1. Please note: This presentation is the intellectual property of the Copenhagen School of Global Health. It may only be used by students registered at the school. Passing this material on to other parties is illegal.

2. Your study technique toolbox Getting off to a good start

3. Where we left off... Danish academic culture is based on the individual, critical response Knowledge (not information) and analysis Your ablity to reflect on what you have learnt Sharing/discussing your thoughts with others Communicating your ideas CLEARLY

4. Read, mark, learn and inwardly digest

5. ...inward digest? Retaining what youve learnt Making your knowledge useful - to yourself and others For this, you need good study techniques...

6. ..but you also need motivation

7. Get into good habits Check course requirements Plan your term Have fixed working hours (independent study) Choose your study environment (work place) Refine your study skills

8. The basics of a good study technique Read (appropriate technique) Reflect on what you read (process your material) Share your thoughts (teachers/colleagues) Review your material regularly

9. Your study technique tool box Planning Reading technique Note-taking technique Active participation in class Generating ideas

10. Planning your time

11. Check: Course requirements Course plan Type of exam and date Reading load: primary/secondary literature

12. Work out a study plan Long-term plan (overview of tasks month/term) Short-term plan (timetable for a week/day) Include extra-curricular activities Prioritise your tasks (ex. colour code) Set deadlines (be realistic!)

13. Reading techniques Suit your technique to the status of the text

14. Before choosing your reading technique, you need to define text type? aim of text? relevance of text

15. Select your reading technique Overview reading Skimming Selective reading Normal reading Intensive reading....or a combination

16. Overview reading (library reading) Purpose: to familiarise yourself with various types of text How? Read abstract or back cover Check list of contents Quick scan through text Perhaps read parts of introduction and conclusion

17. Skimming Purpose: To get a general idea of the texts content How? Quick scan through text General notes when youve finished

18. Selective reading Purpose: Find specific information/explanation which you need to use How? Read with a particular issue in focus Take notes to the specific topic

19. Normal reading Purpose: understand the entire argument of the text How? Read entire text Take notes as you read Summarise the texts argument

20. Intensive reading Purpose: Know the text in detail How? Read text cover-to-cover Take notes as you read Final notes (progression of argument + your response)

21. The SQ3R reading method Survey: Skim the text through before taking notes Question: Whats this about/what do I already know Read: Read thoroughly and take notes Recite: Summarise the main points (orally/in writing) Review: Go over notes regularly

22. The ultimate reading test Put the texts argument into your own words. If you cant, youve not understood the text!

23. Taking notes

24. Class notes Purpose: Record what went on in class Writing as an aid to memory Short and concise Use your own shorthand/page layout Important notes in quotes (watch out for plagiarism!)

25. Shorthand examples Def. definition Ref. reference Ex. example + and/addition => leads to/results in = equals/the same as larger than/smaller than ~ almost the same as/corresponds to

26. Note-taking methods The Cornell method The outline method The mapping method The charting method Reference: sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/notetaking.systems.html

27. The Cornell method Left margin for cues/headlines/main points Notes to the right Bottom of page for main ideas (review)

28. Outline method Headline/main point Space indention for subpoints Outlines content relationships + levels of importance Need accurate organisation

29. The mapping method Visual/graphic representation of content of lecture Overview Emphasizes critical thinking Easy to add numbers, underline, colour-coding

30. The charting method Columns and headings Clear identification of lecture categories Easy to review Limit amount of notes

31. The four methods

32. Exercise - lecture notes Listen to the extract from part I of Anthony Giddens lecture series, Runaway World - on Globalisation Select your note-taking technique Take notes while listening Compare notes in pairs - discuss pros/cons

33. Ex. lecture notes (Giddens) Intro. anecdote => impact of glob. globalisation (term) - over past 10 years - meaning not clear - great debate => Two camps A. Sceptics –Status quo - economy not different - regional exchange, not global (ex. trading blocs, EU, NA, Asia) => the old left (free market agitators) B. Radicals –Global market highly dev. ( % nation states - a fiction) Giddens: Radicals are right! World trade, services, finance - new electronic global economy BUT:glob is political, technological, and cultural as well as economic

34. What to do with class notes? Fair copy of your notes when you get home - use headlines - summarise/put into your own words - classify topics into seperate files Recap: read over your lesson notes before the next seminar/lecture Questions? Clarify issues asap with colleagues/lecturer

35. Reading notes An unmarked text is an unread text

36. Reading notes Use the margins (content notes and your own comments) Highlight the text (colour coding/post-it notes) Use note-taking techniques (cp. class notes) Synthesize your reading notes Devise a logical filing system

37. Exercise - reading notes Read through the text on the hand-out (Giddens/globalisation excerpt) Select a new note taking techique and use it for your reading notes. 10 min.

38. Checklist for text summaries (synthesis) Topic? Issues addressed (synopsis)? Argument? Methods used (and why)? Conclusions (and why)? Your response

39. Mindmapping - generating ideas

40. Exercise - mindmap your thoughts Draw a mindmap of your associations to any of the following topics: Disaster management Networking Improving public health in the third world First impressions of Denmark

41. Active participation in class

42. Your sessions Lectures Student presentations Class discussions Group work/discussions Active participation from you is expected!

43. Active participation Take the floor early on - get use to speaking in class Contribute to discussions Ask questions Listen to your colleagues - share your thoughts Make sure your contribution is relevant and constructive

44. Studying is work in progress... and study techniques only get better through constant practice