Eng 121 week 1 assignment

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

—Joseph Addison (ThinkExist, 2010a)

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Contrast active with unfocused reading.

2. Describe the four key steps that are essential to success when beginning a new college course.

3. Identify the key strategies to engage in order to actively read a text, includ- ing annotation, a reading journal, and brainstorming.

4. Analyze the components of the SQ3R method, or Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.

5. Differentiate the different key words and action verbs, and understand their implications.

2College Reading

Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.1 Reading to Write and Learn

noise moves into the “foreground”—in other words, students ultimately end up focusing on what is on TV and become distracted from their reading. Of course, life puts many demands on us, and it may not always be possible to do your reading in an environment where nothing else is going on. However, when possible, give reading your full attention and avoid multitasking.

Reading to Write There are two important links between reading and writing. One of these is that reading is one of the best ways to improve your writing. Most good writers learn how to write well through reading rather than through memorizing grammar rules. In fact, reading provides better examples of how to use the English language than simply practicing grammar exer- cises would. The truth is that reading any form of writing on a regular basis helps writers gain an increased knowledge of writing structures, grammar, clarity, and organization. It is not necessary to constantly read novels or academic writing to achieve this benefit; read- ing popular social and political magazines and short articles will help as well, as long as they are well written. Not only will you gain more out of reading what interests you, but you will also become a stronger writer because you will automatically notice correct gram- mar usage, a variety of writing styles, and a variety of narrative structures as you read.

The second fundamental link between reading and writing is that one must read a text very carefully in order to write well about it. Close reading requires you to notice details, repetitions, metaphors, similes, symbolism, and/or themes and to develop an under- standing of how they—or any other literary devices—function in a text. A good method of reading may start by taking note of terms, phrases, or short clauses that stand out to the reader or that seem significant. As you read, highlight, circle, or underline the lan- guage that seems most important. When you notice a recurring theme, for instance, take note of it each time it appears in the text, and ultimately try to trace how that theme or concept develops over the course of the reading. Because all great writing begins with careful reading, students should read a text a few times. On the second reading, more connections between ideas and concepts will become apparent. For most college papers, direct citation is required in the body paragraphs, and one must develop an argument or interpretation about the evidence of the text, so it is necessary to pay attention to pos- sible evidence one might use in a paper while reading. The evidence should directly guide a writer’s interpretation, not the other way around: One of the biggest mistakes writers sometimes make is coming up with an “answer” to an essay prompt first and then trying desperately to find evidence to support that answer. Writing should work in the reverse—what the text says and what it suggests is the first step in writing a paper, and the text should in turn guide the writer’s interpretation and response to the essay prompt. It is artificial to produce an answer to an essay prompt based on opinion rather than on a careful interpretation of what the text is saying.

Reading to Learn Course materials usually consist of the course guide (or syllabus), assigned text(s) and other readings, and, in online courses, your instructor’s guidance, announcements, and the link to your weekly course assignments. A major mistake some students make is that they fail to read some of these materials, often as a result of procrastination. As a result, they miss important information or fail to prepare their written assignments properly, and

iStockphoto/Thinkstock Effective reading requires your full attention, in an environment without technological distractions.

Chapter 1 explored attitudes about writing, identified common elements in all types of writing, and outlined the writing tools and resources available to assist you in these efforts. This chapter offers guidance on how to help you meet the requirements for well-written college papers, including a discussion and demonstration of active reading strategies, and step-by-step strategies for reading different types of course materials. Good college writing begins with effective reading, and college courses generally require a great deal of both. Most people have been reading for so long that it is easy take its importance for granted. Cultivating the skills of active reading is the first step in learning to become a good writer; if you can thoughtfully interpret what you are reading, you have a much greater likelihood of writing material that is appropriately engaged with the text and the assignment.

