Study and Critical Thinking Skills in College

Brief Contents Detailed Contents ix Preface xvii Reading Between the Lines: Thinking Critically 1 College: Strategies for Success 1 The College System: An Orientation 2 Taking Charge of Your College Career 3 Establishing Goals and Managing Your Time 4 Managing Your Life and Coping with Stress 5 Communication Skills for the Classroom 6 Thinking Critically and Solving Problems 2 Learning and Thinking Strategies 7 Learning Styles and Teaching Styles 8 Learning and Memory 3 Applying Your Skills to Academic Disciplines 9 Study Strategies for Academic Disciplines 10 Learning Specialized and Technical Vocabulary The College Student's Troubleshooting Guide 4Mastering Course Content 11 Thought Patterns of Academic Disciplines 12 Note Taking for Class Lectures 13 Learning from Textbooks, Graphics, and Online Sources 14 Organizing and Synthesizing Course Content 15 Critical Reading and Thinking About Course Content 5Exams: Thinking Under Pressure 16 Preparing for Exams 17 Reasoning Skills for Objective Exams 18 Taking Essay Exams References Endnotes Credits Index Detailed Contents Preface xvii Reading Between the Lines: Thinking Critically Introduction The Benefits of Critical Thinking Critical Thinking in College 1. Examine Your Opinions and Beliefs 2. Recognize Emotional Appeals 3. Look For What Is Not Said 4. Pay Attention to the Power of Words 5. Learn How Numbers Can Mislead Study and Critical Thinking Skills in College 1 College: Strategies for Success 1 The College System: An Orientation Information Sources College Services Campus Diversity Course Organization Grades and the Grading System Thinking Critically ... About Grades Skills in Action: Using the Pass/Fail System to Your Advantage Classroom Success Tips Skills in Action: Analyzing Your Strengths and Weaknesses 2 Taking Charge of Your College Career Coping with New Expectations Thinking Critically ... About Course Content Taking Charge Skills in Action: Taking Charge of Your Learning After Exams Early Warning Signals of Academic Difficulty Skills in Action: Considering an Instructor's Effects on Your Learning Active Versus Passive Learning Using Levels of Thinking Building Academic Integrity Skills in Action: Checking Your Academic Integrity 3 Establishing Goals and Managing Your Time Establishing Life Goals Organizing Your Life for Success in College Skills in Action: Organizing Your Life: A Case Study Analyzing Your Time Commitments Building a Study Plan Making Better Use of Time Skills in Action: Examining Your Time Wasters Time Management Tips for Returning Adult Students Time Management Tips for Commuters Thinking Critically ... About Procrastination Concentration Tips Skills in Action: Using Self-Rewards 4 Managing Your Life and Coping with Stress Finances: Planning and Managing Your Money Skills in Action: Thinking About the Cost of Credit Maintain Your Health Thinking Critically ... About Drinking Skills in Action: Improving Health and Diet: A Case Study Managing Your Part-Time Job Managing Relationships Skills in Action: Fine-Tuning Your Communication Skills Identifying Symptoms and Causes of Stress Changing Your Thinking and Habits to Reduce Stress Thinking Critically ... About Accomplishing Tasks Skills in Action: Coping with Stress: A Case Study 5 Communication Skills for the Classroom Listening Critically Participating in Class Asking and Answering Questions Thinking Critically ... About Meaningful Questions Working with Classmates: Group Projects Planning and Making Oral Presentations Skills in Action: Playing on Your Strengths 6 Thinking Critically and Solving Problems Thinking Critically About Decision Making Skills in Action: Identifying Alternatives Problem-Solving Strategies Problem-Solving Processes Thinking Critically ... About Alternatives Keys to Problem Solving Skills in Action: Problem Solving: Case Study 2 Learning and Thinking Strategies 7 Learning Styles and Teaching Styles Analyzing Your Learning Style Interpreting Your Scores Deciding What to Learn Thinking Critically ... About the Intent to Learn Using Learning Style to Choose a Study Method Adapting to Various Teaching Styles Evaluating Your Learning Skills in Action: Evaluating Your Learning Through Self-Monitoring 8 Learning and Memory How Learning and Memory Work Skills in Action: Memory and College