How to Remember Everything You Read - Chris Eller's Knowledge Garden

## Intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=0s) - A system for remembering everything read, studied, or learned will be taught in this video [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=0s). - This system has been in use for the last 7 years, starting from learning disease pathophysiology in medical school [(00:00:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=6s). - The system has been applied to various subjects, including reading research articles, learning science, reading books on productivity, and reading books on business [(00:00:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=11s). - The system's effectiveness is due to breaking down the process of reading into two distinct stages [(00:00:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=20s). - The first stage of the reading process will be discussed [(00:00:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=24s). ## Stages of reading [(00:00:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=27s) - The process of learning can be divided into two stages: the consumption period and the digestion period, with the latter being often neglected in favor of consuming more information [(00:00:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=28s). - Focusing solely on consuming more information does not necessarily lead to better retention or application of that information, as it is more about how much information stays in the brain rather than how much is consumed [(00:00:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=42s). - The goal should not be to remember everything read, but rather to remember what is necessary in a way that allows for its practical application [(00:01:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=96s). - [[Kim Peek]], a man with exceptional memory abilities due to a rare medical condition called FG syndrome, could memorize vast amounts of information, but struggled with reasoning and problem-solving [(00:02:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=126s). - Despite his exceptional memory, Kim Peek may not have performed better than others in exams that prioritize reasoning and problem-solving over memorization and recall [(00:03:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=192s). - The system to be taught aims to help individuals remember what they need to in a way that enables them to use that knowledge effectively, rather than trying to remember everything [(00:04:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=260s). - Not all information is equal, and it can be broken down into different categories to facilitate better retention and application [(00:04:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=269s). ## PACER System [(00:04:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=278s) - The [[PACER (law) | PACER]] system is used to identify the category of information being read, as each category has specific targeted processes to manage and retain the information effectively [(00:04:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=278s). - Using the wrong process for a specific category of information can make remembering and understanding what is read more difficult, time-consuming, and less effective, increasing the likelihood of forgetting what was read [(00:04:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=298s). - The PACER system consists of two stages: consuming information and identifying its category, and digesting what was read using a targeted process to store the information in long-term memory through encoding [(00:05:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=318s). - The PACER acronym is used during the first stage to identify the category of information being consumed [(00:05:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=327s). - The targeted process for each category of information helps to store the information in long-term memory through the process of encoding during the second stage [(00:05:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=341s). ## Procedural [(00:05:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=353s) - Procedural information refers to any information that tells you how something should be executed, such as a book that teaches the correct technique to perform a clinical examination [(00:05:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=353s). - Some subjects and domains, like coding and languages, have a lot of procedural information, and the targeted process for mastering this type of information is practice [(00:06:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=383s). - To effectively learn procedural information, it's essential to apply it in real-life situations as early as possible, rather than just reading and memorizing it [(00:06:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=391s). - If there's no time to practice procedural information immediately, it's better to either move on to something else or stop consuming information until there's time to practice, rather than wasting time trying to memorize it [(00:07:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=427s). - The two stages of consuming and digesting information must be balanced for effective learning to occur, and everything consumed must be digested in order to retain and use it [(00:07:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=453s). - If the consuming and digesting stages are not balanced, it can lead to "mental vomiting" through the process of forgetting, with some studies suggesting that up to 90% of what is consumed is forgotten [(00:08:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=511s). - To increase retention and build working knowledge, it's more effective to spend less time consuming information and more time on digesting and processing it [(00:08:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=529s). - The principle of balancing consuming and digesting is important not just for procedural information but for every other category of information [(00:09:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=551s). ## Analogous [(00:09:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=570s) - Analogous information is one of the easiest types of information to work with and remember because it is related to something you already have prior knowledge about, even if indirectly [(00:09:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=575s). - Analogies can form with any prior knowledge, including knowledge within a topic itself, and can help identify patterns and concepts that repeat throughout a field of study [(00:10:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=638s). - When engaging in the consumption period of reading, it's essential to actively think about whether what you're reading is related to something you already have knowledge about and identify potentially analogous information [(00:11:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=669s). - Once analogous information is identified, the targeted process to use is critique, which involves examining the analogy critically to determine how good it is and in what ways the two things are similar or different [(00:11:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=685s). - Critiquing an analogy involves asking questions like in what way are these two things similar or related, in what ways are they different, and in what situation does the analogy not make sense anymore [(00:11:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=706s). - The critiquing process drives up attention and depth of understanding of new information by extending it from what you already know and connecting it to your existing network [(00:12:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=734s). - Creating analogies has been shown in studies to be powerful for retention and understanding, as it allows you to take your existing network and connect it to new information straight away [(00:12:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=757s). - This process may not feel natural, but that's why it works, as it helps to overcome the biological limitations of the human brain in consuming and storing information into memory [(00:12:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=774s). - Analogous information can exist as a subset of procedural information, such as creating an analogy on a set of instructions to make it simpler and easier to understand, and also within the next category of information, which is the C of PESAR [(00:14:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=890s). ## Conceptual [(00:15:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=918s) - Conceptual information refers to the "what" and includes facts, explanations, theories, principles, relationships between concepts, and ways to apply concepts, which is essential for most science subjects [(00:15:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=922s). - Conceptual information requires both procedural and conceptual knowledge to solve problems and apply knowledge properly [(00:15:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=944s). - [[Nonlinear system | Nonlinear]] network-based note-taking, such as mind mapping, is an efficient way to increase attention and mastery of conceptual knowledge because it reflects how experts' knowledge exists in a highly connected network [(00:16:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=974s). - Experts' knowledge is not linear, and they can start at any point and navigate to any other point, allowing for complex problem-solving [(00:16:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1013s). - As learners, the goal is to recreate the expert's network of knowledge, and mapping is a great technique to achieve this by thinking about each fact and concept and how they connect to each other [(00:17:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1051s). - When reading and consuming conceptual information, it's essential to take time to create a map of the things being learned, adding and reorganizing as more information is read and digested [(00:17:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1068s). - Analogous information can also exist within conceptual information, and creating analogies can help structure ideas on the map [(00:18:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1086s). - If there's no time to create a map while reading, it's essential to slow down and consume less to maintain a balance between consumption and digestion [(00:18:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1115s). - The digestion of conceptual information is the most time-consuming part of the learning process, while the evaluation and recall (E and R) are faster and easier to deal with [(00:19:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1146s). ## Evidence [(00:19:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1172s) - Evidence type information is the information that helps make conceptual information more concrete by providing detailed and technical pieces of information, such as facts, statistics, or cases, to prove a conceptual point [(00:19:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1175s). - This type of information is useful for making abstract concepts more tangible and can include specific events, dates, people, and locations [(00:20:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1204s). - The key process for evidence type information is to store and rehearse it, where storing means collecting and noting down the information, and rehearsing involves thinking about how to apply it and challenging oneself to use it in different ways [(00:20:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1220s). - Storing evidence type information should happen as soon as it is identified, and can be done by adding it to a conceptual map, a second brain system, flashcards, or a document [(00:20:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1246s). - Rehearsing evidence type information is crucial for improving retention and involves thinking about how to use the information, applying it to solve problems, and creating explanations or teaching it to others [(00:21:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1265s). - Rehearsing should be done at a later time, such as at the end of the day or week, and should not be done while consuming the information, as this can waste time and prevent the formation of a strong foundation of knowledge [(00:21:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1309s). - Evidence type information is similar to the final type of information, which is the PESA type, but is distinct in its focus on providing concrete examples to support conceptual points [(00:22:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1342s). ## Reference [(00:22:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1347s) - Reference type information is the easiest to deal with and consists of very specific, detailed bits of information that don't change one's conceptual understanding, such as mathematical constants, specific genes involved in mutations, or names of molecules [(00:22:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1349s). - This type of information is not particularly important, not analogous, and not procedural, but may be needed later, so it's stored and rehearsed using a similar process as for evidence [(00:23:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1392s). - The storing part involves putting the information in a second brain or flashcards, and if recall from memory is necessary, flashcards are a good option [(00:23:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1405s). - The rehearse part is different because reference type information is not conceptually important, making it hard to use for problem-solving or extended discussions, and is typically used for direct fact recall [(00:23:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1420s). - Using flashcards with spaced repetition and active recall strategies, such as an app like [[Anki (software) | Anki]], is the best way to handle reference type information [(00:24:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1441s). - When reading, reference type information should be dumped into flashcards and rehearsed separately, such as 30 minutes a day, rather than trying to memorize it while reading [(00:24:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1454s). - Trying to memorize reference information while reading can waste time and decrease learning efficiency, so it's essential to prioritize the first three types of information [(00:24:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1492s). ## Putting it all together [(00:25:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1512s) - To effectively retain information, it is essential to identify the types of information being consumed in stage one and apply the appropriate targeted process to digest that information in stage two [(00:25:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1513s). - Balancing stage one and stage two is key to retaining a high level of knowledge from the information consumed [(00:25:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1529s). - The processes discussed in this video only scratch the surface of learning efficiently, and there are many other major processes involved in being a consistently high-performing efficient learner [(00:25:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1538s). - A map of learning outlines these major processes, and the topics covered in this video represent only a small percentage of the overall map [(00:25:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1541s). - To learn more about the other processes involved in efficient learning without dedicating a decade to studying the subject, a free newsletter is available, with the link provided in the description [(00:26:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks&t=1561s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHkUIW46ks)