An Appreciation of Academic Material and A Review of The Art of Computer Programming
I’ve enjoyed reading textbooks for a while now. I first picked up the infamous Campbell Biology in the beginning of 10th grade after being encouraged by a friend to participate in USABO (to his disappointment, I forgot to take the exam despite registering). I had read nonfiction books suitable for the layperson, skimmed news articles, analyzed op-eds, and watched educational YouTube videos, but textbooks and academic publications were new to me. Admittedly, it was difficult to conceptualize Campbell Biology’s many complex concepts as I was unfamiliar with the style and rigor of academic writing. However, by persevering through half of the textbook (I couldn’t bring myself to finish it), I developed a proficiency in comprehending academic material that has continued to reward me. Unlike lay scientific material, academic material is intended for rigorous study. This rigor can only be appreciated as one endeavors to apply concepts delineated within academic material. Consider the way plan...