B.1: “Q” Questioning Sources

Q

ALWAYS QUESTION YOUR SOURCES, CHECKING THE VALIDITY AND THE FEATURES OF ALL THE INFORMATION YOU ENCOUNTER!

1. QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF ALL YOUR SOURCES. Use all available techniques to determine the best factual resources.

When you approach any subject in this digital age, there is an enormous amount of material at your fingertips for any topic imaginable. The problem lies not in finding enough information. It lies in determining how likely it is that the information you locate is true! Through the use of assorted social media sites, with information shared by pseudo-news organizations, there can be an ‘echo chamber’ effect where the repetition of misleading information is misinterpreted by many to be confirmation of truthfulness. The material may not actually have any basis in fact. Be particularly wary of situations where you are advised to only consider the current source and not to follow up by checking with alternative sources of information. You also need to watch for something called ‘bias’. Facts can be presented, or omitted, in ways to guide your thinking to a particular point of view. ‘Bias’ exists in most information sharing situations, even from otherwise reliable sources. Always be aware of this potential for material to be biased and guard against making your mind up too quickly before checking multiple sources. Truth is not always easy to determine when reviewing resources. That is why it is very dangerous to only rely on a limited set of information sources.

If possible, your first source should be something that has a high probability of truth and accuracy. If you have a text for a course, that is a good starting point. From there your next best bets are reputable encyclopedia sources, either printed or on-line. Many schools have preselected websites that have been given some form of endorsement - these are the best sites to begin your searches with. Once you have an overall understanding of a topic, you will be able to do wider searches. At that point you will be better able to recognize accurate information as well as manipulated information that is a result of false statements, bias and people’s opinions.

You will require some special techniques and questions to determine the usefulness and truthfulness of materials you come across in your research on any given topic. Based on your findings when you apply various filtering techniques and probing questions, you will be in a much better position to determine if you are dealing with information which is “likely true” or “likely false.” Do not use any materials or resources that are not at least “likely true.” You need to be aware that spreading misinformation can have extremely negative consequences to the physical and mental well-being of individuals and society.

Before we embark on our procedures to ensure truthfulness in our resources, we wish to insert a disclaimer. The procedures we suggest here are a starting point. We make no claim to being the definitive choice for critical reading. Any text that would claim that, in our opinion, would be suspect! As this resource is being revised, the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is expanding at an incredible rate. In the months and years after the publication of this material, you would be wise to check supplemental sources in how to determine accuracy and truthfulness of the information you use. We can predict with certainty that it will be more and more difficult to tell the difference between truth and fiction in the years ahead.

2. FIRST, USE THE FILTERS OF STANDARD RESOURCE FEATURES TO START YOUR QUESTIONING. Take full advantage of the features of the materials.

The first set of filters to use when you look at a text or any material that is new to you relates to the set of standard features which are often found in books, but which can also be present in some form or other connected to other types of written documents and on-line material. It is to your advantage to find out what features there are which will help you learn as well as verify the validity of the material. The first thing to do is to SCAN through the material looking for the standard features. As you find and consider each one, your comprehension will be enhanced, and you will have found some clues to the overall validity of the information.

You should begin with the Title & Copyright Pages/Information. These pages often contain a lot of clues to get you started. Check out the author. Other publications are often listed here, on an accompanying page, or possibly in an attached paragraph for an on-line article. This allows you to determine if the author may be more or less of an expert in an area than another author. Check what company is listed as publisher. This is useful in assessing validity and how likely the material is to be the truth. For example, you might lean toward National Geographic, a trusted scientific journal, and away from The National Enquirer, a sensationalist publication with a questionable track record for full truth. The copyright date and place of publication are also useful to compare with other sources for seeing how up to date the source is, and whether it was published in a country that had severe restrictions on the information that could be printed. The latter issue may point to some built in bias depending on the type of material presented. If you are on-line and some or all this information is missing, be skeptical about the validity of the information. A reputable source will almost always give full source information as noted.

Turning to the Table of Contents will help you to locate appropriate general sections quickly. It will also tell you a little about the main points and how they are related. Does the information seem to be in line with your early research, or does it seem to present different types of information? If different, proceed with caution. Everything may be fine and the material factual, or it could be based just on someone’s opinion.

If there is a Preface and/or Introduction, you can actually save time by starting your reading with those parts. They will often describe the purpose of the book according to the author and outline what is covered. If the author has a particular bias, it may become obvious right away. This will save you time in analyzing the information later.

There are often many features found at the end of a book or on-line article. It’s wise to check those out even before you begin reading the main parts of information. You will discover important resources that will assist you in your learning as well as help you be selective with the parts of the article or book that would be most relevant to your purposes. If present, appendices are found in the back of a publication and usually contain helpful extra information such as detailed notes on some of the more important learnings, excerpts from referenced resources, charts and tables, as well as questions and activities intended to increase the reader’s understanding. If present, the Glossary can also be very useful with helping you understand the material you are reading. Found at the back of the book as well, it works like a small dictionary, giving the meaning of words and explaining specifics about how the words are used in the context of the text. Next, if you are looking for specific facts and information, the Index is another useful feature found at the end of many books and large articles. Topics that are found in the text are often listed in an index in alphabetical order. If you want to find the page for a specific topic, look here first. If your purpose is only to get certain specific facts from a source, then there is no need to read through large sections of material.

