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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them 
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you . 

So let’s get started! 

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away. 
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C. 

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels 

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later. 

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too. 

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!) 

Need more help with this topic? Check out Tutorbase!

Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs.

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Definition of homework

Examples of homework in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'homework.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near homework

Cite this entry.

“Homework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homework. Accessed 15 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of homework, more from merriam-webster on homework.

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for homework

Nglish: Translation of homework for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of homework for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about homework

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Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• I always do my homework on the bus.
• physics/geography/French, etc. homework
• I still haven't done my geography homework.
• How much homework do you get?
• for homework I have to write up the notes for homework.
• (especially North American English) I have to finish this homework assignment .
• acquire/​get/​lack (an) education/​training/ (British English) (some) qualifications
• receive/​provide somebody with training/​tuition
• develop/​design/​plan a curriculum/ (especially British English) course/ (North American English) program/​syllabus
• give/​go to/​attend a class/​lesson/​lecture/​seminar
• hold/​run/​conduct a class/​seminar/​workshop
• sign up for/​take a course/​classes/​lessons
• go to/​start preschool/​kindergarten/​nursery school
• be in (North American English) the first, second, etc. grade/ (British English) year 1, 2. etc. (at school)
• study/​take/​drop history/​chemistry/​German, etc.
• (British English) leave/​finish/​drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
• (North American English) graduate high school/​college
• be the victim/​target of bullying
• (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/​skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
• (both especially North American English) skip/​cut class/​school
• (British English) cheat in/ (North American English) cheat on an exam/​a test
• get/​be given a detention (for doing something)
• be expelled from/​be suspended from school
• do your homework/ (British English) revision/​a project on something
• work on/​write/​do/​submit an essay/​a dissertation/​a thesis/​an assignment/ (North American English) a paper
• finish/​complete your dissertation/​thesis/​studies/​coursework
• hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/​essay/​assignment/​paper
• study/​prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/​an exam
• take/ (both British English) do/​sit a test/​an exam
• (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/​a test
• (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (especially North American English, informal) ace a test/​an exam
• pass/​fail/ (especially North American English, informal) flunk a test/​an exam/​a class/​a course/​a subject
• apply to/​get into/​go to/​start college/ (British English) university
• leave/​graduate from law school/​college/ (British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
• study for/​take/ (British English) do/​complete a law degree/​a degree in physics
• (both North American English) major/​minor in biology/​philosophy
• earn/​receive/​be awarded/​get/​have/​hold a master’s degree/​a bachelor’s degree/​a PhD in economics
• Have you finished your homework?
• Have you done your physics homework yet?
• I was helping my sister with her maths homework.
• The homework assignments are worth 10% of the final grade.
• I have some homework to do on the Civil War.
• I want you to hand in this homework on Friday.
• The science teacher always gives a lot of homework.
• They get a lot of homework in English.
• They get masses of homework at secondary school.
• We had to write out one of the exercises for homework.
• for homework
• homework  on

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

• Give yourself bigger rewards for bigger accomplishments. For example, you might go out for pizza with a friend after handing in an important paper.

• Just make sure you limit yourself to a specific amount of time (like 10 minutes, for example) so that you don’t end up getting totally distracted and wasting a few hours.

Did you know? Researchers in Japan recently discovered that looking at pictures or videos of baby animals before you start working can make you much more productive. [3] X Trustworthy Source PLOS ONE Online peer-reviewed, open access scientific research journal Go to source So, go ahead and watch a couple of cute kitten videos on YouTube the next time you need to work on a boring assignment. It might help!

• Doing homework with a friend doesn’t necessarily mean collaborating on the same assignments. You can just spend time together while you each do your own work. Only get your parent to help you if you need help.
• Check with your teacher first before working together with a friend on an assignment. They may want you to do the work by yourself.

• For example, if you’re a morning person, try doing your homework right after you eat breakfast.
• If you tend to get distracted while working at your desk at home, experiment with doing your homework in the library or a coffee shop instead.
• Some people also find it helpful to change their routine from time to time. If you find yourself getting bored, try working at a different time from usual or finding a new study space.

• Setting vague goals can lead to frustration. Instead of saying, “I’m going to get all my homework done this week,” try something more specific—e.g., “I’m going to work on my English essay for 1 hour every day this week.”

• For example, maybe you want to get good grades so you can get into your dream college, or possibly you’re working towards an exciting career.
• Doing a good job in your classes can also be its own reward—knowing that you worked hard and did your best is a great self-esteem booster!

Keeping Yourself Focused and Alert

• If you feel physically tense, do some yoga or light stretches before you begin to work.
• Doing breathing exercises can also help you feel more comfortable and alert.
• If you’re not already in comfy clothes, get changed before you start working. This may mean joggers, sweatpants, pjs, shorts, underwear, or even being completely naked. It's your choice.

• You’ll want a place where you can sit comfortably, but don’t get too comfortable. If you do homework in bed or on a cozy couch, you may be tempted to fall asleep!
• If you have to work at home, ask anyone who lives with you to give you a little quiet time while you do your homework.

