Academic Tips Zone

Studying with

The majority of Indian students
are "holistic" learners.
They learn more easily if they see
the whole picture first,
then learn the details as a part of the whole
Sandra J Fox
1944 Oglala Sioux
Course information can be delivered
through a variety of formats:
Lecture
by teacher or guests Textbook
Original source material
as diaries, government documents,
proceedings, minutes Duplicates/hand-out
of (text) chapters, magazine articles Interview and biography
eyewitness accounts or commentaries
Fictional story/novel Electronic media
such as videos, radio programs Internet
web site pages, discussion groups
Stahl, et al (1998) found that using multiple-text sources can only be effective if we are taught to use them properly. As beginners, we tend to be more consistent in what information we select from short, well-constructed texts. Longer, less structured documents tend to be more confusing.
Text books
provide a foundation of facts and viewpoints to provide an overview
sequence information and facts to understand issues
create a context for comparing and understanding other sources
are written in a neutral, objective tone
Problems with a single text
for a subject or course include:
information is often "academic"
lacking the drama of real life experience, adventure, and experimentation
bias is hidden or concealed
ignoring competing facts, priorities, minority viewpoints
a single interpretation limits how reported facts are prioritized/sequenced
restricting viewpoint (Euro/Caucasian) or subject testing (white male)
original/eyewitness sources of information are secondary to interpretative accounts
Additional readings and alternative sources
of information can assist you to
create a richer understanding
with additional information and perspective
interact or engage with facts, actors, circumstances
of the material
practice and familiarize
yourself with new subject vocabulary and concepts
process opposing, even conflicting,
points of view in order to assess, evaluate, defend
Conflicting information however can impede your learning,
unless you can
analyze it for commonalties
reorganize or synthesize
your model for understanding it
consider the impact of, and evaluate, conflicts
filter it with athe context presented in the basic text
Some Recommendations:
Read your text to provide the factual framework from which to begin
Proceed to shorter, more focused sources
of information expecially if you are inexpereinced in the subject
Practice with multiple texts to improve your evaluative skills:
compare and contrast your sources
analyze them for bias or viewpoint
note when and where they were written, and how that affects the viewpoint
Understand the connections
between events, actors, and circumstances rather than learn a series of "facts" which can be easily be forgotten
Use in-class or on-line discussion time
to test your understanding and ask questions!
Inspired and adapted from the study "What Happens When Students Read Multiple Source Documents in History?" Co-authors: Steven A. Stahl, Cynthia R. Hynd, Bruce K. Britton, Mary M. McNish (University of Georgia) and Dennis Bosquet (Clarke County School District) as found at http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/clic/nrrc/hist_r45.html (May 11, 00).

posted by Sahbad @ 12:41 AM