SCHOOL CHEAT SHEET!!

Hey @infinitesimally-smart, have some shapes

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How to set up a research journal

This is just one way you can set up a research journal but it's helping me tremendously so maybe it also works for you. My set-up is partially inspired by this video by Answer in Progress and I suggest you check out their curiosity journal.

Preparation

First you need a notebook. The trick is to find a notebook that you're not afraid to "ruin". We all want a really neat, aesthetic research journal, but the reality looks more like hasty scribbles, but that's okay, that's where the research breakthroughs happen.

I personally bought a cheap lined notebook from Søstrene Grene that I thought looked cute and put a sticker on it. That way I feel good about using it but I also don't mind when my handwriting gets messy because it was only like 3€.

You should also stock up on pens you like writing with. Different colour highlighters and post-its are also a good idea but not a must. Keep it cheap but comfortable.

Title Page

Here you should put down all the really important information: year, title, deadlines, word count, supervisors. Maybe add an inspirational quote to spice it up but keep it simple and relevant.

Key

This should either be your next or your last page. I personally use the last pages of my journal so I can add thing and find it easier. Your key is there to list abbreviations and symbols.

For example, I have different symbols for statistics, dates, new terminology, questions, breakthroughs, important notes and abbreviations for the most important terms in my field. It's shorter to write T9N than Translation.

The trick here is to have enough abbreviations and symbols to save time and effort but not so many that you constantly have to look back and forth between your page and key. They should be memorable and not easy to confuse.

Topic Mind map

If you hate mind maps you can skip this of course or use a different method but what helped me is to visualise all the topics that connect to my research project in a mind map. I then colour-coded the main groups of topics with my highlighters. It helps me to keep an overview on how many topics I need to do research on.

Proposal

If you're writing a thesis/dissertation it can be helpful to have a page set aside for your proposal and take some bullet point notes on methodology, chapter structure, research context, aims and objectives and think of some titles. You can also do this for your lit review and a list of works to include.

Hypothesis and Question Pages

I set aside four pages for this but you can adjust this to your needs. The first page is my hypothesis. It doesn't have to be fully formed yet, it can just be bullet points with five question marks. You can always revise and update it but it is important to keep an eye on what you're actually trying to find out.

The next idea is basically just stolen from Answer in Progress: a section for big questions, medium questions and little questions. These aren't necessarily hypotheses you aim to answer but questions you have about your topic that might be good to look into (maybe they lead somewhere, maybe they don't).

Research Notes

Now comes the big, fun part. Research notes are allowed to be a little messy but you should have some sort of system so you can actually find what you're looking for afterwards. I'm currently just looking at books and articles so that's what my system is based on. You can totally adjust this to include other forms of research.

What I do is that I put down and underline the author and title of my source. Underneath that I use my highlighters and mark the topic of the paper based on how I colour-coded them in my mind map. You might have to do this after you've finished reading. For example, if a text talks about censorship and dubbing in Germany, three of my topics, I will draw three lines in light blue, dark blue and red, the colours I chose for those topics. This way you can easily browse your notes and see which pages are talking about which topics.

When it comes to the actual research notes, I include the page number on the left and then take bullet point notes on whatever is relevant. These are often abbreviated and paraphrased but if something is especially important I will write down a full quote.

As mentioned earlier, I have a key of symbols I use so I can simply put down a '!' in order to differentiate a research breakthrough from a normal note. You can insert your own thoughts much more easily when you know you'll be able to tell them apart later on. At the end of each article, book or even chapter I write down my main takeaway.

Other Notes

This is your research journal and you can do with it what you want. I also added lists of films that might be relevant for my research, a list of databases and publishers to check for papers and tips on research strategy.

If you're working with interviews or surveys you could write down your questions. If you're nervous about your research you could include a list of reasons why your research project is important or why you're doing it. You can include a to-do list or a calendar to track meetings with supervisors. Anything that helps you with your research.

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Once upon a time I worked in this little burger/coffee/ice cream shop and a lady came in one winter and asked if we had a caramel apple drink and we were like ‘well we have cider’ and she was like ‘no I don’t remember what it’s called but this place made a drink that was chai tea, apple cider, and caramel’ and Breezy offered to try and make something for her but she changed her mind and left so Breezy and I were like ‘alright let’s try this’ because we had chai tea, instant cider mix, a shit ton of caramel, instant hot water from the espresso and too much free time. 

And let me tell you it was delightful. It tastes like watching the leaves changing color and dancing in the wind. It tastes like picking out pumpkins and gourds and fresh apples at the farm up north. It tastes like witches and freedom.

