HOW   TO   IMPROVE   YOUR   WRITING  SKILLS.

INTRODUCTION:

Do you dream of changing the world with your words? Do you aspire to be the next Annie Proulx, or the next David Foster Wallace? Or maybe you just want to be able to better express your thoughts and ideas more clearly. Becoming a great writer—or even a good writer—takes practice and knowledge, but with enough hard work perhaps someday somebody will aspire to be the next you!

Method 1 of 4: Better Writing Basics

1. 
   1
   Be active instead of passive. One of the most common manifestations of bad writing is overuse of the passive voice. The passive voice makes the object of an action into the subject of the sentence with verb forms like "X had been attacked by Y" instead of simply "Y attacked X." Learn to avoid these constructions as much as you can.
   • "The novel had been written by Frank while he was in college" is passive. "Frank wrote the novel while he was in college" is active.
   • Using the passive voice isn't always bad. Sometimes there is no clear way to make a statement active, or sometimes you want the lighter touch a passive construction allows. But learn to follow this rule before you start making exceptions.
2. 
   2
   Use strong words. Good writing is precise, evocative and spiced with the unexpected. Finding the right verb or adjective can turn an uninspired sentence into one people will remember and quote for years to come. Look for words that are as specific as possible. Try not to repeat the same word over and over unless you are trying to build a rhythm with it.
   • One exception to this is the words used to describe dialogue. Bad writing is filled with "he commented" and "she responded." A well-placed "sputtered" can work wonders, but most of the time a simple "said" will do. It may feel awkward to use the word "said" over and over, but changing it up unnecessarily makes it harder for your readers to get into the back-and-forth flow of the conversation. When writing dialogue, you want readers to hear your characters' voices, not your own.
   • Strong doesn't mean obscure, or more complicated. Don't say "utilize" when you could say "use." "He sprinted" is not necessarily better than "he ran." If you have a really good opportunity to use "ameliorate," go for it—unless "ease" is just as good there.
3. 
   3
   Cut the chaff. Good writing is simple, clear and direct. You don't get points for saying in 50 words what could be said in 20. Good writing is about using the right words, not filling up the page. It might feel good at first to pack a lot of ideas and details into a single sentence, but chances are that sentence is just going to be hard to read. If a phrase doesn't add anything valuable, just cut it.
   • Adverbs are the classic crutch of mediocre writing. A well-placed adverb can be delightful, but much of the time the adverbs we use are already implied by the verb or adjective—or would be if we had chosen a more evocative word. Don't write "screamed fearfully";"scream" already suggests fear. If you notice that your writing is filled with "-ly" words, it might be time to take a deep breath and give your writing more focus.
   • Sometimes cutting the chaff is best done at the editing stage. You don't have to obsess about finding the most concise way to phrase every sentence; get your ideas down on paper however you can and then go through to edit out unnecessary verbiage.
   • Your writing doesn't just exist in a vacuum—it's experienced in conjunction with the reader's imagination. You don't need to describe every detail if a few good ones can spur the reader's mind to fill in the rest. Lay down well-placed dots and let the reader connect them.
4. 
   4
   Show don't tell. Instead of just sitting your readers down for a long exposition explaining a character's background or a plot-point's significance, try to let the readers discover the same ideas through the words, feelings and actions of your characters. Especially in fiction, putting this classic piece of writerly advice into practice is one of the most powerful lessons a writer can learn.^[2]
5. 
   5
   Avoid clichés. Clichés are phrases, ideas or situations which are patently unoriginal. They may have been powerful at one point, but now they have been overused to the point of having little value unless reimagined in some creative way. It's hard to say exactly what makes a cliché, other than that, as with pornography, you'll know it when you see it.
   • "It was a dark and stormy night" is a classic example of a clichéd phrase—even now a clichéd concept. Compare these similar weather-related opening lines:^[3]
     • “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”—1984, by George Orwell. It's not dark, nor stormy, nor night. But you can tell right from the start something's not quite right in 1984.
     • “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.”—Neuromancer, by William Gibson, in the same book that gave us the word "cyberspace." This not only gives you the weather report, it does so in such a way that you are immediately placed into his dystopian world.
     • “It was the day my grandmother exploded.”— The Crow Road, by Iain Banks.
     • "“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”—A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. Weather, emotion, damnation, and despair—Dickens covered it all with an opening line that leaves the reader ready for anything.
6. 
   6
   Break the rules. The best writers don't just follow the rules—they know when and how to break them. Everything from traditional grammar to the writing advice above is up for grabs if you know a transgression will improve your piece. The key is that you have to write well enough the rest of the time that it's clear you are breaking the rule knowingly and on purpose.
7. 
   7
   Edit, edit, edit. Don't believe your English teachers: there is no such thing as a "perfect" masterpiece in writing. Every author could have found something to change in even their greatest works if they had given it another once over. Editing is one of the most essential parts of writing. Once you finish a piece of writing, let it sit for a day and then read it over with fresh eyes, catching typos or scrapping whole paragraphs—anything to make your piece better. Then when you are done, give it another read, and another.

