Transcript Reading with Understanding Humanities at risk 15 05 14

READING AT UNIVERSITY
Reading with Understanding
Strategies for Success
15 May, 2014
Humanities
Presenter: Miriam Lear
Coordinator: English for Law
Auckland Park Campus
Introductions
Academic Development Centre
Academic Development
& Support
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Units:
 Academic Literacies Access Modules
 Learning Development
 Academic literacies
 Writing Centre
THE WRITING CENTRE
Visit us at the Writing Centre if at some
point
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you realise that you are already a good writer, but
would like to make your writing even better
you need help putting your ideas down on paper
you would like to organise your assignment better
lecturers are unhappy with your assignments
you get low marks even when you think you have
worked very hard
The Writing Centre
The Writing Centre is for any student who
would like to write good assignments and
get excellent marks.
• Mondays to Thursdays 8:30 – 15:30
• Fridays 8:30 – 13:00
Stop by to make an appointment D Ring 3.
Reasons for reading
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Casual reading: relaxation/pleasure; boredom; escape
world
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Practical reasons: know what is happening in the
world/current issues; communicate effectively; help other
people
Educational Goals: increase general
information/knowledge; obtain better understanding of
topic; learn vocabulary; improve reading/reading speed;
improve language and study purposes
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What difficulties do you
experience when reading for
study or research purposes?
How do you overcome them?
Reading at university
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Academic reading is much more challenging than
reading in high school- deep reading (as opposed to
surface reading) is required
Many students struggle to cope with the level,
complexity and volume of academic reading required
Research on reading
Research indicates that there is a strong
correlation between reading proficiency and
academic success
 Reading proficiency also influences writing – good
readers tend to be good writers and vice versa
 Reading & writing are complimentary processes.
As such, reading forms the basis of academic
writing
* It is important that you develop and
improve your skills for reading academically
in order to study and learn more effectively.
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“A man who chooses not to read is just as
ignorant as a man who cannot read.”
(Mark Twain)
How do “good” readers read
academic texts?
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Good readers make use of various
reading strategies and reading techniques
◦ Before reading
◦ During reading
◦ After reading
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These strategies can be learned by all
students
Before reading
Good readers ask themselves the following
questions:
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Who is the author of the text?
When was the text written?
Who is the audience?
Why was it written?
What do I already know about the topic?
What don’t I know?
What do I need to know?
During reading
Good readers do not read all texts in the
same way - different texts invite different
ways of reading
 Experienced readers identify a purpose
for reading and adjust their reading speed
accordingly
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After reading
*It is important to remember what you have
read and to further develop and clarify ideas
and concepts from your reading.
 Good readers summarise, discuss, respond
to and ask questions about what they have read
 Experienced readers often formulate graphic
representations of ideas with lines, arrows and
shapes to indicate links and connections between
them
◦ Mind maps
◦ Concept maps
Reading techniques
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Effective readers employ different reading
techniques
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Speed reading
Skimming
Scanning
Study reading
Speed reading
Reading quickly to get a preliminary
understanding of a text or to find
background information on a topic
 The more familiar you are with advanced
reading texts the more quickly you will be
able to access information - reading
improves with practice!
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Skimming
To preview or get an overview of a text reading quickly to gather as much information
about a text as possible in the shortest amount of
time
 When you skim, you do not read everything
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◦ Read only the following:
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Title
Introduction and/ or first paragraph
Headings/ sub-headings
First sentence of each paragraph
Key words in bold or italics
Pictures, diagrams, graphs or charts
Conclusion or summary
Scanning
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Reading quickly to find specific
information in a text
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Names & dates
Words in a dictionary
Definitions in glossaries
Table of contents
Timetables & directories
Study reading
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Study reading is deep reading
The purpose of study reading is to
understand and remember
Good readers also struggle with difficult
texts in order to make them comprehensible
Good readers read academic texts
slowly and re-read often (sometimes two
or three times)
Study reading involves reading
interactively and critically
How do we read interactively?