One final feature found at the end of most books is the Bibliography or Reference section. These features will likely have a list of books or articles which let you know where the information contained in the book was found. While these sections will give you clues about the validity of the material, they will also provide good sources for further reading that are helpful if you need additional information for your report or presentation. By checking the dates on reference materials, you also have further clues as to how up to date the information is.

As mentioned earlier, when using print or on-line texts or encyclopedias, be prepared to start with a general search, then narrow it as you locate information in and around your topic. Once you have a firm grasp of the topic, you are free to expand your search in other media and other sources. Always be aware that the material you encounter may not be accurate. Sometimes it may even be purposely presented to mislead the reader! Also recognize that much of what is passed off as fact is actually opinion. As already pointed out, it is useful for you to know that in all non-fiction materials, even seemingly reputable sources such as your textbook, there may be elements of bias introduced by the manner of how some facts are presented, and the way other facts are left out. Bias is an intentional or unintentional presentation of facts and opinions that favour one point of view over another. Be a “critical reader” and always watch for evidence of bias. Follow the suggestions here and be wary of all information you encounter. Proceed in your research with thoughtful caution!

3. NEXT, ASK PROBING QUESTIONS, USING THEM AS FILTERS TO DETERMINE HOW VALID THE INFORMATION IS. Only use true information to expand your learning.

This process involves using some probing questions as filters when conducting ‘background checks’ on information encountered. Make an effort to determine how likely it is that the information is true. Check by seeking answers to the following questions: 1.Where did the information originate? Does the source seem reliable, or are there some “alarm bells” that go off, indicating potential concerns? Be especially wary if there is no reference at all to where the information originated. That may be an indication that it is only someone’s opinion, and not based in fact at all. 2.What type of analysis or research methods have been used to reach the conclusions expressed? Does it “make sense” and appear logical, or does it appear to use some faulty logic? 3.How is the information shared? Is the material shared in a format and via a source that you recognize as reliable because of your past experience, or is it presented in a way that causes you to question its truthfulness? 4.What is the credibility and bias of the writer/speaker/organization delivering the message? Do they have a track record of being truthful, or have there been incidents where they have relayed false information and unsupported opinions in the past? 5.What is the credibility and bias of the people/organizations that express support for the message? Similar to the last question, do these people have a track record of supporting truth, or have there been incidents where they have supported and passed on false information and unsupported opinions in the past?

The purpose of your information analysis is to arrive at one of five numbers, or a likely range, on the true/false scale. By considering the answers to the above questions, you can choose one of the following numbers from the True/False (Believability) Scale: 5 - Probably True; 4 - Possibly True; 3 - Unable to Determine; 2 - Possibly False; 1 - Probably False.

The use of a scale like this allows you to be a little more exacting as you decide whether you would ‘believe’ the information presented, or not. The scale numbers can also be useful when comparing information from different sources. A key factor in believing information presented is the completeness of facts and data that are provided. If there are no verifiable facts supplied, recognize that the information may just be an opinion expressed and not be based in fact at all. Be aware that it can be extremely difficult to say that something is either completely true, or completely false, with absolute certainty. For that reason, the most extreme rating on this scale is “probably”, for true and for false! It should also be noted that there will likely be several determinations made for the same article. One would be for the work the authors did on delivering the information. The other(s) would be for the validity of the actual information dealt with. If the results are in the “False” range, it is not recommended that you use the source for your projects. You should also not share articles with this rating on social media or elsewhere on the internet. Doing this just spreads the misinformation more widely. People without the knowledge and strategies to determine how accurate a piece of information is, may assume it is true because many people have shared it!

4.     EXAMPLES OF HOW RESOURCES ARE QUESTIONED

Let’s assume that you are doing an assignment on this topic: “Do Extraterrestrials Exist?” You do a search and end up with a list comprising dozens of articles. Skimming through them you begin to wonder how likely it is that certain pieces of information are true. You decide to analyze a few using the questions and scale that have been set up in part 3 of this “Q” section. You start with the following article. Please note that the comments and analysis are provided in italics. The link supplied will take you to the internet copy of the story.

EXAMPLE 1

“Former Israeli space security chief says extraterrestrials exist, and Trump knows about it.”

Suliman, Adela and Paul Goldman. NBCNews.com, Dec 8, 2020.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weird-news/former-israeli-space-security-chief-says-extraterrestrials-exist-trump-knows-n1250333

• Author and organization credits, along with the date of posting lend credibility to the reporting.

A “galactic federation” has been waiting for humans to “reach a stage where we will understand... what space and spaceships are,” Haim Eshed said. A former Israeli space security chief has sent eyebrows shooting heavenward by saying that earthlings have been in contact with extraterrestrials from a “galactic federation.”

