Study techniques & Academic Argumentation 1

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Study techniques Academic Argumentation1

• Lise Mark
• Online study plan http//sprog.asb.dk/lma/study_t
  ech/index.htm

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gtgt PresentationTodays Agenda

• Presentation (Lecturer and Course)
• Introduction to Study Techniques - What are
  good study skills based on?
• - ambition, motivation, acquisition and
  implementation
• 3. Basic Study Skills
• -Reading techniques active
  reading/listening, taking notes
• -Critical thinking reviewing
• 4. Summing Up Basic Study Skills
• Highly recommended reading
• Reading Skills for University
• Successful Self Management (Palgrave)

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gtgt PresentationUpcoming lectures. Focus on
written assignments

• Week 38 Academic Conventions for Written
  Assignments
• General requirements (Read the study guide
  carefully)
• Objectivity
• Structuring
• Quoting
• References
• Form layout
• Week 39 Academic Argumentation in Written
  Assignments
• The main body
• Strengthening of argumentation cp Toulmin's
  model of argumentation
• Writing problem statements / introductions
• Optimizing structuring and argumentation in
  reports/papers etc.

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gtgt PresentationLecturer Course Objective

• Lise Mark
• MA in Art History and English from University of
  Aarhus
• Pedagogical competence from Danish Ministry of
  Education
• Lecturer at the ASB Centre of Business
  Communication
• I was examiner on 60 exam papers in Discourse
  Analysis this summer
• I teach at some of your other courses
• I hope to see your apply your learning there ?
• Course Objective
• The aim of the course is to introduce to useful
  study techniques and methods in relation to
  project writing and academic argumentation
• 
  (Study Guide)

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gtgtpresentationStudy technique Why?

• You dont need a course
• You need to reflect on your own working methods
• It is not enough to know what to study
• You also need to know how
• It is all about learning how to learn

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gtgt PresentationIn depth explanation

• From the viewpoint of ASB
• To minimize the number of drop-outs
• To improve the grade average
• Learning skills are considered an asset in
  professional business
• Interest in study technique is a part of business
  management
• In organisational development it plays a major
  role, too
• The Historical/Cultural perspective
• Transformation of society into a post-modern age
  of information
• New educations with focus on methods and
  flexibility.
• From knowledge to know how
• Life as a learning lab the ability to learn is
  a core competence

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gtgt Introduction to Study TechniquesWhat are
good study skills based on?

• 1. Ambition/Motivation
• 2. Acquisition
• 3. Implementation

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gtgt Introduction to Study TechniquesMotivation
and Ambition

• Internal
• Your personal interests
• Your desire to learn and grow

• External
• Expectations (friends, family etc.)
• Status (material)
• A successful career

• 4 questions
• What are your motivations and ambitions?
• How much is internal and how much is external?
• Why are you studying HERE?
• Why are you studying the INTERNATIONAL (English)
  BA? (for the Danes only)

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gtgt Introduction to Study TechniquesgtgtBasic
Study SkillsAcquisition Learning Basic Study
Skills

• Basic skills 4 keywords
• Persistence (self-assessment and
  self-improvement)
• Planning (organising your time)
• Concentration/ Focus (active reading, listening,
  critical thinking)
• Confidence (keeping up the enthusiasm
  individually and in teams)
• Why are these basic skills important?

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gtgtIntroduction to Study TechniquesgtgtBasic Study
SkillsgtgtPersistence Persistent self-assessment
increases learning

• Identify your weak and strong sides
• Creative?
• Team player?
• Ambitious?
• Work-a-holic?
• Organisational talent?
• Writing skills?
• Speaking skills?
• English skills
• What is your learning style ?
• Attend the lectures on learning styles by Ole
  Lauridsen
• Take the test he offers to you
• Reflect on its results

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gtgtIntroduction to Study TechniquesgtgtBasic Study
SkillsgtgtPersistence From study skills to
professional competence

• What you read ABOUT (and analyse) is important in
  your future career
• So is the way you communicate as a student!
• Your line of education requires excellent
  communicative competence
• Why not make the best practice you read and
  analyse YOUR practice?
• Questions for personal reflection
• Which methodical competences are valuable in
  businesses?
• Which methodical competences do I expect to learn
  at ASB?
• How can I improve my competences to match best
  practice?

