CHAPTER 8 TEXTBOOK METHODS OF ORGANIZATIONS

Authors textbooks usually organize information using certain classic methods and patterns ot write. Able to see the organizational methods; listings, analysis, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, definition/example and sequence, will be the methods to help you with the ideas in your textbooks. It also helps you to remember what you have read. To identify a useful way is to look for the organizational pattern/method the other is using.

CHAPTER 7 USING INFERENCE TO IDENTY IMPLIED MAIN IDEAS

College instructor usually require their students to not only read and understand what is explicitly stated on the page but also to detact ideas that are implied or indirectly stated. To really understand a reading assignment you need to read the material and combine what tool thats stated as an inference tool. While an inference is a skill you should be using it everyday. You also need to understand how the authors purpose, tone, and use of key words and emotive language can be used.

CHAPTER 6 FINDING SUPPORTING DETAILS

Authors usually use details to help ther leaders understand their ideas in the writings. Details in a writing are specific pieces of information that are known as the "arms and legs" the main "body" idea. These "arms and legs" are usually presented as facts, opinions, examples, illustrations, explanations, or definitons and are frequently used by asking questions such as who, what, when, where, how and why? Major details are provided to support the main idea in a reading if you distinguish between the major and minor supporting details you have understood what you have read in the passage. If you are having trouble indicating the passage you may need to re-read to get the main idea.

CHAPTER 5 LOCATING STATED MAIN IDEAS

Locating an author's main ideas is the key to understanding your reading. Seeing the relationship between the main idea and details will support the first distinguished general and specific ideas. The topic is the most general idea, also the most specific idea. The details are the most specific support and illustrate the main idea of your writing. Looking in the usual places, noticing clues, words and categorizing and authors point are four main strategies. You can use them to think about what you read. Asking yurself specific questions such as "What is this all about?" you will actively find the answer you are looking for as you lead your writing.

CHAPTER 4 MANAGING YOUR READING TIME

Comprehension shoud be the main reading goal. Develop a general study schedule that specifically plans the study time for each class. Track reading rates so you can create daily reading plans that set realistic goals for your classes each week. After using a study schedule and daily reading plans for several weeks, you will realize that you began to complete your reading assignments on time and your reading comprehension has improved.

CHAPTER 3 REMEMBERING WHAT YOU READ

In our memory its where we store and retrieve information. When trying to memorize something its important to understand what you are trying to remember. The three primary stages in the memory process are sensory memory, short term memory, and long ter memory. Chunking is an effective strategy for organizing and remembering new information so that it stays in your short term memory long enough to transfer into your long term memory. Ther are some specific strategies you can use to enhance your sensory memory like reading your text aloud, drawing pictures of the info your are learning, visualizing info. in gour exercise bike. Recall techniques called mnemonics can help you retrieve info. once it has been learned and stored properly.

CHAPTER 2 DEVELOPING YOUR COLLEGE VOCABULARY

Building your vocabulary is one of the most important reading strategies you can learn. By increasing your vocabulary, you increase the understanding of the information in your textbook. It also increases your ability to speak and write better so you can communicate more effectively. Using context clues, word analysis, writing in your textbook, creating word maps, understanding denotation and connotation, journa writing, and the card review system help you figure out and remember the meaning of new words.

CHAPTER 1 READING IN COLLEGE

Reading is an active process based on an author's ability to convey meaning through the written word and your ability to extract meaning from those words. Active learners become involved in their learning experience by previewing their reading assignments, outlining chapter or lecture notes, reading books, other than their textbooks, to learn more about the subject their learning. Concentration involves focusing your attention on a task while blocking distractions.

CHAPTER 8: VIEWPOINTS: WHAT'S THE FILTER?

Critical thinking means learning to recognize viewpoints and how they shape the content of any message. Viewpoints like assumptions, opinions, and evaluations can either be consciously or unconsciously assumed. We Can communicate better when we are aware of our own viewpoint and can understand and respect the viewpoints of others also. Unconscious viewpoints include the egocentric, ethnocentric, religiocentric, androcentric, and athropocentric. In alternative periodicals and on the internet a far wide ranger of viewpoints is available than on television and mainstream.

