Do any of the higher classes require memorization?

[DrTherapist]

I think the concept of memorizing (at least in the pure sciences) is not correct at all. I think it requires pure logic and skills over anything else. Memorizing is just 1 percent of the deal. I am a BSc first year student and I got an A in Zoology-I despite not having a photographic memory. I got a B+ in Zoology-II, and remaining two botany papers. I guess I did pretty well, despite not having a good memory.

I talked with a few users on another forum (which wasn't about science, I know I know, I did a mistake) and they "could not understand" what I was saying. I guess either they faked their background in science or is it really true that science (let's say, life sciences for instance) relies just on memory? I am talking about Masters level here, not high school level biology.

 

[fresh_42]

Biology, chemistry, physics, engineering or mathematics all require a different amount of memorizing. The process of memorizing also is different by person and by subject. Understanding cannot be achieved by pure memory, but neither without any memory. The entire process is very complex and individual.

 

[berkeman]

I am talking about Masters level here, not high school level biology.

A good friend of mine (we got our MSEE degrees together) ended up going to Medical School to become an MD (he's an OBGYN now). He said Medical School was pretty easy for him, because it is approximately half memorization, which he is very good at. Having that skill gave him an advantage over the other medical students.

 

[DrTherapist]

Biology, chemistry, physics, engineering or mathematics all require a different amount of memorizing. The process of memorizing also is different by person and by subject. Understanding cannot be achieved by pure memory, but neither without any memory. The entire process is very complex and individual.

So I guess memorizing is half the deal? I personally believe in biology it's all about learning to reason. But I also understand it requires some memorization.

 

[berkeman]

Consider a typical Anatomy and Physiology class. How much memorizing is involved in it?

 

[DrTherapist]

A good friend of mine (we got our MSEE degrees together) ended up going to Medical School to become an MD (he's an OBGYN now). He said Medical School was pretty easy for him, because it is approximately half memorization, which he is very good at. Having that skill gave him an advantage over the other medical students.

What about say, quantum mechanics? I've read a bit about it in Sykes book, and I don't believe physics/chemistry is to be memorized.

 

[DrTherapist]

Consider a typical Anatomy and Physiology class. How much memorizing is involved in it?

I personally believe it requires more logic than memorizing. For example, you require to understand "why does this occur in Krebs cycle?" to make sure you understand the concept fully.

 

[fresh_42]

So I guess memorizing is half the deal? I personally believe in biology it's all about learning to reason. But I also understand it requires some memorization.

As @berkeman has mentioned, medical sciences require a lot of memorizing, and so does biology, since there is no other way to learn all the names in flora and fauna, nor the many chemical connections which play a role. Mathematics is on the other side of the river, because it consists basically on logical deductions and similarities. However, you won't get very far if you had to look up basic terms and theorems each time you need them.

 

[berkeman]

I personally believe it requires more logic than memorizing. For example, you require to understand "why does this occur in Krebs cycle?" to make sure you understand the concept fully.

Have you taken an A&P class yet? My paramedic-level A&P class is definitely at least half memorization. The rest is understanding the pathophysiology of different problems that can come up with patients, and understanding how the different subsystems in the body work together...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0763737925/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[BillTre]

Since I noticed you have a neuroscience degree, I expect that if you had neuroanatomy or neurophysiology, you probably had a lot of memorization to do.

A good understanding of hindbrain neuroanatomy (something a lot of my thesis was on) alone involves a lot memorization, but there are several different approaches to it which can emphasize memory vs. a more logical understanding of the relationships involved.
Things often memorized:

• cranial nerves
• different motor and sensory components of cranial nerves (meaning somatic sensory, visceral sensory, special sensory, somatic motor, visceral motor)
• different longitudenal columns of the various components in the hindbrain
• how the HBr columns relate to the spinal cord and more anterior brain regions
• how these things differ among different animals
• unusual developmental features of some of these features (such as the migration of the Trochlear motor neurons
• different naming conventions used for human vs. other vertebrates

However, many of these can be logically tied together by understanding their relationships (something else to memorize), thus lessening the overall load of memorization, since you could then quickly reproduce the relationship on demand rather than recalling it from memory.
Being able to do this to a greater extent will require a deeper understanding of these relationships (which are not always taught in courses or of interest to students).
There are also additional helpful relationships between the hindbrain and other, nearby, non-neural bits of anatomy. These would also have to be memorized to make use of.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Are you drawing a distinction between "memorization" and "remembering"? If so, what is it?

 

[berkeman]

Are you drawing a distinction between "memorization" and "remembering"? If so, what is it?

Good point. Is remembering how to use Integration by Parts "memorization"?

 

[fresh_42]

Good point. Is remembering how to use Integration by Parts "memorization"?

That's a nice example. It is ##\int u'v = uv - \int uv'## and I am never sure whether I put the apostrophes right. But I know what a derivation is: ##D(uv)=D(u)v+uD(v)## so I regularly check with that formula whether the other one is correct. However, there is no way for me to deduce the distinction between radius and ulna. Those have to be learnt.

 

[DrTherapist]

Thank you all for your valuable inputs. I think I got my answer.

I think, since I am from a non-English speaking country, I did not correctly put what I was trying to say. I do think learning is a process by which a person learns to use logic and skills to solve problems, just like in mathematics. I meant to say, you cannot rely on memory in science, or I meant to say memorization plays rather a minor role in learning science. I am a bit biased though cause I believe I don't have a good memory.

As for who I am, I am a BSc first year student, I am eighteen years old. I forget pretty easily and I am going through a time in my life where I can't study easily. I am from India. Although I want to get a PhD in either chemistry or neuroscience, I struggle a lot.

 

[berkeman]

I believe I don't have a good memory.

We had a good thread last year about memorization tips and techniques. Maybe check it out to see if you find some things that can help.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/how-do-you-memorize-efficiently.934197/#post-5933395

 

[DrTherapist]

We had a good thread last year about memorization tips and techniques. Maybe check it out to see if you find some things that can help.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/how-do-you-memorize-efficiently.934197/#post-5933395

I found the thread very helpful. Thanks. I especially agree with the point 'repeat endlessely' because to be honest that's how I've passed. I am struggling but hopefully things will get better for me and I will have a place in the field of science.