

[@AlephOmega-zy5qs]

Skimming has value, but only as a primer. When you start a new chapter of a book, you skim all the major sections, read some key points, then when you finish, you go back to the beginning and the vine of knowledge has a convenient trellis to rest on. When I was getting my engineering degree, I spent way too much time getting lost in the weeds of details I didn't understand, repeatedly re-read sections to no effect, even taking notes didn't help me understand. Blasting through to get the main ideas and some context of each section was what made me able to slot ideas into a framework. I needed the context of the whole to grasp the information.

[@honestabe_9207]

Noted

[@marcusvinicius5200]

Thank you mate, cheers from Brasil!

[@melaniecabague3165]

me too

[@ronaldjones1274]

I've kinda been doing this without realizing I've kinda been doing this.

[@Sh0-tyme]

Respectable

[@jonfin3574]

More university professors should be like this guy - he talks with a real enthusiasm and in an entertaining way, he has really deep knowledge and most importantly...he can actually pass his knowledge on!

[@shiijei2638]

Do you think that he can sustain that enthusiasm for a whole semester? I don't know if he can or can't but I would be surprised if he was always that enthusiastic for every class he did everyday.

[@jonfin3574]

Well, nobody can be this enthusiastic all the time - but still, it's impressive.@@shiijei2638

[@mykimikimiky]

how can you learn *real* *enthusiasm* you cant.

[@hibaimene9684]

​@shiijei2638 why not ! I had professors that were always passionate about their courses, it's their job after all.

[@livvy94]

This should be taught in middle and high school. Absolutely vital information.

[@eriotosama]

Sadly our middle schools are no where near the level to give them these tips. Students all over simply dont care about learning. They lack curiosity. Everything is on google. Ask alexa, tik tok the rest of the day. Sad state of affairs.

[@panananananana]

​@@eriotosamathat's literally not true

[@eriotosama]

@@panananananana u realize students by 8th grade dont know what a noun or verb is. They don't know how to write large numbers, cannot do simple math without a calculator, think foreign language is a joke, find writing 5 sentences is too hard, and when given a homework to read into a microphone and only read into a microphone that is a huge chore. So tell me again how we can successfully teach this to them? Im all for it dont get me wrong

[@tiavee]

@@eriotosamaYou are absolutely correct! I see it as a tutor in 7th and 8th grades. They walk around with an “I don’t care attitude.” I feel so bad for the teachers because they try their best to keep the students engaged and interested. It’s really sad. There was a quite a few 8th graders that mentioned that they didn’t want to go to high school since I started in September 2023 until yesterday so far. One student will not take initiative to work; I found out recently that his mother does his assignments for him.

[@eriotosama]

@@tiavee exactly. Those who don't think this is true are either not teachers or are in a school full of very very disciplined students which I give props to. But I have been teaching for years as well as substituting and I have seen the downward slide, especially after covid @panananananana Many act entitled and we have parenting to blame. Instead only the teachers get blamed and that is just ridiculous. We become the child's guardian, body guard, teacher, therapist, punching bag, and then have to be the parents' punching bag all while dealing with unsupportive admins that are the puppets of the paying parents. You don't pay us enough and I am sorry but I stick by what I said, students these days would not care about these methods even if we see them as pretty darned useful.

[@JoyJoyJoi]

I am almost 68 years old. This is the first time in my entire life that anyone has ever taught me a good way of how to study and retain info. I’ve gotten through a Masters program, and have 68 PhD credits (never finished) and the amount of time I spent reading the same thing over and over without comprehension was staggering. I may never take a formal course again, but I guarantee you the things that I am learning I will start learning differently. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. I have found them incredibly enlightening. Perhaps I can pass this knowledge on to my grandchildren!

[@SuperReyand]

I am same as you, only a little younger. And yes, i hope to pass it on my kids and grandkids some day. Great advice!

[@hetrippen]

Yes please pass it to me father

[@bdf2660]

u 69 yet?

[@richardbrace1928]

68 years with 68 PhD credit 🤔

[@imRYUiK]

@@richardbrace1928 what are u thinking bro 😂😂😂

[@writeitnow5893]

Woody Allen : "I did a speed reading course then read 'War and Peace' in four hours. It's about Russia I think."

[@luisaapostol2414]

Great irony on his part! Reading is not only about getting the jist of it/ a vague idea.

[@tst3399]

you are justamazing , i thought speed reeding is the secret too

[@vfusto33]

Yes It does

[@irock4031]

Woody Harrelson: "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken."

[@humanbeing6933]

😂

[@josemosqueramoncaleano1711]

*Main Insights from the Video*: The video introduces a procedure for effective reading and retention of material, emphasizing the importance of engaging with the semantic content or meaning of what you read. The procedure recommended in the video is a specific version of marginalia, which involves summarizing each paragraph in the margin of the text being read. To use this method, readers are instructed to read the first paragraph of the text, summarize it in one sentence in the margin, and then move on to the second paragraph, repeating the process. The procedure becomes more complex as you progress through the text. For the third paragraph, you write two sentences in the margin: one summarizing the first two paragraphs and one summarizing the third paragraph. This pattern continues for the rest of the text. The video argues that this method of summarizing paragraphs forces readers to think through the material, leading to better understanding and retention of the content. It suggests that while this method may take more time than simply skimming the text, it is a more efficient use of time because it leads to better comprehension and ultimately requires less time for review or cramming. The video also dismisses the idea of speed reading as a scam and highlights scientific studies that show such methods do not improve comprehension and retention of material. The video includes a personal anecdote about how the presenter used this method to remember the definition of economics from a college course over 15 years later.