2.1 Reading to Write and Learn

When you read novels or other fictional writing, you usually do so to escape your daily routine and to relax from other activities. You probably start at the begin-ning of the book, read every word, and occasionally lose yourself in the story. Because you are reading for escape or for entertainment, it does not matter how quickly or slowly you read. You can read at your own pace and passively follow along with the story. In your college courses, however, you cannot be a passive reader; college reading requires active reading, a method that includes reading with a pen in hand and marking up the terms and phrases that seem significant (or using the highlight tool when read- ing an ebook). When you are an active reader, you are reading for a purpose. You look for main ideas and let the structure of the reading material, such as the headings and subheadings, help you decide what is most important. Active readers are reading to inter- pret rather than just gain a basic understanding of the content of the text. Active reading enables you to understand what you are reading and equips you with the skills you need to respond to writing assignments, for exams, or for use on the job or in other aspects of your life. Though some may believe that they will not need the content in this chapter for employment purposes, active reading is an invaluable skill that is needed for most careers that require a college degree.

Reading Misconceptions Perhaps the most common reading misconception is the idea that you can read effectively while multitasking. Using email, online shopping, search- ing the Web, or checking social media outlets while also trying to read is extremely detrimental to the reading process. Avoid technological distrac- tions of all kinds while you read because they move some of the focus away from your assignment and the texts. Students also very commonly turn on the TV in the “background” while studying, but the problem is that what was meant as “background”

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.1 Reading to Write and Learn

noise moves into the “foreground”—in other words, students ultimately end up focusing on what is on TV and become distracted from their reading. Of course, life puts many demands on us, and it may not always be possible to do your reading in an environment where nothing else is going on. However, when possible, give reading your full attention and avoid multitasking.

Reading to Write There are two important links between reading and writing. One of these is that reading is one of the best ways to improve your writing. Most good writers learn how to write well through reading rather than through memorizing grammar rules. In fact, reading provides better examples of how to use the English language than simply practicing grammar exer- cises would. The truth is that reading any form of writing on a regular basis helps writers gain an increased knowledge of writing structures, grammar, clarity, and organization. It is not necessary to constantly read novels or academic writing to achieve this benefit; read- ing popular social and political magazines and short articles will help as well, as long as they are well written. Not only will you gain more out of reading what interests you, but you will also become a stronger writer because you will automatically notice correct gram- mar usage, a variety of writing styles, and a variety of narrative structures as you read.

The second fundamental link between reading and writing is that one must read a text very carefully in order to write well about it. Close reading requires you to notice details, repetitions, metaphors, similes, symbolism, and/or themes and to develop an under- standing of how they—or any other literary devices—function in a text. A good method of reading may start by taking note of terms, phrases, or short clauses that stand out to the reader or that seem significant. As you read, highlight, circle, or underline the lan- guage that seems most important. When you notice a recurring theme, for instance, take note of it each time it appears in the text, and ultimately try to trace how that theme or concept develops over the course of the reading. Because all great writing begins with careful reading, students should read a text a few times. On the second reading, more connections between ideas and concepts will become apparent. For most college papers, direct citation is required in the body paragraphs, and one must develop an argument or interpretation about the evidence of the text, so it is necessary to pay attention to pos- sible evidence one might use in a paper while reading. The evidence should directly guide a writer’s interpretation, not the other way around: One of the biggest mistakes writers sometimes make is coming up with an “answer” to an essay prompt first and then trying desperately to find evidence to support that answer. Writing should work in the reverse—what the text says and what it suggests is the first step in writing a paper, and the text should in turn guide the writer’s interpretation and response to the essay prompt. It is artificial to produce an answer to an essay prompt based on opinion rather than on a careful interpretation of what the text is saying.

Reading to Learn Course materials usually consist of the course guide (or syllabus), assigned text(s) and other readings, and, in online courses, your instructor’s guidance, announcements, and the link to your weekly course assignments. A major mistake some students make is that they fail to read some of these materials, often as a result of procrastination. As a result, they miss important information or fail to prepare their written assignments properly, and

iStockphoto/Thinkstock Effective reading requires your full attention, in an environment without technological distractions.