We relate what we are reading to our own
experience and knowledge of the world
 We read actively and have a “conversation” with
the text
 We annotate the text
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◦ Identify main idea & topic sentence in each
paragraph
◦ Make notes in the margins; paraphrase & summarise
key points; ask questions & make comments
◦ Highlight key words/ concepts in the text
◦ Highlight unfamiliar words and work out possible
meanings from the context; look up words you still
do not understand
How do we read critically?
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We read “against the grain”
We do not believe everything we read; we
ask questions and challenge the writer’s
assumptions
We analyse arguments
We weigh an author’s claims against
evidence
We discount arguments based on faulty
reasoning
We distinguish between fact and opinion
We form our own opinion on the topic
SQ3R Method
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Does anyone know what these letters
and figure stand for?
SQ3R Method
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SURVEY: Pre-read chapter. Look at titles, headings, words
in boldface and italics; graphs & diagrams; summary and/ or
conclusion and questions at end of chapter
QUESTION: Formulate questions before you read.
Convert titles & subtitles into questions. Write these down.
READ: Read chapter thoroughly and write down the
answers to your questions section by section
RECITE: Try to recite the answers to your questions. Use
your own words and give examples
REVIEW: Check your notes against the text; this is an ongoing process
*SQ3R will help build a framework to help you
understand your reading assignments.
PREPARING FOR LECTURES
Reading ahead
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It is important to read ahead so that
when you get into a lecture you are able
to
• Listen actively
• Engage effectively with the content of
the lecture
• Compare what is in the lecture with
what you already know
• Take meaningful notes
Note-taking
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions:
 What is active listening?
 What does taking notes help you to do?
 How do you think you can take clear and
concise notes?
Purposes of note-taking
To consolidate information –
integrate the new with the old
 To discover what is important and
what material will most likely be
included in the exams
 To have a permanent record to use for
assignments and to study for
exams
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*Class assignments and other important
information is also frequently given
during the lecture.
Active listening
Listen with a purpose
Evaluate
Understand
THINK
Analyse
Anticipate
Review
Select most central
points & ignore
irrelevant points
How to integrate new and prior knowledge
Before the lecture:
 Read the textbook/study guide
 Read the lecturer’s slides on uLink
 Read your previous lecture notes
 Read the assignments
 Read around the topic and in the field
generally
Building knowledge
New information
(incoming text)
Integrate with
New knowledge /
understanding
Prior knowledge
(frames of
reference)
Active listening
Compare lecturer’s presentation to
information in textbook/study guide
 Apply what you hear to your own
personal experience (prior knowledge)
 Reserve judgment when something
controversial is said
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Active listening
Think about questions you have
 Check for accuracy
 Shift your attention between the lecturer
and your notes
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Use cues
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Get to know your lecturer’s style of
teaching
◦ Visual clues – headings, notes, drawings,
summaries, examples
◦ Vocal clues – emphasis, pauses, slowing
down, questions
◦ Body language – position, gestures
Lecture features
Introduction
 Conclusion
 Repetition
 Rephrasing
 Linking expressions
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Introduction
Explains the lecture structure or outcomes
 Highlights main ideas
 Helps to categorise the information
 Summarises the previous lecture and links to
the present lecture
 Announces tests, due dates, changes,
cancellations
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Conclusion
Reveals connections between ideas
 Brings closure and summarises main
points
 Links to reading material
 Previews next lecture
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Repetition and rephrasing
Emphasises main ideas
 Creates opportunity to record important
information
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Linking expressions
Linking words and phrases logically
organise ideas in lectures which will help
you to
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Organise your own notes
Identify main ideas
Note Taking:
Reasons for taking notes
Making yourself take notes forces you to listen
carefully and test your understanding of the
material.
 When you are reviewing, notes provide a gauge
to what is important in the text.
 Personal notes are usually easier to remember
than the text.
 The writing down of important points helps you
to remember then even before you have
studied the material formally.
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Important things to write down
Material written on the blackboard.
