Upload
medic3
View
221
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 1/55
Characteristics of a Successful StudentMany students new to college do not know what it takes to be successful in the college
environment. They understand good and bad grades in a general way, and they sense that
they should attend classes, but that is where their knowledge begins and ends.
Most instructors know what a good student is - and is not. For one thing, a good student
is not necessarily the most intelligent individual in the class.
The following is a list of some characteristics of good students. This list is a description
of what a hard-working student does and what a teacher likes to see. By learning thesecharacteristics, you may better understand the day-to-day and class-to-class behavior of
successful students. The idea is to provide you with guidelines you can follow which will
help you get down to the business of becoming a serious, successful student.
Successful students attend classes regularly. They are on time. They listen and train
themselves to pay attention. If they miss a session, they feel obligated to let theinstructor know why before class begins, if possible, and their excuses arelegitimate and reasonable. They make sure they get all missed assignments (by
contacting the instructor or another student), and understand specifically what was
covered in class. Successful students take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
Successful students take advantage of extra credit opportunities when offered. They
demonstrate that they care about their grades and are willing to work to improve
them. They often do the optional (and frequently challenging) assignments that
many students avoid.
Successful students are attentive in class. They don't talk, read, or stare out windows.
In other words, they are polite and respectful, even if they get a little bored. Theyalso participate in class even if their attempts are a bit clumsy and difficult. They
ask questions that the instructor knows many other students may also have.
Successful students see their instructors before or after class or during office hours
about grades, comments on their papers, and upcoming tests. Successful studentsend up at their instructor's office door at least once during the semester. They'll go
out of their way to find the instructor and engage in meaningful conversation.
These students demonstrate to the instructor that they are active participants in thelearning process and that they take the job of being a student seriously.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 2/55
Successful students turn in assignments that look neat and sharp. They take the time
to produce a final product that looks good, and reflects of a care and pride in their
work. Successful students seem driven to complete their assignments. All work and assignments are turned in, even if some of their responses are not brilliant.
Visualize Success
Motivation
You are your own best motivator. Your motivation must come from within yourself.Others may try to encourage you, but you are the only one who can attain what you
desire. You must convince yourself - you can!
Success comes in cans!
Throughout your college years you will have to make many choices; view these choicesas opportunities. Don't allow yourself to be burden with problems; they are really only
challenges. Train yourself from the start to put your time and energy into finding
solutions to your challenges, not in complaining. You must adjust your attitude andretrain your thought process.
Start with surrounding yourself with positive people. They will encourage and nurture
you. Stay away from negative people because they will discourage you and sabotage your dreams and goals.
You need to hold yourself accountable. Write a letter of intent to yourself, date it, and
sign it. Put this letter some place where you will see it everyday. Go to a friend or fellowstudent and make a commitment to each other. It helps to be accountable to someone
else.
If you develop your dreams into goals, and your goals into realities, then your realities
will become your successes!
Goal Setting
Goals provide direction in your life and nurture your motivation
Goals are like road maps; they get you from one point to another. Goals provide thedirection you need to reach your destination, the motivation to sustain you on your trip,
and a way to measure your progress. The best way to get results is to plan for the future,
but live one day at a time.
Think about the future. How do you define success? What makes you happy? What
drives you? What makes you get out of bed in the morning? Does success mean family,
money, security, prestige, to help others, improve the environment, solve problems, acareer, a degree? Whatever you decide, the key is to strengthen your will to succeed. To
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 3/55
succeed, strengthen your will - to strengthen your will, succeed. This sounds circular, and
it is - it is a positive feedback loop.
To get this positive feedback loop started, develop a long-term plan. Where do you want
to be 3-5 years from now? What do you want to be doing? Where do you want to live?
What kind of vacations do you want to take? What is your house going to look like?What kind of car will you be driving? What color will the car be? Get very specific with
your dreams and your plans. If your dreams are specific, your goals will be specific.
Never ask yourself the questions - "What if", or "What would happen if". Make thequestions a positive affirmation of what you will do! Prioritize your goals - what is the
most important goal for you and what is the first thing you need to do to start towards that
goal? Then plan backwards in time and outline the major steps it will take for you to
arrive at that future destination.
Once you have the big picture, break your outline into individual, short-term goals. Short
-term goals should range from daily goals to one-year goals, midterm goals should rangefrom 2-3 years, and long term goals are up to 5 years. Make your list very specific and
realistic. You want to be successful in reaching your goals, but at the same time, thesegoals should challenge you. At the end of each day reward yourself and strengthen your resolve for tomorrow.
Some Suggested Goals:
• Be a Life Long Learner
• We live in exciting and interesting times. We live at the crossroads of revolutionsin electronic technology, genetic engineering, and international economics. The
only certainty in life is change, opportunity for some, and future shock for others.
Education is the door to opportunity. Your most valuable asset and skill in life as
well as in the market place is your ability to learn and to apply this knowledge.
• Clarify Educational Plans
• If you have declared a major, great! If not, do not worry - it is okay. Many
students are unsure of their major until they are about halfway through college. If you don't know what you want to major in, then research various careers, talk to
counselors, visit businesses, and/or interview people already working in the fields
you are interested in.
• Become an Efficient, Successful Student
• No matter what your goals are, work at maximum efficiency. Be a student whoworks smarter as well as harder.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 4/55
12 Steps for Effective Studying
Studying effectively is a process, not an event. The
process leads to success.
Plan a definite time for studying every day. This will discourage procrastination and
prevent a pile-up of work. Studying every day, even for a short period of time,keeps you from falling behind. Prioritize your list and begin completing the most
difficult material first.
Know the purpose of and understand each assignment before leaving class. If youunderstand what to do and how to do it, your study time will be shortened. Keep a
record of all assignments in a special section of your notebook or on a separate
calendar.
Predicting the amount of time you need for each assignment causes you to work
smarter as well as harder and more productively. By keeping track of the actualamount of time you spend on your assignments, you are more likely to
concentrate and less likely to become bored.
Time yourself to see how long it takes you to read five pages of your textbook. Thiswill help you determine the amount of time needed to complete a reading
assignment. Because a textbook is loaded with information, you may have to read
some sections more than once. Even instructors have to reread material. Allowtime for reflecting and thinking about what you have read.
Reading assignments are usually completed and due prior to the instructor lecturing
on the material. Take a little time before class to review the material so you areready to participate in class discussions and are prepared for any quizzes.
Adopt a textbook reading strategy, (like SQ4R), or whatever works for you. Pay
attention to charts, diagrams, and special "boxed text" areas. They are definite
aids to understanding the material.
Every time you study, spend at least ten minutes reviewing the material from your
previous study session. These "refresher shots" are part of the secret for long-term
memory retention. This habit of frequent review also results in less time neededfor studying prior to a major exam.
Know the percentages! We retain:
• 10% of what we read
• 20% of what you hear
• 30% of what we see
• 50% of what we see and hear
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 5/55
• 70% of what we talk about with others
• 80% of what we experience personally
• 95% of what we teach to others
Study during the day. You are probably less efficient at night.
Study for 30 to 40 minutes and then take a 5-minute break, or if your concentrationand discipline will allow, study for 50 minutes and take a 10-minute break. Get up
walk around, stretch, drink some water, or eat a light snack. Taking regular breaks
refreshes your mind so you can concentrate better, finish faster, and retain more.
If you do study at night set a "stopping time" for yourself. This "time frame" will
encourage hard work in anticipation of the clock going off. You may even set agoal for yourself to complete an assignment before the time limit. This increased
impetus may help you to concentrate.
Do not cram the night before a test. Distribute your review in half-hour segments over a period of days. If you do not adopt a structured study schedule, you will not
master required course material and you will set yourself up to fail.
Learning is accumulative. New ideas must be incorporated with previous material
from lectures, readings, and any other assignments such as labs. You have to
continuously make the connection in your mind from new material to previouslylearned material and/or experiences. Putting it all together is easier if you
schedule time daily to read, to think, to write, to reflect, and to review.
Improved learning is the natural result of this 12 Step approach to studying and
effectively using your time. Not having enough time to study means you lack organization, so by managing your time, you have control over your life and a chance to do more of what you want to do.
Be proud of what you can achieve through daily accomplishments!
Time ManagementThe foundation for success!
You have a task or a goal you want to accomplish. This could be a single task or anumber of tasks that you need to take care of in a day or over a period of a few days.
Without a structured approach to these tasks you would be like a car spinning its tires on
an icy road; there's a lot of effort being put into reaching a destination, but the vehicle,
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 6/55
you, is virtually stuck in the same spot wasting gas. To achieve your destination you must
take all the known obstacles and conditions into consideration. Allowances must also be
made for the possibility of unknown conditions that will ultimately arise. The bestmethod or "plan" most successful in accomplishing goals is "time management." Time
management is the appropriate use of and structuring of your time in order for you to
maximize your time. If you learn how to maximize your time, you will have ample timeto successfully accomplish everything you need to and want to accomplish.
Accomplishments don't just happen; they are carefully planned for.
Professionals from all walks of life have written volumes on what are the best approaches
to managing your time. In every author's rendition there is one unanimous absolute rule -
you must use a calendar on which to write a detailed, prioritized schedule. For every
author, there are that many views on what type of calendar you should use. The importantissue here is for you to use any kind of calendar you feel comfortable with, and one that
will allow you to view a complete day on one page and enough room on that page to
write concise directions.
Before going on this journey into the realm of time management, take a few minutes andcomplete the "Study Behavior Inventory". Knowing where you are right now in your approach to your studying will enable you to design a workable schedule. This
assessment is just that, an assessment, not a test. You are simply to answer "yes" or "no,"
but your answers must be honest. This is for your benefit and no one else's. Once you
have finished, return to this page and continue with the next paragraph.
It's good to take a look at yourself once in a while!