Method 2 of 4: Consume the Written Word Voraciously.

1. 
   1
   Pick up a good book or ten. Read and understand the works of great and influential writers to learn what is possible with the written word. By immersing yourself in writers who have given us the world's the most compelling stories and ideas, you will expand your vocabulary, build knowledge and feed your imagination.^[4]
   • Look for different ways of organizing a piece of writing or presenting a narrative.
   • Try comparing different author's approaches to the same subject to see how they are alike and how they differ. For example, Tolstoy's Death of Ivan Ilych, and Hemingway's The Snows of Kilimanjaro.
2. 
   2
   Map the allusions that run through our culture. You might not realize it, but books, movies and other media are filled with references and homages to great literature. By reading some classics, you will build a body of cultural knowledge that will better inform your own writing.
3. 
   3
   Make sure you understand why a classic work is considered great. It's possible to read a novel like The Catcher in the Rye and not "get it" or see its value immediately. If this happens, try reading an essay or two about the piece to learn why it was so influential and effective. You may discover layers of meaning that you missed. Understanding what makes great writing great is one of the best ways to grow your own skills.
4. 
   4
   Attend the theatre. Yes, watching a play is passive—like television or the movies—and there's not a bit of reading involved. But it will fire your imagination in ways you might not expect.
   • More than a movie ever can be, a theatrical performance is like words come to life, with only the director's interpretation and the actor's delivery as filters between the author's pen and your ears.
5. 
   5
   Read magazines, newspapers, and everything else. Literature isn't the only place to get ideas—the real world is filled with fascinating people, places and events that will inspire your writerly mind.
6. 
   6
   Know when to put down your influences. It happens all the time: you finish an awesome novel, and it leaves you fired up to get cracking on your own writing. But when you sit down at your desk, your words come out sounding unoriginal, like an imitation of the author you were just reading. For all you can learn from great writers, you need to be able to develop your own voice. Learn to cleanse your palate of influences with a free writing exercise, a review of your past works, or even just a meditative jog.

Method 3 of 4: Write Voluminously

1. 1
   Buy a notebook. Not just any notebook, but a good sturdy one you can take with you anywhere. Ideas happen anywhere, and you want to be able to capture those oft-fleeting ideas before they escape you like that dream you had the other night about...um...it was...uh...well it was really good at the time!
2. 
   2
   Write down any ideas that come to you. Titles, subtitles, topics, characters, situations, phrases, metaphors—anything that will spark your imagination later when you're ready.
3. 
   3
   Fill up your notebook and keep going. When you finish a notebook, put a label on it with the date range and any general notes, so you can refer back to it when you need a creative kick in the pants.
4. 
   4
   Join a writing workshop. One of the best ways to improve your writing and stay motivated is to talk with others and get feedback on your work. Find a local or online writing group. In these groups members usually read each other's writing and discuss what they liked, didn't like and how a piece might be improved. You may find that offering feedback, as well as receiving it, helps you learn valuable lessons to build your skills.
5. 
   5
   Write every day. Keep a diary, mail a pen pal, or just set aside an hour or so for free writing. Just pick a topic and start writing. The topic itself doesn't matter—the idea is to write. And write. And write some more. Writing is a skill that takes practice, and a muscle that you can strengthen and nourish with the right training.