I make it every year now and this year I walked in the house on the morning of October first with all the ingredients and shouted ‘FALL DRINK’ and my roommates were like ‘????’ so I made them Fall Drink and now every time they get home from work they’re like ‘Fall Drink pls?????’

Anyway I remember literally nothing else about that woman but I’m very grateful to her. 

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an educational graphic about critical thinking for tumnblr

OKAY CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THE FUCK YOU SHIP A PACKAGE OF COOKIES TO A FRIEND WHO LIVES IN NEW JERSEY, ONLY TO HAVE IT NOT GET THERE ON TIME BECAUSE IT SOMEHOW ENDED UP IN GUAM?

I JUST

GUAM?

by Laure S

Free Astronomy Resources

Astronomy

Astronomy Lecture Powerpoints

Astronomy Lecture Notes (Textbook-Like)

Astronomy Notes

Astronomy Lecture Notes (Alaska)

Astronomy Lecture Powerpoints (Trinity)

Astronomy Lecture Notes (MIRA)

Astronomy Lecture Powerpoints (Rutten)

Modern Astronomy Lecture Notes

Astronomy Lecture Powerpoints (Wickman)

Solar System Astronomy Lecture Notes

Astronomy Lecture Notes

Astronomy Lecture Notes (Mitchell)

Astronomy Lecture Notes (Rochester)

Time Systems Lecture Notes

Earth and Sky Notes

Galactic Structure and Stellar Populations Lecture Notes

Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe Lecture Notes

Astronomical Techniques

Essential Radio Astronomy

Introduction to Astronomy 

Physics

Equations and Formulas

Essential Physics Equations

MCAT Physics Equations

Frequently Used Physics Equations

General Physics Notes

Physics Lecture Notes (MIT) 

University Physics (Textbook-Like)

General Physics I

Physics Lecture Notes (Colorado)

Physics Lecture Notes (Rochester)

Physics Lecture Notes (Cabrillo)

Physics Lecture Notes (Trinity)

Physics Notes

Physics Videos (Flipping Physics)

Physics Ch 1 to 8 Lecture Notes

Feynman Physics Lecture Notes

Electromagnetism

Electromagnetism Lecture Notes

Feynman Electromagnetism and Matter Lecture Notes 

Mechanics

Mechanics (Physics) Lecture Notes

Mechanics (Physics) Powerpoint Slides

Feynman Quantum Mechanics Lecture Notes 

Physics and Astronomy

Physics of the Interstellar Medium Lecture Notes

Physics for Astronomy Lecture Notes (Textbook-Like)

Radio Astronomy (Physics 728)

Physics: Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Cosmology

Inorganic Chemistry

Inorganic Chemistry Chapter Notes

Inorganic Chemistry Lecture Notes

Inorganic Chemistry 2 Lecture Notes

Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lecture Notes

Calculus

Formulas and Equations

Calculus Cheat Sheet

AP Calculus Basic Formulas and Properties

Calculus 1 Formulas

Basic Calculus: Rules and Formulas (Video)

Differential Formulas

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The Basics

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Single Variable Calculus

Multivariable Calculus (Textbook-like)

Basics of Calculus (Textbook-like)

Calculus for Beginners

Calculus 1

Calculus (Textbook-like)

Calculus 1 (Textbook-like)

Calculus 1 Video Lectures

Calculus 1 Lecture Notes

Calculus 1 Lecture Notes (Northern Illinois)

Calculus 1 Lecture Notes (Citadel)

Calculus 1 Compact Lecture Notes

Calculus Lecture Notes (Raz Kupferman)

Introduction to Calculus Lecture Notes

Calculus 2

Calculus 2 Lecture Notes

Calculus 2 Lecture Notes (Northern Illinois)

Calculus 2 Notes (Illinois State)

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Calculus 2 Lecture Notes (Textbook-like)

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Calculus 3

Calculus 3 Lecture Notes (Lamar)

Calculus 3 Lecture Videos

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Calculus 3 (Notes, Homework, Quizzes)

Notes for Calculus 3

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Other Calculus

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Algebra and Differential Calculus

Differential and Integral Calculus (Textbook)

Differential and Integral Calculus (Lecture Notes & Old Exams)

Computer Science Calculus Lecture Notes

Calculus for Physics C

Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2

History

Notes on the History of Astronomy

History of Astronomy Powerpoint

Early History of Astronomy

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NASA History

Neolithic Astronomy

Mesopotamian Astronomy

Islamic Astronomy

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Space Agencies

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

South African National Space Agency

Canadian Space Agency

National Space Research and Development Agency

Italian Space Agency

Norwegian Space Center

Korea Aerospace Research Institute

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

UK Space Agency

Australian Space Agency

hello!! I’m new to studyblr and really love your blog!! I was wondering what your note taking process is... for example do you write your notes the way they are the first time? or do you write your notes as anyone would in class and then rewrite them after you have your first draft? thanks!!