• If you can’t resist messing around on your phone or visiting time-wasting websites on your computer, consider installing an app or a browser extension that blocks tempting apps and sites.
• Don’t try to work with a TV or radio on. If you listen to music while you do your homework, choose something that’s quiet and not too exciting, like some gentle classical music.

• Whole grains
• Healthy proteins, like fish, beans, or nuts
• Blueberries
• Leafy greens

• During your breaks, you can go for a walk, have a snack, do a little meditation , or even put your head down for a quick power nap .
• You can also use your breaks to reward yourself with a fun video or a quick game on your phone.

Did you know? Walking can improve your thinking skills. If you’re feeling stuck on a problem, going for a quick walk or even hopping on a treadmill can help! [13] X Research source

• For example, if you’ve been working on an essay for an hour or two, take a break and then switch to doing some math problems.
• Don’t try to do more than one task at once, though. Trying to multitask will disrupt your focus and cause you to make more mistakes.

Organizing Your Time Effectively

• Setting a schedule also makes it easier to avoid procrastinating .
• Make sure to schedule in time for breaks and relaxation, too!

Tip: You can avoid unpleasant surprises by writing important dates and deadlines into your schedule. For example, make note of when you have tests or quizzes coming up or when different assignments are due.

• Make an ordered list of all your tasks. Try to prioritize ones that are due soon, count towards a major part of your grade, or seem like they will be the most complicated to complete.
• Put assignments that aren’t due for a while or that you know you can finish quickly and easily at the bottom.

• For example, if you’re writing a big paper, you might break it up into pieces like doing the research, composing a bibliography, writing an outline, drafting the introduction, and so on.

• Productivity apps are helpful for some people, but they’re not for everyone. Make sure you don’t spend so much time worrying about the app that it starts to cut into your homework time! [19] X Research source

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Community Q&A

Tips from our Readers

• Start your homework as soon as you get home from school (you may need a small snack first) instead of watching tv or using the computer. If you start another activity, it will be harder to stop it to switch to homework. Go straight to homework and think of TV and the computer as your reward for finishing.
• Sometimes I have a lot of work to do and it seems overwhelming, even if the work isn't hard. If I close my eyes and imagine myself doing my homework, it doesn't feel as intimidating and gives me the feeling that I can do it.
• Make a homework playlist in your music app and play every time you sit down to study. If music with lyrics distracts you, try looking up "study playlists" and "homework playlists," as they're usually just instrumentals.
• If you can, have your parents drop you off at the library after school for an hour (or however long your homework would take) so you can stay focused. There isn't much to do at the library and it's quiet.
• Take short breaks to rest your mind for a little while so that it is ready to get back to work. This works for a lot of people who just need to decompress after a long period of working and hard thinking!
• Think about having free time after the homework to do what you want. Also, think about having the homework done, being stress-free, and not getting in trouble because you didn't do your homework.
• Dedicate a space in your house to homework and decorate it. Make your homework space a place you like to be.
• Work with a buddy who doesn't get as distracted as you. This way, your buddy can help you stay focused.
• Chewing on gum can help you stay alert and focused if you're feeling tired or distracted.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/tips-studying-motivation.html
• ↑ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0046362
• ↑ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/how-should-students-study-tips-advice-and-pitfalls
• ↑ https://www.umassd.edu/fycm/goal-setting/resources/smartgoals/
• ↑ https://allianzassistancehealth.com.au/en/living-in-australia/studying-motivation-tips-university/
• ↑ https://www.wgu.edu/blog/improve-online-study-environment1712.html
• ↑ https://share.upmc.com/2019/08/healthy-snacks-to-power-studying/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ https://news.stanford.edu/2014/04/24/walking-vs-sitting-042414/
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
• ↑ https://www.aiuniv.edu/blog/2016/april/4-steps-to-prioritize-tasks
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/aug/18/time-management-apps-work-life-balance-productivity

About This Article

To find the motivation to do your homework, give yourself small rewards after you accomplish a goal, like a 5 minute video after finishing a reading assignment. For larger accomplishments, like completing an important paper, give yourself a bigger reward, like going out for pizza with friends. You can also try giving yourself a treat, like a scoop of ice cream or 10 minutes to text your best friend, before you begin working to lift your mood and make you more productive. If you have a friend who won’t distract you, see if they want to do homework together so you can keep each other on track. To learn how to pick the best time and place to do your homework, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Mastering the Phrase: How to Say Homework in Japanese

Are you looking to expand your Japanese language skills? Learning how to express academic tasks like “homework” in Japanese is a great place to start. In this section, we will guide you through the different ways to say “homework” in Japanese, providing you with the necessary tools to communicate more effectively in the language.

Although it may seem simple, expressing “homework” in Japanese is not as straightforward as you may think. Japanese has multiple words and expressions for this concept, depending on the context and level of formality. But fear not! By the end of this article, you will know how to say “homework” in Japanese like a pro.

So, are you ready to learn the Japanese word for homework and other relevant phrases? Let’s get started!

Keywords: how to say homework in japanese , japanese word for homework , japanese translation for homework

How to Say Homework in Japanese

When it comes to expressing the concept of homework in Japanese, there are various phrases and expressions you can use. Here are some common ways to say “homework” in Japanese:

Note that the word “宿題” (shukudai) is the most commonly used term for “homework” in Japanese. However, the other phrases can also be used depending on the context and level of formality.