[@mckaylaosei-gyamerah9958]

Thank you!

[@TWOPUNCHMAN]

Thank you!

[@nishu8574]

Thanks

[@ravenwolf4746]

Thank you soooo much love you !!!! 😊😊😊

[@TeaRiker]

this seems 100% AI generated

[@ytpah9823]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🧠 To retain and understand what you read, you need an interactive procedure with the content. 00:28 📖 Engage with the meanings and ideas in the text, not just passively read. 00:42 📝 Use marginalia, or notes in the margins, but in a specific way. 01:11 ✍️ This isn't about just scribbling in the margins, but following a structured procedure. 02:05 🚗 Just like zoning out while driving, you don't want to passively read without engaging. 03:26 📕 After reading each paragraph, write a one-sentence summary in the margin. 04:22 🔁 Summarizing helps you understand the core idea of a paragraph. 05:05 🔄 For each subsequent paragraph, summarize all the previous ones in one sentence. 06:41 ⌛ Summarizing might be time-consuming, but it's efficient for retention. 07:35 💡 Summarizing a text ensures you think through the material, understand, and retain it. 08:05 ⏳ By investing more time in this method, you'll have a higher understanding and retention level. 09:04 📈 This method saves time in the long run and boosts understanding and grades. 09:59 📖 Continuous practice of the reading technique mentioned results in faster comprehension, saving time and reducing the need to cram. 10:14 🎓 The speaker's educational background shows high achievement and dedication to retaining information. 10:55 📚 Emphasizes the importance of taking margin notes during high school and college to aid in comprehension. 11:39 🤔 An anecdote underscores the benefit of active reading: the speaker remembered the definition of economics during a class. 13:02 💡 Thinking deeply about read material, like the concept of "scarce resources," aids long-term retention. 14:39 👁️ Many students passively read, simply moving their eyes over text, which doesn't promote retention. 15:07 🌟 The speaker's active reading method led to remembering a definition from 15 years prior. 16:47 ⏩ Speed reading is criticized as ineffective, and an anecdote of a misguided speed reading technique is shared. 18:22 ❓ Questions the credibility of some speed reading techniques. 18:50 📈 The order of words in sentences is crucial for comprehension, contrary to some speed reading claims. 19:03 🧪 Scientific studies have consistently debunked various speed reading methods as ineffective. 19:58 📖 Researchers tested popular speed reading techniques by teaching them to a group of people. 20:27 🚫 Test results showed that speed reading is equivalent to skimming, meaning it's not effective for retention. 20:54 🚀 A prominent study on speed reading was funded and published by NASA in 1999. 21:08 📸 The NASA study tested a method called "photo reading" and found no benefits from the technique. 21:34 📚 A comprehensive review in 2016 analyzed multiple studies and found similar results to NASA's findings on speed reading. 21:47 ✏️ At the end of the video lecture, there's a pop quiz about the definition of economics. 22:02 💼 Economics is defined as the study of the allocation of scarce resources. 22:16 ❓ The lecturer questions how viewers remembered the definition since it wasn't written down, highlighting the importance of retention techniques.

[@CS-kx7cx]

Thanks mate, but you should remove the emojis, they disturb more than they help.

[@shgds]

thanks, the emojis help quite a bit for me

[@ayoomotola9319]

Great work. Thanks

[@LDillon]

Thanks so much for this. I especially love the emojis, they're a great way of bringing some visual distinction to a long list!

[@brotherlyleader9281]

I can specifically for this comment and so I owe you thanks

[@romniyepez5206]

3:36 Step 1: Summarize the first & 2nd paragraphs in 1 sentence, each. 5:00 Step 2: First sentence is the summary of former paragraphs. Second sentence is the summary of current (3rd) paragraph. 23:26 Step 3: iterate Step 2 for the next paragraphs until the end of your document.

[@mspprofits725]

Thank you.

[@kw8897]

Thank k you

[@claytonfilpo]

Saved me 20 mins. Not to say the full vid is not helpful to people, but it could be more succinct. You’re doing gods work

[@marcusplenty1153]

Man really summarized the 20 minute

[@DougSeven]

-->Thats actually a GREAT ChatGPT Prompt

[@dailycomicsfix]

I'm 51 and I REALLY wish I would have know about this 35+ years ago. Thank you for your insight, knowledge and willingness to educate. Amazing stuff!

[@labibbidabibbadum]

Better at 51 than 52 though.

[@gio-oz8gf]

I wish I would have know about this 35+ years ago. The conditional perfect. Incorrect I wish I had known about this 35+ years ago. Past perfect. Correct

[@noself1028]

I’m 10 years older and agree with your sentiments exactly. It would have been nice to know this decades ago, but the good thing is that we can use this technique going forward to learn the things we want. Thanks for the great comment!

[@vitech5631]

I wouldn't worry too much about age.. or the future, just keep your mind focused, expand knowledge & it will improve your health. It's proven fact that scientists, writers, artists who keep very active, live much longer despite any health condition (they actually improve it). Picasso start doing martial arts when he was 92😊

[@armwrestlersanta]

Bro Im litterally 16 and I learned this today, unlucky u

[@9UaYXxB]

Aside from being astute , articulate, and dedicated, Kaplan is deeply and intrinsically funny. I think this is why he connects at such a genuine level.

[@lazarusngalande4967]

He is such a genius.