 Repetition
 Emphasis
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 Emphasis can be judged by tone of voice and gesture.
 Emphasis can be judged by the amount of time the instructor spends on
points and the number of examples he or she uses.
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Word signals (e.g. "There are two points of view on . .
. " "The third reason is . . . " " In conclusion . . . ")
Summaries given at the end of class.
Reviews given at the beginning of class.
Find your own method of making
notes
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Make your notes brief.
◦ Never use a sentence where you can use a phrase. Never use a phrase where you can use a
word.
◦ Use abbreviations and symbols, but be consistent.
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Put most notes in your own words. However, the following should be
noted exactly:
◦ Formulas
◦ Definitions
◦ Specific facts
Use outline form and/or a numbering system. Indention helps you
distinguish major from minor points.
 If you miss a statement, write key words, skip a few spaces, and get the
information later.
 Don't try to use every space on the page. Leave room for coordinating
your notes with the text after the lecture. (You may want to list key
terms in the margin or make a summary of the contents of the page.)
 Date your notes. Perhaps number the pages.
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Making Notes: What to include?
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A4 paper (think about where you will file this later)
Date and title
Record the bibliographic details of your text.
Answer questions:
 Who will use this summary?
 What is its purpose?
 What form is appropriate?
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Do an overview of the text.
 Introductory paragraph
 Conclusion
 Scan for the main ideas
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Read text in detail.
Look up the words you do not understand. Make a list and
compare with your partner.
Identify the main ideas.
Examples of linking expressions
Emphasis words: most importantly,
especially
 Summary words: in brief, in conclusion
 Amplification words: for example, in other
words
 Contrast words: however, but, despite
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Successful note-taking
Write down the heading
 Write down main ideas
 Follow main argument or focus of lecture
 Leave space for elaboration, examples
 Beware of repetition- you need the
essence, not alternatives
 Use abbreviations – create your own if
necessary
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Note-taking method
The Cornell note-taking system is used all
over the
World.
Divides note pages into three columns
notes
review
reflection
Uses abbreviations (after lecture complete
phrases as much as possible)
Allows for recording notes in paragraph form,
skipping lines to show new thoughts
Cornell method
To review, cover your notes leaving the
main ideas exposed
 Say the main ideas out loud, adding as
much as you can remember about each
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Pictorial notes
Diagrammatic way of organising key ideas
from lectures
 Shows interconnection of main concepts
and supporting details
 A great deal of information can be
included on a single page
 Key words and phrases can be further
developed in your review column or in
mind-maps
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Scarcity
Incentives
Macroeconomics
Choices
Definition
Two kinds
Microeconomics
Economics
Give to get
Factors of production
Choices & tradeoffs
Land
Labour
Capital
&
Entrepreneurship
Guns vs butter
After the lecture
review regularly
 recite (repeating key concepts from
lecture)
 reflect (connecting lecture ideas to other
notes and readings)
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Summary
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It is important to develop academic
reading proficiency in order to study and
learn more effectively
Good readers make use of various reading
strategies and reading techniques
These strategies can be learned by all
students
During lectures listen actively
Draw on your prior knowledge
Know your lecturer’s style
Learn the features of a lecture
Use an effective system of note-taking
Exercise:
In pairs, make notes from the
following text:
Understand your assignment title
Understanding your assignment title fully and
precisely is vital in producing a successful piece of
writing.
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Give yourself plenty of time (preferably at
least a week) to analyse and just think about the
title before you start doing anything with it.
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Discuss it with other students and with your
tutor.
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Shorter titles may look simpler, but can
actually be more vague and therefore more
difficult to interpret than longer ones.
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Try to read the title objectively rather than
seeing what you want to see or expect to
see.
MAKE NOTES
HERE
• Main topic
• Key words
• Unfamiliar
words
• Ask questions
• Paraphrase/
summarise
• Find examples
• Definitions
• Outline of the
text
• Etc.
Hard
work!
More hard
work!
Rewards…
Good luck in your first year at UJ!