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic
Study Skills gtgtPlanning Planning To plan or not
to plan that is the question

• Independent study is a must in higher education
• So is structuring and planning
• Organize your day, week, term, study, job etc.
• Adjust your study effort to reflect your
  objectives/ambitions
• 3. Make a schedule of a typical week
• - How much time do you spend studying? -
  How much time for working?
• - How much for leisure?
• Do you have a 40 hour study week?

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic
Study Skills gtgtConcentration/ FocusgtgtActive
Reading Reading Techniques

• Teach yourself to read
• Strategically
• Actively
• Critically
• Five reading steps of active reading
• Preview the text (pre-reading)
• Question the text (pre- and while-reading)
• Take notes to the text (while reading)
• Summarise after reading text (post-reading)
• Reflect on- and review - the text critically
  (post-reading)

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic
Study Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active
Reading, step 1Previewing the text (Pre-reading)

• Memorize the title
• Note the writers name
• Note the date and place of publication
• Read the introductory paragraph completely
• Read sub-headings and first sentences of
  paragraphs
• While skimming the text, pick up main ideas
  keywords (who, what, when, where, how many, how
  much) and transition markers (words like however,
  additionally, alternatively, nevertheless, etc.)
• Highlight main clauses, to let the text
  structure guide you to its main points

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic
Study Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active
Reading, step 1 Speed Reading Tips (Pre-reading)

• Try not to say the words to yourself (even
  mentally) while reading
• Pay special attention to keywords in each
  sentence and less to articles, conjunctions etc.
• Use your hand or a finger to trace a path for
  your eyes

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active Reading,
step 1-2 Question the text (Pre- and
While-Reading)

• Ask Wh-questions to the text
• Why am I reading this?
• What is the main idea/theme of the text?
• Who is the author?
• What is the main argument of the text?
• Consult a dictionary when you dont understand a
  word, phrase, etc.
• The purpose of previewing and questioning a text
• To determine the writers main idea/thesis prior
  to in-depth reading

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active Reading,
step 3Notes (While-reading)

• Write in or take notes to - the text (if you own
  the book/copy)
• It makes you an active reader
• It focuses your attention
• It gives you a tool to analyse the writers
  assumptions and rhetoric
• Preferably, take notes on a separate piece of
  paperIt provides you with a personal summary of
  the material you have read
• Always record bibliographical dataYou might need
  it for later reference
• Leave a wide margin for comments and
  referencesSomething new may come up in class, at
  lectures, or during revision
• Rephrase headings, subheadings and explanations
  Make the text YOUR project

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt gtgt Active
Listening/reading, step 3 Taking notes during
lectures and classes

• Always take notes during lectures or classes,
• even if you receive pre-fabricated handouts
• Two strategies
• 1. A traditional linear/chronological approach
• Emphasizes chronology and progress
• Good at representing logical and
  argumentative structures
• 2. Mind-mapping
• Visualisation provides a general overview of
  key ideas their mutual relations
• Requires creative and independent reflection
• Emphasizes often thematic coherence more than
  A-to-B logic

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active Listening
Reading, step 3 What are good notes and what
to do with them?

• Never make word-for-word transcriptions!
• Focus on keywords, concepts and definitions
• Note-revision is worth the effort
• Review your notes again when you get home/when
  youve read a text
• Better yet, explain to your girlfriend or room
  mate what you heard/read
• Reviewing adds levels to your understanding
  /memory capacity
• Reviewing prepares you better for upcoming
  lectures

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic
Study Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active
Readinggtgt Summarise (step 4)Summarise
(post-reading/ or post listening)

• Close the text book
• Answer the typical summary definition
  Wh-questions - what, who, when, how much, how
  many, etc. NB. Read more on Summary
  Definition Questions here
• Make a summary based on your notes only (written
  or oral)
• Explain with your own words what the text is
  about (rephrasing)
• 2. Practise using new words/concepts in an
  independent manner

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt gtgt Active
Readinggtgt Exercise AActive Reading Exercise
On Liberty John Stuart Mill, 1859 See
handouts, Exercise A
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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active Readinggtgt
Task Description Exercise A

