posted message: Two common ones that I use are: Every significant piece of information is part of one or more theories and every theory can be broken into smaller modular components. Every theory uses a set of symbols, not all of which are language-based. When first presented with a concept now, my initial reaction is to find where it fits into established systems of thought or understanding. Once the concept is placed, I ask myself what its components are, and learn them on the fly as I try to make applications in the real world. I often have the aid of textbooks giving me example problems as a way for me to test the knowledge I’ve acquired.