CHAPTER 7: EVALUATIONS: WHAT'S JUDGED?

Evaluations make judgements about worth on the basis of standards that may be conscious or unconscious. Evaluations can help us react quicklly to situations. Evaluations are not facts, factual reports keep the distinction between facts and evaluations clear. Feelings and expectations affect our perceptions and evaluations. Experts are those who have a reputation for offering skilled and reliable evaluations. Evaluations are used in advertising and journalism to persuade us. Critical thinking requires that we stay alert to manipulative advertising techniques. A critical thinker knows how to recognize and detach from the influence of propaganda.

CHAPTER 6: OPINIONS: WHAT'S BELIEVED?

Opinions express our decisions about life. The word opinion is commonly misunderstood, since the word covers many varieties of thoughts. Opinions can be based either on reasons or on whim, feelings, emotions, or prejudice. Critical thinking required that we recognize the difference between responsible and irresponsible opinion. Expert opinion is based on an understanding of evidence and risks in a situation and is important and highly valued. Opinions shouldnt be confused with facts. In an essay a statement of opinion can be the thesis or its principle claim.

CHAPTER 5: ASSUMPTIONS: WHAT'S TAKEN FOR GRANTED?

An assumption is something we take for granted, somethin we accept prematurely as being true, something we dont check out carefully usually we dont recognize that we have an assumption until it causes a problem. Assumptions can be conscious or unconscious. Hidden assumptions are unconscious assumptions that really influence a line of reasoning. One type of hidden assumptions is stereotypes. Arguments are the use of reasoning to defend and an idea or to persuade someone else to believe in the idea. Someone who brings a fresh perspective to a problem is often able to find a solution because they dont buy the assumptions that restrain others.

CHAPTER 4- INFERENCES: WHAT FOLLOWS?

The word infer means 1) To derive by reasoning, 2) To conclude, 3) To guess. When we infer we use imagination or reasoning to provide explanation for situations where all the facts are either no available or not yet determined. Report writing or descriptive writing lets the facts speak for themselves. Inference can be used in descriptive writing to tie facts together. Facts and inference are linked together through generalizations. Generalizing too soon befor we have gathered a lot of facts is bad we should learn how to draw generalizations that can be supported.

CHAPTER 3- FACTS: WHAT'S REAL?

Facts are not absolutes but they are statements of probability. Because we depend on others for facts it can lead us to not trust our own perceptions. Its not easy for us to determine if the facts correspond to reality. It can only be determined with testing and over time with repeated feedback. Our senses are limited in range and capacity and are affected by many things, like as selective focus. The standards that are usually used to determine facts are verifiability, reliability, plausibility, and probability. Facts have to go through the test of time and being repeated and not contradict other known facts.

CHAPTER 2- WORD PRECISION: HOW DO I DESCRIBE IT?

In order to share our experiences with others through writing, we need to give much thought to our choice of words. An accurate use of words improves our thinking. Words allow us to communicate with ourselves and others. Writing helps us learn more about words and how to use them. Words are only translations of experience and not the experience itself. The thesaurus helps us when we are writing and translating nonverbal experiences and ideas into words, and the dictionary helps us when we are reading and interpreting the words of others. The first stage of critical reading is having the technical ability and the willingness to accurately reproduce its content. The test of our understanding of a word is our ability to define it. This ability is important for words representing key ideas that we want to explain or defend.

CHAPTER 1- OBSERVATION SKILLS: WHAT'S OUT THERE?

If we base our thinking on poor observation, then no matter how many strategies we devise, or how well we reason, that thinking will be faulty. To develop more conscious thinking habits, we have to first observe our own thinking processes so that we can recognize our strengths and weaknesses. Careful observation requires us to stay awake, take our time, and give our full attention. Careful observation can also help us see details that can help us figure out the problem and also figure out new things. Observation is to sense, perceive, and think. Sensing is collecting information through the senses. Perceiving is holding sense information in consciousness until we can categorize and interpret it. Thinking organizes our perceptions.