[@reverie4015]

What you said about thinking thoroughly about the ideas is so true. When I was in 11th grade I had a history teacher who read historical letters to us aloud. However, she did this slowly and expanded on each idea to ensure that we would understand what the text was saying. To this day, she's one of the best teachers I had. I learned a lot about history from her

[@---rk9vl]

Jeffery. I thought through this. No hyperbole here, you legit saved me from the depression that my studies were causing me. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

[@nelsonmatthew3593]

Hola Professor Kaplan loved your teaching implementation and strategies. I will put into practice and make it better, Kudos to you. Nelson Matthew

[@dawnmg1022]

I haven't watched the video yet. I was just starting to look for help, but I am at the depression stage in my studies. Hopefully the video will help.

[@Cyclohh]

@@dawnmg1022how’s it going?

[@alvarorubenvera5915]

How you doing now?

[@timjrgebn]

​@@alvarorubenvera5915 They now have professor Kaplan's job... must have worked.

[@phil2768]

I'm in my min-late forties and failed high school pretty badly in the UK education system of the 1980s. We were never taught how to learn or given advice and we were just expected to work that out ourselves. People aren't stupid but many of us have been made to believe we are, simply because we went through the education system without being taught how to learn and ending up failing over and over again. Every child should be taught the methods of how to learn throughout. In fact, there could even be lessons specifically on this. Thank you for this video.

[@SpectrumOfChange]

YES.

[@mooza.shorts]

I totally agree with you sir.

[@SpectrumOfChange]

Along the same vein, simple is not stupid. Some of the smartest (and wisest) people I've ever known, were, what we might call "simple". I cherish their insight and advice, like no other.

[@martinasudibja3278]

Thank you sooo.. much 👍

[@anitahwells3171]

Thank you for sharing ☺️

[@ruthtisa]

I found this video bc I was getting frustrated that the info I was studying was not staying in my head despite all the hours I was putting into learning about how to heal autoimmune conditions and I’m actually interested in that but need to relay the info in an interview for health coaching. I started practicing this yesterday and I would have saved about 3 hours with this method bc I would have learned everything sooner. What’s crazy is that it actually works and although it can feel like a lot of time, it actually does save time than constantly going over something that’s not fully staying in your head😅 Thank you so much for this video! Still relevant 2 yrs later 😮😊

[@greekbecky1]

I came here for the same reason...I'm reading constantly because of the sheer amount of content I need to absorb, I just get frustrated (probably because I'm tired too) and my mind starts to wander. I'm not as effective as I could be, so I'm going to put what I learned here into practice!

[@SerendipityInTheSky]

I have adhd and always thought my disability was to blame for my slow reading. I love writing but take forever to read. I was always off summarizing, making connections to other readings, taking notes on the way authors communicated their ideas, adding to my inventory of new words. I got straights As but it was painful. I thought something was seriously wrong with me for it to take me 3 hours to get through a 20 page article. I went to some study skills sessions for people with learning disabilities and they taught the EXACT same thing with the V, and a couple of other shapes for “skimming and scanning”. It was so unsatisfying that I just went back to my old ways and accepted my fate. There’s no point in reading if it’s not engaging and enjoyable - THAT is a waste of time. I now feel so validated by this video.

[@ronald3836]

Duh! I thought you were going to write that the study skills session taught you EXACTLY what you already had been doing all the time.

[@stephenwust1407]

This actually meshes with the first advice I heard when I entered graduate school - on a teaching assistantship: If you really want to learn a subject, teach it! Teaching forced me to really understand the subject, so I could explain it to the students without embarrassing myself. In other words, think through every piece of the subject at hand. It was a lot of work, but it not only made me a better teacher (explainer), but elevated me in the students’ eyes to “expert” in the subject. It also served me well in my career when I did presentations, presided at public meetings, taught classes, or testified as an expert witness at hearings and trials. (I am a geologist, so all the above were science-oriented.)

[@smokeykitty6023]

I know what you mean. I was told that if you can't explain it to someone else then you don't understand it. My grandmother was such a good teacher. She could break down complex news stories so well that a 3rd grader could understand it.

[@chrx3195]

@Stephen Your method to catch the core of the knowledge and be really understood by your students looks very similar to the Feynman physicist's one.

[@Fazimoto74]

I submit the reason the viewer can remember the definition of economics from your video is because you told a story about it. Stories are really what grabs our attention and makes us remember details. The best lecturers are the ones who tell good stories.

[@katehull3286]

Jordan Peterson

[@TheVeritie]

For me, a key take-away from that is to learn to tell yourself good stories on the subject matter as you go through it, to help solidify what you understand. Don't wait for a lecturer to do it for you - they don't have exams, you do.

[@Gabriel_F4924]

I didn't remember because I'm not interested in economics. However there are more factors that go into learning and not just stories. It's a combination of things including delivery, visual imagery, written text but it's not just stories. To say it's the story is what worked is inaccurate because it's relative and depends on your perspective and what catches your attention specifically. That can be stories or it can be visual images. It's much more accurate and inclusive to say what he says, and that is that it made you think through the concept of economics, it's purpose and it's boundaries etc. In conclusion, it's not that Jeffrey is a good story teller, it's that he has a specific method of delivery and speech flow and intonation that catches your attention, that sounds believable, is simple to understand and easy to learn. Saying it's a story is not only inaccurate but too broad that almost says that it doesn't depend on who is saying the story. If you had anyone else say the same story or have the same speech, you would not have retained any info. Charisma matters. It's a matter of effective Persuasion. I learned about the 3 elements of Persuasion over 10 years ago and I still remember them: Pathos Ethos Logos.

