World of English

SQ3R--A reading strategy for textbooks

he "SQ3R" method is probably the first truly systematic approach to studying a textbook; it is also one of the best. Francis P. Robinson, a well-known psychologist from Ohio University, developed it and coined its name.

The "SQ3R" method of studying a textbook enables you to plunge into a reading assignment easily and fairly quickly. It provides an active approach to a previously passive experience.

Our next three blogs will be exploring this method as we look at what S, Q, 3, and R mean.

"S" is for SURVEY

1. Examine the title of the chapter you are to read. This is a good clue to the chapter's general content.

2. Read the introduction or introductory paragraphs. This is where the author presents the topic, the major problems to be discussed, and sometimes the ways these questions will be answered.

3. Skim through the chapter looking for pictures, charts, graphs, and topic headings. As you do this, you should become aware of a general outline the author used in writing the chapter. This skimming also provides you with an idea of how long the material is and about how much time you will need to read it.

4. Read the summary or concluding paragraphs. Here the author presents the major conclusions of the chapter. Sometimes a brief summary is provided.

5. Remember—skimming does not replace careful reading. It is just the first step in an effective study system.

 

SAT success

I just had a conversation with a 7th grader who recently received his SAT scores.  He performed outstandingly well after having a four months of one-on-one tutoring in preparation for the SAT with TutorVista.com.  It is always great to hear these encouraging success stories, and when I think about the fact that he still has four more years, at least, to continue learning and before taking the SAT he'll submit to universities, I know that a lot of doors will be open for him!  I just wanted to share his success!

Clustering!

Clustering is a prewriting technique that involves starting with an idea or topic, and “thinking out” about other subjects or information connected to that word or topic. You simply map your thoughts and the connections that are already inside your mind onto paper, and in doing so, you may form or create connections which didn't exist before. Below is an example of clustering using the thesis, underlined in red, as their topic--click on the image to see the example.

Making the most out of online writing tutors and consultants

Online Writing Labs are certainly not something many people were imagining twenty years ago, but today they offer a convenient way—and, in fact, for many people, the only way—to share your writing with a professional writing consultant or writing tutor. Students can meet online with a writing consultant and have their paper workshopped, or they can submit it for a review and then get it back with feedback. There are a few differences, and therefore I would like to outline some strategies at making your session with a writing consultant as fruitful as possible.

1. You may need to shop around before you find an online writing consultant that is well trained and qualified. My experience has been that often times the online consultant is more likely to take over your paper, focus on grammar and editorial problems rather than content. This is because they have not been well trained in writing or one-on-one pedagogy, or they think that you want them to rewrite your paper so you get a “better grade.” Many online services will offer essay review, but they will not offer the one-on-one time with a professional consultant. Also, more expensive doesn't mean a better job. Paper reviews range from $20 to over $60 to have an essay reviewed, and most of the $20 services are as good as the $60 services. Don't hesitate to ask about the qualifications of the writing consultants you are working with or their training.

   Some services also offer to write your essays for you . . .

   HAVING YOUR ESSAY WRITTEN BY SOMEONE ELSE IS CHEATING—IT IS ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND YOU CAN (and should) BE EXPRELLED FROM ALMOST ANY UNIVERSITY FOR CHEATING IN THIS WAY. NO CREDIBLE LEARNING INSTITUTION WILL OFFER TO WRITE YOUR ESSAY FOR YOU!!!

2. One of the most important matters, especially when working one-on-one with a writing consultant, is determine beforehand what you want to focus on. Since the sessions are often only one hour, and you may or may not be able to reschedule with the same consultant, coming up with a short list of things before the session that you want to focus on would be very helpful in making the best use of your time.

3. Make sure you will get your paper returned or your one-on-one session scheduled in time to incorporate your revisions into your essay before submitting it. Most essay review services guarantee a 24 hour turn around or can set you up with an appointment with a writing consultant within 24 hours. Be sure that gives you enough time to complete all the revisions you would like to make and do the final editing before submitting your last draft.