EditMethod 4 of 4: Crafting a Story

1. 
   1
   Pick a topic and lay out a general arc for your story. It doesn't have to be complex, just a way to get your head around the direction of the plot. For example, that classic Hollywood story line: boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back again. (The chase scenes are added later.)
2. 
   2
   Write an outline. It can be tempting to just start writing and try to figure out twists and turns of your plot as you go along. Don't do it! Even a simple outline will help you see the big picture and save you hours of rewriting. Start with a basic arc and expand section by section. Flesh out your story, populating it with at least the main characters, locations, time period, and mood.
   • Note that in an outline like this, you discover that of the 4 sections, the last one will take up the bulk of the story. When you have part of an outline that will take more than a few words to describe, create a sub-outline to break that section into manageable parts.
3. 
   3
   Write the first draft. You're now ready to start your "sloppy copy," otherwise known as your first draft! Using your outline, flesh out the characters and the narrative.
4. 
   4
   Keep some space in your story online to add characters, and what makes them who they are. Give each of them a little story of their own, and even if you don't add that info into your story, it will give a sense of how your character might act in a given situation.
5. 
   5
   Don't be afraid to hop around. If you suddenly have a brilliant idea about how to resolve a situation near the end, but you're still on Chapter 1, write it down! Never let an idea go to waste.
6. 
   6
   Let your story guide you. Let your story have its say, and you may find yourself heading in unexpected, but very interesting directions. You're still the director, but stay open to inspiration.
7. 
   7
   Finish your first draft. Don't get caught up in fine tuning things yet, just let the story play out on paper. If you realize 2/3 of the way through the story that a character is really the Ambassador to Dubai, make a note, and finish the story with her as the Ambassador. Don't go back and start re-writing her part till you're done with the first draft.
8. 
   8
   Write it again. First draft, remember? Now you get to write it from the beginning, this time knowing all the details of your story that will make your characters much more real and believable. Now you know why he's on that airplane, and why she is dressed like a punk.
9. 
   9
   Write it through to the end. By the time you are done with the second draft, you will have all the information about your story, your characters, the main plot, and the subplots defined.
10. 
    10
    Read and share your story. Now that you've finished the second draft, it's time to read it—dispassionately, if possible, so that you can at least try to be objective. Share it with a couple trusted friends whose opinions you respect.
11. 
    11
    Write the final draft. Armed with notes from your reading the story, plus notes of your friends or publishers, go through your story one more time, finalizing as you go. Tie up loose ends, resolve conflicts, eliminate any characters that do not add to the story.

  Tips

• Writing should be fun. Or it should be torture. Depends on whom you ask. It can leave you feeling revved up, or exhausted. There is no one correct way to write or feel about your writing. Find your own style.
• If you don't like an idea at first, still try it and it might take you somewhere.
• Similes and metaphors are fun to use! When done well, they are like the scent of a rose, and make you look smart as a whip.

  Warnings

• Do not plagiarize! Presenting the words or ideas of others as your own is a serious offense in academics, journalism and fiction. If you are caught, you can be expelled, fired, sued or blacklisted from further publication. Just don't do it.
• Use words with care. There is no quicker way to sound ignorant than to use a word as the wrong part of speech or in the wrong context. If you are unsure of a word's usage, look it up in the dictionary and make sure you understand its meaning and connotations.

HOW    TO   MOTIVATE    ADULT   LEARNERS.

INTRODUCTION:

Adult learners can be some of the most difficult to motivate. Unlike elementary age people, they do not respond as well to immediate reinforcer like candy, stickers, or high fives and loud praise. Unlike secondary school students, the delayed gratification of earning good grades and the carrot on the end of the stick - college and a good career with matching salary sometime within the next decade - is useless as well. They're adults. They are either in a class voluntarily, in which case you won't need to do much to motivate them, or they are there because they are forced to be in some way or another. Usually family obligation (if you're not in school you're not living under my roof for free! said my mother). Or career obligation (no GED, no job). Most likely it is the latter type of student you are working with - the type who is forced to be in your class, more or less against their will.

  STEPS:-

1. 
   1
   Assert yourself as the type of leader that the students would like to follow and learn from. The best way to work with adults is to respect the fact that they're essentially your equal once you leave the classroom. Try to assert the kind of image that allows them to respect your outside of the classroom, too.
2. 
   2
   Structure your class. Set expectations on day one and hold all students accountable for their actions. Make no exceptions for the first couple of meetings, too. Own your class and control the direction it goes in, you will find that the students will choose to follow or to leave. Luckily, they are adults, and you do not have to put up with their displeasure. If they don't behave appropriately, YOU have every right to ask them to leave.
3. 
   3
   Have high expectations and your students will naturally want to achieve highly. If they stumble and don't perform to your expectations, give them fair and honest grades. If they come to you seeking help, assist them in identifying their specific problem areas and provide resources that the student can use to improve their skills. That is just plain good teaching and it works for all students at all ages.
4. 
   4
   Relax on the last day. Be the kind of teacher that is interesting and fun. Don't be so by-the-book that the students find you dry, but don't be wild and unpredictable. Maintain strictly professional relationships with students, but feel free to loosen your tie, or let down your hair, when the occasion calls for it. They are adults. You're not their role model, though you might be their mentor.