[@TheVeritie]

@@Gabriel_F4924 In short, HOW the 'story' is told matters. And yes, the 'medium' of the story heavily defines it. Yes, I absolutely agree, Florin Gabriel.... So, by experimentation - especially given the huge, often-free technological resources available to you at the click of a mouse - you can find the ways of shaping information delivery that best help you retain it. Therefore, my point still stands, viz. "learn to tell yourself GOOD stories [i.e. delivered in a memorable way] on the subject matter as you go through it, to help solidify what you understand. Don't wait for a lecturer to do it for you - they don't have exams, you do."

[@Gabriel_F4924]

@@TheVeritie Oh I hadn't read your reply. KZbin notifies you even when not mentioned, i think you though i replied to you but i replied to the fazftw Telling yourself stories requires wisdom that comes from experience. I think that the key point is that everyone is different and we should all really find our own methods of "retaining" information so you'r eright "Don't wait for a lecturer to do it for you" but in general skimming through is not a good solution and stories do help, but like i said, they're not everything. I think people over estimate stories/examples. I do strongly agree with Jef that reading the material before class is the actual best policy, best strategy for every class. The problem is that it's not feasible. Reading the actual text book takes way longer than it takes to give a lesson and the teacher goes through chapters of the book in minutes. My teachers never ever released their material beforehand or announced what the next topic would be before the next class. It was very chaotic for everyone and as a class we mostly relied on the teachers's notes/summary.

[@chasitybyrdlady]

The definition of economics will forever be seared into my brain. Making the connection and actually thinking critically about what you’re reading, works! Thank You for this video! Can’t wait to share it with kiddos who struggle with retention of text they aren’t really fond of.

[@Winter_white15]

Wow, right after your video I applied your methods and what a difference. Yes it took longer to read a page but not only could I retain it, I understood it. I am someone who's suffered from learning disabilities all my life and this has greatly impacted my ability to communicate. With this method , will help me remember and be more concise with my thoughts. Allowing me to speak clearly, concise and to the point. Thank you!

[@ronald3836]

Understanding really is the key. I think writing down the summary can be skipped, but it is probably helpful as a way to force you to understand.

[@maxwell7470]

been searching for a year almost for a video like this. Literally everybody says take notes, think of what your reading, but no one has a method. gods send

[@lawsome2068]

Same! Everyone was saying what to do but never HOW to do it, so glad I just found this video

[@marthahoushar5401]

The description you are looking for is “godsend”, one word, and indeed a perfect description of this man’s presentation.

[@Megan-nm1xq]

I'm finally starting my undergraduate degree next month and this has made me feel a lot more confident about having the ability to fully retain everything, thank you!

[@jeffreykaplan1]

Very glad that I was able to provide this at the right time. Good luck with school. Classes for the Fall semester here at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro started today!

[@cyntiaaurora8365]

DITTO

[@scar6073]

This is the first time in my life I've found a philosopher's talk actually useful

[@carltonpatterson5539]

This was recorded 2 years ago and I'm hooked by this Professors energy. I love how he simply just came up with the talk of Economics being the scarce resource of ....... I can't flippin remember - out of the blue. Anyway, I love it.

[@stevewilson7614]

As a kid in grammar school 60 years ago I remember being told some outrageous speed that president Kennedy could read. As a slow reader I always wanted to read faster and read about techniques like just focussing on the words in the middle of the sentence with the idea being your brain would catch the rest. Careful slow reading got me through engineering school. I'll try to and your technique to it. Thanks

[@lightworker4512]

Kennedy wasn’t reading engineering books.

[@YouilAushana]

I wonder how much a burger costs back then let alone college.

[@eftitasusarani5865]

Amazing 👍🏻

[@SpectrumOfChange]

I come from a background of engineers. The ones in the topmost tiers of their professions are all very slow, methodical thinkers and readers. Slow thinking gets a bad rap these days but where effective thinking matters most, people still recognize and respect it.

[@charlrichardengelbrecht5269]

Mr. Kaplan is exceedingly annoying.

[@technwhatnot241]

We need more teachers like you. Makes me visualize what you’re talking about. Ive always wonder why or how to study. Thanks

[@tominsandylane]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that Jeffrey Kaplan has learned an incredibly difficult skill that no one else has noticed. Writing text backwards on an clear board so we as viewers can read it forwards.

[@tahsin95]

Or you write normally and mirror the video then upload?

[@realericanderson]

@@tahsin95 nope he's perfectly writing the text and everything else backward that's how great he is XD

[@tahsin95]

@@realericanderson Yeah and writing with his left hand in some videos and right hand in others XD Ambidex as well?!

[@saurabhpatel4352]

watch, wedding ring, buttons on jacket, belt....(input saw movie theme)

[@cecilylehmann7011]

How do you do this with a technical evaluation?

[@emmaj5807]

Thank you for sharing your superpower with us, Jeffrey. I feel lucky to have stumbled upon your channel, and I wish that everyone knew what you're teaching. You are a blessing!!

[@mickeylimb2578]

Thank you so much for these amazing tips, Jeffrey! I have always struggled with big bodies of texts despite being in my penultimate year at law school and your advice genuinely motivates me to study with these new techniques and build my skills x

[@innovo.montezallen]

Your passion for learning is infectious. Thank you for taking the time to make the video!