How to Say Homework in Japanese in Different Contexts

Depending on the situation, the appropriate Japanese phrase for “homework” may vary. Here are some examples:

• If you want to ask your teacher about the homework: 「今日の宿題は何ですか？」(Kyou no shukudai wa nan desu ka?) which means “What is today’s homework?”
• If you want to tell a friend that you have homework to do: 「宿題があるんだよ」(Shukudai ga aru n da yo) which means “I have homework to do.”
• If you want to express that the homework is difficult: 「宿題が難しいです」(Shukudai ga muzukashii desu) which means “The homework is difficult.”

By using these phrases in the appropriate context, you can effectively communicate about homework in Japanese.

Japanese Vocabulary for Homework

As mentioned earlier, the Japanese language has multiple words and expressions for “homework”, depending on the context and level of formality. Here are some of the most commonly used vocabulary words and phrases related to homework in Japanese:

It’s important to note that the pronunciation of each word and phrase can vary depending on the speaker’s region and dialect, so it’s best to listen to native speakers for proper pronunciation.

Homework Phrase in Japanese

The most commonly used phrase for “homework” in Japanese is “shukudai” (宿題), which is also the most casual and familiar. For a more formal or academic context, “kadai” (課題) can be used instead.

In addition to these phrases, Japanese educators may use the term “jishu gakushu” (自主学習) when referring to self-study or homework outside of class. Students may also use the phrases “yoshu” (予習) for preparing for a lesson and “fukushu” (復習) for reviewing material covered in class or for exams.

By familiarizing yourself with these vocabulary words and phrases, you can accurately express and discuss homework in Japanese conversations.

Ways to Express Homework in Japanese

Japanese has multiple words and expressions for “homework” depending on the context and level of formality. Here are some common ways to express homework in Japanese :

In addition to the words listed above, there are also many expressions commonly used to talk about homework in Japanese. Here are some examples:

• しゅくだいのりょうがおおい
• The amount of homework is large
• まいばんしゅくだいをする
• To do homework every night
• しゅくだいをほうちする
• To leave homework undone

By learning these variations for expressing homework in Japanese, you can showcase your language prowess and effectively communicate about academic tasks in various contexts.

Pronunciation and Usage Tips

Now that you know how to say homework in Japanese and have familiarized yourself with the related vocabulary and expressions, it’s important to understand how to pronounce these phrases correctly.

The Japanese word for homework is しゅくだい (shukudai). To pronounce it correctly, begin with the “shu” sound, which is similar to the English “shoe” sound, but with a slightly shorter duration. Next, move on to the “ku” sound, which is similar to the English “koo” sound. Finally, say “dai” with a long “i” sound, similar to the English word “die.”

Another word commonly used for homework in Japanese is 宿題 (shukudai). To pronounce this word, start with “shu” as before, then say “ku” and “dai” as you did previously. The final syllable “kai” is pronounced with a long “i” sound as in the English word “high.”

It’s important to note that Japanese has different levels of politeness and formality, and the appropriate word choice and expressions will depend on the context and situation. For example, if you want to ask a friend if they have any homework, you might use the phrase “shukudai aru?” which means “Do you have homework?” In a more formal setting, you may use “shukudai ga arimasu ka?” which has the same meaning, but with a higher level of politeness.

By paying attention to pronunciation and using the appropriate level of formality, you can effectively communicate about homework in Japanese. Keep practicing and soon you’ll be a master of the phrase!

Summary and Conclusion

In conclusion, learning the various ways to express “homework” in Japanese is an essential part of mastering the language. The Japanese language has multiple words for homework, and it’s important to understand the context and level of formality when choosing which phrase to use.

By familiarizing yourself with the specific vocabulary and expressions related to homework in Japanese, you can effectively communicate about academic tasks in various contexts. Additionally, understanding the correct pronunciation of these phrases will enhance your language skills and improve your overall communication in Japanese.

We hope this article has provided you with valuable insights into the different ways to say “homework” in Japanese and has helped you improve your language proficiency. Remember to practice and use these phrases in your Japanese conversations to further enhance your skills!

Q: How do you say “homework” in Japanese?

A: The word for “homework” in Japanese is “宿題” (しゅくだい, shukudai).

Q: Are there any other ways to express “homework” in Japanese?

A: Yes, besides “宿題” (しゅくだい, shukudai), you can also use the phrases “宿題をする” (しゅくだいをする, shukudai o suru) which means “to do homework,” or “宿題を出す” (しゅくだいをだす, shukudai o dasu) which means “to assign homework.”

Q: How do you pronounce “宿題”?

A: “宿題” (しゅくだい, shukudai) is pronounced as “shoo-koo-die” in English.

Q: Can you provide an example sentence using the word “宿題”?

A: Sure! An example sentence could be “毎晩、宿題をします” (まいばん、しゅくだいをします, Maiban, shukudai o shimasu) which means “I do homework every night.”

Q: Are there any other words or phrases related to homework in Japanese?

A: Yes, some related words and phrases include “テストの勉強” (てすとのべんきょう, tesuto no benkyou) for “studying for a test” and “レポートを書く” (れぽーとをかく, repooto o kaku) for “writing a report.”

