- Mar 2023
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bio.libretexts.org bio.libretexts.org
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However, some students are more accustomed to studying for exams by memorizing information rather than understanding it. (It's not their fault; that's what they were asked to do in the past)
I always appreciate when professors make us interact with the material more than just memorizing vocabulary words. I’ve definitely noticed with classes that require problem-solving strategies rather than pure memorization on homework and exams, I always finish the term feeling like I actually learned/remembered things. When tests require straight memorization I often forget most of the material shortly after the exam is over.
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Another good way to test yourself is to work in groups and force yourself to explain a topic or question to another student, as if you were the instructor
I once had a professor tell me that a good way to see if you understand the material is if you can explain it to a 5-year-old. I definitely have found that this is true, for anyone can memorize and spit back out an explanation from a textbook; however, explaining it in simpler terms takes mastery of a topic to break it down into an easy-to-understand concept. I always do this in my head when I’m studying to make sure I am comprehending the material properly.
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Cells can be as simple as the disease-causing bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium, whose genome encodes just 525 genes (only 382 of which are essential for life), or as complex as a cell belonging to the multicellular plant Oryza sativa (rice), whose genome likely encodes ~51,000 genes
This is one of the many reasons genomics is so fascinating to me—something as seemingly simple as a grain of rice has (correct me if I’m wrong) more genes in its genome than a human being! I wonder how many, if any, are protein-encoding.
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