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.1 Reading to Write and Learn

their grades suffer. Find a relatively quiet place to read, such as a library’s reading room, a bench in a park, a quiet room in your home free of distractions, or if some background noise is good for you, then a coffee shop. Whatever the case may be, it is important that you are comfortable where you are reading and that you can concentrate. Begin your reading assignments immediately. If you read a little bit of material each day, you will have a much easier time completing the reading assignment—and, you will probably digest the mate- rial better because you read carefully and gave yourself time to process what you read.

To ensure that you have all the information you need to be successful in your courses, fol- low the four steps below when you begin a college course.

Step 1: Read the course guide or syllabus thoroughly before the course begins. Pay particular attention to any learning outcomes. Learning outcomes or learning objectives reflect knowledge you are expected to gain by the time you complete the course. Keep these learning outcomes or objectives in mind throughout the course. They are clues to the purpose of the reading materials and the course assignments. It is a good idea to read the entire assignment before reading the assigned text. You can read the text with more care if you first know what your writing assignment requires. The writing assignments, then, serve as a guide for how to read and what to look for in a text.

Step 2: Each week, check your course calendar if applicable, and read the week’s information in the syllabus, as well as any emails or announcements from your instructor. Begin with the syllabus. The syllabus (or course guide) is likely to explain the goals and topics for the week and provide directions and additional information about the weekly topics and assignments. Announcements will notify the class of any assignment changes and provide other important information and the calendar, if your course has one, is likely to indicate the due dates for all assignments and exams.

Step 3: As soon as possible each course week, complete the text reading, breaking it up into parts, and any other assigned reading materials. Use the SQ3R reading strategy, described later in the chapter, for lengthy reading assignments.

Step 4: Finally, when you have completed your text and other assigned reading, read your discussion and written assignment prompts again carefully. Make sure you clearly understand the purpose of each assignment, the intended audience, the rhetorical context, and the specific assignment requirements. Your instructor will help you understand these elements of the writing situation, but you should definitely ask if you have any questions about the assignment. When you read the assignment for a second time, follow the guidelines in Section 2.2: Strategies for Active Reading.

In addition to these general reading guidelines a student can apply to any class, it is cru- cial to understand that different types of reading materials in college classes require dif- ferent reading strategies.

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.2 Strategies for Active Reading

2.2 Strategies for Active Reading

If you learn how to become an effective active reader, you will be impressed with the results. Learning how to become an active reader does take practice, but each time you practice the skills below you will improve in this crucial skill set. Annotating and Note Taking Annotating means writing a note—in the margin of the document you are reading or on a separate piece of paper—that explains or comments on what you have read. The notes you write on a text to help you keep track of key ideas are called annotations. Be creative and experiment until you find a recording system that works well for you. If you are using an ebook, chances are that you can highlight and annotate electronically. If you have a printed copy of a text including the reading or writing assignment, you should always read with a pen or pencil and highlighters in hand. If you are unsure what a paragraph or sentence suggests, mark it with a question mark. Indicate surprising moments in the text with an exclamation point. Respond to interesting sections of the text by writing down statements, questions, or ideas you have about them. Use different color highlighters for different themes you notice. Perhaps you see that nature and gender are themes in the text—try using one color highlighter for nature and a separate one for gender. This is a method for

organizing your annotations. If you are reading a hard copy, you can also use sticky notes to keep track of your main ideas about the text. You do not need to mark everything you read; part of active reading is learning to distinguish between which material is important and which is less impor- tant thematically or in terms of con- tent. When you are done reading a text, your annotations act as a series of interactions between yourself and the text you are reading. This dia- logue with the text can and should help you organize a paper about that text. Here is an example of how to effectively annotate a passage from Sophocles’s Antigone, a statement made by King Creon:

iStockphoto/Thinkstock Taking notes directly on your text is called annotating. This practice can help you remember key concepts and record your reactions to interesting passages.

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.2 Strategies for Active Reading

That’s what a man prays for: to produce good sons—/a household full of them, dutiful and attentive,/so they can pay his enemy back with inter- est/and match the respect their father shows his friend./But the man who rears a brood of useless children,/what has he brought into the world, I ask you?/Nothing but trouble for himself, and mockery/from his enemies laughing in his face. (Sophocles, 1984, pp. 715–722).