How many questions did you answer yes? How many no? Research indicates that the
most effective and successful college students answer no to all 25 questions (Brown,
1977). It may be helpful as you think about your study behavior to review those itemsthat you answered yes. You might want to ask yourself how those particular behaviors
affect your study effectiveness. What does this have to do with "time management?" As
you probably noticed, there were a number of questions dealing with time, place, andamount of work accomplished. These are directly related to how you manage and spend
your time. If you are spending a lot of time accomplishing very little, maybe you are day-
dreaming too much, and not concentrating on the task at hand. If this is the case, you are
wasting time. Time is like money, once it's spent, it's gone, - you won't have any moreuntil next pay day, or in this case when the sun comes up. If you find you are not able to
get very far when studying, then maybe you are not allowing for enough time. So you
see, it is a combination of many aspects all of which revolve around time; the amount of time you spend, when you spend it, where you spend it, and how you spend it. Keep this
next statement in the for front of your mind: A procrastinator spends twice as much time
and energy accomplishing half as much as someone who organizes his/her time.
Does getting organized involve work? YES! What does it take to get organized? It takes
discipline, dedication, drive, determination, desire, practice, and a lot of patience and
consistency. These attributes are the elements of success that can neither be given to younor done for you by someone else. To become an efficient and effective manager of your
time, you need to become efficient and effective with the process. You have the ability to
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 7/55
perform all these attributes - you just need to DO IT!
Having your time and life organized is similar to organizing for a trip. Remember two people can take different roads and arrive at the same destination at approximately the
same time. The differences between the two trips are the scenery's, the road conditions,
and how fast they each had to drive to reach the same conclusion. Personally I prefer totake a well paved, smooth road, admiring fantastic scenery, and have planned well
enough in advance to take a leisurely trip. What kind of road are you traveling?
Listening To Take Good Notes:
Hearing is a spontaneous act. Listening, by contrast, is something you choose to do.
Listening requires you not only to hear what has been said but to understand as well.
Understanding requires three activities:
• dynamic listening;
• paying attention;
• concentration;
The best way to concentrate is to start with anticipation. Review your notes from the last
lecture and make sure you go to class having read the assigned material. Use this methodto cultivate a mindset that is needed for 100% concentration during a lecture.
Be a comprehensive listener! Comprehensive listening has to do with the feedback between speaker and listener. The speaker has an obligation to make his/her words
comprehensible to the listener. The listener, in turn, must let the speaker know when
he/she dose not understand. Both parties must make a conscious effort to accept their
individual responsibilities. You may think this is a 50/50 proposition, which in part it is;however, both parties must be willing to give a 100% for effective listening
comprehension to be achieved.
The best way for you to let the speaker know that you don't understand is to ask
questions. A surprising number of students are too embarrassed to ask questions. The
only dumb question is the one that goes unasked.
Twelve Guidelines to Effective Listening:
•Sit where the instructor will always see you, preferably in the front.
• Pay attention to content, not the lecturer's appearance or distracting habits. Judgethe material, not the delivery.
• Put aside emotional concerns. If you disagree with what is being said, hold your
judgement or fire until after class, then see the instructor.
• Find areas of interest; listen for ideas, not just facts, and words; put new ideas to
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 8/55
work during the lecture by using your imagination.
• Intend to get down a good written record of the lecture material; be a flexible note
taker.
• Listen for new rods and watch for signals of important information; listen for
examples the instructor provides to define or illustrate main ideas. Note theseexamples with "EX" in your notes or textbook.
• Read in advance about the topics to be discussed in class and relate them to
something you care about.
• Exercise your mind with challenging material; keep your mind open even if you
hear emotional words.
• Be prepared to ask questions in class. Use facial expressions to let the instructor
know that you don't understand an idea completely or you would like the
information repeated.
• Don't stop listening or taking notes during discussion periods or toward the end of
the lecture until the instructor concludes.
• Work at listening instead of pretending to listen.
• Resist external distractions such as someone coming in late to class, a pager goingoff, maintenance mowing the grass, other students talking.
Taking Good Notes:
Learning to take notes effectively will help you improve your study and work habits andto remember important information. Often, students are deceived into thinking that
because they understand everything that is said in class, they will therefore remember it.
As you take lecture notes and make notes from your textbook, you will develop the skills
of selecting important material and discarding unimportant material. The main secret todeveloping these skills is practice. Check your results constantly. Strive to improve.
Notes help you to retain important facts and data and to develop an accurate means of
recording and arranging necessary information.
Here are some hints on note making:
• Don't write down everything you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points. Concentrate on the "meat" of the subject and forget the trimmings.
• Notes should consist of key words or very short sentences. As a speaker gets
sidetracked, it is often possible to go back and add further information.
• Take accurate notes. You should use your own words, but try not to change the
meaning. If you quote directly from the author, quote correctly.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 9/55
• Think a minute about the material before you start making notes. Don't take notes
just to be taking notes! Take notes that will be of real value to you when youreview them at a later date.
• Have a uniform system for punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to
you. Use a skeleton outline that shows importance by indenting. Leave lots of white space for later additions.
• Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point.Condense your materials so you can grasp the main points rapidly.
• Don't worry about missing a point. Leave space and pick up the material youmissed at a later date, either through reading, questioning, common sense, or
looking at a classmate's notes.
• Don't keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one
place. A three-ringed or spiral notebook is preferred.
• Shortly after taking your lecture notes or making textbook notes, go back and edit(not copy) your notes by adding extra points, spelling out unclear items, etc.
Remember, we forget rapidly. Budget time for this vital step just as you do for the
class itself.
• Review your notes periodically; three types of review are daily, weekly, and a
major review just before a test. This is the only way to achieve lasting memory.
Lecture Notes:
There are many note-taking techniques available to help you become a more efficient
note-taker. The following are two very good examples. The first example deals withtaking good lecture notes and the second with textbook notes.
The notes you take in class are really a hand written textbook. In many instances, your
lecture notes are more practical, meaningful and more current than a textbook. If you
keep them neat, complete, and well organized they'll serve you splendidly. The CornellSystem of taking lecture notes is a prime example. The keystone of this system is a two-
column note sheet. Use 8 1/2 by 11 paper to create the note sheet. Down the left side,
draw a vertical line 2 1/2 inches from the edge of the paper. End this line 2 inches abovethe bottom of the paper. Draw a horizontal line across the bottom of the paper 2 inches
above the paper's edge. In the narrow (2 1/2") column on the left side, you will write cue
words or questions. In the wide (6") column on the right, you will write the lecture notes.In the space at the bottom of the sheet, you will summarize your notes. NOTE: You can
use this system if you use lined notebook paper too. Disregard the red vertical line and
make your own line 2 1/2" from the left edge of the paper. Refer to the Textbook StudyStrategies for a complete description and illustration of the Cornell System.
Textbook Notes:
The second example of efficient note taking deals specifically with taking textbook notes
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 10/55
and preparing for exams. The Soprano Study/Reading Technique involves six steps for
accomplishing this. This system, in contrast to the SQ4R system in the Study Skills
package, is another method for note taking. You should look at both methods carefully,try them both, and then decide which will work the best for you.
The six steps of the Soprano Technique are:• Read your textbook paragraph by paragraph without a pen or highlighter in hand.
• After you finish a paragraph, decide if any information in that paragraph is worth
highlighting or underlining. Ask yourself, "Is this really important? Does it
support and define the main topic?
• Pick up your highlighter or pen and highlight or underline the most important key
words or phrases of that information, or write "key words" notes in the margins.
• Then put a number in the margin of the text next to the highlighted or underlined
material. Use numbers in ascending order to note the importance of thehighlighted or underlined material.
• Put the same number and page on a separate sheet of paper in your notebook.
Then write out a question based on the information you have just highlighted or underlined in the textbook. Essentially the information you have just highlighted
or underlined in the text should answer your questions.
• Proceed with your study/reading of the text. Every time you decide to highlight or
underline text material, assign it a number in the margin of the textbook next to
the highlighted information. Put the same number in your notes and create aquestion about the information you have just highlighted or underlined.
The Cornell Notetaking System
Diagramed and Explained---- 2 1/2 inches ----
Reduce ideas and facts to
concise jottings and
summaries as cues for
Reciting, Reviewing, andReflecting.
(CUE COLUMN)
---- 6 1/2 inches ----
Record the lecture as fully and as meaningfully as possible.
(NOTETAKING COLUMN)
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 11/55
THE
CORNELL
NOTETAKING
SYSTEMRecord. In the
Notetaking
Column, record as
many meaningfulfacts and ideas as
you can. Use
telegraphic
sentences. but,make sure you
will be able togain full meaninglater. Write
legibly.
Reduce. After class,
summarize your
notes by writing in
single words andshort phrases in
the Cue Column.
Summarizingclarifies meanings,
reveals
relationships,establishes
continuity, and
strengthensmemory. Also,
this thinking and
writing of cues
sets up a perfectstage for studying
for exams later.
Recite. Cover the
Notetaking
Column with asheet of paper.
Then, looking at
the words and
phrases in the Cue
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 12/55
Summary. Leave
space at the bottom of each
sheet for a
summary.
Using Words and Phrases in Cue Column
IllustratedBiology 101 -- Prof. Fairbanks -- Sept 18th
Water affects weight A. Importance of water in controlling weight
- helps metabolize fat 1. Water helps body metabolize stored fat.
2. Studies show:
Increase water =
decrease fat
a. Increase water intake = fat deposits decrease
Decrease water =
increase fat
b. Decrease water intake = fat deposits increase
Kidney - liver
relationship
3. Why? Kidneys can't function at capacity w/o enough
water; so, some of the kidney's work is dumped on liver.
a. Liver's job is to metabolize fat.
b. If liver does kidney's work, too; can't complete its ownwork
c. So, liver metabolizes less fat, thus more fat is stored.
Water affects hunger d. If there's sufficient water; then liver & kidneys do their complete jobs. Furthermore, this leads to a natural loss of
hunger, which means the intake of fewer calories.
Daily = 2 qts 4. How much water
a. 2 qts every day = 8 large glasses (8 oz.)
Overweight = 1 extra
glass per 25 lbs.
b. If overweight, one additional glass for every 25 lbs of
excess weight.
Water keeps body'sfluids in perfect balance.
Water enables kidneys
to function at maximum
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 13/55
level; thus, freeing liver
to metabolize (burn)stored fat. To achieve
weight loss, drink 8
glasses (8 oz ones) of
water. More if alreadyoverweight.