  TIPS:-

• Research some basic classroom behavior management techniques. Generally the theories used to development effective strategies for the public elementary and high school classroom can be modified to fit a classroom full of adults. The average person, no matter the age, tends to respond to same kind of positive attention and reinforcement. Only the reinforcer tends to change - for example, a kindergarten child gets a sticker, a high school student gets homework pass or free time in class, an adult gets recommended for new projects, encouraged to further their studies, or makes professional connections.                                                                                                        

How to Read Faster

Changing the Way You ReadThe Hand MethodThe Index Card MethodThe Sweep MethodThe Hopping Method

Edited by Dlpn, D rae, Sondra C, Flickety and 47 others

Are you keen to become a faster reader? Reading faster isn't about plowing through books or texts without comprehending or enjoyment. Rather, it's about learning to pick up the speed and still take in the information in an enjoyable way.

EditMethod 1 of 5: Changing the Way You Read

1. 
   1
   Eliminate vocalization or sub-vocalization as you read (sounding out the words either out loud or in your head). Vocalization will dramatically reduce your reading speed as your lips need time to sound out each word. However, while eliminating vocalization will increase your speed, it will most likely decrease your comprehension, so there is a small trade-off initially (until you grasp some of the other techniques).
   Ad
2. 
   2
   Instead of reading word by word, read in chunks of words, or even full sentences. The longer you spend on each word the more slowly you read, so it is important to read phrases of multiple words so as to increase your speed. Slow readers often take long pauses between words, thus slowing them down. Try practicing on a newspaper with columns that are four or five words wide, so as to get a better sense of reading in chunks of text.
   • Don't pause for periods and commas, just read all the way through.
3. 
   3
   Try to lightly skim the text either before or after reading it. Read only a few words per line and try to glean a general meaning out of the text. Skimming before reading will help introduce you to the topic and the author's purpose and will help you read faster. Skimming after reading will allow you to draw key points out of particularly dense or hard to read material.
   • Keep in mind the focus of the given text and what the author is trying to achieve. Doing this will often help keep your mind on track.
4. 
   4
   Don't reread text that you have already read. Doing so will only disrupt your brain's flow and will slow you down.
5. 5
   Be realistic about how much faster you can read before losing the meaning. For many, faster reading will result in a loss of at least some comprehension, so it is important to balance speed and comprehension so as to maximize reading efficiency.
6. 
   6
   Choose a particular method to help you learn to read faster. As you get better at the method, try moving your placeholder faster and see if your eyes can keep up and remember to try to keep both your eyes and your placeholder moving in one constant motion. A list of methods you might like to try follows after this step.
   • It is recommended that you try all of the different methods to see what works best for you or what works best in your given situation.

EditMethod 2 of 5: The Hand Method

1. 1
   Move your hand down the page as you read in a slow, constant motion.
2. 2
   Your hand should set the pace for your eyes as you read each line.
3. 3
   Use whichever hand you are comfortable with, as long as it helps you keep the pace.

EditMethod 3 of 5: The Index Card Method

This method is especially helpful for people who reread sections as it helps keep them focused on one line at a time.

1. 1
   Use an index card (or folded piece of paper) to cover the whole width of the page. Put it under the line you are reading.
2. 2
   As you read, move the card down the page. Always use the card to "underline" the line that you're reading.

EditMethod 4 of 5: The Sweep Method

This method will help reduce unnecessary pauses in between words and improve your flow when reading.

1. 1
   Sweep your hand across each line as you read it. Move your hand under each word as you read it.
2. 2
   Move your whole forearm and not simply your wrist. This will enable you to cover the whole line and focus better.
3. 3
   Keep your fingers together. This will ensure that your hand moves as a unit and is less of a distraction to your eyes.

EditMethod 5 of 5: The Hopping Method

This technique is particularly useful for skimming text, as you will only read a couple of words per bounce.