• 1. Use the sentence structures of this difficult
  piece to make sense of it. You can do so by
  highlighting main clauses (perhaps a few sub
  clauses). This helps you to identify the MAIN
  IDEAS in the text
• 2. Based on the highlighted text, make a list
  (e.g. a bulleted list) of topic sentences in
  which you simplify the highlighted passages into
  rephrased topic sentences in your own
  words.Compare your sentences to the original
  text by Stuart Mill to check that you have
  captured his main ideas.
• 3. Finally, write a summary in your own words and
  syntax based on your bulleted list of topic
  sentences.
• You may find these (and other) typical
  summary questions useful
• Summary and Definition Questions
• What is (are)...?
• Who...?
• When...?
• How much...?
• How many...?
• What is an example of...?....etc.

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active Reading
and Listeninggtgt Review/Reflection (step 5)Review
and reflect on that which you heard/read

• If you want to capitalise of the time spent on
  reading/listening,
• remember to review and reflect on what you
  read/heard!
• Answer the ANALYTICAL, HYPOTHETICAL and
  EVALUATIVE questions you posed while reading a
  text or listening to a lecture
• Evaluation
• Is it informative? (why/why not?)
• Is it relevant? (why/why not?)
• How is the line of argumentation? (convincing?,
  unconvincing?, why?, where?)

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConcentration/ Focusgtgt Active Readinggtgt
Review/Reflection (step 5) Exercise B Which
Questions apply to the Stuart-Mill text?
Hypothesis Questions if...occurs, then what
happens...? if ...had happened, then what would
be different...? what does theory x predict will
happen...? Evaluation Questions is...good or
bad...? .....correct or incorrect...? .....effecti
ve or ineffective...? .....relevant or
irrelevant...? .....clear or unclear...? .....logi
cal or illogical...? .....applicable or not
applicable...? .....proven or not
proven...? .....ethical or unethical...? what
are the advantages or disadvantages? what are
the pros or cons of...? what is the best
solution to the problem? what should or should
not happen...? do I agree or disagree ...? what
is my support for my opinion...?

• Analytical Questions
• how?, why...? what are the types of...?
• what are the functions of...?
• what is the process of...?
• what other examples of...?
• what are the causes/ results of...?
• what is the relationship between ...and ...?
• what is the similarity or difference between...
  and...?
• how does ...apply to ...?.
• what is (are) the problems or conflicts or
  issues...?
• what are possible solutions/ resolutions to
  these problems or conflicts or issues...?
• what is the main argument or thesis of...?
• how is this argument developed...?
• what evidence or proof or support is offered...?
• what are other theories/arguments from other
  authors...?

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConfidence Teamwork Making it
function effectively

• Use your differences of opinion and your
  different roles as an ASSET rather than an
  obstruction!
• Respect others, be fair and constructive in your
  criticism and participation.
• Make sure all group members agree on the physical
  and temporal limits
• When do you plan to meet next?, Where?, What you
  will be doing?, How much time should be spent on
  this or that problem? Who prepares what?
• A significant part of team work is individual
  effort and responsibility and mutual confidence
• Team competence is an asset to any business
  Out there, in real life, you very rarely work
  alone!

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
Skills gtgtConfidence Enthusiasm Refresh Your
Motivations Ambitions

• Don't forget to stay enthusiastic!
• Studying is about discovering new worlds,
  remember to enjoy the journey.
• Be enthusiastic, pick subjects that inspires you.
  
• Think of yourself as a specialist (I know a
  lot about political communication and spin
  doctoring)
• Dont let your studying spoil your delight in
  taking an education
• Do you choose to see school as a torture chamber
  or a shrine of inspiration and knowledge?

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gtgt Introduction to Study Techniquesgtgt Basic Study
SkillsgtgtSumming upStudy technique skills
include

• Planning, structuring and making priorities
• Reading and listening strategically, actively and
  effectively
• Participating actively at lectures, in
  class-discussions and in teamwork
• Critical Revision of your notes, what you read,
  of lectures
• Learning in a professional group or study
  environment (teambuilding)
• Learning on your own, with discipline and
  motivation
• Critically evaluating your own efforts and
  improving them accordingly