3 How to learn programming syntax quickly

 

This chapter covers

  • Examining why extensive syntax knowledge is important
  • Selecting techniques to remember programming syntax
  • Organizing what you can do to prevent forgetting syntax
  • Deducing when to study syntax and programming concepts for the most effective results
  • Discovering how syntax and programming concepts are stored in LTM
  • Practicing elaboration to strengthen memories and better remember programming concepts

This chapter focuses on how people learn to remember things. This chapter will help you to understand why certain knowledge sticks, while other knowledge is forgotten. For example, at one point you probably learned that System.out.print () is the method that prints in Java. However, you do not have all of Java’s methods memorized. I’m sure you have sometimes felt the need to look up specific syntax. For example, would you know whether to use addDays(), addTimespan(), or plusDays() to add a day to a DateTime?

You might not care that much about knowing syntax by heart—after all, we can all look up information online, right? However, as the previous chapter showed, what you already know influences how efficiently you process code. Therefore, memorizing programming syntax, concepts, and data structures will help you to process code faster.

3.1 Tips for remembering syntax

3.1.1 Disruptions play havoc with your workflow

3.2 How to learn syntax quickly with flashcards

3.2.1 When to use the flashcards

3.2.2 Expanding the set of flashcards

3.2.3 Thinning the set of flashcards

3.3 How to not forget things

3.3.1 Why do we forget memories?

3.3.2 Spaced repetition

3.4 How to remember syntax longer

3.4.1 Two forms of remembering information

3.4.2 Just seeing information is not enough

3.4.3 Remembering information strengthens memories

Summary