1. 1
   Using a similar side-to-side motion as the Sweep Method, bounce your hand across the page two or three times per line using even, controlled movements.
2. 2
   Only read the words that are near your hand as you "bounce" around the text. This will help you keep an even pace as you read as your eyes will follow your hand.
   Ad

Edit Video

Edit Tips

• Look for a quiet spot to read in. Sometimes reading in a quiet area helps you to read faster because there are less noises to distract you from your reading and make you re-read or lose your spot.
• Eliminate all distractions such as TV or cellphone. Beeps of any kind will cause you to falter and lose your place.
• Young children usually make mistakes when learning to read, so they need to go slowly and steadily. Don't rush this process, as it is foundational in building good, solid reading skills. If you want to teach your child to read a bit faster, do this gradually. If reading turns into torture, your child risks losing interest in it at all. When your child has a good grasp on a lot of vocabulary and already loves books, then you might consider helping with improving the reading speed with one of the suggested methods.

How to Make a Line Graph

INTRODUCTION.

Line graphs provide a visual representation of the relationship between variables and how that relationship changes. For example, you might make a line graph to show how an animal's growth rate varies over time, or how a city's average high temperature varies from month to month. You can also graph more than one data set on the same line graph, as long as it relates the same two variables. So how do you make a line graph? Just follow these steps to find out.

EditPart 1 of 2: Labeling the Graph

1. 
   1
   Draw a large cross in the middle of your graph paper. This represents the two axes -- one vertical, one horizontal. The vertical axis is designated the Y-axis and the horizontal as the X-axis. The place where the lines cross is called the origin.
   • The areas below the X-axis and to the left of the Y-axis represent negative numbers. If your data set doesn't include negative numbers, you can omit those portions of the graph.
   Ad
2. 
   2
   Label each axis with the variable it represents. To continue the temperature-time example from the introduction, you would label the x-axis as months during the year, and the y-axis as temperature.
3. 
   3
   Identify the range of data you have to include for each variable. To continue the temperature-time example, you'd select a range that was large enough to include the highest and lowest temperatures you plan to graph. If the range isn't very high, you can have a larger scale, spreading it out more so that it fills up the graph instead of just covering 10% of it.
4. 
   4
   Decide how many units every line on the graph represents for each of your variables. You might designate a scale of 10 degrees Fahrenheit (12.22 degrees Celsius) per line to measure temperature along the Y-axis, and a scale of one month per line to measure time along the X-axis.
   • Label several of the lines along each axis with the scale measurements. You don't need to label every line, but you should space the labeled line at regular intervals along the axis.

EditPart 2 of 2: Plotting Your Data

1. 
   1
   Plot your data on the graph. For example: If the high temperature in your hometown was 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.44 degrees Celsius) in January, locate the "January" line on the X-axis and the "40 degrees" line on the Y-axis. Trace both lines to the point where they intersect. Place a dot on the intersection. Repeat for all of your other data until you've plotted each point on the graph.
2. 
   2
   Connect the left-most dot and the dot to its right with a straight line. Continue connecting the dots, one by one, working from left to right. Make sure that it looks like you're connecting the points with straight lines only, so that the graph does not look curved. Once you've connected all of the points, you will have successfully graphed all of the data.
3. 3
   Repeat the process if you're graphing multiple data sets. If you're graphing multiple data sets on the graph, use a distinctive color of pen, or style of line, for the first data set. Place an example of the color/line style off to the side of the graph and label it with the name of the information being displayed. For example: "High Temperatures."
   • Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the next data set, using a different-color pen or a different style of line for each data set.
   • Place an example of the second line color/style in the margin and label it, too. For example, you could use a red pen to graph high temperatures, then use a blue pen to graph low temperatures over the same period on the same graph. Continue repeating steps 1 and 2 for each remaining data set you want to include on the graph.
4. 
   4
   Write the graph's title at the top of the page. For example: Average Monthly High and Low Temperatures in Seattle, 2009. You should do this last after you know how much space all of the graphs will take up on the page.
   Ad

Edit Video

Edit Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Pen or pencil
• Ruler

How to Become a Lifelong Learner

Edited by Dvortygirl, RMunsonNJ, Wdt3223, Tipsy and 18 others

Abraham Lincoln said, "I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." This opens the premise that learning is a daily adventure that one carries and explores throughout life. Learning doesn't stop just because school does. People who are truly effective generally did not get that way by sitting still, they apply themselves to constant learning and competing against themselves to grow and learn day by day. Making a commitment to yourself to learn something new every day, you will not only enjoy what you discover, but you will be able to apply your knowledge and become a teacher to future generations.