Reflection: According to this passage, the role of sons is very important to fathers, and maybe especially to kings, since King Creon is speaking. Sons are necessary for warfare—they are needed to fight the “enemy.” “Useless children” seem to be those who refuse to fight in warfare, and maybe daughters are also considered part of that category.

You may have started the passage by wondering what kind of statement would be made about the value of sons, and you may have been surprised to read that King Creon sees sons as necessary for warfare. By the end of the excerpt, it seems that King Creon is mak- ing a clear statement that any son who would not go to war for him would be an embar- rassment. It seems, then, that perhaps politics matter more to King Creon than his family. It is crucial that when you are reading a text you are doing your best to create an honest interpretation of the text that is well supported by what the text says. Avoid immedi- ately disagreeing with a text or assuming it is uninteresting because these approaches will make you incapable of understanding the text. You might ask yourself: “Would the author consider this to be a fair interpretation of the text?” If the answer seems to be no, then reread portions of the text where you may have become stuck and try to develop a more accurate reading.

As you read, remember to keep the learning outcomes in mind and to continually ask yourself, “Does this information answer the heading question?” and “Is this information I need to know?” If the answers to these questions are yes, read the material carefully and record it in some way. You should always read with a purpose, whether it is to answer questions your instructor has asked you about a text, to answer your own questions about the text, or to organize your thoughts for a paper.

Journaling and Reflection If, while you are reading, you identify certain pages that seem important, you might want to write down the page numbers in a reading journal, which is a place where writers record their initial thoughts and impressions of a text, and may later brainstorm ideas and outline possible main points for the draft of an essay. Writers should especially note the elements of a text that are most interesting or that stand out in some way—there are rea- sons why certain pieces of text stand out. An informal journal will probably help you think about and ask questions in class about the text. The more engagement you have with the text, the stronger your understanding will be. After noting key phrases and terms, writers reflect on those terms to think about their significance. Reflection leads to brainstorming potential ideas that a writer might use in a paper. Brainstorming is a necessary step that allows you to synthesize the material and what you are learning from it.

Sons are more important for kings

Sons should fight the enemy

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.2 Strategies for Active Reading

Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review Ideally, writers use a variety of strategies when approaching texts. Another method of approaching a text is the SQ3R method, (see Writing in Action: SQ3R Method), an abbrevia- tion which stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review (Huber, 2004). SQ3R is a useful strategy for reading books and other lengthy reading materials. This strategy is simple to follow, and it can improve your understanding of what you read.

Writing in Action: SQ3R Method

SQ3R =

1. Survey (skim headings, subheadings, chapter summary, charts, and tables in text). 2. Question (turn headings and subheadings into questions). 3. Read (read to find the answers to your questions and record the answers by highlighting,

underlining, or taking notes). 4. Recite (summarize what you learned by telling someone else or writing it down). 5. Review (go back and read your notes or information that you highlighted or underlined to

reinforce learning and to commit the information to memory).

Survey The term survey means to preview information. Before reading a chapter, skim or flip through it and read the bold headings that divide the text into different sections. These headings are an outline of the chapter. They will show you how the chapter is organized and give you the main ideas the chapter will cover. As you survey the chapter, also pay attention to any hints, tips, or other material shown in the margins or in hyperlinks. This information is formatted to make it stand out from the rest of the text, and it usually sum- marizes major points or provides helpful information. If you are doing research, or are simply interested in learning more about a topic, look at the text’s index and bibliography. An index can include a list of authors and concepts referred to in the text. If you want to see how many references a text makes to Darwin, flip to the index and see if there is an entry. If there is no entry, the text likely is not relevant to your studies. Bibliographies are equally useful resources for readers and researchers. If a text is useful to you and you want to read more texts that relate to the subject matter, the bibliography (or reference list) tells you what research the author of the text you are reading relied on. If a text refers to another author whose approach seems particularly interesting, you can turn to the bib- liography and then locate these texts.

