Cultivate "growth mode of thinking"

在一些人眼里，智力和成就都是与生俱来、难以改变的资质。另一些人则认为智力是一种人为因素。在学习中遇到困难时，后一种人更愿意通过自身的努力或者寻求更多办法来积极地解决问题。斯坦福大学的一位教授在研究中指出，大学讲师和中学教师应当从培养学生的“成长型思维模式”出发来表扬孩子，尽量避免对其学习能力作评价，也就是说要表扬他们的在成功过程中所付出的努力和做的好的地方，而不是表扬他们内在的聪明。对于我们个人，要相信智力不是决定成败的关键因素，世界是在不断变化的，需要不断地努力。

In the eyes of some people, intelligence and achievement are innate and difficult to change. Others believe that intelligence is a human factor. When they encounter difficulties in learning, the latter kind of people are more willing to actively solve problems through their own efforts or seek more ways. A professor at Stanford University pointed out in the research that university lecturers and middle school teachers should praise children from cultivating students' "growth thinking mode" and try to avoid evaluating their learning ability, that is, to praise their efforts and good work in the process of success, rather than their internal intelligence. For us, we should believe that intelligence is not the key factor determining success or failure. The world is changing and needs constant efforts.

原谅自己的拖延症

Forgive your procrastination

每个人或多或少都会有一点拖延症，这是人之常情。从拖延症中走出来的秘诀就是：减少自责，放过自己一回。卡尔顿大学的研究小组对134名大一学生进行了追踪调查发现，大一第一学期在期中备考阶段拖延之后，又马上从后悔自责中走出来的学生，在接下来的考试中更不会重蹈覆辙。反倒比陷入深深自责中的学生获得了更出色的成绩。

It's human nature that everyone has a little procrastination more or less. The secret to getting out of procrastination is to reduce self blame and let yourself go. The Carlton university research team conducted a follow-up survey of 134 freshmen and found that students who immediately came out of regret and remorse after delaying the midterm preparation stage in the first semester of freshman year will not repeat the mistakes in the next exam. On the contrary, they achieved better results than students who were deeply remorseful.

进行自我测试

Conduct self-test

把时间花在做小测上(包括对答案)比一遍遍地复习更有效。加州大学洛杉矶分校的学者解释说：测验本身会“形成一种强效记忆”，这种记忆“不容易被抹去”，而且测验可以很好地检测学习情况。不过康奈尔还提醒道：“趁热打铁的自测不可取。刚学完新知识便立马进行测验是不会形成持久记忆的，徒增盲目的自信罢了。”

It's more effective to spend time doing quizzes (including the answers) than reviewing them over and over again. UCLA scholars explained that the test itself will "form a powerful memory", which is "not easy to erase", and the test can well detect learning. However, Cornell also warned: "it's not advisable to strike while the iron is hot. Taking a test immediately after learning new knowledge will not form a lasting memory, but only increase blind self-confidence."

把握学习的节奏

Grasp the rhythm of learning

让学过的知识在记忆中保持较长时间的一个秘诀就是：周期性的复习。考前突击可不行。加州大学圣地亚哥分校的学者指出，佳的复习周期为所需记忆储备时间的10%~30%。举个例子，假如你将在11天之后测试今天所学的内容，那么第一次复习的佳时间将会是在一天以后;同理，假如你的考试是在七个月之后，那么一个月之后再回过头来复习是比较合适的。不知道如果想记一辈子的东西，多久复习一次比较合适。

A secret to keep the learned knowledge in memory for a long time is: periodic review. Assault before the exam is not good. Scholars at the University of California, San Diego, point out that a good review cycle is 10% ~ 30% of the required memory reserve time. For example, if you will test what you learned today in 11 days, the best time for the first review will be one day later; Similarly, if your exam is after seven months, it is more appropriate to go back and review after one month. I don't know if you want to remember things for a lifetime, how often is it more appropriate to review them.

减少类比

Reduce analogy

常识告诉我们：在介绍复杂、抽象的概念时，如果能构思出鲜活的例子作为支撑，往往可以帮助理解。然而，这一观点在2008年的一项研究中被否定了。美国俄亥俄州立大学的珍妮弗等人让学生自己模拟教学过程，对一组三个数学概念之间的联系进行解说。结果发现，只有那些初通过抽象数学符号学会概念的学生后才能自己给出新鲜生动的例子。倒是那些一开始就以“水壶”和“披萨片”作为辅助理解来学习概念的学生，没法顺利对他们学到的知识作进一步自由转换。

Common sense tells us that when introducing complex and abstract concepts, if we can conceive vivid examples as support, it can often help us understand. However, this view was rejected in a 2008 study. Jennifer of Ohio State University and others asked students to simulate the teaching process and explain the relationship between a group of three mathematical concepts. It is found that only those students who have learned concepts through abstract mathematical symbols can give fresh and vivid examples by themselves. However, those students who began to learn concepts with "kettle" and "pizza" as auxiliary understanding could not make further free transformation of their knowledge.

打个盹，好躺着

Take a nap and lie down

无数研究都证实了打盹的好处，哪怕只是十分钟也能有效减轻你的疲劳，恢复你的注意力。不过，直到近才有研究者开始关注打盹的姿势。重庆西南大学的赵大勇等人做了一个有趣的研究，他们招来30名习惯午睡的本科生，观察午觉的睡姿会给他们带来什么样的影响。其中一部分是躺着睡的，另一部分则是趴着睡的。结果表明，午后二十分钟的小憩可以提升参与者在“听觉Oddball任务”中的表现。但是根据脑电(EEG)的记录，躺着睡比趴着睡效果更高，但趴着睡总比不睡强。

Countless studies have confirmed the benefits of napping. Even ten minutes can effectively reduce your fatigue and restore your attention. The researchers didn't start to nap until they were close. Zhao Dayong of Chongqing Southwest University and others did an interesting study. They recruited 30 undergraduates who were used to taking a nap to observe the impact of the sleeping position of the nap on them. One part is lying down, the other part is lying down. The results showed that taking a 20 minute nap in the afternoon could improve participants' performance in the "auditory oddball task". However, according to EEG records, lying down is more effective than lying down, but lying down is always better than not sleeping.

在课前拿到讲义

Get the handouts before class

课前打印好ppt虽然可以让人在做笔记时偷一下懒，但在之后的测验中所取得的成绩却并不亚于课堂上做了很多笔记，课后才得到讲义的同学。参加实验的大学生需要观看现场录制的课堂视频。作者认为目前得到的结论只是初步的，但可以肯定的是“假如记笔记只是在照抄幻灯片上的内容，那么(通过打印讲义这样的方式)把学生从记笔记这件事中解放出来并没什么坏处”。

Although printing ppt before class can make people lazy when taking notes, the results in the subsequent tests are no less than those who took a lot of notes in class and got handouts after class. College students participating in the experiment need to watch the classroom video recorded on site. The author believes that the current conclusion is only preliminary, but it is certain that "if taking notes is only copying the content on the slide, there is no harm in freeing students from taking notes (by printing handouts).".