[@XeL__]

well articulated !! haha ! im nourished by your versatility and agility

[@innovo.montezallen]

@@XeL__ Indubitably

[@codec2046]

@@innovo.montezallen bro doing all this while cooking up dami type beats

[@innovo.montezallen]

let me be great!

[@WRCWPLX]

Professor Kaplan: Despite your young age, you're definitely a TRUE professor! If there is something difficult to find in college is a GOOD PROFESSOR, which is the one that has the ability to transmit his/her knowledge to the alumni. Still, more scarce is the professor that is able to not only transmit his knowledge, but to do it in an interesting and engaging manner, which is exactly what you do! You should be the one heading the Department of Education, as we need someone with your knowledge and background to be in such position! Thank you for your channel; I will definitely look forward to learning from your upcoming videos; needless to say, my sincere appreciation and admiration go out to you! Thank you, Professor Kaplan!

[@lorebeth]

Wish I’d had this information before college… it would have changed my entire life. Heading into retirement now but stocking my library with books from the running “must read” list I’ve had for decades, so looking forward to applying your techniques. People like you represent the best of what the internet has to offer, what it should be. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your gift of knowledge.

[@shimrrashai-rc8fq]

Read, then WRITE, then read, then WRITE, then ... Reading and writing go hand in hand, do not separate them despite that you first learned them together!

[@claire.morgan]

I've been out of college for nearly 6 years and have been struggling big time with reading and comprehension. I took an economics course once, but I was uninterested and found it boring and barely read anything, so I wouldn't have been able to tell you what economics was. You made all of this very interesting and even entertaining, and my mind was actually engaged and focused - I didn't know my brain could still do that! So thank you. This was incredibly helpful. Now I know how to read and retain information by the procedure of summarizing paragraphs. And also that economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources.

[@sonny5497]

You are an amazing professor ❤ your articulation, your energy, your presentation set you in an entirely different league of extraordinary professors whose ideas linger on in one's mind long after the lecture. Deeply grateful to your for sharing your knowledge and passion with us

[@TheJuryIsOut]

Probably the best 23+ minutes I've ever spent getting to grips on this subject. This has been an area of interest throughout my adult life and still is at nearly 70yrs of age. It's going to be extremely difficult for me to trash all the books on speed reading and memory that I've treasured all these years. Deep down I did have my suspicions but no conclusive proof to the contrary. Never too late to learn, especially from someone as enthusiastic and convincing as yourself Prof. Kaplan. Look forward to more insights on related subject matter.

[@CIMaddox56]

Well I graduated with a 3.8. I had to work really hard. Not only that I read the text and attend lectures I took notes. I also carried a small recorder where I recorded the lecture. my study time was reviewing my notes with the recorder to be sure I didn't miss anything or to clarify something to myself. My notes were the most sought-after among my classmates. Because they were extremely thorough. Was it a lot of work... yes. But I raised two kids and still graduated top of my class. I don't know how anybody else does it. I utilized every tool that I could because I wanted to succeed. I even had a pillow speaker to help me study for tests. My way of studying was to review my notes and put the pertinent information onto tape and play those while I slept. I never failed a test. You won't want to do that much work and that's okay. I did, and loved every minute and I'm very proud that I managed to keep a marriage together and raise two teenagers while doing it all.

[@connorpeppermint8635]

That's really cool. I'm passionate about self learning and I'm learning these skills slowly but organically. But it's really got me thinking that a way to improve public education would be to offer classes that are dedicated to teaching learning skills specifically. Instead of "read this, figure it out" and flailing like you can't swim, you took a (hypothetical) course that went through and had you practice specific strategies to dissect texts and process info. I imagine that you could tailor this sort of class per age group and content needs.

[@peterp.9193]

@@connorpeppermint8635 Agreed! I'm a high school junior who's creating a STEM division at my school to provide more opportunities to students relating to STEM, but I'm thinking about how to enable students to learn subjects by themselves instead of waiting for a low-quality course taught by someone. My school is very low-income, so innovation in this idea would help a lot; I have an idea of allocating certain funds to support self-learning journeys for them.

[@kristianandersen9726]

You are so freaking great at explaining it's unreal. I learn from every video I've watched!

[@ItsRabiid]

I am starting a computer science degreee early next year and its safe to say im terrified of failure. Ive been out of study for coming up 10 years so this is awesome to find and watch. Thank you for putting this out on youtube and im going practice this technique to get a head start.

[@chrisa1775]

im in the same boat buddy, good luck!

[@dom-i-neek2923]

I want to go back to school. And I don't feel like I will retain the material as well as I could during my younger years.

[@chrisa1775]

im going back to school now and its been about almost 12-15 years since the last time i was in a school/learning environment, all i have to say is its never to late to start over and learn again. i highly recommend to give it another shot and you might be surprised with yourself on how much you really can retain material. dont give up or doubt yourself because fear is the mind killer... believe me ive done enough of that and its toxic. all you can really do is just give it a try and jump in with both feet and never look back at your old self. good luck! @@dom-i-neek2923

[@margomeave9064]

@@dom-i-neek2923 Go for it; there’s nothing to it but to do it. Fear is the enemy, but you’re awesome & just putting one foot in front of the other will get you where you need to be. You can do this!

[@TheAndre1115]

I'm starting a Mechanical engineering degree ( trying to aim high) and i am in the same boat as you, i havent been in school in over a decade and i'm also terrified of failure. good luck to you, and hope you achieve what youre looking for.