How to Read and Study Medical TextsPREVIEW SELECTIONS. Since much of the information is probably unfamiliar,
previewing is essential to comprehension. Read the title, learning objectives,headings and subheadings (turn these into questions), summary, and the review
questions. Skim for main ideas, terminology, and important points. Skim all the
diagrams, charts, flow charts, and other graphics.
READ ACTIVELY AND CAREFULLY. Unlike other subject areas, you need to
read everything in medical material. Do not skip anything. Read with a pen and ahighlighter in your hand. Underline or highlight main ideas (only after reading the
paragraph); circle important words or phrases; draw boxes around the names or
persons or places that seem important; put a check mark in the margin next to anyimportant statement or opinion; use numbers to indicate chronology or a series;
use margins to write your own reactions; put a question mark in the margin when
you don't understand.
ASK QUESTIONS AS YOU READ and LOOK FOR ANSWERS. Remember the
questions at the end of the chapter or the questions you posed using the headings
and subheadings. Find these answers as you read. Constantly ask "Why?" "How"and "Under what conditions?" For each occurrence; be sure you understand how
and why it happens.
LEARN THE VOCABULARY AND NOTATION SYSTEM. Create a master file
for each course -- a list of new terminology and essential prefixes, roots, and
suffixes as well as the symbols, acronyms, signs, and characters that have become
standard abbreviations or notations. Make index cards, or use a separate part of your notebook, or make a computer file with a working list of the words and
symbols with their definitions.
TRANSLATE FORMULAS INTO WORDS. To be certain you understand a
formula, express it in your own words. Write it down in your notes.
ANALYZE THE THOUGHT PATTERN OF THE MATERIAL. The three most
commonly used thought patterns in medical text are cause and effect, process, and
problem-solution. Others important ones are classification, factual-statement, andexperiment-instruction patterns. Recognizing the transition words, or signal
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 14/55
words, help you identify which pattern of organization the author is using.
WRITE A SET OF NOTES FROM THE CHAPTER. Using your highlightedmain ideas and other markings, reduce the chapter to its most important
information. Use whatever system fits your learning style: the Cornell Notetaking
Method, concept mapping, or outlining.
REVIEW WITHIN 24 HOURS AND FREQUENTLY AFTER THAT.
Reference:
Adapted from "Now the Read Effectively in the Sciences"
How to Read Effectively in the Sciences
To read effectively in the sciences you need to:
explore your science textbook(s);
check the vocabulary;
analyze for comprehension; and
synthesize for understanding.
Explore Your Science Textbook(s)
Explore The Textbook: go over the course outline; the table of contents; and comparethe course outline with the table of contents. In addition, explore the Lab manual. Go
over the course outline or lab sheet; and go over the table of contents, and compare them.
This process helps you to develop a schema for how the material that will be covered in
your science course is organized. Knowledge of how your science texts are organized iskey to understanding the course, or course contents.
Explore Your Assignments: similar to other reading tasks you need to know what you'rerequired to learn. After the aforementioned process, read the introduction of your
assigned chapter and connect it with previous chapters or your prior knowledge of the
topic. It is important to read the headings, subheadings, summary, and review questions.
Remember that most science texts contain review questions; use them to guide youreadings.
Look Over: the pictures, tables, diagrams, photographs and the likes. Sometimes those
elements are easier to understand than the words.
Explore Your Lab Manual Assignments: pre-read lab directions before going to class;read the captions of diagrams; look to see if writing is involved; and check to see what
materials are needed. Try to see the connection between your class lectures and notes
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 15/55
with those of your lab assignments.
Check The Vocabulary
As For Vocabulary: learn basic scientific root, prefixes and suffixes; use glossary and
indexes; use context clues contain in the paragraphs; and as last resort, use dictionary or encyclopedia to understand and develop scientific concepts or vocabulary.
Analyze For Comprehension
Remember that scientific texts usually deal with writing patterns. Once you can recognize
and analyze them, your comprehension will increase.
The Classification Pattern: it is a pattern or writing procedure used by scientists to
group and sub-group various things, objects, or areas. For example, a scientist who wishto discuss the structure of a plant may break his topic into various subheadings as roots,
stems, leaves, or flowers. Even within these subheadings, the scientist may break down
the parts even further. Recognizing these structural parts in order of importance or position is essential to good comprehension and note taking.
The Process Description Pattern: this pattern is concerned with what the process is and
how the process works. You need to understand what the description pattern is about. Is itabout the process? or how the process works?
The Factual-Statement Pattern: facts are usually used in defining things, in comparingor contrasting things and citing examples or illustrations. In science, the word fact has a
more exacting meaning that other areas. Factual Statement refers to a statement which,
because of scientific observation and experimentation, defines something, or explains its
actions, and which, so far, has not been disproved.
The Problem-Solving Pattern: this pattern is usually found in passages from sciencetests which describe or recount past problems in science or discoveries in science made
through experimentation. When you're confronted with the problem solving pattern, use
the following questions to help you understand and analyze the passages. What is the
question or problem? How was the question answered? How do we know it wasanswered? In addition, application of these questions can help you to separate the major
and minor points.
Experiment-Instruction Pattern: to understand the experiment-instructions pattern and
to make sure that you follow the instructions exactly, use the following questions. What
is the purpose of the experiment? What equipment is needed? What, in order, are the basic steps involved? What are the results? Usually you must alternate between the
reading matter and the experimental tool, so have the questions firmly in mind before
attempting the experiment. In addition, use the questions when you have been given an
assignment from your lab manual.
The Combination Pattern: not all science texts follow one pattern. Sometimes the
writer may use a combination of patterns. For instance, a reading passage may begin with
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 16/55
factual statement of definition, move to classifying the components or parts of the term
being classified, and end up discussing a process. An awareness of all patterns is needed
in this case to aid in distinguishing the main ideas and supporting details in the various pattern used.
Synthesize For UnderstandingTaking Notes: is important for several reasons: (a) it helps you keep your mind on what
you are reading; (b) paying close attention as you read will result in longer retention if you connect it to what you already know; (c) good notes are helpful for review; and (d) if
you mark correctly, not only will you connect the author's ideas with your own, but you
will also have a record of your thoughts and reactions.
Marking Your Texts: use a pen marker, not a pencil (pencils will smear and fade away);
underline the main idea in a paragraph, circle important words or phrases, draw boxes
around the names or persons or places that seem important; put a check mark in themargin next to any important statement that is an opinion rather than a fact; underline
minor but important facts or statistics with broken lines; use numbers or letters in themargin to indicate chronology or a series of items; use margins to write in anything thatyou feel will be important to you in the future, as you read, questions can pop up in your
head [write those questions in the book so that you will remember to ask the instructor for
the answer]; use margins to write personal reactions to what is being said; and note pagenumbers where related subjects are discussed in the text, don't feel that you must use all
or any of these marks. Whatever marks you decide to use should make sense to you.
Writing Notes From Texts To Notebook: there is no right way to write out notes;
however, here are some guidelines: (1) always put down the title of the book, chapter,
date and number of pages being covered; (2) write the main ideas of the passages as your
major headings and list the minor ideas or facts under them; (3) let the writing pattern of the author help you write your notes, if he defines a term, be sure your notes contain a
good definition of the term, if she compares and/or contrasts, be sure you notes compares
and/or contrasts the ideas, If he/she is classifying, your notes should contain an outline;(4) make sure you avoid copying the exact wording used in the text [use your own
words]; and (5) make a list of words you don't know in order to look them up, and if
you're having problems with your notes because of vocabulary that is unfamiliar, look upthe words as you write your notes.
Before The Test: think of questions your professor may ask, if you're not sure, ask your
professor. Try writing a brief summary of commentary for each chapter you have studied.
Recite to yourself the important names, theories, dates, terms, and any relevantinformation connected with what you have been studying in class. Take time to define the
words in each chapter. Put together what you've learned from lectures, class, readings,and outside readings. Look over the last test you took to figure out the type of questions
you can expect and to recall the instructor's comments on that text.
During the Test: read the directions carefully before you mark in your answers. If the
directions are not clear, ask your professor to clarify them before you start. Make certain
that you understand the grading system. If some questions are worth more than others,
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 17/55
devote more time and effort to them. Keep track of the time. Explore all questions, then
begin with the ones you can answer most readily. Answering what you are sure of first
will help you bring out all that you know and remember. Save some time at the end of thetesting period (if you can) to fill in possible blanks and proofread your written response.
Write legibly, your professors usually don't have time to decode your scribbles.
Reading University Level Materials
Summary
Through "Reading University Level Materials" you have encountered a number of principles and strategies related to reading effectively at university. You have learned
about the importance of reading actively through setting reading goals, developing a
purpose for reading, using the Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review (SQ3R) strategy,
thinking critically and analytically about the notes and summaries you make from your various readings, and about reviewing and reciting in preparation for exams. As well, you
have read about the intentional use of question frames which prompt you to read andthink at a variety of levels, including: summary and definition, analysis, hypothesis, andcritical judgment. Throughout, I have tried to underscore the importance of reading with
a strategy that matches your purpose for reading, in a way that is "thinking intensive",
with the aim of assisting you in becoming an effective and efficient reader. Remember,no strategy can guarantee that readings will proceed without difficulty. As you continue
to apply these new-found strategies, endeavor to remain flexible in your approach to
reading and to always read with a view of improving your skills.
Be an active reader. Being an active reader means setting reading goals, having a
personal purpose for reading, developing an understanding of the organization of
the reading, reading selectively, reading to link key ideas to important details andwith a view to connecting ideas to a context, and reading thoughtfully and
critically.
Use a strategy. We have discussed a strategy that involves surveying, questioning,
reading, reciting and reviewing. If you choose not to subscribe to any particular
strategy, use the principles that underlie them: previewing for an overview,questioning, summarizing, recording ideas in key word form, reciting ideas,
reflecting about what was read, reviewing learning regularly.
Skimming and scanning processes have specialized applications for reading. The process of skimming is helpful for establishing general awareness about the
contents of a specific reading. Skimming the structural elements of a reading(headings, sub-headings, topic sentences etc.) is a common way to preview areading. The process of scanning is used to identify the organization of a reading
and then to locate specific information quickly and accurately. Finding a number
in a phone book is an example of scanning.