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Bitcoin is about to undergo another 'halving' event — here's what that means

• The next bitcoin "halving" event is set to take place in April.
• Previous halvings have powered the cryptocurrency higher by reducing the number of new tokens in circulation.
• Bitcoin hit a new record high this week — and some analysts believe it could soon get to six figures.

It's been a big year for bitcoin .

In January, the Securities and Exchange Commission finally gave its seal of approval to 11 spot ETFs  after months of speculation.

Then in February following month, the token surged nearly 50% — and on Tuesday, its price hit a new record high of more than $69,000 for the first time since November 2021.

Next on the horizon is the fourth bitcoin "halving" (or halvening, if you prefer your crypto events to sound like Hollywood horror franchises ), which is set to take place next month.

What is the halving?

New bitcoins are produced by a process known as "mining,"  where computers solve complex mathematical problems to validate and secure transactions on the cryptocurrency's network.

In a halving event, the reward for mining new blocks is cut in half. Halvings are scheduled to happen once every 210,000 blocks — and it typically takes around four years to mine that amount.

The halving's purpose is to gradually reduce the rate at which new bitcoins are generated, ultimately capping the total supply at 21 million, as laid out in the cryptocurrency's original white paper .

During bitcoin's lifespan, there have been three previous halvings:

• In the first halving, in November 2012, the reward for each mined block fell from 50 bitcoins to 25 bitcoins.
• In the second halving, in July 2016, the reward dropped again to 12.5 bitcoins.
• In May 2020, the reward was again halved, this time to 6.25 bitcoins per block.

Analysts expect the next halving event, where the reward will fall once more to 3.125 bitcoins per block, to happen in April.

How will it affect bitcoin's price?

The halving is designed to maintain bitcoin's scarcity — and simple market economics dictate that an asset's price benefits from supply falling.

Previous halvings have been no exception to that rule, with bitcoin climbing to new highs in the aftermath of each event. Last time out, its price surged from under $9,000 to about $60,000 in under a year.

Some on Wall Street aren't so confident the cryptocurrency will repeat that feat. JPMorgan warned last week its price could fall as low as $42,000 , or over a third, this time around due to higher production costs.

But perhaps the fact that the world's largest bank by market value is paying attention to what was at one point a niche crypto market event is a sign of how high bitcoin's stock has risen in recent years.

"More ETFs are coming, which is increasingly institutionalizing the crypto asset class," Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid said Thursday in a research note.

"Other things to watch are the fourth bitcoin halving in April, where the new coins available to miners halves to maintain scarcity, and also more clarity on regulation coming up."

"Whether you're a cynic or a convert, whether you think it's cheap or in a bubble, what's clear is that bitcoin is becoming increasingly institutionalized," Reid added.

Check out: Personal Finance Insider's picks for best cryptocurrency exchanges

• Main content

Example sentences do homework

Wizards have to do homework and pass exams.

Then, with light fading, he would rush home to try to do homework from the morning school sessions.

They then rehearse and film their dance for the next episode before returning home to do homework .

They won't do homework for anything less than a skiing holiday.

I don't force them to do homework — it's their choice if they do it or not.

Definition of 'do' do

Definition of 'homework' homework

Related word partners do homework, browse alphabetically do homework.

• do homework
• do honor to
• do honour to
• do housework
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• do one's homework

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Katie Britt Says The Media Didn't Do 'Their Homework' After Brutal Fact-Check

Senior Politics Reporter, HuffPost

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) isn’t backing down after key elements of an alarming story she told in her response to President Joe Biden ’s State of the Union address fell apart over the weekend.

In her televised speech following Biden’s address last week, Britt misleadingly used an account from a sex trafficking victim to criticize Biden’s border policies, even though the woman whose abuse she described was trafficked only in Mexico and a decade before Biden became president.

“We wouldn’t be OK with this happening in a third-world country,” Britt said in her speech, which has been roundly criticized from both the left and the right. “This is the United States of America, and it is past time, in my opinion, that we start acting like it. President Biden’s border policies are a disgrace. This crisis is despicable.”

The woman, Karla Jacinto Romero, told CNN on Sunday that Britt had misused and misrepresented her experience to score political points. She said it was “not fair” and noted Britt did not reach out for permission to use her story in a political speech.

Britt, however, insisted that the media was to blame for the whole thing — and argued that her critics were missing her broader point about the tragedy of human trafficking on the U.S.-Mexico border.

“The liberal media isn’t interested in the truth. They’re interested in burying the truth about Joe Biden and his border crisis. When all the facts come out, people will see the truth,” Britt said in a podcast interview hosted by fellow GOP Sen. Ted Cruz.

The Alabama Republican also joked about the brutal response to her speech’s delivery, which was criticized for being overly dramatic. NBC’s “ Saturday Night Live ” parodied her over the weekend , with actor Scarlett Johansson portraying her as a “scary mom” and the “craziest bitch in the Target parking lot.”

“I am literally in the stories from the top to the bottom [of news sites]. You would have thought I would have been better off behav[ing] like some of our colleagues that are indicted for something or had said something outrageous,” Britt said on the podcast.

