There are two stages to studying physics effectively. The first stage is to actually learn the content and understand the subject, and the second stage is to use your newfound skills to prepare intelligently for your examinations. In this video, I talk about the first of the two stages. Don't worry though, the second stage will be coming soon!
So I know that a few of you have wanted me to make a video regarding what I do to study my subject. As it happens, I am getting back into relearning a few of the courses I studied while I was a student at Cambridge. This is because I miss studying physics, but certainly not in an academic setting I want to do it in my own time.
So I've devised a game plan to learn lots of physics topics over the next few months or so, and the tips / techniques I provide in this video will be really useful for those of you looking to learn more about the subject too. These tips all relate to the "understanding the subject" phase of your studies, as I mentioned earlier, and they consist of the following:
1) Flipflop between topics you like, and topics you don't like. Do this on a daytoday basis, so that the topics you like will keep you engaged and motivated, while the topics you don't like will push your boundaries and help you improve as a physicist.
2) Limit the amount of time you spend trying to figure out something that you don't understand. There needs to be a balance between giving something a good go, and maximising your learning in other areas. The key to this is, in my opinion, knowing when to stop. I recommend that as soon as you realise that something doesn't make sense, look at your watch. Set yourself an hour to figure it out. If you haven't understood it by the end of the hour, then MOVE ON!
3) So what do you do about the things that you don't understand at the end of the hour? Simple talk to people about it. Teachers, colleagues, fellow students, parents, the internet, your dog, whatever! (OK maybe not the dog, as the whole point is having a twoway discussion). But talking about your problems is a very good way to see things in a new light.
4) Do lots of different problems and questions from the textbook / lecture notes / other sources. The only way to develop physics skills is to apply what you've learnt to unfamiliar situations, in order to gain a better understanding of the topic.
5) Don't put pressure on yourself to get through any quantity of work. Of course, this only applies when you don't have an exam coming up imminently, but I cannot stress how important it is to enjoy what you're studying as it will keep you coming back for more automatically. It won't feel like a chore.
So, thanks for watching guys, I hope these tips are useful. Don't forget to subscribe to my channel, and follow me on Instagram for 1 minute physics explanations, and Twitter for bad physics puns! Both are @parthvlogs