Record the ideas you find important. in your readings and reflect on and review
these regularly. Taking notes provides us with a fairly permanent, abbreviated
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 18/55
record to return to so that we can continue to process and think about the ideas we
have read. Reviewing these notes regularly helps to keep us thinking and helps
support our memory of the knowledge we have encountered.
Apply questions to what you read. Reading is a tool of thinking. Questioning at
various levels moves you to thinking at those various levels. When we ask onlythe most basic questions, we think only the most basic thoughts. When we
question at deeper levels, we think more deeply. The four levels of questions that
we discussed were (1) fundamental questions; (2) part-whole-connectionquestions; (3) hypothesis questions; (4) critical questions.
Anatomy of a Textbook
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 19/55
Study System
Before Reading
Stage 1 Preview
• Predict
• Question
• Activate Schema
• Establish Purpose
While Reading
Stage 2 Integrate Knowledge
• Predict
• Picture
•
Relate
• Monitor and Self-Test
• Correct
After Reading
Stage 3 Recall
• Review
• Select
• Relate
• Recite
• Organize
• React
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 20/55
Maximize Comprehension by Marking
Your TextsThe following ten suggestions will help you mark your textbooks so they will be of immediate
and lasting value to you. On the back of this page is an illustration of a section of a textbook that has been marked according to these recommendations.
Read first and then underline selectively. Make conscious decisions about what to
underline and limit the amount. Too much underlining is difficult to study later and often becomes a mechanical process that requires little thought. Read a
section of material first and then go back and underline only the words and
phrases that most accurately state what that chunk of material is mainly about.
Box transitions and number important ideas. Making transitions stand out in the
text helps you locate the ideas. When you box such words as first, for example,next or finally, you not only locate important ideas more easily, you also see how
they relate to each other.
Circle specialized vocabulary. Write brief meanings in the margin if you need to.You need to know these terms to understand the textbook and the instructor, and
take the exams.
Jot down main ideas in the margin. At the end of a paragraph, stop and ask
yourself, "What was most of that paragraph about?" Write the answer in as few
words as possible in the margin. This is an especially useful technique for short
dense assignments that are difficult to understand, such as those in philosophy, physics, or chemistry.
Label Examples (ex). When you encounter an example, determine what main idea -it
exemplifies and label it. It will help you understand the main idea when you study
later.
Write your own ideas, including connections with your other classes, in [square
brackets]. If you are reading actively, concentrating and understanding, you will
also be thinking. Jot down the ideas that occur to you either at the top or the bottom of the page and bracket them to indicate they are your own. Your recorded
ideas will make later study more interesting and will also provide ideas for class
discussions, papers, and exams.
Write questions as you read. Questions help you think, relate new material to what
you already know, and wonder about implications and applications. All these
mental activities help you learn the material in the first place and remember anduse it later.
Write brief summaries at the end of each section of material, and later; at the
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 21/55
end of chapters and the book. Use the white space throughout the book to write
summaries. Write them in brief phrases only. They should answer the questions
"What was this about? " and "What did the author say about it?" Summarize your own words as much as possible. Don't read and write at the same time, or you will
end up with too many notes.
Make outlines of obvious major ideas in the margins. Outlines are a visual
representation of ideas and their relation to each other. At times, obvious
transitions will make the ideas stand out. When you encounter such material,write brief outlines of the ideas in the margins.
Make maps. Outlines force you to isolate and organize important ideas so you can
visualize them and thereby understand and remember them. Writing ideas in mapform accomplishes the same thing. You can map major sections, chapters, or even
entire books. Experiment with summaries, outlines, and maps and decide which
work best for you.
SQ4R Study Formula
SURVEY
• Title & Introductory material or First Sentence
• Subheadings & First Sentence of each subsection
• Last paragraph or Summary
• Boldface print or italics
• Charts, maps, pictures, graphs
QUESTION
• Turn subheadings into questions
• Use questions in introduction or at the end
READ
•Read to answer the above questions
• Read to discover information not pre-questioned
RECORD
• Make marginal notes of reactions, ideas, details, numbering, question- marks, etc.
as you read.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 22/55
RECITE
• Answer the questions either orally or write a summary of the chapter or discuss
the material.
•Use your own words as much as possible.
• Check your answers with the text. Revise.
REFLECT
• Compare the new ideas with what you already know. Ask, "Upon what are these
new ideas and information based?" and "How can I use this?"
An Effective Textbook Study StrategyEveryone looks for ways to be more successful. American executives strive to compete
with aggressive foreign competitors, teachers seek ways to enrich student learning, andstudents, like you, search for ways to improve academic performance.
So, how can you, like a company president or a college professor, improve your chancesfor success? First, realize that whether your goal is to improve performance on a widget
production line or a sociology final exam, the basic blueprint can be the same: you plan
what you need to do; you implement your plan; you review how well you did. Then,
since goals such as zero defects or, in your case, understanding more of what you read,can't always be met the first time you complete your plan, you view reading as a cycle
instead of a one-shot activity.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 23/55
PLAN: Pre-
Reading
Strategies
Establish a good physicalenvironment
Relax and set a positiveattitude
Review instructions
Review lecture notes
Set your purposePreview the assignment
Organize your thoughts
Determine what you wantto know when you finish
reading
DO:
Reading
Strategie
s
Be actively
involved
Check your comprehension
as you read
Restate ideasin your own
words
Form mental
picturesCompare what
you are
reading towhat you
know
Answer thequestions you
developed
during pre-
readingFix-up your
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 24/55
comprehension
when neededDefine
unfamiliar
words
Keep problemon hold and
hope it will
clarify itself Re-read a
portion of the
textCompare
information
with notes or
another source
Ask someonefor help
REVIEW: Post-
Reading
Strategies
Consolidate and integrateinformation
Answer questions
Test yourself Participate in a study
group
Space review over timeDecide what else you need
to know
More About Effective Textbook Study
Plan. Prime your brain.
Establish a good environment. Place yourself in surroundings that help your ability to
concentrate and encourages good posture, and a ready-to-work attitude.
Relax and set a positive mental attitude. Set yourself up to be successful. Do your study-
reading when you are at your mental best. Have confidence in yourself; know that you
can read successfully and accomplish the goals you set.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 25/55
Review instructions. Check any comprehension guidelines you have been given such as
"read this in preparation for tomorrow's lecture," or "read to see how this author differs
from what I've said today," or "review all of the material we covered in preparation for the exam."
Review any lecture notes. Reread any notes you have on this topic looking for topics or ideas you need to clarify, words you need to define, or names and dates you need to fill-
in.
Set your purpose. Match the way you read to your purpose. For instance, reading for
enjoyment does not require the full understanding that reading to prepare for a
psychology lecture requires, and those demands are different from reading for a
chemistry exam. Clarify your purpose before you begin to read, and you're more likely to be successful and less likely to waste time.
Preview the assignment. To preview, *read the chapter objectives, -readheadings/subheadings, -read introductory and concluding paragraphs, -read boldface and
italic words and phrases, -highlight/ clarify unfamiliar vocabulary, -examine graphics,and -review end-of-chapter summaries and questions. Take advantage of anything thatwill help you understand the organization and core ideas.
Organize your thoughts. Based on the chapter objectives and headings/ subheadings, jot
down the major topics you are going to be reading about. Then, write a few words aboutwhat you know on each of the topics.
Clarify what you want to know when you finish reading. If you don't read to find outsomething 'specific, you probably won't. One way to read for something specific is to
phrase the chapter's objectives or headings/subheading as questions and then read to
answer those questions.
Do. Be active. Think.
Restate ideas in your own words. At the end of a sentence or paragraph, rephrase the idea
in your own words.
Form mental pictures. Stop and build a mental picture of what the author is saying.
Compare what you are reading to what you know. Ask how does new information fitswith what I know? Does it reinforce, contradict, or add new information?
Answer questions. Connect what you are reading to questions you need to answer.
If you don't understand what you are reading, use one of these fix-up
strategies to get back on track:
Define unfamiliar words. Understand the words the author uses. Check the context,
glossary, lecture notes, a dictionary or ask someone.
Use chapter objectives and headings/subheadings. Reread objectives and
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 26/55
headings/subheadings for the unclear passage for ideas or concepts that help you to
understand.
Review related graphics. Reread any graphic and its explanation to see if it clarifies the
text information.
Reread a portion. Try reading the sentence or paragraph again with the specific goal of clarifying your question.
Keep the problem on hold and hope it will clarify itself. If the problem is just one
sentence or paragraph, you can mark it and continue reading. It's possible the next
sentence or paragraph will help you.
Compare information with notes or another source. Find and read about the topic or idea
in another book to see if a different approach helps your understanding.
Ask someone. When you've clarified the vocabulary; reread the objectives,
headings/subheadings, graphics, and unclear passages; reviewed other information you
have and you still don't understand what you need to, ask someone for help.
Review. For perspective & memory.
Reread thoughts you've organized and questions you've answered during reading. Make
use of the work you did during your planning and reading.
Answer questions. Write out or talk through the answers to the questions you set out in
your plan.
Consolidate and integrate information. Combine your knowledge, what you've gained
from reading and your lecture notes to form one coherent picture.
Participate in a study group. Join a group of classmates to talk about what you have read.
Try reviewing concepts with one another, sharing notes, and taking practice tests.
Test yourself. Make up a test on the material or have a classmate make one up and test
yourself. Make a set of Question-Answer flash cards for a convenient carry-along reviewtool by writing the question on one side of a 3x5 card and the answer on the reverse side.
Continue the cycle
Occasionally, on small assignments or familiar material, you will achieve your reading
comprehension goals at the end of one plan >> do >> review cycle. On the other hand,
when you're reviewing; don't be surprised to discover gaps in your knowledge. When youdo, just develop a new plan that will help you fill in the gaps. Reread the portion of the
assignment you need to get the information and then review, making sure to integrate the
new information with what you already have.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 27/55
Clues to Finding the Main Idea in
Textbooks and ArticlesTitles, heads, and subheads. These announce major subjects and ideas in boldface
type.
Purpose sentence. Look for a sentence in the first paragraphs of a book, chapter, or article that states what the rest of the text will be about.