“My crime was putting too much passion into issues that I genuinely care about, and they slaughtered me across the airwaves,” she added, expressing appreciation for the drama engulfing the British royal family this week for finally bumping her off the front pages.

“Kate Middleton saved me with her PhotoShop,” Britt quipped.

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A.I. Is Learning What It Means to Be Alive

Given troves of data about genes and cells, A.I. models have made some surprising discoveries. What could they teach us someday?

Credit... Doug Chayka

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By Carl Zimmer

• Published March 10, 2024 Updated March 12, 2024

In 1889, a French doctor named Francois-Gilbert Viault climbed down from a mountain in the Andes, drew blood from his arm and inspected it under a microscope. Dr. Viault’s red blood cells, which ferry oxygen, had surged 42 percent. He had discovered a mysterious power of the human body: When it needs more of these crucial cells, it can make them on demand.

In the early 1900s, scientists theorized that a hormone was the cause. They called the theoretical hormone erythropoietin, or “red maker” in Greek. Seven decades later, researchers found actual erythropoietin after filtering 670 gallons of urine .

And about 50 years after that, biologists in Israel announced they had found a rare kidney cell that makes the hormone when oxygen drops too low. It’s called the Norn cell , named after the Norse deities who were believed to control human fate.

It took humans 134 years to discover Norn cells. Last summer, computers in California discovered them on their own in just six weeks.

The discovery came about when researchers at Stanford programmed the computers to teach themselves biology. The computers ran an artificial intelligence program similar to ChatGPT, the popular bot that became fluent with language after training on billions of pieces of text from the internet. But the Stanford researchers trained their computers on raw data about millions of real cells and their chemical and genetic makeup.

The researchers did not tell the computers what these measurements meant. They did not explain that different kinds of cells have different biochemical profiles. They did not define which cells catch light in our eyes, for example, or which ones make antibodies.

The computers crunched the data on their own, creating a model of all the cells based on their similarity to each other in a vast, multidimensional space. When the machines were done, they had learned an astonishing amount . They could classify a cell they had never seen before as one of over 1,000 different types. One of those was the Norn cell.

“That’s remarkable, because nobody ever told the model that a Norn cell exists in the kidney,” said Jure Leskovec, a computer scientist at Stanford who trained the computers.

The software is one of several new A.I.-powered programs, known as foundation models, that are setting their sights on the fundamentals of biology. The models are not simply tidying up the information that biologists are collecting. They are making discoveries about how genes work and how cells develop.

As the models scale up, with ever more laboratory data and computing power, scientists predict that they will start making more profound discoveries. They may reveal secrets about cancer and other diseases. They may figure out recipes for turning one kind of cell into another.

“A vital discovery about biology that otherwise would not have been made by the biologists — I think we’re going to see that at some point,” said Dr. Eric Topol, the director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute.

Just how far they will go is a matter of debate. While some skeptics think the models are going to hit a wall, more optimistic scientists believe that foundation models will even tackle the biggest biological question of them all: What separates life from nonlife?

Heart Cells and Mole Rats

Biologists have long sought to understand how the different cells in our bodies use genes to do the many things we need to stay alive.

About a decade ago, researchers started industrial-scale experiments to fish out genetic bits from individual cells. They recorded what they found in catalogs, or “ cell atlases ,” that swelled with billions of pieces of data.

Dr. Christina Theodoris, a medical resident at Boston Children’s Hospital, was reading about a new kind of A.I. model made by Google engineers in 2017 for language translations. The researchers provided the model with millions of sentences in English, along with their translations into German and French. The model developed the power to translate sentences it hadn’t seen before. Dr. Theodoris wondered if a similar model could teach itself to make sense of the data in cell atlases.

In 2021, she struggled to find a lab that might let her try to build one. “There was a lot of skepticism that this approach would work at all,” she said.

Shirley Liu, a computational biologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, gave her a shot. Dr. Theodoris pulled data from 106 published human studies, which collectively included 30 million cells, and fed it all into a program she created called GeneFormer.

The model gained a deep understanding of how our genes behave in different cells. It predicted, for example, that shutting down a gene called TEAD4 in a certain type of heart cell would severely disrupt it. When her team put the prediction to the test in real cells called cardiomyocytes, the beating of the heart cells grew weaker.

In another test, she and her colleagues showed GeneFormer heart cells from people with defective heartbeat rhythms as well as from healthy people. “Then we said, Now tell us what changes we need to happen to the unhealthy cells to make them healthy,” said Dr. Theodoris, who now works as a computational biologist at the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco.

GeneFormer recommended reducing the activity of four genes that had never before been linked to heart disease. Dr. Theodoris’s team followed the model’s advice, knocking down each of the four genes. In two out of the four cases, the treatment improved how the cells contracted.

The Stanford team got into the foundation-model business after helping to build one of the biggest databases of cells in the world, known as CellXGene . Beginning in August, the researchers trained their computers on the 33 million cells in the database, focusing on a type of genetic information called messenger RNA. They also fed the model the three-dimensional structures of proteins, which are the products of genes.

From this data, the model — known as Universal Cell Embedding, or U.C.E. — calculated the similarity among cells, grouping them into more than 1,000 clusters according to how they used their genes. The clusters corresponded to types of cells discovered by generations of biologists.

