Originally, this article was written in the journal, but it would be better to have it as a separate article.
Strengthening Input through Output#
This time, I want to share the viewpoints in this post. This article mainly discusses "deepening understanding of learned content through writing" and introduces the benefits of this approach and the importance of "continuous writing" (original article, HN comments).
Original Article - Excerpt Thoughts?#
Deepening understanding through writing: Writing down what you have learned is not only a way to record, but also a powerful tool to deepen understanding and reveal knowledge gaps. I mentioned this in the comments of The Art of Elegance before.
Writing itself is a learning process: When we write about a topic, we often need to do sufficient research on the subject, which is the first step of learning. (I often neglect this)
In addition, writing allows for reflection on the topic and helps learners connect new information with existing knowledge. This synthesis contributes to creating stronger and interconnected understanding of the subject.
Writing frequently about various topics improves the ability to effectively communicate complex ideas. This skill is valuable in both professional and personal life. Writing about learning practices encourages the development of a growth mindset. It cultivates curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to engage with challenging topics.
Feynman Technique#
This article also mentions the Feynman Technique. The Feynman Technique is also a method of "strengthening input through output" by simplifying what you have learned and explaining it to others in your own words to enhance your understanding.
During the explanation process, we often find issues with our explanations or areas where we cannot express ourselves clearly. In such cases, we quickly identify our knowledge gaps and achieve the effect of "rapid learning." This is also an alternative method of forcing ourselves to learn. In this process, review and refine your explanations repeatedly until you can express concepts in the simplest way.
HN Comments - More Interesting than the Original Article?#
I enjoy reading the comments on HN. It is filled with intense discussions on various hacker news, often without a definitive conclusion. I always feel that the discussions there are much more heated and in-depth compared to other websites. Is there a similar platform in China with such intense discussions? Or is it just survivorship bias? After all, most posts on HN have few or no comments.
However, I found several viewpoints in the comments that I agree with:
(This Simonw is very active on HN, and I often see his posts~~)
- Value of TIL posts: Simonw mentioned that he started posting TIL (Today I Learned) posts a few years ago, and the content in these posts aligns perfectly with his experience. One great thing about TIL is that once you have formed a solid habit in this regard, writing them can be very quick: most of his TIL posts take 15 minutes to half an hour to write.
- Worrying about looking foolish: Some users expressed concerns that sharing what they learned today would make them look foolish. They mentioned an example of worrying that others would ridicule them for just learning something basic, like HTTP error codes. Other users believe that this thought is unnecessary as learning is a process, and everyone learns different things at different times.
- Value in self-understanding and future reference: They believe these posts bring great value. They don't particularly care if others read them; they find value in helping them better understand the material and being able to review them in the future.
- "If I see someone criticizing others with the reason 'that's obvious, everyone knows it,' then I will lose respect for that critic." +1 +1 +1. We should respect anyone who is constantly learning new knowledge, no matter how basic that knowledge may be.