Pre-outline. Look for sentences listing the ideas that will be developed in the coming
paragraphs.
Topic Sentence. Recognize the sentences in paragraphs and sections of material that
state the subject and focus of the rest of the discussion.
Italics. Sometimes main ideas appear in italics as well as boldface type to make them
stand out from the rest of the text.
Repetition. Repetition of a key word or idea throughout a text is a signal that it is a
major topic in the discussion.
Questions. Questions invite readers to look for answers, and the answer is often one
of the major ideas being developed.
Numbering. Ideas that are numbered are important. Either write them or make them
into a mental list and put a label or title at the top.
Visuals. Pictures, graphs, diagrams, figures, and other materials are often used to
highlight and emphasize main ideas. Study them carefully.
Details. The use of examples, statistics, and other details always signals a main idea
is being clarified, proved, or developed. Look back or ahead and discover the
idea.
Organizational Patterns. The major parts of the pattern, such as the topics, the
divisions in time, the two objects being compared, the cause and the effect, or the
problem and the solution are the main ideas. Recognize the pattern and look for the ideas.
Summary. Summaries restate the main ideas in brief form.
Taking Lecture Notes: The Cornell
Method---- 2 1/2 inches ---- ---- 6 1/2 inches ----
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 28/55
Reduce ideas to concise
jottings and summaries ascues for reciting Record the lecture as fully and as meaningfully as possible.
Cornell Method This sheet demonstrates the Cornell method of taking
classroom notes. It is recommended by experts from theLearning Center at Cornell University.
Line drawn down paper You should draw a line down your note page about 2 1/2
inches from the left side. On the right side of the line simplyrecord your classroom notes as you usually do. Record on one
side of page only and write legibly.
After the lecture After the lecture you should read the notes, use your textbook to fill in any information you missed and underline important
information. Mark any items that are unclear. Ask another
classmate for their notes.
Use the Recall ColumnKey Phrases
The recall column on the left will help you when you study for your tests. Jot down any important words or key phrases in the
recall column. This activity forces you to rethink and
summarize your notes. The key words should stick in your
mind.
Five R's The Five R's will help you take better notes based on the
Cornell Method:
Record 1. Record any information given during the lecture that you believe will be important.
Reduce 2. When you reduce your information you are summarizing
and listing key words/phrases in the recall column.
Recite 3. Cover the notes you took for your class. Test yourself on thewords in the recall section. This is what we mean by recite, say
the words out loud. This multi-sensory approach will improve
your recall.
Reflect 4. You should reflect on the information you received during
the lecture. Determine how your ideas fit in with the
information.
Review If you review your notes within 24 hours, you will remember agreat deal more when you take your test.
Notebook & Paper Remember it is a good idea to keep your notes in a 3-ringnotebook. Also you should use only full-sized paper. You will
be able to add handout materials easily to your notebook.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 29/55
Hints Abbreviations and symbols should be used when possible.
Abbrev. & sym. give you time when used auto.
Summary Record a brief summary in your own words at the bottom of
the page within 24 hours of the lecture. This gives you the
opportunity to check your overall comprehension andstrengthen memory.
How to Read Effectively in the SciencesTo read effectively in the sciences you need to:
explore your science textbook(s);
check the vocabulary;
analyze for comprehension; and
synthesize for understanding.
Explore Your Science Textbook(s)
Explore The Textbook: go over the course outline; the table of contents; and comparethe course outline with the table of contents. In addition, explore the Lab manual. Go
over the course outline or lab sheet; and go over the table of contents, and compare them.
This process helps you to develop a schema for how the material that will be covered in
your science course is organized. Knowledge of how your science texts are organized iskey to understanding the course, or course contents.
Explore Your Assignments: similar to other reading tasks you need to know what you'rerequired to learn. After the aforementioned process, read the introduction of your
assigned chapter and connect it with previous chapters or your prior knowledge of the
topic. It is important to read the headings, subheadings, summary, and review questions.Remember that most science texts contain review questions; use them to guide you
readings.
Look Over: the pictures, tables, diagrams, photographs and the likes. Sometimes those
elements are easier to understand than the words.
Explore Your Lab Manual Assignments: pre-read lab directions before going to class;read the captions of diagrams; look to see if writing is involved; and check to see what
materials are needed. Try to see the connection between your class lectures and notes
with those of your lab assignments.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 30/55
Check The Vocabulary
As For Vocabulary: learn basic scientific root, prefixes and suffixes; use glossary and
indexes; use context clues contain in the paragraphs; and as last resort, use dictionary or
encyclopedia to understand and develop scientific concepts or vocabulary.
Analyze For Comprehension
Remember that scientific texts usually deal with writing patterns. Once you can recognize
and analyze them, your comprehension will increase.
The Classification Pattern: it is a pattern or writing procedure used by scientists togroup and sub-group various things, objects, or areas. For example, a scientist who wish
to discuss the structure of a plant may break his topic into various subheadings as roots,
stems, leaves, or flowers. Even within these subheadings, the scientist may break downthe parts even further. Recognizing these structural parts in order of importance or
position is essential to good comprehension and note taking.
The Process Description Pattern: this pattern is concerned with what the process is and
how the process works. You need to understand what the description pattern is about. Is it
about the process? or how the process works?
The Factual-Statement Pattern: facts are usually used in defining things, in comparing
or contrasting things and citing examples or illustrations. In science, the word fact has a
more exacting meaning that other areas. Factual Statement refers to a statement which, because of scientific observation and experimentation, defines something, or explains its
actions, and which, so far, has not been disproved.
The Problem-Solving Pattern: this pattern is usually found in passages from sciencetests which describe or recount past problems in science or discoveries in science made
through experimentation. When you're confronted with the problem solving pattern, usethe following questions to help you understand and analyze the passages. What is the
question or problem? How was the question answered? How do we know it was
answered? In addition, application of these questions can help you to separate the major
and minor points.
Experiment-Instruction Pattern: to understand the experiment-instructions pattern and
to make sure that you follow the instructions exactly, use the following questions. Whatis the purpose of the experiment? What equipment is needed? What, in order, are the
basic steps involved? What are the results? Usually you must alternate between the
reading matter and the experimental tool, so have the questions firmly in mind beforeattempting the experiment. In addition, use the questions when you have been given an
assignment from your lab manual.
The Combination Pattern: not all science texts follow one pattern. Sometimes thewriter may use a combination of patterns. For instance, a reading passage may begin with
factual statement of definition, move to classifying the components or parts of the term
being classified, and end up discussing a process. An awareness of all patterns is needed
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 31/55
in this case to aid in distinguishing the main ideas and supporting details in the various
pattern used.
Synthesize For Understanding
Taking Notes: is important for several reasons: (a) it helps you keep your mind on whatyou are reading; (b) paying close attention as you read will result in longer retention if
you connect it to what you already know; (c) good notes are helpful for review; and (d) if
you mark correctly, not only will you connect the author's ideas with your own, but youwill also have a record of your thoughts and reactions.
Marking Your Texts: use a pen marker, not a pencil (pencils will smear and fade away);underline the main idea in a paragraph, circle important words or phrases, draw boxes
around the names or persons or places that seem important; put a check mark in the
margin next to any important statement that is an opinion rather than a fact; underline
minor but important facts or statistics with broken lines; use numbers or letters in themargin to indicate chronology or a series of items; use margins to write in anything that
you feel will be important to you in the future, as you read, questions can pop up in your head [write those questions in the book so that you will remember to ask the instructor for the answer]; use margins to write personal reactions to what is being said; and note page
numbers where related subjects are discussed in the text, don't feel that you must use all
or any of these marks. Whatever marks you decide to use should make sense to you.
Writing Notes From Texts To Notebook: there is no right way to write out notes;
however, here are some guidelines: (1) always put down the title of the book, chapter,date and number of pages being covered; (2) write the main ideas of the passages as your
major headings and list the minor ideas or facts under them; (3) let the writing pattern of
the author help you write your notes, if he defines a term, be sure your notes contain a
good definition of the term, if she compares and/or contrasts, be sure you notes comparesand/or contrasts the ideas, If he/she is classifying, your notes should contain an outline;
(4) make sure you avoid copying the exact wording used in the text [use your own
words]; and (5) make a list of words you don't know in order to look them up, and if you're having problems with your notes because of vocabulary that is unfamiliar, look up
the words as you write your notes.
Before The Test: think of questions your professor may ask, if you're not sure, ask your
professor. Try writing a brief summary of commentary for each chapter you have studied.
Recite to yourself the important names, theories, dates, terms, and any relevant
information connected with what you have been studying in class. Take time to define the
words in each chapter. Put together what you've learned from lectures, class, readings,and outside readings. Look over the last test you took to figure out the type of questions
you can expect and to recall the instructor's comments on that text.
During the Test: read the directions carefully before you mark in your answers. If the
directions are not clear, ask your professor to clarify them before you start. Make certainthat you understand the grading system. If some questions are worth more than others,
devote more time and effort to them. Keep track of the time. Explore all questions, then
begin with the ones you can answer most readily. Answering what you are sure of first
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 32/55
will help you bring out all that you know and remember. Save some time at the end of the
testing period (if you can) to fill in possible blanks and proofread your written response.
Write legibly, your professors usually don't have time to decode your scribbles.
Memory Tips and Test Taking Strategies
Knowing More & Remembering it Longer
Remembering Strategies
Select
• Select what you want to remember.
• Ask the teacher
• Examine your class notes
• Read the text assignments
• Study the handouts
Remember
• Choose your techniques that will help you remember.
• Visualize
• Associate
• Apply
• Repeat
• Use mnemonic devices
Review, Read, Recite, Rewrite
• Use these techniques to keep what you want to remember in your memory.
Using Mnemonic Devices to Remember Information
• Rhyme. A rhyme is a poem or verse that uses words that end with the same
sound. Example: Thirty days has September, April, June, and November. All the
rest have thirty-one except February which has twenty-eight.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 33/55
• Acronym. An acronym is a word that can be pronounced that is made by using
the first letter of other words. Example: The names of the five Great Lakes in theU.S. form the acronym HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).
• Abbreviation. An abbreviation is a group of letters made from the first letter of
each word to be remembered. Example: FBI is an abbreviation for the FederalBureau of Investigation.