[@rayraman3243]

You've succinctly outlined my previous haphazard reading approach: pausing to decipher complex text and struggling with unproductive speed reading methods. By focusing on just two words at a time, I managed to minimize sub-vocalization, significantly improving my speed reading. My learning strategy evolved to penning down concepts and mulling over their applications. More recently, I've been exploring when to implement these ideas, learning that I benefit more from active engagement than from mere reading. Thanks for detailing this process.

[@Sanchellios]

Oh my... I was searching for such an advice for so many years! For decades! And finally! Finally I've found it! Thank you, Jeffrey Kaplan!

[@remi1339]

I am older but ... oh, how I wish I were your student! I love your style of explaining everything ... no matter how complex or ... simple it is! Real PROFESSOR!

[@YeseniaWhite-rg4vd]

I love how realistic and down to earth you are! ❤❤

[@valala2987]

I absolutely have to try this! I've been struggling a lot this semester and I couldn't figure out a method to actually remember all the information from the required reading. Reading and not really retaining anything is honestly quite frustrating. Thank you for sharing this with us!

[@josephj6474]

Content based on learning strategies takes everyone to another level 🙌🏾🧠

[@_edem19]

Yeah

[@ceruleanwake8876]

Thank you so much for this. I blew through grade school and high school, never needed to learn how to study or read critically. When I made it to college classes I failed miserably. I wasn't forced to nurture study habits and hadn't formed any skill for learning new and harder things since all my schooling up to that point was really easy. Again Thank you so much.

[@sherryfyman7066]

I'm learning Italian and have asked countless teachers and tutors how to bump my reading comprehension up to the next level. None of them had any helpful suggestions but I applied your suggestions in this video to a text I was struggling with and BINGO. Absolutely amazing. I'm 73 and not in it for the grade but this technique is fabulous!

[@ElusivePandaMan]

These are the kind of skills that should be thought in schools. They will benefit you so much more in the long term than just regurgitating back information for tests. I absolutely love what you do on this channel!

[@Joe-un1tl]

Ngl, stupendous presentation. Simplifying vast amounts of information within texts and thinking through all of it is a key component of understanding.

[@masterianbro8258]

In my quest to learn and achieve what I want, this is one of the first lessons I have been focusing on, as I need to understand and retain what I teach myself. Thank you for making this video and I am glad I found it at 14.

[@fleafighters]

I remember doing this while I was at college and it worked wonders for me. Then I got a job and didnt “had time to read” (of course I did I was just lazy and just wanted to browse tik tok). This year I’ve read already 15 books and thanks to your video I can add some new skills to what I used to do almost 10 years ago. Thank you!

[@jvb5590]

Please do more study skills videos ! This helps not only academically, but also professionally !

[@dumisaneelgene1887]

True

[@JeremiahLOsborne]

Yes, this method takes considerably longer than simply reading a text. But it is brilliant. When you are done reading your text, not only do you have summary of every paragraph, but you have the overall theme of the piece in one sentence. I once had a history teacher in 7th grade who said that the best way to learn history was four steps. Read it, read it, write it, read it. Read it twice, outline it, read it again. I have used that method for the past 30 plus years, and it works for me. Ironically, I have just returned back to college, and I am very excited to start using this. This is much more comprehensive than the method that I was using.

[@sallowknight1396]

This is by far the most informational video I have ever seen in my life. Thank you for your contribution to my continuing education and that of the others watching this video.

[@Itsmeloisee]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I just started my law school journey this week and I’ve been having a hard time absorbing and reading the cases assigned. After watching this video, I will definitely apply this in my studies. More power!

[@travisfox7590]

I was skeptical at first, but this absolutely strikes all of the key portions of an active learning method!

[@harrisonb9911]

Jeffery I want to thank you. I used your tactics for my USMC Basic School and Infantry Officer training course and the results have been incredible. These techniques are incredibly effective in a military setting and for skills as well like programming radios and employing rifle platoon tactics. Rather than rote memorization I actually retain the information. Thanks again!

[@SKY-qf8qq]

I love your enthusiasm. And everything makes so much sense. Thank you

[@Haseeebo]

This guy is cool because he learned something beneficial, and decided to teach others. Thank you.

[@BrianHartman]

This is great information. I've been out of school for decades now, but I definitely remember the difference between reading something to say I'd done the reading and reading it to understand it. I read a lot of history to understand it, and a lot of other topics just to say I'd done the reading, and I could definitely tell the the difference in my grades. Usually, the stuff I didn't read to understand didn't engage me, or I hadn't understood initially, so I couldn't get a handle on.

[@MBey-ke5qq]

This has got to be the most amazing method I have ever tried. I have never ever focused on what I have read and this practice I started today and I can already see myself retaining so much more. That summary part is so key! Wow thanks so much!

[@micromatters]

Right?! I don't know about you, but for me, this method has decreased my reading pace but increased my retention. And maybe my overall reading time decreased because I don't have to constantly go back and reread things as much.

[@chijiokemadubuko9004]

This guy knows his stuff and you can see it in his passion.

[@user-vo9wp4qc9z]

I actually remembered that definition! you are a genius. That doesn't happen for me especially having ADHD. You have just given me sufficient evidence that warrants my trust in your method. Thank you.