Vocabulary Strategies for Improving Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval Thinking Critically ... About Learning Strategies Skills in Action: Creating an Envionment for Learning and Remembering 3 Applying Your Skills to Academic Disciplines 9 Study Strategies for Academic Disciplines Approaching New Fields of Study Skills in Action: Coping with a Challenging Course The Social Sciences and History Skills in Action: Thinking Like a Social Scientist The Life and Physical Sciences Mathematics Literature and the Arts Thinking Critically ... About Literature Skills in Action: Reading Literary Criticism Career Fields 10 Learning Specialized and Technical Vocabulary Terminology: The Key to Course Mastery Mapping Related Terminology Skills in Action: Adapting Vocabulary Learning to Teaching Style Thinking Critically ... About Vocabulary Learning Core Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes Skills in Action: Using Word Parts to Decipher Meaning Developing a Course Master File The College Student's Troubleshooting Guide 1. Setting Goals and Priorities 2. Textbook Reading Assignments 3. Note Taking 4. Grades and Taking Tests 5. Writing Skills 6. Technology 7. Interpersonal Conflicts 8. Safety and Security 9. Living and Commuting Arrangements 10. Wellness Issues 4 Mastering Course Content 11 Thought Patterns of Academic Disciplines Thought Patterns: Guides to Learning Order or Sequence Comparison and Contrast Cause and Effect Classification Definition Listing Mixed Patterns Thinking Critically ... About Patterns Skills in Action: Using Thought Patterns 12 Note Taking for Class Lectures Sharpening Your Listening Skills How to Start with an Advantage Skills in Action: Starting with an Advantage: Case Study Recording Appropriate Content and Organization Taking Notes on Your Laptop Working with Various Lecture Formats Thinking Critically ... About Lectures Skills in Action: Analyzing Your Current Courses Note Taking and Learning Style Using the Lecturer's Thought Patterns Editing and Reviewing Your Notes Skills in Action: Assessing Your Effectiveness at Note Taking 13 Learning from Textbooks, Graphics, and Online Sources Features of Textbooks Previewing Your Textbooks Thinking Critically ... About Previewing Using the SQ3R Reading/Study System Learning from Graphs, Tables, and Diagrams Skills in Action: Making Your Own Graphics Learning from Nontextbook Reading Assignments Reading Internet Sources Evaluating Internet Sources Evaluating Internet Sources Skills in Action: Researching on the Web: Case Study 14 Organizing and Synthesizing Course Content Textbook Highlighting and Annotation Thinking Critically ... About Highlighting Skills in Action: Highlighting and Annotating Your Textbook Note Taking to Organize and Condense Information Mapping to Show Relationships Skills in Action: Practicing Your Mapping Skills Using a Computer to Synthesize Course Content 15 Critical Reading and Thinking About Course Content Synthesizing Information Skills in Action: Synthesizing Information Across Courses Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion Evaluating Differing Viewpoints Evaluating Generalizations Testing Hypotheses Thinking Critically ... About Data and Evidence Skills in Action: Analyzing Statements Asking Critical Questions Skills in Action: Evaluating Internet Sources Skills in Action: Thinking Critically About Tone Examining an Argument Skills in Action: Researching and Understanding Opposing Viewpoints 5 Exams: Thinking Under Pressure 16 Preparing for Exams Organizing Your Review Thinking Critically ... About Group Study Thematic Study Strategies for Particular Types of Exams Skills in Action: Expanding Your Exam Comfort Zone Strategies for Specific Academic Disciplines Controlling Test Anxiety Skills in Action: Controlling Anxiety Through Breathing Exercises 17 Reasoning Skills for Objective Exams Starting with an Advantage Skills in Action: Allotting Your Time on Exams Skills for Objective Exams Thinking Critically ... About Practicum Exams Skills in Action: Using All Your Exam-Taking Skills Achieving Success with Standardized Tests 18 Taking Essay Exams Writing Effective Essay Exams Skills in Action: Outlining Your Essay Exam Thinking Critically ... About Returned Exams Achieving Success with Competency Tests and Exit Exams References Endnotes Credits Index