• Acrostic. An acrostic sentence or phrase is formed by words beginning with thefirst letter of each word to be remembered. Example: The phrase very active cat
might be used to recall the three typed of blood vessels in the human body: veins,
arteries, capillaries.
• Pegwords. A pegword is a word that helps you remember something by forming
a picture in your mind. Pegwords are used to remember lists of things. Each
pegword helps you remember one thing. If you memorize 10 pegwords, then youcan use them to remember 10 things. If you memorize 20 pegwords, you can
remember 20 things.
Using Repetition to Remember Information
• You have probably used repetition many times without realizing it. Anytime youhave read, said, or written something a number of times to remember it, you have
used repetition. A good way to remember information when using repetition is to
read, say, and write what you want to remember. For example, if you need toremember a list of words and their definitions, here is how to use repetition to do
this:
•
Read aloud the word and its definition. If you need to, use a dictionary tohelp you pronounce a word.
• With your eyes closed, say the word and its definition.
• Without looking at the word, write the word and its definition.
• Repeat the steps until you can write the word and its definition from
memory three times without an error.
• Do this for each word on the list.
Four Ways to Forget• Disuse. Information not periodically used withers and disappears. Do you
remember all of your previous telephone numbers?
• Interference. It is easy to confuse materials that are similar and related. When
confused, we are more likely to forget which is which. Learning two similar foreign languages at the same time may present some problems.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 34/55
• Repression. We have very strong systems of belief. Sometimes what we learn
doesn't fit with what we believe. When in conflict, odds are our beliefs will win.Believing that we are no good at remembering names will make it all that much
more difficult to learn new names.
•
Not learning it in the first place. This is probably the number one culprit inforgetting. Even if we've been exposed to something, unless we solidify the
learning we are not likely to remember it.
TEST TAKING STRATEGIES
Taking Objective Tests
If you are taking an objective test (multiple-choice, true/false, or comparable type), you
will probably achieve your best results by following this procedure:
Read an item through quickly, with high concentration, and answer on the basis of
your first impression.
Then re-read the item, asking yourself what it really means and expressing its thoughtin your own words.
Ask yourself if your original answer still appears correct in light of your closeanalysis of the item, but do not change your answer because of a mere doubt.
Always keep in mind that your instructor is not attempting to trick you in thequestions. They are designed to measure your knowledge of a subject, not your
ingenuity in solving verbal puzzles. So don't out-smart yourself looking for devious, tricky interpretations and ignoring the obvious, straightforward meaning.
Essay Tests
In taking a test where you are to write answers in your own words, observe theseguidelines:
Read the question carefully. Then re-read it and express its meaning in your ownwords. Check each word in the question to be sure that your interpretation omitted
nothing important. To give a satisfactory answer to a question, you have to
correctly understand what the question is asking.
Answer the questions you know first. This way you will be sure not to use all your
time puzzling over questions you do not know the answers to, and then run short
of time for writing answers you know well.
Outline your answer on a piece of scratch paper before starting to write it in full. In
this way you can organize your thoughts and check your answer against thequestion for possible omissions. Writing from your outline, you can present what
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 35/55
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 36/55
• A question you can't answer can be skipped, often another question will trigger
your memory or provide that elusive answer.
• Answer all questions.
• Save a few minutes at the end to go back over questions you skipped, to review
your answers and look for careless mistakes.
Uses of Critical ThinkingCritical thinking underlies reading, writing, speaking, and listening. These are the C basicelements of communication. Critical thinking also plays an important part in social
change. Consider that the institutions in any society - courts, governments, schools,
businesses - are the products of a certain way of thinking.
Any organization draws its life from certain assumptions about the way things should be
done. Before the institution can change, those assumptions need to be loosened up or
reinvented.Critical thinking also helps us uncover bias and prejudice. This is a first step toward
communicating with people of other races and cultures.
Critical thinking is a path to freedom from half-truths and deception. You have the right
to question what you see, hear, and read. Acquiring this ability is one of the major goals
of a liberal education.
Skilled students are thorough thinkers. They distinguish between opinion and fact. Theyask powerful questions. They make detailed observations. They uncover assumptions anddefine their terms. They make assertions carefully, basing them on sound logic and solid
evidence. Almost everything that we call knowledge is a result of these activities. This
means that critical thinking and learning are intimately linked.
Practice your right to question!
Critically Evaluating the Logic and
Validity of InformationMany articles and essays are not written to present information clearly and directly;
instead they may be written to persuade you to accept a particular viewpoint, to offer an,
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 37/55
opinion, to argue for one side of a controversial issue. Consequently, one must recognize
and separate factual information from subjective content.
Subjective content is any material that involves judgment, feeling, opinion, intuition, or
emotion rather than factual information. Recognizing and evaluating subjective content
involves distinguishing between facts and opinions, identifying generalizations,evaluating viewpoints, understanding theories and hypotheses, weighing data and
evidence, and being alert to bias.
Evaluating Various Types of Statements
Distinguishing between Facts and Opinions
Facts are statements that can be verified or proven to be true or false. Factual statements
from reliable sources can be accepted and used in drawing conclusions, buildingarguments, and supporting ideas.
Opinions are statements that express feelings, attitudes, or beliefs and are neither true nor false. Opinions must be considered as one person's point of view that you are free toaccept or reject. With the exception of informed ones, opinions have little use as
supporting evidence, but they are useful in shaping and evaluating your own thinking.
* Informed opinion or testimony - the opinion of an expert or authority
Recognizing Generalizations:
A generalization is a statement made about a large group or class of items based on
observation or experience with a portion of that group or class. It is a reasoned statementabout an entire group based on known information about part of the group. It involves a
leap from observed evidence to a conclusion which is logical, but unproven. Becausewriters do not always have the space to describe all available evidence on a topic, they
often draw the evidence together themselves and make a general statement of what itshows. But generalizations need to be followed by evidence that supports their accuracy,
otherwise the generalization is unsupported and unusable. A generalization is usable
when these two conditions exist:
Your experiences are sufficient in number to merit a generalization.
You have sampled or experienced enough different situations to draw a
generalization.
Testing Hypotheses:
A hypothesis is a-statement that is based on available evidence which explains an event
or set of circumstances. Hypotheses are simply plausible explanations. They are alwaysopen to dispute or refutation, usually by the addition of further information. Or, their
plausibility may be enhanced by the addition of further information. Critical thinking and
reading requires one to assess the plausibility of each hypothesis. This is a two-part process. First, one must evaluate the evidence provided. Then one must search for
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 38/55
information, reasons, or evidence that suggests the truth or falsity of the hypothesis. Ask
questions such as:
Does the hypothesis account for all known information about the situation?
Is it realistic, within the realm of possibility and probability?
Is it simple, or less complicated than its alternatives? (Usually, unless a complex
hypothesis can account for information not accounted for by a simple hypothesis,the simple one has greater likelihood of being correct.)
What assumptions were made? Are they valid?
Weighing the Adequacy of Data and Evidence:
Many writers who express their ideas use evidence or data to supporttheir ideas. One must weigh and evaluate the quality of this evidence; one must look
behind the available evidence and assess its type and adequacy. Types of evidence
include:
• Personal experience or observation
• Statistical data
• Examples, particular events, or situations that illustrate
• Analogies (comparisons with similar situations)
• Informed opinion (the opinions of experts and authorities)
• Historical documentation
• Experimental evidence
Each type of evidence must be weighed in relation to the statement it supports. Evidence
should directly, clearly, and indisputable support the case or issue in question.
Evaluating Persuasive Material
While the main purpose of textbooks is to explain and present information that can be
accepted as reliable, other sources may have very different purposes. Some materials areintended to convince or persuade rather than to inform, and these sources need to be
carefully and critically evaluated. Persuasive writers use both language and logicalargument to exert influence.
Recognizing Persuasive Language
A writer's or speaker's choice of facts and the language used to convey them may
influence the reader's or listener's response. Careful choice of details to describe an event
shapes a reader's perception of the incident. Selective reporting of details is known as
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 39/55
slanted writing. Careful choice of words allows one to hint, insinuate, or suggest ideas
without directly stating them. Through deliberate choice of words one can create positive
or negative responses. This is often accomplished through manipulation of theconnotative meanings.
Identifying Biased and Slanted Writing:
Bias is when a statement reflects a partiality, preference, or prejudice for or against a
person, object, or idea. Much of what you read and hear expresses a bias. As you read biased material keep two questions in mind:
What facts has the author omitted?
What additional information is necessary?
Slanting is when a writer or speaker uses a selection of facts, choice of words, and thequality and tone of description, to convey a particular feeling or attitude. Its purpose is to
convey a certain attitude or point of view toward the subject without expressing it
explicitly. As you read or listen to slanted materials, keep the following questions inmind:
What facts were omitted? What additional facts are needed?
What words create positive or negative impressions?
What impression would I have if different words had been used?
Evaluating Arguments
An argument is a logical arrangement and presentation of ideas. It is reasoned analysis, a
tightly developed line of reasoning that leads to the establishment of an end result or conclusion. Arguments are usually developed to persuade one to accept a position or point
of view. An argument gives reasons that lead to a conclusion. Analyzing arguments is a
complex and detailed process. The following guidelines are useful:
Analyze the argument by simplifying it and reducing it to a list of statements.
Are the terms used clearly defined and consistently applied?
Is the thesis (the point to be made) clearly and directly stated?
Are facts provided as evidence? If so, are they verifiable?
Is the reasoning sound? (Does one point follow from another?)
Are counterarguments recognized and refuted or addressed?
What persuasive devices or propaganda techniques does the author use (examples:
appeal to emotions, name-calling, appeal to authority)?
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 40/55
Asking Critical Questions
• What is the source of the material? Some sources are much more reliable and
trustworthy than others; knowledge of the source will help you judge the
accuracy, correctness, and soundness of the material. Articles from professional
or scholarly journals are often more useful and reliable than articles in newsstand periodicals. To evaluate a source consider:
• its reputation
• the audience for whom the source is intended
• whether references or documentation are provided
• What are the Author's Credentials? You must assess whether the material you arereading is written by an expert in the field who can knowledgeably and accurately
discuss the topic.
