Online courses and textbooks I recommend
created: ; modified:Biology
- MITx Introduction to Biology
- MITx Molecular Biology. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3.
- MIT OCW Systems Biology
CS
Math
Calculus
Calculus by Michael Spivak. Note: you absolutely need somebody to guide you/help with the problems from the book. The Correct™ way to self-study books like this is to email a professor at a local college and ask them if they could help you with stuff you don’t understand and problems (hint: they will be happy to help).
Linear algebra
- MIT OCW Linear Algebra by Gilbert Strang as main course and things below as support
- Essense of linear algebra* by 3Blue1Brown
- MathTheBeautiful on YouTube
Topology
- Topology Without Tears by Sidney A. Morris.
History
- University of Virginia The Modern World (1760-). Part 1. Part 2.
- Emory University The Bible’s Prehistory, Purpose, and Political Future
Economics
- Marginal Revolution University Principles of Micro
- Marginal Revolution University Principles of Macro
- Columbia University Economics of Money and Banking
- University of Michigan Model Thinking
Econometrics
- Introduction to Econometrics by Christopher Dougherty. Note: lmk if you need solutions for it.
Probability Theory and Statistics
- Lectures from MIT OCW Introduction to Probability (lectures are easiest to watch from the official YouTube playlist) + Problem sets and Quizzes from MIT OCW Probabilistic Systems Analysis and Applied Probability
How to study with online courses?
Online courses are not a panacea. When you take a university course, you have:
- 2-3 hours a week of lectures
- 1-2 hours a week of seminars
- 1-2 hours a week of office hours
- exercises
- homework
Note that online courses don’t provide seminars and office hours, which are frequently even more important than the lectures themselves! When I try to self-study anything I get stuck on material all the time and when I took Calculus, Linear Algebra, Statistics, etc. in the university I visited office hours almost religiously.
What is the alternative to office hours and seminars? It seems that the only viable alternatives are
- a private tutor
- a friendly professor at a local university
- a friend whom it would not be too awkward to pester with questions
None of these are perfect.
Tricks
- to be able to quickly adjust the video speed I strongly recommend Video Speed Controller