Chapter 7: P.O.W.E.R Learning, Strategies for Success in College and Life

What points should you keep in mind when public speaking?

Audiences are generally sympathetic. (Rooting for you to succeed) Being nervous is normal Once you start speaking, it will become easier Practice helps(Preparation and Practice go a long way toward easing your tension)

How can we be ruthless of our essay?

Be merciless and unforgiving with writings that don't sound right or don't add to your argument Don't tear yourself down, but demand the best from your performance Start pruning at the paragraph level; make sure each paragraph adds to the ultimate message Then assess sentences and words; evaluate to make sure they clarify your message By paring down your writing , you let your ideas shine through

What is the Evaluate step in writing?

Be your own critic: Fine tune your work

How do you get the audience interested?

Begin with an anecdote Start with a quotation Arouse their curiosity Talk about the significance of the topic Ask a question Use humor

What is the body in ABBCC?

Makes up the majority of the paper. Provides evidence why your thesis is right. This evidence should be presented in a logical order. If historical event is being discussed, present chronologically. In other situations you will want to discuss the least controversial info first. Keep your audience in mind when organizing your body paragraph.

What does an outline show us?

A set of sequential steps that show us where we are heading and how we are going to get there

What is a scaffold?

A wooden platform that is the physical framework allowing them to build the exterior of the building

What is one structure you can follow?

ABBCC Structure(5 parts of a research paper) Argument Background Body Counterarguments Conclusion

What guidelines can you follow to help avoid plagiarism?

Always note the source, and distinguish between your ideas and the sources Don't rely on a single source Use quotation marks if you are quoting another's work Keep accurate records as you are taking notes. Be careful when paraphrasing Even when paraphrasing, cite the source Must cite material used on the web Check your own paper with plagiarism- detection software.

What is an Impromptu talk?

An unprepared presentation that require you to speak on a moment's notice. Happens more often than you think

What is the argument in ABBCC?

As soon as we introduce ourselves, we need to introduce a main argument or thesis. A thesis should be stated as an assertion. An effective thesis statement takes a position on a issue; signaled by an action verb. The thesis or argument doesn't always need to be the first sentence in the paragraph, it should be something that grabs the reader's attention. The first section should lay out the areas that you will cover and the general scope of the paper. Present the paper's overall perspective and point of view.

To write most papers, you must .............................

Do research, either in the library or on the Web

What is the Work step in writing?

Get it down in the first draft; refine it in the second draft

Getting started is the ________ part.

Hardest Once you've got a few words on the paper, it becomes easier. Don't feel you are carving your words in stone. Permit yourself to be less than perfect. Come back and fix grammatical issues. 1st draft is to get something to go on.

What makes writing cause many more anxieties than other subjects?

Papers often have a large impact on your final course grade. If you write everything last minute, writing is a tense experience Maybe you've never been taught to write well Some special writing gene you weren't born with

What is the key to organizing an extended piece of writing?

The Outline!

What is plagiarism?

The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Plagiarism is as bad, in the academic world, as stealing one's car.

You should think of your audience as ......................

The ultimate purpose of the writing assignment

What is the conclusion in ABBCC?

This is where you pull everything together and is your last chance to drive home your thesis. The conclusion should summarize the thesis and the arguments that you have made regarding it. DON't introduce new information. The conclusion should also tie pieces together.

What are some techniques you can use to choose a good topic?

Use freewriting Use brainstorming

What are some questions we can ask ourselves when taking the long view?

What is the purpose of my paper? Has that purpose been fulfilled? Have I addressed every part of the assignment? Does the paper tell its readers everything they need to know? Will readers be able to follow it's logic? Does the paper make its points clearly? Are the transitions between sections clear?

What kind of assignments cause more anxieties than any other?

Writing Assignments

Writing is a .....................

process, one allows others to understand the thinking and reasoning to understand the written word.

What is freewriting?

"One of the reasons we find writing so hard is that we have a set of censors inside our heads" Peter Elbow Freewriting- a technique involving continuous, non-stop writing, without self-criticism, for a period of time. Through freewriting you can explore your feelings about the course you are going to be writing for, what you like and don't like, and rough ideas. You'll find an attitude on the topic that you have to write on. Write a single sentence that captures the main point and use it as a springboard for future ideas

What is the Prepare step in writing?

