Study and Critical Thinking Skills in College

Do you know… • Why you should learn a systematic approach to listening and lecture note taking? • What techniques you can develop to record the content and organization of lectures? • What the various lecture styles are, and how to recognize them? • How you should edit and review your notes? © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Sharpening Listening Skills • Listening is the primary way of acquiring information in lectures • At white-collar jobs, 35-40% of time is spent listening © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Hearing and Listening • Hearing • Passive physiological process where ears receive sound waves • Occurs without thought or effort • Listening • Comprehension and interpretation of information • Intentional and active • Requires attention and concentration © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Tips for Effective Listening • Tune in • Maintain eye contact with instructor • Stay active by asking mental questions • Anticipate what is to follow • Stick with the lecture • Avoid emotional involvement • Use gaps and pauses in lecture for notes © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Tips for Effective Listening • Focus on content, not delivery • Focus on ideas, not facts • Listen carefully to speaker’s opening comments • Attempt to understand lecturer’s purpose • Fill in the gap between rate of speech and rate of thinking • Treat listening as a challenging mental task © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Question 1 • What is the difference between hearing and listening? • Hearing involves unconscious interpretation of a message, and listening is an active physical process. • Listening involves active interpretation of a message, and hearing is the unconscious physical process. • They both involve interpretation; hearing is active while listening is unconscious. • There is no difference between hearing and listening. © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

How to Start With an Advantage • Get organized • Organize a notebook for each course • Use ink • Date your notes for later reference • Sit in the same place, near the front • Attend all lectures © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

How to Start With an Advantage • Be prepared for each lecture • Read related assignments • Become familiar with key points and terminology • Preview assignment if you can’t read it all © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Identifying Main Ideas • Ways instructors identify main ideas: • Points repeated • Change in voice • Change in rate of speech • Listing and numbering points • Writing on the board • Use of visuals • Direct announcement • Nonverbal cues © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Recording Details and Examples • Record only important details • Use one brief phrase to summarize each major supporting detail. • Include a summary of at least one example © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Question 2 • “There are two types of planets, gas giants and rocky planets. Jupiter is a gas giant and Earth is a rocky planet.” What is the main idea in this paragraph? • There are two types of planets • Gas giants and rocky planets • Jupiter is a gas giant • Earth is a rocky planet © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Reflecting Lecture’s Organization • Use a system of indentation • Most important major topics at left margin • Indent main idea, details, and examples • Less important the idea, the more it should be indented © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Reflecting Lecture’s Organization Major Topic Main Idea Detail Detail Example Main Idea Detail Detail Detail Major Topic Main Idea Detail Example © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Taking Notes More Efficiently • Leave blank spaces • Mark assignments • Mark ideas that are unclear • Don’t plan to recopy your notes • Consider tape-recording lectures • Try not to write complete sentences • Use abbreviations © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Creative Note-Taking Systems • Use color • Create a response column • Leave space for a summary • Leave space for maps • Add an application column © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Factual Lecture Formats • Simple presentation of information • Facts, definitions, events, rules, principles, processes and procedures • Often used in introductory courses © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Factual Lecture Formats • Note-taking suggestions • Be as accurate and complete as possible • Leave blank spaces to fill in later if needed • Don’t duplicate what is in the textbook © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Conceptual Lecture Formats • Analysis and interpretation of information • Ideas, trends, and concepts • May include factual information for foundation © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Conceptual Lecture Formats • Note-taking suggestions • Focus on concepts or broad, organizing ideas • Record only as much detail as you need to understand concept • Record key details on which your instructor spends the most time © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Question 3 • What is the difference between a factual lecture and conceptual one? • A factual lecture deals with trends and ideas; a conceptual lecture deals with facts • A factual lecture may include concepts, but a conceptual lecture never includes facts • A conceptual lecture explores trends and ideas; a factual lecture looks at definitions, principles, and events • There is no difference between the two © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Analytical Lecture Formats • Close study of work or issue followed by analysis • Personal reaction is important • Assessment of value, worth, and aesthetic qualities © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Analytical Lecture Formats • Note-taking suggestions • Record themes, essential characteristics, theories, significance of related events, and important facts • Make notes in margin of textbook as a work is discussed • Focus on the significance or importance of the work © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Discussion Lecture Format • Emphasis is on the exchange of ideas • Involves thinking, reacting, and evaluating • Advance preparation is key • Read, make notes, and organize your thoughts • Questions • Points with which you agree or disagree • Good or bad examples • Strong or weak arguments © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Discussion Lecture Format • Note-taking suggestions • Tend to be less detailed and organized • Chronological record of discussion • List key discussion topics and points • Sketch a response before you present it © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Question 4 • What is the key to getting the most out of a discussion lecture format? • Listening closely to what others have to say rather than participating yourself • Keeping very detailed notes of what everyone says • Focusing on what you want to say and not on what others are saying • Preparing in advance by completing any reading and preparing a list of questions © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Identifying Lecture Thought Patterns • Organizing statements • Opening statement tells what to expect • Transitions • Signal movement from point to point • Summary statements • Confirm what you should have learned • Lecture format • Indicates likely thought patterns © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Editing Lecture Notes • Record enough during lecture to remember main ideas, details, or examples • Leave blank spaces • After class, fill in gaps • Expand notes • Add details and examples © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Recall Clue System • Leave two inch margin at left side of each note page • Keep margin blank while taking notes • Edit notes • Fill in margin with words, phrases or questions that summarize notes • Cover up notes and use recall clues to recall information © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Question 5 • What is the purpose of recall clues? • To help you store information more effectively in long-term memory • To help you organize your notes while editing them • To help you retrieve information from long-term memory • To help you determine what the instructor thinks is important © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Note Taking for Class Lectures • Chapter Review • Listening Skills • Recording appropriate content and organization • Lecture formats • Factual • Conceptual • Analytical • Discussion • Editing and reviewing your notes © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Longman

Study and Critical Thinking Skills in College