Test - Do You Like to Learn 'Bottom Up' or 'Top Down'?

'Bottom Up' learners prefer to have the information in a logical manner, building up from the fundamentals, foundation, and basics and then finishing with the big picture.

'Top Down' learners prefer to be given the 'Big Picture' first and then, maybe, the details of what's involved in the process.

To determine which type you are, check the phrase in each pair that corresponds more closely to your preferred approach to learning.

When studying one unfamiliar subject, you:

  (a) Prefer to gather information from diverse topic areas.

  (b) Prefer to focus on one topic.

You would rather:

  (a) Know a little about many subjects.

  (b) Become an expert on just one subject.

When studying from a textbook, you:

  (a) Skip ahead and read chapters of special interest out of sequence.

  (b) Work systematically from one chapter to the next, not moving on until you have understood earlier material.

 When asking people for information about some subject of interest, you:

  (a) Tend to ask broad questions that call for rather general answers.

  (b) Tend to ask narrow questions that demand specific answers.

When browsing in a library or bookstore, you:

  (a) Roam around looking at books on many different subjects.

  (b) Stay more or less in one place, looking at books on just a couple of subjects.

You are best at remembering:

  (a) General principles.

  (b) Specific facts.

When performing some tasks, you:

  (a) Like to have background information not strictly related to the work.

  (b) Prefer to concentrate on relevant information only.

You think that educators should:

  (a) Give students exposure to a wide range of subjects in college.

  (b) Ensure that students mainly acquire in-depth knowledge related to their specialties.

When on vacation, you would rather:

  (a) Spend a short amount of time in several places.

  (b) Stay in one place the whole time and get to know it well.

When learning something, you would rather:

  (a) Follow general guidelines.

  (b) Work with a detailed plan of action.

Do you agree that, in addition to specialized knowledge, a person should know something about math, art, physics, literature, psychology, politics, languages, biology, history, and medicine? (If you think people should study four or more of these subjects, score an "a" on this question.)

Now total all the 'a' and 'b' answers. The higher your total of a's, the more likely it is that you're a "top-down" learner. The higher your total of b's, the more likely it is that you're a "bottom up" learner.