[@Silvermist78]

Utterly brilliant! Completely engaging! Thank you Prof 🙏🙏🙏

[@agrainofsalt4889]

4 minutes in and its BRILLIANT! Thank you 🙏

[@JonathanPhan-yh2ds]

Thanks for the lesson on retaining information by summarizing, as well as articulating the takeaway sentences. Kaplan gave a powerful advice on reading efficiency and I appreciate his dedication.

[@Baggydawg1]

This is absolutely incredible. Thank you so much for sharing your technique with us, this will be insanely helpful for me!

[@michaeldesousa8341]

Starting my first year at Williams College this fall! I plan on studying philosophy and economics. Your videos are going to be a great help!

[@AlexanderAlmeida]

Wow! That method is amazing! I was already trying something similar by my own but this is so much better! The summarizing idea is great! Please keep making more videos

[@ramvelselvarajan1146]

I am really excited that I finally found a solution to retain information and concept that we read day in and day out rather forgetting the next day. I request you to upload informative videos similar to this in future. Looking forward to this

[@exhit99]

Thank you so much, Prof Kaplan! I’ve never learnt how to take notes effectively while reading a book. I always thought I have very bad memory & age has got to do with it, because I can’t seem to be able to recall things I’ve read. But now, I can put your strategies to action! Thank you!!

[@sisterelizee2722]

I have a tip I learned as a tutor helping mostly male students. When you don't like what you're studying/reading take semi-frequent breaks with rewards. The breaks are recommended to not be longer than 3 minutes. That's basically the length of a radio edit song.

[@tiavee]

Interesting. I’m currently a tutor in a middle school setting, working with mostly male students that are disengaged in school work in general. I will employ this idea. Thanks!

[@tracih5555]

So glad you put this out! I wish I knew about this in college. I did well, but could’ve done better. I will pass this down to my kids and anyone who’s interested. Thanks!

[@Arunnn241]

This is essentially how I study. I take notes from the textbook and classes, arrange them in an order that's logical in my head and create a story that connects all the info. Then I just recite the story until i have it memorized. At that point, that means I've understood all the details and can use them in different situations. This was very useful for nearly all my sciences like chemistry, physics and maths. It was completely useless for biology since most of the topics in bio are based on different organisms and tbh, I could never find a good way to connect different organisms. They all seemed way too distinct.

[@atibamaule]

You are a gifted teacher. Had my attention from beginning to end.

[@Liamfulful]

Man, I wish I had a lecturer at uni with your flair and passion. Bravos, great advice and delivery.

[@4CardsMan]

I had one for Organic Chemistry back in the 70's at the University of Houston. He was so good that it inspired me to read ahead in the textbook.

[@clementmariostlouis6686]

When you read , you form mental images ; you are deeply involved in the story that you forget that you are reading a book ; the best way of remembering .

[@hansenng1028]

Thank you professor. I am a Philosophy hons. student from India, currently preparing for a civil service examination, and this lecture of yours really helped and encouraged me to study even more intricately

[@bard6073]

I felt so played at the end there when I did remember the definition cause you made it memorable in the way you explained.

[@jaydaawg.8191]

So hard to concentrate. What's wrong with me?

[@TheEclecticGamer]

Hard to explain it at a first glance. Could you please expand on it?

[@alfonsogutierrez1392]

I had a book that talks about that speed reading he mentions. It was by some guy that had the Guinness records on fast reading, he said it takes time to develop the skill to pick up on it. I personally gave up on it and went the opposite way, I spend as much time as I need to in any given paragraph, sentence, word or words, even check the dictionary, in order to ensure I understand what I am reading. I even, sometimes try learning better grammar, to increase my understanding. Oh yeah, I don't go to school, I don't like to be constrained by schedules that do not give me enough time to live. I work two jobs, work out, try to eat healthy, try to learn different things at my own pace. If I had enough money to just study, without extra pressure and stress, I would not work and just study, unfortunately, the system doesn't lend itself for that.

[@jasonzvokel6317]

I'm well past high school and college, but I do enjoy learning. Mostly through audio books and courses. I pinned this video a few weeks ago and finally watched it... and now I'm looking forward to trying it! Thank you Professor!😊

[@user-qt6dr5gs1f]

I love how realistic and down to earth you are! . I love how realistic and down to earth you are! .

[@Ryan-is-me]

"Books must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written." -Henry David Thoreau

[@Underwear51]

I wish you had been my professor at the university. Congrats!

[@tingtong0998]

You made me want to go back to school again. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

[@diasiacherese8079]

I really like this guy... the he teaches his enthusiasm to teach. Thank you!

[@shiijei2638]

One more thing, I never read physical books so I can't write in any margins, at least not easily. I concluded the best way to solve this was to just write my summary in a notebook, but there will be other people with this problem and for your method to be as robust as possible you should account for that :)

[@ronald3836]

There are apps that let you annotate documents.

[@jdlambert8]

Regarding your bonus rant, many years ago I took an Evelyn Wood speed reading course that wasn't a scam. We were given entrance exams, then training over several sessions, one session per week, interim exams, and a final exam. The exams measured speed, comprehension, and retention. Improvement varied among everyone in my class, but everyone improved in all three metrics. I'm still impressed that speed could go at the same time comprehension and retention could go up.