Just rereading Brooke's Minimalist Tutoring

I just reread Jeff Brooke's article, "Minimalist Tutoring: Making the Student Do All the Work."  Brookes argues that the goal of a writing tutoring session is not to produce a perfect paper, but instead that the student learns by writing him or her self and has responsibility over the paper.  He carefully distinguishes the writing tutor's role from that of an editor.  I think this article, which I have from the St. Martin's Sourcebook for Writing Tutors, is a piece of timeless wisdom.  I think that is very important that the session be a learning experience.

I also think, however, that playing editor in a constructive way can assist students.  When going through a student's writing and noting grammatical errors, supplementing that with an explanation of how to avoid that error in the future, can be very corrective in a student's future writing.  If it is a continued mistake, and you take the time to point out why it is that mistake, and strategies to correct that mistake in the future, it is likely to impact the student him or herself when they sit down to revise by themselves, and when they write in the future.  Sometimes it takes continual reinforcement, too, to make writing grammatically something the student does out of habit, not only by thinking of it.  It is much the same as being able to speak in a second language, or being able to think and then speak in a second language.

Argumentation

The history of the argument is a long one, probably as old as our ability to verbally communicate. It has, however, become refined over the course of humanities. Many traditions clarified what an argument is actually made, and through history we became better and better able to understand what was a good argument and what wasn't. Both the Greeks and Indians had highly-evolved modes of analysis and argumentation, and we still often refer to the syllogism as the Aristotelean syllogism.

Today, we understand an argument is made up of at least two parts—reasons and a conclusion. There are several models of looking at arguments, though, and different ways to break them apart. Two examples of ways to look at arguments are formal logic and the Toulmin Model. These are but a few of many approaches to arguments. Using different perspectives to examine an argument often leads to insights that you might not have seen otherwise.  Also, when you are able to break arguments down into different peices and analysize those peices seperately, you will find you are better able to understand and write arguments.

Reflecting on writing

Questions to consider in reflecting on a particular piece of writing:

1. • Why did you write this piece? Who is the audience? What purposes did you hope to achieve through the writing? What caused you to choose the subject or approach you took? What was it about the subject that first interested you or helped you decide on the angle or approach you would take?
2. • While you were formulating your ideas, did you sketch out some notes on your reading, thinking, and/or research? Did you do a rough outline or other plan? How did you begin your work?
3. • Can you describe the kinds of thinking that went into your writing? How did your ideas evolve? Were you thinking about stages in a process of development, were you applying theories to material, did you depend on an analogy, were you forming definitions or drawing conclusions from new findings? How and when did you arrive at your main idea?

By Dr. Libby Falk Jones, founding director of Berea College's Center for Effective Communication and Center for Learning, Teaching, Communication, and Research

Initial Questions for Thinking and Writing About Poetry

1. What is the genre, or form, of the poem?

Is it a sonnet, an elegy, a lyric, a narrative, a dramatic monologue, an epistle, an epic or a haiku, or one of the other many forms of poetry.

2. Who is speaking in the poem?

Identify the voice. Is it the author? Someone else? Multiple speakers? What is the tone of the voice and its attitude toward the subject—does it sound angry or indifferent, praiseful or critical? How involved in the action? What is the point of view of the poem?

3. What is the argument, thesis, or subject of the poem

What is the poem's primary themes? Is it advancing an opinion or expressing a stance on some issue? Is it about a physical, emotional, or mental object or experience? Does the poem tell a story about something or someone, and if so, what is the theme of that story?

4. How does the poem make use of setting?

There is the setting in terms of time and place, and there is the setting in terms of the physical world described in the poem. How does the setting of the poem contribute to its meaning? Do elements of the setting have metaphorical meaning for the poem?

6. How does the poem use imagery?

How does the poem make use of descriptive language, though adjectives, adverbs, and word choice, and how does the poem make use of methaphors and comparisons to create an image or idea in the reader's mind.

English Language Humour

Reasons Why The English Language Is Hard To Learn:

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

How Your SAT Essay is Scored and What the Scores Mean

Use this audio presentation to learn how your SAT essay is actually scored, get some tips on maximizing that score, and understand what the SAT essay scores mean.

How Your SAT Essay is Scored and What the Scores Mean