So many books, so little time…A guide to reading at university

© Learning Centre, University of Sydney, 2012

Orientation Lecture Series: Learning to Learn

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So many books, so little time…A guide to reading at university

Learning CentrePeter O’Carroll

Orientation Lecture Series: Learning to Learn

Lecture Outline

› 1. What should I expect at university?

› 2. How much will I have to read?

› 3. How can I read faster?

› 4. Should I make notes?

› 5. How can I be ‘critical’ when I’m reading?

› 6. How do I use the information I’ve read?

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LearningApproaches reproductive -----> analytical --------> speculative

memorisation& imitation

describing,summarising,identifying,applying, etc

‘correctness’

criticalthinking

questioning,judging,recombining,arguing, etc

simpleoriginality -reshapingmaterial

search for newpossibilities

speculating,hypothesising,etc

creativeoriginality- totallynew approach/knowledge

LearningStrategies

Type

Activities

Aim

What should I expect at university?

As a university student, you are expected to:

o know how to find information & draw conclusions fromevidence

o think, read and write analytically and criticallyo write the right academic genre for an assignmento attend lectures and submit assignments on timeo make your own decisions about learning & seeking helpo manage a large and irregular workload

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guidance

autonomy +close contact with teacher

workload +

High school vs university

What should I expect at university?

What should I expect at university?

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LNG FR BIO ENGWeek 1Week 2Week 3 SummaryWeek 4 Quiz Tutorial

presentationWeek 5 Essay 1 SummaryBreakWeek 6 Assignment 1 Essay 1Week 7 QuizWeek 8 Group

assignment

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What should I expect at university?

Time Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun7am Gym8am9am Travel Work10am Lectures

&Tutorials

11am12pm1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm Work6pm7pm8pm9pm10pm11pm 11

LNG FR BIO ENGWeek 1 Read novel 3 hours

Week 2 Read and summarisejournal articles – 5 hours

Summarise lecture notes Read chapters 1-3 andmake notes – 3 hoursWrite draft of summary 1 hr

Read novel 2 hrsFind 3 articles 1 hr

Week 3 Plan essay – 2 hours Study for quiz 2 hours Write final summary – 2 hrs

SummaryRead articles and makenotes 3 hrsPlan tutorial presentation 1hrDevelop powerpoint 2 hrs

Week 4 Write draft – 3 hoursRevise draft – 2 hours Quiz Read chapters 4-6 and

make notes – 3 hoursWrite draft of summary 1 hr

Rehearse presentation 2hrs

Tutorialpresentation

Week 5 Write final essay – 2 hoursFormat references – 2hoursPrint out – 1 hour

Essay 1 due

Write final summary – 2 hrs

Summary

Break Summarise lecture notes

Week 6 Study for quiz 2 hours Assignment 1 Essay 1Week 7 QuizWeek 8 Group

assignment12

What should I expect at university?

How much will I have to read?

›1. How much will I have to read?- depends on your discipline & year level

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›2. How much do I read for an assignment? Consider:- the number of marks allocated

- the type of assignment you’ve been given

- the amount of time available

- the number of words you have to write

- the progress already made in your assignment

›4. Can I read too much?- You won’t lose marks for a long reference list, but avoid the perfectionist trap

›3. Make an outline of your assignment as you read.- monitor your coverage of the topic

- look for gaps to guide your reading

- reading shapes outline outline shapes reading

How can I read faster?

›1. How can I read faster? How can I read more efficiently?- read key parts of the text before deciding how much to read in detail

›3. Predict the content & purpose:- abstract/summary

- introduction & conclusion

- headings

- topic sentences

›2. Text features:- index

- table of contents

- keywords

- boxes, diagrams, figures & tables

How can I read faster?

A curriculum which addresses equity teaches adults to think critically.

Many popular subject areas in adult education may in fact reinforce disadvantagerather than combat it.

A curriculum which addresses equity must address cultural differences – boththose of the learners involved and those in the community.

We also need to examine modes of delivery in addressing issues of equity inadult learning.

We should examine all the resources for learning in our organization and itsenvironment as well as the learner’s environment.

Another issue to address in planning equitable outcomes is how we can reducethe apparent marginalisation of adult and community education.

We now need to find a way to continue to offer learning in a supportiveenvironment yet ensure that the outcomes for participants will be rewarded ashighly as in more formal learning settings.

McMaster,M. and Randell, S. ‘Equity and opportunity in adult learning’ in Harris, R. and Willis, P. (Eds) 1992 Striking a Balance. SouthAustralia: Centre for Human Resource Studies, U of South Australia and the South Australian Branch of the Australian Association of Adultand Community Education. pp 84--91.