U.C.E. also taught itself some important things about how the cells develop from a single fertilized egg. For example, U.C.E. recognized that all the cells in the body can be grouped according to which of three layers they came from in the early embryo.

“It essentially rediscovered developmental biology,” said Stephen Quake, a biophysicist at Stanford who helped develop U.C.E.

The model was also able to transfer its knowledge to new species. Presented with the genetic profile of cells from an animal that it had never seen before — a naked mole rat, say — U.C.E. could identify many of its cell types.

“You can bring a completely new organism — chicken, frog, fish, whatever — you can put it in, and you will get something useful out,” Dr. Leskovec said.

After U.C.E. discovered the Norn cells, Dr. Leskovec and his colleagues looked in the CellXGene database to see where they had come from. While many of the cells had been taken from kidneys, some had come from lungs or other organs. It was possible, the researchers speculated, that previously unknown Norn cells were scattered across the body.

Dr. Katalin Susztak, a physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania who studies Norn cells, said that the finding whetted her curiosity. “I want to check these cells,” she said.

She is skeptical that the model found true Norn cells outside the kidneys, since the erythropoietin hormone hasn’t been found in other places. But the new cells may sense oxygen as Norn cells do.

In other words, U.C.E. may have discovered a new type of cell before biologists did.

An ‘Internet of Cells’

Just like ChatGPT , biological models sometimes get things wrong. Kasia Kedzierska, a computational biologist at the University of Oxford, and her colleagues recently gave GeneFormer and another foundation model , scGPT, a battery of tests . They presented the models with cell atlases they hadn’t seen before and had them perform tasks such as classifying the cells into types. The models performed well on some tasks, but in other cases they fared poorly compared with simpler computer programs.

Dr. Kedzierska said she had great hopes for the models but that, for now, “they should not be used out of the box without a proper understanding of their limitations.”

Dr. Leskovec said that the models were improving as scientists trained them on more data. But compared with ChatGPT’s training on the entire internet, the latest cell atlases offer only a modest amount of information. “I’d like an entire internet of cells,” he said.

More cells are on the way as bigger cell atlases come online. And scientists are gleaning different kinds of data from each of the cells in those atlases. Some scientists are cataloging the molecules that stick to genes, or taking photographs of cells to illuminate the precise location of their proteins. All of that information will allow foundation models to draw lessons about what makes cells work.

Scientists are also developing tools that let foundation models combine what they’re learning on their own with what flesh-and-blood biologists have already discovered. The idea would be to connect the findings in thousands of published scientific papers to the databases of cell measurements.

With enough data and computing power, scientists say, they may eventually create a complete mathematical representation of a cell.

“That’s going to be hugely revolutionary for the field of biology,” said Bo Wang, a computational biologist at the University of Toronto and the creator of scGPT. With this virtual cell, he speculated, it would be possible to predict what a real cell would do in any situation. Scientists could run entire experiments on their computers rather than in petri dishes.

Dr. Quake suspects that foundation models will learn not just about the kinds of cells that currently reside in our bodies but also about kinds of cells that could exist. He speculates that only certain combinations of biochemistry can keep a cell alive. Dr. Quake dreams of using foundation models to make a map showing the realm of the possible, beyond which life cannot exist.

“I think these models are going to help us get some really fundamental understanding of the cell, which is going to provide some insight into what life really is,” Dr. Quake said.

Having a map of what’s possible and impossible to sustain life might also mean that scientists could actually create new cells that don’t yet exist in nature. The foundation model might be able to concoct chemical recipes that transform ordinary cells into new, extraordinary ones. Those new cells might devour plaque in blood vessels or explore a diseased organ to report back on its condition.

“It’s very ‘Fantastic Voyage ’- ish,” Dr. Quake admitted. “But who knows what the future is going to hold?”

If foundation models live up to Dr. Quake’s dreams, they will also raise a number of new risks. On Friday, more than 80 biologists and A.I. experts signed a call for the technology to be regulated so that it cannot be used to create new biological weapons. Such a concern might apply to new kinds of cells produced by the models.

Privacy breaches could happen even sooner. Researchers hope to program personalized foundation models that would look at an individual’s unique genome and the particular way that it works in cells. That new dimension of knowledge could reveal how different versions of genes affect the way cells work. But it could also give the owners of a foundation model some of the most intimate knowledge imaginable about the people who donated their DNA and cells to science.

Some scientists have their doubts about how far foundational models will make it down the road to “Fantastic Voyage,” however. The models are only as good as the data they are fed. Making an important new discovery about life may depend on having data on hand that we haven’t figured out how to collect. We might not even know what data the models need.

“They might make some new discoveries of interest,” said Sara Walker, a physicist at Arizona State University who studies the physical basis of life. “But ultimately they are limited when it comes to new fundamental advances.”

Still, the performance of foundation models has already led their creators to wonder about the role of human biologists in a world where computers make important insights on their own. Traditionally, biologists have been rewarded for creative and time-consuming experiments that uncover some of the workings of life. But computers may be able to see those workings in a matter of weeks, days or even hours by scanning billions of cells for patterns we can’t see.

