1. How to Study in Academia LECTURE NOTE-TAKING METHOD 1. During lecture, take notes as detailed in lecture and on the course website Primary ideas & concepts Secondary ideas & concepts Illustrations and examples 2. After lecture: group the ideas & concepts from lecture notes on a clean sheet keep a separate section which connects the main ideas across the successive novels. 3. Academic English uses primary texts Sciences use tertiary texts—i.e. textbooks. Texts (novels, etc.) in English are the ‘matter’ of experiments in Sciences: i.e. the material for empirical study; that upon which experiments are performed. READING METHOD 1. Read the primary texts for enjoyment. 2. Underline whatever: catches your fancy seems important echoes lecture 3. If a section is incomprehensible, mark it and pass it by. 4. Summarise each chapter in one sentence *point of excellence*: underline main sentence in each ¶ 5. Summarise the book in one sentence 6. Re-read in skimming fashion the book and highlight lecture ideas with a vertical line in the margin. 7. This is then a study guide for the Final Exam

2. Aristotle: writing is Techne—a science with order & rules. Middle-Ages through to (British) present: Trivium – Grammar: how words work – Rhetoric: how to arrange words to get them to do what you want. – Dialectic: how ideas are arranged in writing Thus, Good Writing is judged essentially by its EFFECTIVENESS Cf: With Quadrivium = ‘Seven Liberal Arts.’ 2

3. Strategies for Planning & Drafting Planners vs Explorers: nosce te ipsum! Understand the task (purpose again.) Get help: documents, examples, other people Laser in on a TOPIC: It is impossible to be too simple. Use personal experience and interests Freewrite: just write for five minutes. Pick out the best. Brainstorm: list bullet-point ideas, words, sentences, fragments, etc. Then Cluster or Branch these. Pick out the best. 3

4. Strategies for Planning & Drafting: First Draft Writers’ Block. Distractions. Slackness ;--) Just get writing! Don’t write your first (thesis or introduction) or your last (conclusion) paragraphs….until later. Look for the arrangement (next week) Make sure transitional terms & sentences exist ‘But’, ‘Therefore’, ‘In addition’, ‘As I have said…’ Keep a notes pages or (better) note cards. 4

5. Strategies for Planning & Drafting: Ask Questions W.W.W.W.W.? Narration: the backsto Description Illustration: famous cases Process: how to use Analysis: parts Functional Analysis: usefulness Causal: history Classification: the diff. kinds Definition: formal Argument: why use this? Gather Information Brainstorm Read w. notation Talk: email, phone, visit Organise Key points Cicero rhetorical form ‘Flexible notes’ system 5

6. Strategies for Planning & Drafting: Thesis Statement One or two sentences expressing main idea. A general half & a specific half “The lack of qualified engineers retards economic recovery. Increased funding for BCIT is essential.” Topic + Question T. Engineers & Economic recovery Q. How to correct? Unity: can’t be too simple. Use a single point. Tailored Scope: consider the length of the writing project Your POV: be explict (to yourself) about your own attitude Thesis statement can be changed during review & revision 6