Study Prof

I'll be on vacation until early January, so check back then for new posts.  I may post before then, but no guarantees.  Happy Holidays!

Go check out FreeMind for some useful and FREE mind mapping software.  You might take a look at their gallery to get some good ideas of how others are using it.  I personally use Smart Ideas from Smart Technologies.  It's very powerful software and makes prettier, more colorful mind maps, but it isn't free.

Check out this video interview of Tony Buzan where he explains mind-mapping (also known as radiant note taking, idea webs, etc.). The video is a bit bombastic, but it’s a decent overview of the concept. I normally use mind maps for planning out talks and papers. They are more work than regular notes, but the extra work and unique format make them much more memorable.

Before you allow yourself to get pre-interview jitters, read this article. It will put things into perspective and give you the confidence to be yourself by realizing that the interview is a conversation between you and an interested person – the hiring manager. (more…)

This site requires a registration, but I think it’s worth it.  It has a variety of guides that will help you think through a particular problem or come up with novel solutions.  Give it a try.  I’m especially fond of using the “PMI – Plus, Minus, Interesting” guide for thinking through things.

Here it is, scientific evidence that “talking to another person can help improve your memory and your performance on tests….”

Think you’re smart?  Then you’re also right.  At least that’s what’s indicated by the psychological research on a concept called stereotype threat .

The short version?  People tend to do worse on standardized tests when they’ve been primed to think they will do worse.  In one example, African American students at Stanford did worse on the GRE when subtly reminded of the stereotypical preconceptions about African Americans’ lower performance on such tests (see study).  In another study , when it was suggested to a group of golfers that golf was an intelligence game, white golfers’ performance increased and black golfers’ performance decreased.  When it was suggested that golf was a game of innate physical skill the results were reversed!  Similar studies have shown that stereotypes concerning women’s mathematical abilities affect their test performances on math-related tests.  Indeed, there are more than a hundred of these studies (see http://www.reducingstereotypethreat.org/ for more info).

This effect, however, is not limited to stereotyped groups.  Everyone is affected by this under some circumstances … especially on exams and standardized tests!  There is a simple method to counteract this effect, and to actually make it work FOR you. Please log in or sign up to read the rest of this content. Find out more.

Here’s a nice summary of useful online reference sources for students, from the good folks over at dailyrevolver.com.

Long Definition:

bil·ious /?b?l y?s/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[bil-yuh s] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective

1.	Physiology, Pathology. pertaining to bile or to an excess secretion of bile.

2.	Pathology. suffering from, caused by, or attended by trouble with the bile or liver.

3.	peevish; irritable; cranky.

4.	extremely unpleasant or distasteful: a long scarf of bright, bilious green.

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[Origin: 1535–45; < L b?li?sus. See bile, -ous ]

—Related forms

bil·ious·ly, adverb

bil·ious·ness, noun

—Synonyms 3. grumpy, crabby, cross, grouchy, dyspeptic.

Short Definition: Crabby

Sentences:
I’m always a bit bilious in the morning until after my first cup of coffee.
Scrooge’s bilious nature is well known.

Mnemonic:
Billy Goat > Crabby ; I imagine a billy goat at a seafood restaurant who goes crazy, butting everyone in sight, whenever he hears the word, “crab.” Note: It’s tempting on a word like this to think, “bilious reminds me of billy goat, and billy goats are grumpy, so there’s no need to come up with a mnemonic.” It will stick with you much longer if you go ahead and do a complete mnemonic.

I love this article over at CollegeAndFinance.com.  It’s great advice on how to get through tough essays, and despite the name, it doesn’t advocate doing sub-par work.  Check it out…