Edit Steps

1. 
   1
   Learn how you learn. Determine your own preferred learning style or styles. Note what learning techniques are most efficient for you and use them as much as is practical, such as viewing online tutorials on websites like YouTube if you're more of a visual learner.
   • Most people learn through multiple methods but favor one or two. Use your preferences to your advantage.
   Ad
2. 
   2
   Learn where your talents and interests lie. Try many different things so that you don't box yourself into believing you're only good at a few things. It's probable that you're good at many things but you won't know until you've tried.
   • Be wary of past memories that tell you to stay away from certain things. This can soon inhibit you from trying a lot of new things if taken to an extreme. As you grow you develop more experience, coordination, responsiveness, and confidence that one experience can't teach, but you can apply to re-learning an old experience. For example, if you had a bad experience riding a horse when younger, not getting back on a horse when you're older and calmer might mean you miss out on a trek of a lifetime. Or, you might have hated certain sports, tastes or activities when younger because of your lack of experience, strength or maturity. All these things change as you mature, develop, and adjust to new environments. Be careful not to let past experiences like these cut off opportunities for you now.
3. 
   3
   Look at learning as an exploration and opportunity, not a chore. Don't just force yourself to learn things because they're important or necessary. Instead, learn things that you need to learn alongside things you love to learn. Follow your heart, as well as your sense of duty. Do you remember the 8th grade history that you hated so much, with all those names and dates that seemed to mean nothing? The point was to bring you to learn details now that will knit chunks of information together later. It was a chore then, but it makes sense, now.
   • Even when you're learning the things you have to, such as on-the-job knowledge, seek to go beyond what you're being asked to learn. Look at the history, case studies, different applications, etc., to make your learning experience much more well-rounded.
4. 4
   Learn the basics. It can be a grind at times, but you'll be able to remember, connect and figure out all kinds of complicated things through relatively few, simple building blocks if you learn some math and natural-science concepts.^[1] You can look up precise formulas and trivia again later, but the concepts will do the most good and save a lot of time in repeated look-ups if mostly learned by heart.^[2] Try some free OpenCourseWare, TED Talks or iTunes University for comprehensive presentations from famous professors and experts in their fields.
   • Mix learning the basics with more fun learning, like intellectual hobbies and games. Don't space them out so far that you forget what came before in a sequence; a half-class or class every day or two might be a good pace. Check into DIY U for a list of colleges and institutions that offer low cost or free courses.
   • If you find complex math very unintuitive in isolation, you can look it up as you learn things that use it. Without seeing the applications, it's hard to distinguish the concepts you need from the computational tricks most people don't.
   • Read books by people who experienced difficulties with the basics of math, science or other subjects but have still managed to find workarounds without giving up. Their ways of learning might help you to improve your own.
5. 
   5
   Read, read, read. Make friends with your local library and new and used book sellers. Reading is a portal into other worlds and into the minds of your fellow human beings. Through reading you will never stop learning and being amazed by the incredible creativity, intelligence and yes, even banality, of the human species. Wise people read lots of books, all the time; it's as simple as that. And reading will help you to learn the discoveries and mistakes of others who have gone before you; reading is, in effect, a shortcut so that you don't have to learn things the hard way.
   • Read all sorts of books. Just because you're usually a mystery fan doesn't mean you shouldn't try nonfiction now and then. Don't limit yourself.
   • Recognize the educational value in whatever you read. Nonfiction, of course, teaches about its subject. Fiction, freed from that constraint, can teach more about good writing, storytelling, vocabulary, and human nature generally. Indeed, fiction will tell you a great deal about the mores, morals, thinking and habits of the time during which it was written, and it is also said that fiction readers are more empathetic than those who avoid it because it teaches us about interacting in the social world.^[3]
   • Newspapers, magazines, manuals, and comic books are all reading. As are websites, blogs, reviews and other online sources of information.
6. 
   6
   Broaden your definition of learning. Take a look at the Theory of Multiple Intelligences if you don't know it yet. Consider how you might fit in, and where you can improve.
   • Refine your existing skills. Are you already good at fly fishing? Computers? Teaching? Playing saxophone? Hone these skills and take them to the next level.
   • Try new things, both inside and outside your preferred skill areas.
7. 7
   Do things outside your vocation. As an adult, your experience may be your best teacher. Whether you work for pay or volunteer your time, focus on a project or tinker with whatever grabs your attention, try lots of things and notice the results. Apply the results to other things in your life, to expand the value of what you've learned. You never know when an opportune discovery might arise as a result of your observations and innovative approaches.
8. 
   8
   Create. Not all learning comes from outside you. In fact, some of the most powerful learning happens when you are creating or formulating something for yourself. Creation, like intelligence, can be artistic or scientific; physical or intellectual; social or solitary. Try different media and methods and refine the ones you like the most.
9. 9
   