“It’s going to force a complete rethink of what we consider creativity,” Dr. Quake said. “Professors should be very, very nervous.”

Carl Zimmer covers news about science for The Times and writes the Origins column . More about Carl Zimmer

Explore Our Coverage of Artificial Intelligence

News  and Analysis

OpenAI said that Sam Altman, the chief executive who was chaotically ousted in November only to return to the company five days later, would regain a seat on its board of directors .

In a move aimed at addressing fears that A.I. could be used to create bioweapons, over 90 biologists and other scientists have signed an agreement  that seeks to ensure that their research will move forward without exposing the world to serious harm.

Microsoft is seeking to dismiss parts of a lawsuit  brought by The New York Times Company against the tech giant and its partner OpenAI that accused the two of copyright infringement for using its articles to train A.I. technologies.

The Age of A.I.

By interacting with data about genes and cells, A.I. models have made some surprising discoveries and are learning what it means to be alive. What could they teach us someday ?

Covariant, a robotics start-up, is using the technology behind chatbots  to build robots that learn skills much like ChatGPT does.

When Google released Gemini, a new chatbot, the company quickly faced a backlash. The episode unleashed a fierce debate  about whether A.I. should be guided by social values.

A.I.’s booming growth is radically reshaping an already red-hot data center market, raising questions about whether these sites can be operated sustainably .

Few companies better illustrate how A.I. is changing Silicon Valley deal-making than Anthropic, one of the world’s hottest A.I. start-ups .

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Barbiecore? Cottagecore? What does 'core' mean in slang and why can't we stop using it

Merriam-Webster defines " core " as "a central and often foundational part usually distinct from the enveloping part by a difference in nature."

But as a suffix, "-core" has taken on a new life thanks to social media. Maybe you've seen someone describe something as Barbiecore , cottagecore , corecore , the list goes on. Each "-core" has its own unique characteristics.

But what do they all mean? Here's a primer on the "-core" trend.

What does 'core' mean?

Dating back to Middle English, the word "core" has referred to an integral or a defining part of something. For instance, a "core" tenant or principle.

This meaning shapes the modern interpretation of "-core." According to Dictionary.com, the suffix describes and is often associated with specific aesthetics, trends or movements . Almost anything can be used in conjunction with "-core."

The "-core" trend centers around preexisting subcultures or niches. This can include anything from patterns to colors to clothing items. If you really like things that are pink or red and covered in hearts, you might like " lovecore ." If you are a big fan of the mystical, ethereal and magical, " fairycore " could be for you (think butterflies, sparkles and flowers).

Sometimes a "-core" can be hyper-specific, relating to a particular celebrity versus a more general vibe. A "Harry Styles-core" aesthetic might include cherries , pearls and Pleasing merchandise. A "Taylor Swift-core" aesthetic may vary depending on your favorite " era ," or it could feature mirror (disco) balls .

How to use 'core'

Here is how to use "-core" in a conversation:

• "I love your top, it's so balletcore ."
• "I'm not a fan of minimalism. I prefer cluttercore ."
• "Ever since she started watching 'Bridgerton', her aesthetic is very royalcore ."

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• Get on with your homework.
• She was trying to duck out of doing her homework.

(Definition of homework from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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Report: Broncos are doing ‘serious homework’ on all available quarterbacks

A new report indicates that the Broncos are contuining to do serious homework on all quarterback available on the free agent and potentially available in the trade market.

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Share All sharing options for: Report: Broncos are doing ‘serious homework’ on all available quarterbacks

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Denver Broncos are doing “serious homework” on all available free-agent quarterbacks and ones potentially available via a trade .

"The Broncos are doing serious homework on all the available quarterbacks, including both free agents and players currently rostered. With many of the best available free agent quarterbacks already in new homes, potential replacements for Russell Wilson include Jimmy Garoppolo… — MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) March 14, 2024

She continues by saying that a “move is likely to happen prior to April 25th” so it sounds like the Broncos still want to add a quarterback before the draft.

The Broncos are doing serious homework on all the available quarterbacks, including both free agents and players currently rostered. With many of the best available free agent quarterbacks already in new homes, potential replacements for Russell Wilson include Jimmy Garoppolo or Ryan Tannehill . They could also go the trade route, making Justin Fields and Sam Howell interesting options.

Russini names veteran free agent quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo who was recently released by the Raiders and former Titans starter Ryan Tannehill as two players who may interest the Broncos. She continues and says the Broncos could go the trade route as well and names Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields and Commanders Sam Howell as interesting options for them.

It has been reported that the Broncos were indeed interested in Sam Darnold but his high price tag was too much for the team and Darnold reportedly preferred the Vikings situation over the Broncos . So, he ended up not being a realistic option despite their interest in the former third-overall pick. It has also been reported that they did look into trading for Mac Jones but he ended up being traded to the Jaguars for the 6th round pick. So, the Broncos have shown interest in quarterbacks, but have yet to pull the trigger to acquire one.

Let us take a quick look at the four quarterbacks mentioned and if they should interest the Broncos or not.

Free Agent QB Jimmy Garoppolo

The veteran quarterback who has had stints with the Patriots and 49ers was recently released by the Raiders and is now free to sign with another team. He is known as a “winner” and helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl a few seasons ago, but recent poor play and injuries make him an underwhelming option for the Broncos.

