TIP 7
Rethinking concepts
After the lecture, discuss the principles
presented with your classmates to be sure
that you understood them properly. Only when
your notes are intelligible should you
raise any counter-arguments to the issues
discussed.
Recitation Classes
Many courses consist of two (or three) lectures
per week and one recitation or discus-
sion hour. This arrangement is especially
desirable where lecture classes are large and
the only opportunity available to discuss the
course material is during a recitation hour.
The following is suggested in order to get the
most from the recitation interval:
TIP 1
Complete assignments
The need to finish assignments and be prepared
is especially important in recitation
classes. Being knowledgeable about the issues,
both in terms of general principles and
specific facts, facilitates participation in
recitation classes. Thus, reading the assigned
material is essential to feeling comfortable in
and getting the most out of these classes.
TIP 2
Supplemental reading
The lecturer may provide a list of or refer to
supplemental reading material. Becoming
familiar with at least some of this material
can enhance your ability to participate in dis-
cussions. Therefore, you should have notes
available that contain highlights from any of
the supplementary material you have read so
that you can use that material appropriately
and efficiently. You may wish to bring copies
of relevant articles with you to class.
TIP 3
Prepare questions
During the lecture sessions, especially where
large groups are involved, questions
may arise that invariably remain unanswered.
These should be noted and the list of
questions should be brought to the recitation
session, where they can be raised as topics
for discussion. Getting a clear definition of
terms is especially desirable. In addition,
you may also wish to identify any discrepancies
or apparent contradictions between the
lecture and reading material that deserves
resolution. Questions that arise in the course
of reading should also be noted.
TIP 4
Clarify lectures
Rewriting your lecture notes may bring to your
attention areas where further clarifica-
tion is desirable. The recitation hour provides
an opportunity to eliminate any confusion.
TIP 5
Test preparation exercise
Listen to the questions being asked and note
your answers in order to compare them
with those of your instructor. This will
provide you with an estimate of your level of
knowledge and you can see where there are gaps
in your pool of information.
Writing Term Papers
Term papers are traditional college
assignments. In general, they are usually not favored
by students because they challenge the
individual much more than study assignments.
However, the preparation of term papers
provides a useful vehicle to learn how to prop-
erly and clearly express yourself. This is a
vital communication skill that is invaluable in
the world you will work in.
Our educational system in large measure is a
structured one, requiring that you sim-
ply recall information that has been presented.
Preparing term papers requires indepen-
dent thought, since it necessitates your
evaluating and synthesizing information from
multiple sources. As a result, you can
formulate conclusions that you support with facts,
thereby reflecting your ability to reason along
logical lines.
Writing an attractive and effective term paper
requires proper topic selection
(assuming you have a choice), ability to obtain
appropriate information (research skills),
talent at organization, and clearly expressing
your thoughts.
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