What are some guidelines for building knowledge and understanding?

Answer 1

• Learn the facts first.

• Use the scientific method.

• Ask why.

• Consult reliable sources.

• Try to apply.

• Put it all together.

Knowledge based on sound information can

help you make good decisions. But knowledge

alone does not always lead to good decisions.

You must understand the information you take

in. A person with knowledge knows facts, but

a person with understanding comprehends

the significance of the facts and can use that

understanding to make good decisions.

In this book, you learn knowledge about

fitness, health, and wellness. You also build

higher-level understanding that helps you

apply the information you’ve learned. The

following guidelines will help you use this

book to build both your knowledge and your

understanding.

• Learn the facts first. Learning the facts

is a necessary first step toward building

higher-level understanding.

• Use the scientific method. Investigate

(collect information) to gain as many

facts as possible. The facts help you ana-

lyze and test hypotheses. For example,

you might have a hypothesis that you

can get fit in five minutes a day. After

gaining the facts and analyzing them,

you would learn that the hypothesis is

false. The scientific method helps you

understand the information you learn

and make sound decisions.

• Ask why. When studying healthy lifestyle

choices, ask yourself “why” questions:

Why do I need this? Why should I believe

this information? Why will this informa-

tion be beneficial?

• Consult reliable sources. Whether

you’re consulting a website, magazine

Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle and Self-Management Skills 49

article, or book, check with trusted

people to help you find good sources.

Your knowledge and understanding are

only as good as the sources you use.

The chapter titled Making Good Con-

sumer Choices provides more informa-

tion about how to find reliable source

material.

• Try to apply. When learning new infor-

mation, ask, “How can I apply this?”

Applying new information to real situa-

tions helps you understand it, which in

turn helps you apply it more effectively.

For example, regarding the dangers

of fat in your diet, ask yourself ques-

tions like these: What else do I need to

know? How much fat is too much? What

changes can I make in my diet to reduce

my fat intake?

• Put it all together. When you learn

about something new, you often find

many pieces of information. Taking time

to fit the pieces together will help you

make sense of what you’ve learned.

Another word for “putting all the facts

together” is synthesizing. For example,

if you know you feel stressed out, and

you know that there are several reasons

for the stress, how do you use all of the

information together—synthesize it—to

make a good decision?