   Observe. Look more closely at your world, and examine both the usual and the unusual. Also, look at the world from different levels. Chances are you already respond differently to the news of a friend than to the news of a country, for example.
   • Respond to what you observe, and notice and examine your own response.
   • Be mindful; if you find that it's difficult to observe things for long enough, consider meditating. This will help you to learn to see things you haven't noticed since you were a young child.
10. 
    10
    Take classes, both formal and informal. No matter how dedicated an autodidact you are, some subjects are best learned with the aid of a teacher. Remember that a teacher may be found in a classroom, but also in an office, a neighbor's garage, a store, a restaurant, or a taxi cab. The teacher may also be a mentor or a guide of some sort in your life, such as a life coach or counselor.
    • Several of the world's best universities provide videos and materials for their courses free over the Internet as the "Open CourseWare" project^[4]. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is an exceptional contributor, with hundreds of courses.^[5] You can also use iTunes University, which can be viewed via your computer or your portable electronic devices.
11. 11
    Ask questions. Asking the right questions can be more important than having the answers. It can also turn just about anybody into a teacher. Be sure to listen closely and understand the response.
    • Sometimes a response is difficult to understand. Feel free to take notes, ask more questions and to break down the response into smaller components to try and make sense of it. Return to your preferred learning style––if something is easier drawn in pictures, then draw it out to help make better sense of it.
    • Keep a journal or notebook to record what you learn and what questions you still have. Questions can teach as much as, or more than, answers. A journal or notebook can also record your progress.
12. 12
    Evaluate and reflect on what you learn. Does it make sense? Is it true? Who said so? How was it determined? Can it be verified? Is an argument or piece of advice logical, valuable, applicable?
    • Read How to develop critical thinking skills and How to improve critical thinking skills for more ideas on ways to evaluate what you're learning.
13. 13
    Apply what you learn. This is the best way to test it and it will help you learn it more completely and retain it longer. It will also help you to discover flaws and strengths in your learning, which is how we progress the sum of human knowledge. Who knows what you may be about to discover, uncover or link together?
14. 
    14
    Teach others. Teaching is a wonderful way to learn a subject better and improve your own understanding of it. If you're not a teacher or tutor, you can write about your knowledge in a wiki, where you and other contributors will know you can return to see something even better, or forum, or simply volunteer an answer when somebody asks.
    • Joseph Joubert once said that "To teach is to learn twice." In teaching others how to learn things, you will find that you learn even more than the students. Not only will you need to have a good grasp of your materials, you will need to respond to the querying minds of your students and extend your understanding beyond what you have considered it to be up to the point of each question asked of you.
    Ad

Edit Tips

• Sleep, exercise, and eat properly. Your overall health will influence how much you can effectively learn.
• Have fun. Fun is a very important part of learning, especially as an adult. It is a big part of your motivation to continue.
• Do what works best for you. Life isn't a dress rehearsal, so make the most of it.
• Test yourself. Read college notes, take CLEP tests, challenge or audit college courses, etc.
• Learn something for its own sake. Just because it's there. Explore freely. Learn trivia, expand into self directed course learning.
• Keep an open mind. Some of the greatest scientific, mathematical, artistic, and other advances came from questioning conventional wisdom and being open to unusual results and new, different ways of doing things. And don't presume that because you're not an expert or that it's "not your area", that you don't have a contribution. Learned, enthused and observant outsiders can often see connections, gaps and new ways forward that those deeply embedded in their profession, expertise or trade miss.
• Leave your perfectionism behind. Experiment, make mistakes, and ask silly questions. If you wait until you know it all, you'll be waiting a long time.
• Another good way to learn is to find people that are either learning the same things you are, or already know them. Just being around those people and conversing with them will put you much farther ahead compared to studying in isolation.

Ad

Edit Warnings

• If you get good at learning and find that you know more than most people around you, be careful that you don't turn into a know-it-all.