Next, examine all graphs, pictures, diagrams, and tables. They also summarize informa- tion in a clear and concise way. (Remember the old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”) Finally, read the introductory and summary paragraphs at the beginning and end of the chapter. These paragraphs point out what to look for in the chapter and recap the most important information.

Question After your chapter survey, go back to the beginning of the chapter and start reading. As you come to each of the chapter headings or subheadings, change it to a question (using

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.2 Strategies for Active Reading

the words who, what, where, when, why, or how). Then try to answer the question as you read. For example, this chapter’s heading or title is “College Reading.” Change this heading to a question: “What is college reading?” As you read, try to find information in the chapter that answers that question. Do the same for the chapter headings and subheadings. The first heading is “Reading to Write and Learn.” Change this heading to a question such as “What does reading actually have to do with writing?” As you read this section of the text, look for information that answers your question. The first subheading under “Reading to Write and Learn” is “Reading Misconceptions.” Again, change this heading to a question: “What are reading misconceptions, and why are they important?” Yet another question to consider is: “Do I actually believe in some of these misconceptions?” Looking for answers to these questions means that you are engaging the text, and creating your own dialog with it.

There is no right or wrong way to form the question. Just follow this questioning method with each chapter heading and subheading as you come to it in your reading: First form a question and then read the section to answer the question. Challenging yourself in this way will help you maintain interest in what you are reading and improve your under- standing of the text.

Read Think about what you are reading and what it means. Because you are reading for infor- mation that you may need to retrieve later for an exam or a written assignment, develop a system to record important information as you read it. You might want to underline or highlight the information that answers your question or that you think is important. Or, you can use an asterisk (*), an exclamation point (!), or a question mark (?) to mark pas- sages you think are particularly important to remember. You should always feel ready to write notes in the margins about important information as you read. Some students take notes in a notebook and then use different colored marking pens to circle or highlight spe- cific information. If you are reading electronically, then add comments electronically or on a separate sheet of paper. Try to annotate as you read regardless of what you are reading.

Recite After you have finished reading a section of the book or other lengthy reading material, make sure you understand what you have read by trying to restate it in some way. Recit- ing does not necessarily mean you have to say it out loud. You can recite what you learned to yourself aloud (or silently) if you wish, but you might also tell someone else what you learned, discuss it in a written discussion post, or write a short paragraph in a notebook that summarizes what you read. However you choose to “recite,” it is important that you recap what you learned in some way. You might want to go back to the question you formed from each section heading and, in your own words, answer the question; even bet- ter, write down the answer. The answers to the section questions will help you study for future exams. You may even recite material to yourself while you are getting ready in the morning or cooking dinner. You may not have all of your questions about a text answered while you are sitting in front of it. Likely you will need to reflect afterwards and this will contribute to your larger reading of the text.

Think of reciting as a type of self-test to make sure you clearly understand what you read and to reinforce the material in your mind. If you do not clearly understand it, go back and read it again or ask your instructor or other students to help you clarify the meaning.

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CHAPTER 2Section 2.3 Reading for Academic Success

Review Finally, review the most important information by going back and looking over the under- lined, marked, or highlighted information or by rereading or typing your handwritten notes. Imagine the sort of quiz questions you might be asked on the material and make sure you have the information to answer those questions. When you are finished reading the assigned text, reread what you have written and try to summarize the main points or ideas you think the text is pointing you toward. Try to summarize in order to gain a sense of what you think is valuable in the text.

Reading Visuals Learning how to read visuals is an art form itself. Your readings may also include simple visuals such as tables, illustrations, or graphics to make information more understand- able. Whenever students encounter visuals in their reading assignments, they should always pause and take time to consider what the visual is telling them and how it assists them in their understanding of the course material. Images in reading may help you if you are more of a visual learner. Refer back to tables, graphs, and charts that seem to simplify information and clarify ideas that seemed otherwise unclear as you read.

2.3 Reading for Academic Success

How can you apply reading methods to discussion questions and written assign-ments for college? The primary methods for understanding assignments consist of learning how to read for key words and action verbs. When taken together, key words and action verbs indicate the concepts the essay must attend to.