• Why was the Material Written? Identify an author's primary purpose. If the
author's purpose is to persuade or convince you to accept a particular viewpoint
then you will need to evaluate the reasoning and evidence presented.
• Is the Author Biased? Does the author display partiality, preference, or prejudice
for or against a person, object, or idea?
• Does the Author Make Assumptions? An assumption is an idea or principle the
writer accepts as true and makes no effort to prove or substantiate.
• Does the Author Present an Argument? An argument is a logical arrangement and
presentation of ideas. It is reasoned analysis, a tightly developed line of reasoningthat leads to the establishment of an end result or conclusion.
Appreciate the Complexities Involved
in Decision-Making & Problem Solving
• Develop evidence to support views
• Analyze situations carefully
• Discuss subjects in an organized way
• Predict the consequences of actions
• Weigh alternatives
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 41/55
• Generate and organize ideas
• Form and apply concepts
• Design systematic plans of action
A 5 Step Problem Solving Strategy
Specify the problem - a first step to
solving a problem is to identify it as specifically as possible. It involves
evaluating the present state and determining how it differs from the goal state.
Analyze the problem - analyzing the problem involves learning as much as you can
about it. It may be necessary to look beyond the obvious, surface situation, to
stretch your imagination and reach for more creative options.
• seek other perspectives
• be flexible in your analysis
• consider various strands of impact
• brainstorm about all possibilities and implications
• research problems for which you lack complete information. Get help.
Formulate possible solutions - identify a wide range of possible solutions.
• try to think of all possible solutions
• be creative
• consider similar problems and how you have solved them
Evaluate possible solutions - weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each
solution. Think through each solution and consider how, when, and where you
could accomplish each. Consider both immediate and long-term results. Mappingyour solutions can be helpful at this stage.
Choose a solution - consider 3 factors:
• compatibility with your priorities • amount of risk
• practicality
Keys to Problem Solving
• Think aloud - problem solving is a cognitive, mental process. Thinking aloud or
talking yourself through the steps of problem solving is useful. Hearing yourself
think can facilitate the process.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 42/55
• Allow time for ideas to "gel" or consolidate. If time permits, give yourself time
for solutions to develop. Distance from a problem can allow you to clear your mind and get a new perspective.
• Talk about the problem - describing the problem to someone else and talking
about it can often make a problem become more clear and defined so that a newsolution will surface.
Decision Making Strategies
Decision making is a process of identifying and evaluating choices. We make numerous
decisions every day and our decisions may range from routine, every-day types of decisions to those decisions which will have far reaching impacts. The types of decisions
we make are routine, impulsive, and reasoned. Deciding what to eat for breakfast is a
routine decision; deciding to do or buy something at the last minute is considered animpulsive decision; and choosing your college major is, hopefully, a reasoned decision.
College coursework often requires you to make the latter, or reasoned decisions.
Decision making has much in common with problem solving. In problem solving youidentify and evaluate solution paths; in decision making you make a similar discovery
and evaluation of alternatives. The crux of decision making, then, is the careful
identification and evaluation of alternatives. As you weigh alternatives, use the followingsuggestions:
• Consider the outcome each is likely to produce, in both the short term and thelong term.
• Compare alternatives based on how easily you can accomplish each.
• Evaluate possible negative side effects each may produce.
• Consider the risk involved in each.
• Be creative, original; don't eliminate alternatives because you have not heard or used them before.
An important part of decision making is to predict both short-term and long-termoutcomes for each alternative. You may find that while an alternative seems most
desirable at the present, it may pose problems or complications over a longer time period.
Being a Responsible Critical Thinker
and Collaborating with Others
• Construct and evaluate arguments
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 43/55
• Furnish support for one's beliefs
• Assume responsibility for one's actions
• Collaborate with the members of a group
• Share obligations
• Listen and communicate with others
In the settings of college, the workplace, and the community the ability to work with
other people in group projects is an increasingly important skill to develop. As adults, weare often required to be able to critically read and evaluate written and oral
communication, as well as to communicate our own ideas in a respectful and effective
manner. However, collaborating with other people can be a difficult task, especially if one is unaware of effective communication skills. Following are some suggestions for
developing those skills needed to be an effective critical thinker and collaborator.
• When evaluating information and arguments, be wary of biased and slantedlanguage but keep an open mind to the ideas and opinions of others. Too often we
close our minds when faced with opinions or information with which we don't
agree. Practice being a critical but open-minded listener. Use patience and respectwhile listening to others' ideas.
• As a critical thinker you should critically evaluate the arguments of others, butthis also means you have the responsibility of constructing your own arguments
so they are unbiased and supported with credible evidence. It is good to have
beliefs, but remember to support your opinions.
• Another responsibility one has as a critical thinker is to take responsibility for one's actions. Everyone makes mistakes and it is a responsible person who
acknowledges his/her error and learns from it. A person who acceptsresponsibility for her/his arguments and actions builds integrity in the eyes of
others, and a person with integrity is often respected and listened to.
• Finally, group collaboration requires a commitment to shared obligations. For
group work to be effective all members must contribute equally to the problem
task. Successful teamwork entails full participation by all members and not just adedicated few.
The qualities of a critical thinker are truth-seeking, open-minded, analytical, systematic,self-confident, inquisitive, and mature.
Common Word RootsRoot Meaning Example Definition
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 44/55
agri field agronomy field-crop production and soil management
anthropo man anthropology the study of man
astro star astronaut one who travels in interplanetary space
bio life biology the study of life
cardio heart cardiac pertaining to the heart
cede go precede to go before
chromo color chromatology the science of colors
demos people democracy government by the people
derma skin epidermis the outer layer of skin
dyna power dynamic characterized by power and energy
geo earth geology the study of the earth
helio sun heliotrope any plant that turns toward the sun
hydro water hydroponics growing of plants in water reinforced with nutrients
hypno sleep hypnosis a state of sleep induced by suggestion
ject throw eject to throw out
magni great, big magnify to enlarge, to make bigger
man(u) hand manuscript written by hand
mono one monoplane airplane with one wing
ortho straight orthodox right, true, straight opinion
pod foot pseudopod false foot
psycho mind psychology study of the mind in any of its aspects
pyro fire pyrometer an instrument for measuring temperatures
script write manuscript hand written
terra earth terrace a raised platform of earth
thermo heat thermometer instrument for measuring heat
zoo animal zoology the study of animals
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 45/55
Common Prefixes
ante- before antebellum before the war
anti- against antifreeze liquid used to guard against freezing
auto- self automatic self-acting or self-regulating
bene- good benefit an act of kindness; a gift
circum- around circumscribe to draw a line around; to encircle
contra- against contradict to speak against
de- reverse, remove defoliate remove the leaves from a tree
dis- apart dislocate to unlodge
dys- bad dysfunctional not functioning
ecto- outside ectoparasite parasite living on the exterior of animals
endo- within endogamy marriage within the tribe
ex- out excavate to dig out
equi- equal equidistant equal distance
extra- beyond extraterrestrial beyond the earth
hyper- over hypertension high blood pressure
hypo- under hypotension low blood pressure
in- in interim in between
inter- between intervene come between
intra- within intramural within bounds of a school
intro- in, into introspect to look within, as one's own mind
macro- large macroscopic large enough to be observed by the naked eye
mal- bad maladjusted badly adjusted
micro- small microscopic so small that one needs a microscope to observe
multi- many multimillionaire one having two or more million dollars
neo- new neolithic new stone age
non- not nonconformist one who does not conform
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 46/55
pan- all pantheon a temple dedicated to all gods
poly- many polygonal having many sides
post- after postgraduate after graduating
pre- before precede to go before
pro- for proponent a supporter
proto- first prototype first or original model
pseudo- false pseudonym false name; esp., an author's pen-name
re-, red- back again rejuvenate to make young
re-, red- together reconnect to put together again
retro- backward retrospect a looking back on things
semi- half semicircle half a circle
sub- under submerge to put under water
super- above superfine extra fine
tele- far telescope seeing or viewing afar
trans- across transalpine across the Alps
Number prefixes
uni- one tetra- four oct- eight
mono- one quint- five nov- nine
bi- two pent- five dec- ten
duo- two sex- six lat- side
di- two hex- six ped- foot
tri- three sept- seven pod- foot
quad- four hept- seven
Math & Science Affixes and Roots
Root or Affix Example
aqua (water) aquarium
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 47/55
hydro (water) hydroplane
hemi (half) hemisphere
semi (half) semicircle
equi (equal) equivalent
tele (far off) telescope
micro (small) microfilm
onomy (science of) astronomy
ology (study of) geology
uni (one) universe
bi (two) bicycle
tri (three) triangle
octa (eight) octagon
dec (ten) decade
centi (hundred) centimeter
milli (thousand) millimeter
bio (life) biology
astro (star) astronaut
thermo (heat) thermodynamic
meter (measure) diameter
ped (foot) pedestrian
pod (foot) tripod
Prefixes that mean "no": a- de- dis-, in- non- un-,
contraExamples: disqualify, nondescript, unscrupulous, contradict, inadvertent
Prefix Meaning Examples
a-, an- without, not asexual, atypical, amoral, anarchy
de- reverse action, away defrost, demystify, desensitize, deduct
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 48/55
dis-, dif-, di- not, apart dissatisfied, disorganized, different, divert
in-, il-, it-, im- not inappropriate, invisible, illegal, impossible
non- not nonproductive, nonessential, nonsense
un- not unlikely, unnoticeable, unreliable
contra-, counter- against contrary, contradict, counterproductive
Prefixes that indicate "when," "where," or "more":
pre-, post-, ante-, inter-, infra-, traps-, sub-, circum-,
ultra
Examples: premature, postscript, anteroom, intervene, transformation
Prefix Meaning Examples pre-, pro- before pre-dinner, preliminary, previous, prologue
post- after postwar, postoperative, postpone
ante- before antecedent, antechamber
inter- between, among interstate, intercept, interfere
intra- within intramural, intrastate, intravenous
trans- across transcontinental, transparent, transaction
sub- under submarine, submerge, subjugate
circum- around circumnavigate, circumference
ultra- beyond, on the far side of, excessive ultrasonic, ultraviolet, ultraconservative
Word Relationships
Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms, Analogies
In some ways words are like families. Just as there are different relationships amongmembers of the same family, there are different relationships among words. Picture your
own family. You probably have relatives who like to do the same things you do. But they
may look nothing like you. You may have relatives who are from another city. Theymight have unusual accents and all "sound alike." There are probably still others who are
rebels. They always want the opposite of what everyone else in the family wants.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 49/55
There are similar relationships between words. Words that mean the same thing but look
different are called synonyms. Their meanings are very similar (e.g., pretty/cute). An
antonym is a word that has the opposite meaning of another word (e.g., pretty/ugly). Ahomonym is a word that sounds like another word but has a different meaning (e.g.,
there/their).
