I'm a self-learner, how do I ask myself discussion questions, think of things to research, and all that stuff?

Question

(Please note: I'm homeschooled, and I'm the one in charge of my education.)

I don't have text books, I use just regular books to study. However, I was doing a lesson from online (physics lecture), and the lesson also included this chapter to read which has a bunch of questions you had to answer, and things to researched. I really enjoyed that work, and I want to do that with my other subjects, but I'm not sure how exactly I could ask myself random questions about the text I read.

Is there a site that could generate those sort of questions, or is there a way for me to come up with my own for myself?

All answers appreciated!

Answer 1

It sounds like you are looking for textbooks and novel study guides. Go to some used book stores, especially college bookstores, and see what you can find. Even your public library should have stuff.

Sure, you could go through a text and write questions down for you to answer at a later date, but answering them right away would be almost pointless since you would obviously know the question.

Answer 2

Try googling on the subject and try to find a chat or a message forum where you can discuss it.

Alternately, try to start a group in your area, meet at a library or park or coffee shop once in a while to discuss it.

Answer 3

You could invest in some textbooks or work books that have questions like this. If you buy them used on Amazon ore Ebay, they're usually fairly inexpensive. You could also go online and see about downloading and printing pre-made quizzes or essay questions and then just do research to find the answers. There are also websites that will generate topics for research papers.

But probably the best thing that you can do is to read a book or a chapter in a bookk and then think to yourself... Do YOU have any questions about hte topic you read about that the book didn't answer for you? What are you still curious about? What would you like to know more about? What ideas were mentioned that you feel strongly about? Does this book present a fact or theory that another book contradicts? Ask yourself these questions, and then go and do more readking and researching in other books and resources to find the answers you need. This is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to learn.

Answer 4

hmm i would use websites like google or dogpile or you could just brain storm really hard i dont know i hope this helps but it probably didnt

Answer 5

I, too, am a self-taught learner (autodidact) and I am much older than you (I am 48). I have always just studied whatever caught my attention. I ask the questions I want to know. I am not trying to pass a test, I am interested in learning for the sake of learning. You obviously are wanting much more.

Do you live near a college? Most colleges, especially public colleges, will allow you to sit in on classes, even if you are not registered. You do not get credits. You do not get to hand in homework or be critiqued. But you do get to learn what the others are learning and you get asked questions. This just might be an option for you.

Otherwise, why don't you borrow some textbooks from your schooled friends, xerox-copy their tests and Q&A sections, and also take out text-book like books from the library, including the GED, SAT, ACT, and CLEP books? These have work, tests, etc. This would give you the stimulus you are asking for.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

That's a tricky one. I can see how it can be a good thing to kick start further research, but in some subjects there's a danger that questions set in a text book can limit rather than expand your perceptions by directing you to think about the things that the author wants you to. Literature is particularly vulnerable to that and the questions can have a very definite agenda. Maybe try reading magazines and news sources related to the subject area, for example Science Daily is an endless source of interesting things to find out about.