TOEFL® essay sample: Learning from experiences vs books

[Alex Anna]

In our lives, to gain knowledge, we can learn from books or learn from our own experiences. It’s hard to say that which one is more important because each source have its own advantage. However, from my point of view, obtaining knowledge through my practices is better because it makes me remember knowledge better and I also can use my knowledge to apply in my jobs.

Admittedly, an efficient way of accumulating knowledge is learning by reading books. First, an incredible amount of knowledge was held in books such as geography, math, literature, arts, history. Books open an unlimited bound of knowledge for all of us to discovery. If you want to know about history of your own country, an history book can talk to you very clearly. Secondly, books save us a lot of time and money to obtain knowledge. For example, you wonder how Hawaii is. Easily, with a photographic book about Hawaii or a tourist guide book, for one or two hours, you can not only know about the history and many famous place in Hawaii but also see many beauty photos which were taken there. Therefore, you don’t need to dream about a chance to travel to Hawaii, which is really impossible with your conditions.

However, learning from experience also has many advantage. As all we know, knowledge was written in books by author’s experiences. The author can’t only think and write their ideas to publish books. They all have to based on their own experiences with the real world. Therefore, experience is the root of all knowledge that was written in books. Furthurmore, if you only learn from books, you may be far away from reality. Because many theories that we learn in books are not always right in any conditional. Therefore, when you use some theories in books to apply in reality, the result may be not as you expect, especially in applied science. Additionally, learning from experience is the interesting way to gain knowledge. For example, you want to learn how to use computer. It will be very boring if you read a thick book about that. I think that turning on your computer and using your observable ability is the fastest way to use it. Certainly, it also makes you feel more interesting.

For myself, I prefer to learning from experience to gain knowledge. Because it make me remember the knowledge better and I can use them to apply in my job more efficient. In university, my field is animal science and veterinarian, so I have to learn about many diseases in animal with many symptoms and treatment. It’s very difficult for me to learn all of them by heart from textbooks. Therefore, practicing hours in lab always help me to remember them. Moreover, knowledge that was gained from experience helps me a lot in my job, an research officer.

Knowledge is unlimited, so you can learn it from many different sources, books or experience. However, with all my reason above, I have to say that accumulating knowledge from experience is better for me. It helps me a lot in remembering knowledge and applying it in my job.

[Johny]

How Long Did it take you to write this essay?

[L1nk]

Hi all,

I've tried to write essay on the same topic. Please check it. Thanks.

There is a quote that says: “Experience is the best teacher.” Experience is something that money can’t buy. Regardless the importance of knowledge from the books, experience is absolutely the best way to learn something. What presented in the books are sometimes become too theoretical, while experience is more closely to what happens in the real world.

Let’s take an example about two peoples who applied for the same position in one company. The first person already has the experience in the same position for one whole year, while the second is still a fresh graduate. Most likely that company would prefer to hired the first person. Why? Because he is experienced! He already knows what to do and has been dealing with the same thing before. It would be easy for him to understand and giving a good performance for the company. Besides it will not take a long time for him to adjust with that position.

Experience can also help you to avoid doing the same mistake twice. For example, from your past experience you knew that making coffee using cold water is wrong. Then next time you want to make coffee, you already know it that you should use the hot water instead of cold water.

To sum up, experience is something that you learned by yourself. It can teach you something worth it that able to help you doing and making the right decision. Once you have it, nobody can take it away from you. That’s why experience is very important.