He could serve as a decent bridge quarterback for a rookie and give the team a veteran presence who has a winning background. However, a two-game suspension for PED’s complicates that strategy and makes him an odd fit for the Broncos.

I personally do not want this to happen and I think the suspension keeps him from being the Broncos bridge quarterback this upcoming season.

Free Agent QB Ryan Tannehill

Tannehill is another veteran with a winning background who may interest the Broncos. However, like Jimmy G., he is an underwhelming option who has not been playing very well in recent years. He has played in 22 games the past two seasons and only has 17 touchdown passes during that span. This past season in 10 games and 8 starts, he only had 4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

I do not think Tannehill offers the Broncos much more than what Stidham would and would just be an underwhelming addition. He hasn’t been producing and appears to be on the very back end of his career. He would fit as a bridge starter but signing him would not move the needle at all for me.

Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields

This probably will be the most dividing option on here.

Fields, who the Broncos passed on two draft cornerback Patrick Surtain II is now available on the trade market. The Bears have the number one overall pick thanks to the Carolina Panthers and are expected to use that selection on USC quarterback Caleb Williams. This means, the Bears are shopping around their former starter Justin Fields.

His trade market is not as hot as the Bears expected and his trade value is dropping rapidly as teams sign and trade for other quarterbacks. So, could the Broncos realistically make a move here?

If Sean Payton was not the coach, I would say hell yeah, make that deal. However, Payton prefers a certain style of quarterback, and Fields is not that. He wants a quarterback to win from the pocket consistently, process well, get rid of the ball, and operate his proven system. Fields really does not fit that mold and is much closer to Russell Wilson in play-style and we all saw how that mix went down this past season.

I personally believe Fields is the most talented quarterback available right now but unless Payton feels like he can create an offense that fits Fields strengths, I am not sure if he is a legit option or not. I would not hate making a move for Fields but it seems unlikely at best right now but we shall see.

Commanders QB Sam Howell

Of the possible trade candidates, Howell makes the most sense. He has plenty of talent and flashed that this past season, especially against the Broncos, but he was very inconsistent and mistake-prone as well. He was sacked a lot and led the league in interceptions which are two things Payton certainly will not like, but the talent is there.

He played behind a pretty bad offensive line and with a messy Washington Commanders offense that saw their entire coaching staff fired this offseason. So, getting into a better offensive scheme and paired with an offensive mind like Payton could benefit Howell.

It is not a perfect fit by any means as Howell as some hero ball to him and loves to play outside the structure of an offense, but beggars cannot be choosers in this situation. He would likely only cost the Broncos a 5th or 6th-round pick and could compete with Stidham and potentially a rookie for the starting job.

Note: Sam Howell was traded to the Seattle Seahawks - Source

Final Thoughts

None of the veterans do much for me and I would much prefer the Broncos to take a swing on a younger quarterback and hope for the best. Fields and Howell give you some high-upside with little to no risk involved. If Payton likes one of them and thinks he can bring out the best in them, which he has shown he can do, including this past season with Russ, then you pull the trigger.

Again, I think Fields is the best quarterback available but he does not fit what Payton wants to do. Howell is not a wonderful fit either but I could see Payton potentially having interest in him. He would not cost much draft compensation and would be a low-cost option money-wise as well since he is on a day three rookie contract.

So, of these four options mentioned, which would you rather see the Broncos make? Sign a veteran or swing a trade for a young quarterback with hopes that Payton can develop them?

Which quarterback would you rather see the Broncos get?

Sign jimmy garoppolo, sign ryan tannehill, trade for justin fields, more from mile high report.

• 2024 Broncos free agency news and rumor tracker
• Horse Tracks: Are the Broncos still a year away from a franchise QB?
• Broncos have a quiet, yet significant start to free agency
• Peyton Manning to help open the Olympic Games in Paris
• Horse Tracks: Broncos remain calm in free agency despite ample cap space
• Broncos have officially released QB Russell Wilson who will officially sign with the Steelers

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Bitcoin halving: When will it happen and what does it mean for the price?

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How does it happen, what's it got to do with bitcoin's price, what about previous halvings.

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TikTok advertisers will look to rivals if US Senate moves ahead on ban

Advertisers who turn to TikTok to market to young consumers are preparing contingency plans with social media rivals in the event the short-form video app is sold or banned in the U.S., but they are waiting for signs of Senate action before shifting marketing budgets.

What the potential TikTok ban means, and what’s next for the bill

The house approved a bill that could lead to a ban of the social media platform if it doesn’t cut ties with its beijing-based parent company.

TikTok, the immensely popular social media app whose China-based parent company has given rise to concerns about data security and foreign influence, is once again in Congress’s crosshairs.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted 352-65 to approve a bill requiring TikTok either be divested from ByteDance, its Beijing-based owner, or face a nationwide ban. The bill , called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, now heads to the Senate.

It’s the latest front in a years-long battle to limit the app, which features short videos in a swipe-able Instagram-like interface. In 2020, President Donald Trump attempted to ban it through an executive order, but courts blocked his move after TikTok sued.

Here’s what to know about the bill.