Approach writing as a process

What steps can you take to evaluate what you've written?

Ask yourself if your paper accomplishes what you set out to do- Does your paper support the thesis and argument? Put yourself in the instructor's shoes- Does it fit the requirements of the assignment? Check the mechanical aspects of the paper- spelling, grammar, citations, and references must look good Have an objective reader take a look- Have a staff member of the writing center check your paper, your family member, or a friend and ask for feedback.

What is the first step you need to do to organize your information into usable information?

Assemble information folders, either hard-copy or virtual form- Break down your research into subtopics by placing it into different colored folders. Label each folder with the type of information you acquired.(easy to do on Evernote). Your notes will only be as good as the quality of your sources. Always think critically about the source. Save your work frequently, especially on computers, in multiple places.

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming- A technique for generating ideas by saying out loud as many ideas as can be thought of in a fixed period of time(Oral= of Freewriting) Often done with others; however can be done by self Goal: Produce as many ideas as possible and jot them down Silences censors in our head

How do you make your notes work for you, not against you?

Choose a middle ground between write everything down and trying to memorize everything. Memorize your opening and closing statements that way you can look your audience in the eye. Use an outline for your talk.

Many students find it harder to _______ _____ __ _______ than actually writing the paper itself.

Choose what to write

What is the next step after you chose your type of writing?

Choosing a Topic

Your outline offers a ___________ ____________ and your research notes help you _______ _________.

Clear Road map Explain your ideas along the way If the outline was carefully composed, it will actually provide you with the major headings of your paper. All that is left in your paper becomes a matter of matching up research to the appropriate outline heading

What is the Organize step in writing?

Construct a scaffold by creating an outline and thesis statement

What is the second step you need to do to organize your information into usable information?

Create note cards, in either hard-copy or virtual formats- Taking notes on these make information easy to use. Be sure to write the idea in your own words, unless you are quoting something.(Using " ") Mark the note card with the word paraphrase. Even paraphrased material needs to be cited unless it is common knowledge then it needs to be cited. Place no more than 1 major idea per card. Makes it easier to sort card later on.

When we're writing, we need to do something similar by........................

Creating an intellectual scaffold for presenting the framework for our arguments

What steps does writing encompass?

Decide what your goal is Choose your topic Decide who your audience is Research the topic

Most often, you'll be working to complete a class assignment that _________ __________the goal and form of writing.

Explicitly clarifies

It's crucial to know and keep in mind to whom you are writing. What questions do we need to ask ourselves about this?

How much do they know about the topic? Are they already predisposed to a particular position? What do you think they would like to take away with them after reading what you've written?

What is liberating about a blank sheet of paper?

It opens a world of possibilities and gives you the freedom to say whatever you want. 1 good thing about writing: deciding what it is you want to say

Keeping an audience in mind serves what other purpose?

It personalizes your writing

What are the different types of College writing?

Journal- Personal reflection on class readings or assignments Critical Review- Criticism of an argument, article, musical piece, etc Essay- A paper written from an author's personal point of view and arguing a particular point. It may take the form of a review, criticism, or personal recollection, or it may argue a political viewpoint Research Paper- A paper requiring abstract, critical thinking supported through the collection of existing information. Often requires analysis and synthesis of the material to develop a conclusion.

Rethinking is the homestretch of the writing process. It permits you to take a .............................

Long view of what you've accomplished Rethinking occurs on several levels: After a day or two rethink the message, mechanics, and the method you used to write the paper

How do you put your information in a usable form?

Maybe use a file folder and note card system

Don't write too _______ in ______ sitting.

Much; 1 Are mind-numbing and unproductive and paralyzing. Break it down into small, manageable pieces. EX: 10 page paper; don't think of it as a 10 page essay, but break it down into chunks of two pages a day, over 5 days. Another object is to break it down into sections(introduction, background description, favoring arguments, deferring arguments, and a conclusion. Divide work into two stages(1st draft and revision)

What is the third step you need to do to organize your information into usable information?

Place source information on every note card- Make sure every note card contains information that clearly identifies its source. Extremely important that you know where the information came from(so you can credit source). Keep a master list of your bibliographical information- either on a separate set of note cards or in a computer file- with the full citation.