AN EQUITABLECURRICULUM

MODES OFDELIVERY

ARTICULATION ANDACCREDITATION

> Headings and topic sentences can give you an overview of an article:

How can I read faster?

A curriculum which addresses equity teaches adults to think critically.

Many popular subject areas in adult education may in fact reinforce disadvantagerather than combat it.

A curriculum which addresses equity must address cultural differences – boththose of the learners involved and those in the community.

We also need to examine modes of delivery in addressing issues of equity inadult learning.

We should examine all the resources for learning in our organization and itsenvironment as well as the learner’s environment.

Another issue to address in planning equitable outcomes is how we can reducethe apparent marginalisation of adult and community education.

We now need to find a way to continue to offer learning in a supportiveenvironment yet ensure that the outcomes for participants will be rewarded ashighly as in more formal learning settings.

McMaster,M. and Randell, S. ‘Equity and opportunity in adult learning’ in Harris, R. and Willis, P. (Eds) 1992 Striking a Balance. SouthAustralia: Centre for Human Resource Studies, U of South Australia and the South Australian Branch of the Australian Association of Adultand Community Education. pp 84--91.

AN EQUITABLECURRICULUM

MODES OFDELIVERY

ARTICULATION ANDACCREDITATION

> Some keywords in the topic sentences reveal the writer’s concerns:

How can I read faster?

A curriculum which addresses equity teaches adults to think critically.

Many popular subject areas in adult education may in fact reinforce disadvantagerather than combat it.

A curriculum which addresses equity must address cultural differences – boththose of the learners involved and those in the community.

We also need to examine modes of delivery in addressing issues of equity inadult learning.

We should examine all the resources for learning in our organization and itsenvironment as well as the learner’s environment.

Another issue to address in planning equitable outcomes is how we can reducethe apparent marginalisation of adult and community education.

We now need to find a way to continue to offer learning in a supportiveenvironment yet ensure that the outcomes for participants will be rewarded ashighly as in more formal learning settings.

McMaster,M. and Randell, S. ‘Equity and opportunity in adult learning’ in Harris, R. and Willis, P. (Eds) 1992 Striking a Balance. SouthAustralia: Centre for Human Resource Studies, U of South Australia and the South Australian Branch of the Australian Association of Adultand Community Education. pp 84--91.

AN EQUITABLECURRICULUM

MODES OFDELIVERY

ARTICULATION ANDACCREDITATION

> Some keywords indicate the writer’s purpose:

Should I make notes?

›1. Preliminary background reading

›2. Reading for an assignment

›3. Revising for exams

Not essential

Very useful

Essential

SQ3R Method: Survey

Question

Read

Recite (remember)

Review

›1. Concept maps

›2. Highlighting

›3. Margin notes

›4. Structured notes

›5. Tables, matrices, diagrams

Big picture relationships

For further study

For further study

Highly desirable for assignments

To reinforce learning

Should I make notes?

Should I make notes?

Concept map e.g.

Should I make notes?

Outline notes e.g.

Overt Activity Covert MentalOperations

Eliciting Questions

Enumeration, listing Differentiation(identifying separateitems)

What did you see?Hear? Note?

Grouping Identifying commonproperties, abstracting

What belongstogether? On whatcriterion?

Labelling, categorising Determining thehierarchical order ofitems, super- andsubordination

How would you callthese groups? Whatbelongs to what?

Joyce, B. and Weil, M. with Showers, B.1992 Models of Teaching, 4th Edn. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. P 118.

Should I make notes?

Matrix notes e.g.

How can I be ‘critical’ when I’m reading?

› 3. Practise some simple techniques to develop your own critical skills. Ask questions about:

o text, author & publication

o evidence, argument & position

o assumptions, conclusions & generalisations

› 2. Use the views of other experts to gain a critical view of your readings. Compare and contrast texts:

o relative positions

o strengths & weaknesses

› 1. I’m a first year undergraduate – how can I criticise an expert?

How do I use the information I’ve read?

› 1. Know your purpose in reading

› 2. Look for the main ideas

› 3. Identify any underlying structure the writer is using toorganise the information or argument

› 4. Look out for important linking words

› 5. Synthesise your information

Synthesising evidence from various sources e.g.

How do I use the information I’ve read?

Source(by author)

Dates Aim of study Studysubject(s)

Outcomes

Ugnat et al 1990 to investigateconnectionbetween residentialETS and parent-reported asthmaattacks

nationalsurvey -childrenunder 17

no associationbetween residentialETS and parent-reported asthma

Knight &Breslin

1985 study the effect ofexperimental ETSonadult asthmatics

6 adultasthmatics

all developed chesttightness andasthma symptoms

Volkmar et al 1995 investigate linkbetween parentalsmoking andrespiratorycomplaints inchildren

14124children

parental smokingassociated withbronchitis andwheeze but notasthma