To student good at particular subject : What is the thinking pattern/ attitude/ secret? My friend said he can

Question

visualize [for biology] the actual body part/ plant/ cell/ DNA in his head and that's why he can remember names and concepts so easily.

I have difficulty visualizing something that I have not seen before (eg. DNA) or something that comes in different look (eg. there are so many dogs, which should I visualize ?????)

Please share yours or what you have heard of.

Answer 1

I believe you are seeing one of the typical learning differences between males and females.  Men and women are equal no doubt but there are some general differences is how they commit things to memory and conceptualize subjects.

As a science professor, I've taught many many students and have given countless essay based tests and my findings are these:

Males tend answer essays by drawing pictures and flow charts with bullet point explanations instead of long paragraphs.  They are quite typical of the way men tend to memorize concepts through visualization, to see the concepts in their head just as your friend does.  

Females tend answer questions by writing and they write a lot.  Instead of short bullet points and pictures, I'll get complex sentences and paragraphs explaining the concepts and mechanisms.  

So for females who are having difficulties, I have them instead of memorizing pictures and flow charts, tell them to tell the story of the scientific concept.  To use their ability for description have them write/explain it out as part of their studying.  By processing these concepts through their language centers it allows for better memorization and eventual concrete conceptualization.    

These of course not hard and fast rules, there are plenty of women who learn concepts visually, not surprisingly they tend to be in the sciences, as well as men who are non-visual conceptualizers.  

As we go through school, we figure out how to study and learn...as you continue, you'll figure out what is successful for you.