[@afterthesmash]

Some people have inefficiencies in their normal reading process. Additionally, just about every repeated test will show improvement due to increasing task familiarity. I have a different working definition of comprehension than most of these quizlets. The quizlets usually ask what did person P say about subject S. Okay, fine, that's basic registration of new information. But what I'm generally after is whether what P said about S is total bullshit, or a non-issue, or pumping some other, hidden agenda. This requires more cognition and slows me down. My reading speed goes up when I cease to force myself to think this hard. But it's a fatuous increase, because I'm generally after far bigger fish than mere registration. If the program merely trains you to engage in an easier form of reading, you'll see scores increase, as you reported. My reading speed is 2000 wpm when I get to the point where I'm wondering whether the author will someday get around to saying anything useful at all (a form of disenchanted skimming); about 600 wpm if the author is organized and lucid and the treatment is fairly ordinary; about 400 wpm if the author is cluttered and confused, but actually trying to say something worth knowing; about 200 wpm if the author is genuinely venturing out onto _terra incognito_ in a useful way.

[@undeadman7676]

I've always done this in my head, and I refer to it as the "dynamic dictionary" method. Every time a new concept is introduced, you summarize it in a way that makes sense to you. Any time that concept is referenced from that point forward, you now have a single word or a short phrase that refers to that idea, and your brain just naturally jumps to the definition because it "just makes sense" to you at that point. You're basically creating a mind palace, but instead of going from place to place you go from definition to definition. It only fails when you don't understand the concept, which is why studying with a group is so important. They can update the definition for you. People are a resource.

[@minhazulislam9131]

what an awesome way of extracting information! Every graduate students struggle this, I am sure. Thanks for the knowledge.

[@joshuaomoijiade6627]

I stumbled on this method in my 3rd year of university and it was what I had been doing intuitively in secondary school (when I was doing well). My average GPA went up from around a 4.0 to a 4.88 and it felt like I wasn't trying at all. Nice to see a better articulation of what I couldn't explain to my friends.

[@UnlimitlesslyFunnyDude]

study skills: Teach others You know that you really understand a subject when you can teach it to someone else. Find a friend or relative who is willing to listen to you talk about the subject you have been studying. Encourage them to ask questions since that will help you determine how well you know the topic. You may also choose a study partner who wants to learn about the same topic. You can then discuss the subject and reinforce or correct one another's understanding. Test yourself Testing yourself helps to exercise your memory so you not only retain the information but can also retrieve it quickly. Here are some self-testing techniques to try: Look for textbook questions: Your textbook might have study questions for each chapter. If so, answer them as part of your study time. Make flashcards: You can make flashcards to test your knowledge of key phrases or concepts. Make an online quiz: There are a variety of online quiz options that you may use to test yourself. You can find a quiz that focuses on the topic you're studying, or create a new quiz for yourself. Ask questions While you are reading or listening, write down any questions that come to mind. Look for answers to those questions as you continue reading or listening. If you find answers, make a note of them. If you find gaps in your knowledge without ready answers, take a little time to research and see if you can find the information yourself. This kind of active engagement with the topic will help you remember the things you have read or heard.

[@victorespino5650]

Teaching others has been my best thing. Then also key words, then understanding the key words. Similar processing.... I did not take notes on every paragraph lol

[@quest2718]

This method actually helped me. I am working on my Electronic Technician and computer Technician certifications. Thinking through the material and putting it in your own words helps to understand the material better. Thanks for making these videos Jeffrey.

[@xZeekex808]

This was awesome to stumble upon! Great video and great material. Thank you!

[@AriaHarmony]

"thinking through the material" is how I always studied, never found anything else that worked for me. I remember in school that I once said the highlights my classmates were asking (and begging too) the teacher for were pretty much useless waste of time for me, the whole class booed me LOL, I HAVE to read the whole thing anyway when I study for the exam! How the hell am I gonna just memorize some random highlights? I need the "story" of the topic to actually make sense to me or I wouldn't remember a thing come exam day. Considering my grades they should've asked me for my secrets instead of booing me and I'd have gladly shared 😂 However I never had such a systematic way of consuming material before, I pretty much just do summaries in my head as I go, recently I picked up mindmaps and little doodles, timelines, etc to connect ideas on paper. Your method is very precise and should boost my ability to understand greatly. Thank you SO much for sharing!!

[@afterthesmash]

There's an even more powerful technique than summarize, and that is synthesize. After I read a pile of materials (generally coming at something from very different directions), I like to bang out a 3000 word improvisational essay at high speed, combining everything in a madcap way at the outer edge of whatever questions about life currently occupy my soul. The one golden rule: 3000 words and not a single g-damn cliche. Fresh language for every phrase, every image, every sentence, every paragraph. I don't necessarily retain the material in a precise way, but I sure as heck retain why I _cared_ about the material (or why not). I don't judge my retention in facts absorbed, but rather in rocks moved.

[@micromatters]

The layering of summaries you described, especially when you reach the third paragraph, is like the Russian Dolls of critical thinking. One inside the other, each representing a more holistic view of the text as we move along. A remarkable method to stretch the cognitive muscles, if you ask me. Thanks for putting this out into the world!

[@JamesDean-O]

Excellent curriculum and your passion is palpable. Thank you.

[@monolithicshore]

I'm a full time mom to a one year old and trying to finish my MA at the same time. I realized I was reading texts very poorly with my highly stressed mind, with little retainment. The main reason was that many of the materials didn't interest me at all. I need to build my interest as I go. Normally, when I'm interested in a material, I'm so much more able to retain it even at first read. But you don't always read what you love even though you're studying a subject you love. So I was looking for some ways to retain the boring articles better 😅 this may work. I'll try this inshallah and perhaps come back here to say whether it worked for me or not. I also believe this would make me retain more even the texts I'm more motivated to read. This would be efficient in both situations. We'll see..