Use what formula when giving an impromptu talk?

Point of view Reasons(Why) Evidence or examples(Support your reasons) Point of view restated

What will help you decide?

Preparation

What are the P.O.W.E.R. steps for public speaking?

Prepare what you will say and how you will say it(Audience and occasion) Organize your thoughts, using notes to cue you to the main parts of your presentation with logical connections Work carefully during your presentation by speaking clearly and calmly Evaluate your performance after you finish; ask others to evaluate it too! Rethink your entire approach when preparing for and delivering presentations

What is the background in ABBCC?

Provides a backdrop and context for your arguments. Provide a brief history, talking about different schools of thought on it. Introduce any unusual terms that might be used. Discuss controversy, if there is any.

What rules can you follow to make the revision process smoother?

Read the 1st draft out loud Take the long view- Take the broadest prospective possible Be ruthless Check sequence and logic- May need to add to your essay or improve logic by reordering things Check punctuation and spelling- Check for obvious stuff; check for spelling carefully(spell check doesn't always work the way you want it to) Check that all quotations are cited and referenced correctly Make it pleasing to the eye- neat paper conveys a message; make sure your paper looks good

How do we read the first draft out loud?

Read the draft out loud to whoever is there. Reading out loud does several things. You'll easily discover more missing words, verbs that don't match the subject, shifts in tense, missing transitions, and other things. Speaking takes longer than silent reading

What is the Rethink step in writing?

Reflect on the writing process; what worked and didn't work

Using your critical thinking skills, reflect on each of these parts of the rethinking process.........

Rethink the message: Be sure the message is appropriate and that it is what you want to communicate Rethink the mechanics: Look at your writing style(punctuation, grammar, spelling, and word usage and make sure they are appropriate) Rethink the method: Learn something about the topic of writing and yourself. What have you learned that will make you a better learner in the future?

Most of writing is ___________

Rewriting. Rewriting helps you reach your own potential as a writer. NO one has the ability to be able to write a first draft that is so clear and concise.

How do you use the right amount and kind of practice?

Run through your speech mentally will familiarize it with yourself Use your speaking voice when you practice: Speak louder than normal Try to eliminate repeated, unnecessary phrases. Avoid using "um", "you know","kind of". Practice in front of a friend or classmate(you will be able to gain feedback) Practice 2 or 3 times with a good talk

What are some strategies you can use to make writing the 1st draft less painful?

Start where you like: Write the part of the paper you feel most comfortable with, having that will help with the rest Turn off your inner critic: Our job is to turn off the voice of that inner critic until later. You want to be creative and as long as you write things down, you can go back later and fix it Go with the flow: Try to write in sync with the rhythm that you are working at(writing quickly if possible) Don't be afraid to modify the outline: Feel free to change the outline Use your own voice: Write how you would talk to someone in a formal way Forget about it: Once you are finished with the essay, put it aside and forget it for awhile. Let you mind idle for a little bit.

What factors do you need to take into account when speaking?

The first minute counts- a lot: Get your audience's attention and interest(If you can, you are on your way to a successful speech Provide oral transition points- use phrases that alert to listener that a change is going to occur Make your notes work for you, not against you A picture can save you a thousand words- Add dimension to presentation Monitor your non-verbal behavior Use the right amount and kind of practice Fight stage fright- wear comfortable clothes, take deep breaths, visualize a successful speech

The best approach to outlining is ........................

To write possible subtopics, based on your research, on index cards. Then try to place them in logical order. Ask yourself how subtopics build into a complete and convincing presentation. Always remember your audience.

What is the counterarguments in ABBCC?

Touch on opinions opposite your position. Acknowledge them and then go on to prove each of those statements work. This section helps reinforce your own position and strengthen your argument, showing that you have arrived at your point of view fully aware of- and unconvinced by- opposing views

What are types of Plagiarism?

Turning in someone else's work, word for word Cutting and pasting large portions of text from a single source Taking sentences from other sources but changing key words in various places Copying portions of several sources and weaving them together with little change from each of the original sources Rewording each sentence, putting them into one's words, but keeping the same sequence as in an original source Self- plagiarism- using material from a previous paper that one has written and passing it off as new