Because these terms are often confused, here is an easy way to keep them straight.
Heard alike Same meaning An opposite
O Y N
M N T
O O O
N N N
Y Y Y
M M M
Words are related in many other ways as well. When thinking about the relationship between two words, you must examine those words for ways in which they are different,
alike, or related to each other.
Understanding how words fit together helps you expand and network frameworks. As an
active reader, this skill enables you to analyze and synthesize information. Such
knowledge is useful in building your vocabulary. This, in turn, gives you more skill inusing the context (see figure below).
Using Word RelationshipsMany kinds of word relationships are possible. When looking at relationships the order of
the words is important. Changing the order changes the relationship. In word
relationships, the colon (:) is an abbreviation of the phrase "is to." For example, instead of "white is to black," "white: black" is written. Like all abbreviations, this one saves space
and time. Again, remember that there are countless kinds of relationships that can be
constructed.
Common Word Relationships
Relationship Definition Examples
Synonym Two words have the same or nearly the same
meaning
dirty : nasty
worn: used
calm: peaceful
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 50/55
Antonym One word means the opposite of another hot: cold
late: earlynew : old
Homonym Two words sound alike blue: blew
lie: lyehere: hear
Part to whole A piece or portion of something is related to
the total object
toe: foot
sole: shoeleaf : plant
wall: room
Whole to part The whole is related to one of its parts tree : trunk house: room
coat: sleeve
Age or size An animate (living) or inanimate (nonliving)object is related to a younger or older objectof the same type
fawn: deer freshman: senior calf: cow
mother: child
Rhyme Although items do not begin with the samesound/letter, the ending sounds are the same
goat: boattrouble: bubble
slow : toe
light: kite
Person to location A person is related to the place with whichhe is associated
sailor : shipcriminal : jail
President: WhiteHouse
Object to use Something is related to its function oven: bake
soap: clean
broom: sweep
Source to object The place from which an item is taken andthe item are compared
pound: stray dog bakery : cookies
mind: thought
Structural AnalysisThe Greeks and Romans came up with a system for creating words by putting together
smaller word parts. They used three types of word parts: prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Pre
means "before," and so it makes sense that a prefix comes before the main part of a word.
Suf means "after," and so a suffix comes at the end of a word. A root word is the main
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 51/55
part of a word, and usually comes in the middle. Many English words are composed of at
least one root, and many have one or more prefixes and suffixes.
Word parts contribute to the total meaning of a word. Each part has its own meaning. The
meaning of an unknown word often is a combination of its parts. Splitting words into
parts to discover the meaning of unknown words is called structural analysis.
Parts of words provide the essential meanings. Studying the parts of words can tell you
many things. The base of a word gives you an overall meaning for the unknown word.Affixes affect the base's meaning. Some affixes provide general meanings. Others
identify the subject area of the unknown word. Affixes also help determine the part of
speech of the unknown word.
Recognizing Word Roots and Prefixes
While using the dictionary is an excellent way to increase your vocabulary one word at a
time, if you would like to learn whole clusters of words in one stroke, you should get to
know the most common roots and prefixes in English.
It has been estimated that 60 percent of the English words in common use are made up
partly or entirely of prefixes or roots derived from Latin and Greek. The value of learning
prefixes and roots is that they illustrate the way much of our language is constructed.Once learned, they can help you recognize and understand many words without resorting
to a dictionary. With one well-understood root word as the center, an entire
"constellation" of words can be built up.
Although knowing the meanings of prefixes and roots can unlock the meanings of
unfamiliar words, this knowledge should supplement, not replace, your dictionary use.
Over the centuries, many prefixes have changed in both meaning and spelling. Whilesome prefixes have a single and fairly invariant meaning, most prefixes have more than
one meaning each.
For example, the prefix de- means "of' or "from"; yet the dictionary lists four different
meanings for it. So learn as many of the common prefixes and roots as you can, but learn
them for better and more precise understanding of words you already know and wordsthat you have yet to look up in the dictionary. When you go to the dictionary, make sure
that you spend some time on the prefixes and roots that make up each word. You will
soon become convinced that a word is not an assemblage of letters put together like ananagram, but the true and natural outcome of. evolution. (Pauk, p. 310)
In Conclusion ...The Importance of ReadingThere is probably no surer or sounder way to improve your reading permanently than by
building a strong, precise vocabulary, and the only way to build your vocabulary is by
reading a lot. In a precise vocabulary, every word is learned as a concept. You know its
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 52/55
ancestry, its principal definition as well as several secondary definitions, its synonyms
and the subtle differences among them, and its antonyms. Then, when you encounter it in
your reading, this vast store of knowledge flashes before you, illuminating the sentence,the paragraph, and the idea the author is trying to convey (Pauk, p. 346).
Reading ComprehensionReading is the active search for answers!
Reading Is Important:
A 1993 investigation revealed that 40 to 44 million Americans had only the most basic
reading and writing skills (Kirsch, Jungeblut, Jenkins, & Kolstad, 1993). Another 50
million Americans not only lacked the skills to function successfully in a literate society, but also were not aware of their inadequacies. These statistics make it obvious that we
have to look for new approaches to prepare students for the millennium, especially inlight of current job market trends.
The job market now demands a workforce that is more highly educated than ever. For
example, assembly line workers must interpret manuals in addition to operatingmachinery. These workers must be able to read, write, analyze, interpret, and synthesize
information (Hay & Roberts, 1989).
In summary, people just aren't reading as much anymore and yet the need for reading,comprehension, and communication skills (verbal and written) has increased. The need is
great for strengthening the following skills:
• Your ability to read a variety of materials (e.g. textbooks, novels, newspapers,magazines, instructional manuals).
• Your ability to understand and remember what you read.
• Your ability to effectively communicate what you've learned from your reading.
Motivation Is Necessary:
Engaged, active readers have deep-seated motivational goals, which include being
committed to the subject matter, wanting to learn the content, believing in one's own
ability, and wanting to share understandings from learning. However, most people,
children and adults, do not spend any significant portion of their free time reading.Without committing time to reading, no one can gain the reading skills or knowledge
they need to succeed in school, at work, or in life in general. The best way to improveyour reading efficiency is to read a lot.
What is Reading Comprehension?
According to Webster's Dictionary, comprehension is "the capacity for understanding
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 53/55
fully; the act or action of grasping with the intellect." Webster also tells us that reading is
"to receive or take in the sense of (as letters or symbols) by scanning; to understand the
meaning of written or printed matter; to learn from what one has seen or found in writingor printing.
Comprehension = understanding!Identifying words on a page does not make someone a successful reader. When the words
are understood and transcend the pages to become thoughts and ideas then you are trulyreading. Comprehension therefore is the capacity for understanding those thoughts and
ideas. Applying what you have read and understood becomes the successful conclusion.
When you comprehend what you read it is like taking a trip around the world, staying aslong as you like, visiting all the places you wish, and you never even having to pack a
suitcase! Reading can be an escape that takes you outside the bounds of your existence.
Reading is your ticket to whatever you choose to do and become. Reading is your futureas well as your past. Don't be a reader who reads without thinking or who reads without a
purpose.
Comprehension Regulation:
You can become an active, effective reader through comprehension regulation. This is amethod for consciously controlling the reading process. Comprehension regulation
involves the use of preplanned strategies to understand text. It is a plan for getting the
most out of reading. It allows you to have an idea of what to expect from the text. Most
importantly, it gives you techniques to use when you are experiencing difficulties.
As an active reader, you can get an idea of what the writer is trying to communicate by:
• Setting goals based on your purpose for reading
• Previewing the text to make predictions
• Self-questioning
• Scanning
• Relating new information to old
Determining your Purpose:
There are many different purposes for reading. Sometimes you read a text to learnmaterial, sometimes you read for pure pleasure, and sometimes you need to follow a set
of directions. As a student, much of your reading will be to learn assigned material. Youget information from everything you read and yet you don't read everything for the same
reason or in the same way or at the same rate. Each purpose or reason for reading requires
a different reading approach. Two things that influence how fast and how well you readare the characteristics of the text and the characteristics of you, the reader.
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 54/55
Characteristics of the text:
• Size and style of the type (font)
• Pictures and illustrations
• Author's writing style and personal perspectives
• Difficulty of the ideas presented
Characteristics of the reader:
• Background knowledge (how much you already know about the material or
related concepts)
• Reading ability - vocabulary and comprehension
• Interest
• Attitude
Skills for being an effective reader and for increasing comprehension
are:
• Finding main ideas and supporting details/evidence
• Making inferences and drawing conclusions
• Recognizing a text's patterns of organization
• Perceiving conceptual relationships
• Testing your knowledge and understanding of the material through application
When comprehension fails, or your understanding seems limited, you can use a plan that
includes:
• Using structural analysis and contextual clues to identify unknown vocabulary
words (e.g., look at roots, prefixes, suffixes). If this fails, keep a dictionary close
by and look up words you don't understand
• Reading more critically - ask questions while you read
• Summarizing or outlining main points and supporting details
• Rereading the material
• Do a "think aloud" and/or try to explain what you've read to someone else
Although, reading means different things to different people and skills vary with everyindividual, reading is a skill that can be improved. Students from various backgrounds are
8/6/2019 Teaching Student Success
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/teaching-student-success 55/55
in reading courses for a variety of reasons. Weaknesses in vocabulary, comprehension,
speed, or a combination of all three may be the result of ineffective reading habits. Active
reading is engaged reading and can be achieved through comprehension regulationstrategies.