Study and Critical Thinking Skills in College

by McWhorter, Kathleen T.

• ISBN13: 9780205734801
• ISBN10: 0205734804
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-02-25
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Study and Critical Thinking Skills in College presents a unique integration of study and critical thinking skills to help students become academically competitive. The author discusses active learning strategies and techniques and emphasizes how to apply study skills to academic disciplines.

Table of Contents

 

Brief Contents

Detailed Contents    ix

Preface    xvii

Reading Between the Lines: Thinking Critically    

PART 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    

PART 2 Learning and Thinking Strategies    

   7   Learning Styles and Teaching Styles    

   8   Learning and Memory    

PART 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    

PART 4 Mastering 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    

PART 5 Exams: 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    

PART 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    

PART 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    

PART 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    

 

PART 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    

PART 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