hi thank you so much and welcome! my note taking process varies from class to class, and i’ll put overly-detailed info abt that in the read more but if u take 2 points pls let it be these:

don’t rewrite your notes (it might b fun but unless you’re making a review sheet from a lot of different notes or something: it’s just a huge waste of time and it’s not helpful for actually reviewing material!)

all you need to take notes is a pen/pencil and a notebook (seriously. if you are abt to spend a bunch of money on colored pens or w/e for fun? go nuts. but if it’s bc you think it will help you study better? it will not.)

ok here we go (no pictures! bc 1. i am too lazy to take the time to find my old notes and 2. i don’t want u to try to emulate what my notes look like. these are supposed to work for u!)

Keep reading

✧celestial dark academia calendar - april 2021✧

next month’s free print-out calendar, inspired by historical astronomy! april is based on my prints of tycho brahe. all art is my own! full images here (including march)

I believe in free education, one that’s available to everyone; no matter their race, gender, age, wealth, etc… This masterpost was created for every knowledge hungry individual out there. I hope it will serve you well. Enjoy!

FREE ONLINE COURSES (here are listed websites that provide huge variety of courses)

Alison 

Coursera

FutureLearn

open2study

Khan Academy

edX

P2P U

Academic Earth

iversity

Stanford Online

MIT Open Courseware

Open Yale Courses

BBC Learning

OpenLearn

Carnegie Mellon University OLI

University of Reddit

Saylor

IDEAS, INSPIRATION & NEWS (websites which deliver educational content meant to entertain you and stimulate your brain)

TED

FORA

Big Think 

99u

BBC Future

Seriously Amazing

How Stuff Works

Discovery News

National Geographic

Science News

Popular Science

IFLScience

YouTube Edu

NewScientist

DIY & HOW-TO’S (Don’t know how to do that? Want to learn how to do it yourself? Here are some great websites.)

wikiHow

Wonder How To

instructables

eHow

Howcast

MAKE

Do it yourself

FREE TEXTBOOKS & E-BOOKS

OpenStax CNX

Open Textbooks

Bookboon

Textbook Revolution

E-books Directory

FullBooks

Books Should Be Free

Classic Reader

Read Print

Project Gutenberg

AudioBooks For Free

LibriVox

Poem Hunter

Bartleby

MIT Classics

Many Books

Open Textbooks BCcampus

Open Textbook Library

WikiBooks

SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES & JOURNALS

Directory of Open Access Journals

Scitable

PLOS

Wiley Open Access

Springer Open

Oxford Open

Elsevier Open Access

ArXiv

Open Access Library

LEARN:

1. LANGUAGES

Duolingo

BBC Languages

Learn A Language

101languages

Memrise

Livemocha

Foreign Services Institute

My Languages

Surface Languages

Lingualia

OmniGlot

OpenCulture’s Language links

2. COMPUTER SCIENCE & PROGRAMMING

Codecademy

Programmr

GA Dash

CodeHS

w3schools

Code Avengers

Codelearn

The Code Player

Code School

Code.org

Programming Motherf*?$%#

Bento

Bucky’s room

WiBit

Learn Code the Hard Way

Mozilla Developer Network

Microsoft Virtual Academy

3. YOGA & MEDITATION

Learning Yoga

Learn Meditation

Yome

Free Meditation

Online Meditation

Do Yoga With Me

Yoga Learning Center

4. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMMAKING

Exposure Guide

The Bastards Book of Photography

Cambridge in Color

Best Photo Lessons

Photography Course

Production Now

nyvs

Learn About Film

Film School Online

5. DRAWING & PAINTING

Enliighten

Ctrl+Paint

ArtGraphica

Google Cultural Institute

Drawspace

DragoArt

WetCanvas

6. INSTRUMENTS & MUSIC THEORY

Music Theory

Teoria

Music Theory Videos

Furmanczyk Academy of Music

Dave Conservatoire

Petrucci Music Library

Justin Guitar

Guitar Lessons

Piano Lessons

Zebra Keys

Play Bass Now

7. OTHER UNCATEGORIZED SKILLS

Investopedia

The Chess Website

Chesscademy

Chess.com

Spreeder

ReadSpeeder

First Aid for Free

First Aid Web

NHS Choices

Wolfram Demonstrations Project

Please feel free to add more learning focused websites. 

*There are a lot more learning websites out there, but I picked the ones that are, as far as I’m aware, completely free and in my opinion the best/ most useful.