General Studies

1
General Studies

• Study skills 101

2
Task Analysis

• What is the question asking?
• What does it require?
• Style of response
• Exam, Debate, Review
• Describe? Analyse? Argue?

3
Find info

• Books
• Locate and evaluate
• Web
• Search engines tips
• Bookmarking www.delicious.com
• Magazines, Newspapers...
• Record sources

4
Interrogate

• Reading skills
• Skim Scan
• Relevance
• Evaluate
• Authority
• Bias
• Age

5
Notemaking

• Styles
• Linear, graphic, online tools
• www.delicious.com tagged examples
• Clarity
• Re-use
• Revision

6
Writing skills

• Summarise in own words
• Take relevant points from two texts and blend
  together
• Translate into required style
• Debate Propose evidence
• Counterpoint evidence further propose
• Summarize strongest points their weakest.

7

• Netherlands to ban Islamic face-covering veils
• SATURDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2011 0946
• Independent
• By Sara Webb and Djaja Ottenhof
• The Dutch government said yesterday it will ban
  face-covering veils worn by some Muslim women
  because these flout the Dutch way of life and
  culture.
• Prime Minister Mark Rutte also announced tougher
  rules for immigrants and asylum-seekers wanting
  Dutch nationality who, in future, must show they
  have earned income and have not received
  financial assistance or benefits for at least
  three years.
• The country's reputation as relatively easy on
  immigration has changed over the past decade,
  reflecting voter concerns over the large number
  of Muslim immigrants.
• "The government believes the wearing of clothing
  that completely or almost entirely covers the
  face is fundamentally at odds with public life,
  where people are recognised by their faces," the
  government said in a statement yesterday.
• "Face-covering clothing prevents this and goes
  against the principles of equality between men
  and women, especially women."
• The new measures reflect the influence wielded by
  populist politician Geert Wilders, whose
  anti-Islam, anti-immigration Freedom Party is the
  third-largest in parliament.
• Wilders has a pact with the minority coalition
  government to provide crucial support in
  parliament in exchange for tougher policies on
  Islam and immigration from non-Western countries.
• The Liberal-Christian Democrat coalition
  government has already faced tough opposition
  from Wilders' Freedom Party over its support for
  euro zone bailouts, and needs to keep it on side
  in order to push ahead with crucial budget cuts.
• The government said it did not consider the ban
  on face-covering veils a restriction of religious
  freedom, but that even if it was, it was
  "necessary and justified in the interest of
  protecting the character and way of life in the
  Netherlands".
• The proposals will first be presented to the
  council of state, the administrative court, and
  then to parliament.
• No time frame was given, but Wilders has said he
  hopes to introduce the ban on face-covering veils
  this year or next.
• Arabic-style niqabs which leave the eyes
  uncovered and Afghan-style burqas that cover the
  face with a cloth grid are far less commonly seen
  on the streets of the Netherlands than Muslim
  headscarves which leave the face exposed.
• France imposed a ban on burqas last year and on
  Friday banned street prayers.

The Dutch government announced plans to
discourage immigration, particularly by Muslims,
as symbolised by a proposed ban of face-covering
veils. This is billed as a response to public
concern but critically it helps the coalition
government secure the support of Wilders (right
wing) Freedom Party, the third largest group in
the Dutch Parliament.
8
Translate for use in debate

• e.g. The focus placed on Muslim womens clothing,
  is this driven by concerns about womens rights,
  or is it rooted in a fear of difference? This
  week in the Netherlands the Dutch government has
  announced
• to placate its right-wing ally which has
  professed itself to be anti-Islam
  anti-foreigner its desire for power is rooted in
  inspiring nationalistic fervour.