“The Unidentified Flying Objects have asked not to publish that they are here, humanity is not ready yet,” Haim Eshed, former head of Israel's Defense Ministry's space directorate, told Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper. The interview in Hebrew ran on Friday, and gained traction after parts were published in English by the Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

• The origin of the story is explained for us. A hugely spectacular claim made in an interview with one newspaper, then picked up by another, before finally being reported by NBC. This certainly gets our attention! It should be noted that the original interview was in Hebrew, so it is possible that there were some misinterpretations made when the language was translated to English.

A respected professor and retired general, Eshed said the aliens were equally curious about humanity and were seeking to understand “the fabric of the universe.” Eshed said cooperation agreements had been signed between species, including an “underground base in the depths of Mars” where there are American astronauts and alien representatives.

• Wow, spectacular! Are there any facts to prove this?

“There is an agreement between the U.S. government and the aliens. They signed a contract with us to do experiments here,” he said. Eshed added that President Donald Trump was aware of the extraterrestrials’ existence and had been “on the verge of revealing” information but was asked not to in order to prevent “mass hysteria.” “They have been waiting until today for humanity to develop and reach a stage where we will understand, in general, what space and spaceships are,” Eshed said, referring to the galactic federation. The White House and Israeli officials did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment. Sue Gough, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, declined to comment.

• The journalists are being responsible here in reaching out for comments. It is an alarm bell that those folks contacted did not get back with comments. It signals that there “may” be problems with the accuracy of the information presented. While this could be just a time factor, it could also be that the organizations are trying to figure out a way of choosing their words carefully… either not wanting to lend credibility to an outlandish story, or not wanting to call the professor crazy. There is still the possibility that what he is saying is true and they are not sure how to respond now that the information has come out! As we continue to read, we are on the lookout for facts to back up the claims made.

A spokesperson for NASA said one of the agency's key goals was the search for life in the universe but that it had yet to find signs of extraterrestrial life. “Although we have yet to find signs of extraterrestrial life, NASA is exploring the solar system and beyond to help us answer fundamental questions, including whether we are alone in the universe,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

• Here we have a credible source that appears to dispute the ideas presented.

Eshed's ideas are spelled out in more detail in “The Universe Beyond the Horizon — conversations with Professor Haim Eshed” by Hagar Yanai published in November.

• Hints at a possible motive for giving such a startling interview… he has books to sell!

Eshed, who oversaw the launch of numerous Israeli satellites into space, said he was only speaking out now because attitudes were changing, and people seemed more receptive. “If I had come up with what I'm saying today five years ago, I would have been hospitalized,” he told Yediot. “Today, they're already talking differently. I have nothing to lose. I've received my degrees and awards; I am respected in universities abroad.”

• He is predicting that some will think him crazy. He says he has nothing to lose. He says that he is respected… should that now read “was respected?”

In May, Trump said, “Space is going to be the future, both in terms of defense and offense ... we're now the leader on space,” as he was presented with the official flag of a newly created military branch, Space Force. Its focus, along with a Space Command, is on space as a military domain for the U.S., preserving satellites and communications and a focus on geo-politics in new terrain. Eshed's comments immediately spawned jokes and theories online. At least half-a-dozen accounts have been created on Twitter claiming to be representatives to earth from the “Galactic Federation.” Other users have asked for preferential treatment and meetings with the other-worldly group.

• When you see many people responding to an announcement by treating it as a joke, you would be wise to question its credibility. It could still be true, but it is getting less likely in the face of contrary comments and the lack of supporting facts.

Nick Pope, who used to investigate UFOs for the British Ministry of Defense, described Eshed’s remarks as “extraordinary.” “Either this is some sort of practical joke or publicity stunt to help sell his book, perhaps with something having been lost in translation, or someone in the know is breaking ranks,” he said.

• Pope confirms some of our thoughts so far.  He also points us in the direction of the book, offering an economic motive for Eshed to make the claims he did. Pope does leave a slight opening for the comments to be actually true with his reference to Eshed as someone in the know.

Pope said the UFO and conspiracy theory community was excited but that questions remained including whether or not Eshed was speaking from direct personal knowledge and experience or whether he is repeating something he has been told. “There are still some missing pieces of the puzzle here,” he said.

• Hmm, still no facts presented… Highlights that this is just a passing on of information. Interesting to note that the authors and NBC don’t offer any evaluation or opinion of how accurate the information is.

Further Analysis/Comments Regarding the Example

• The reader is reminded that there are two separate issues when assessing an article where an author is sharing the views of one or more people. One is the credibility of the reporting and the second is the credibility of the person or persons quoted or interviewed.

• Adela Suliman and Paul Goldman, the authors, appear to have done an acceptable job of a balanced report. We consider the question of whether they did a truthful job of reporting what was said, not whether the subject contained true information. Their reporting of the information would likely be considered a “5”, Probably True.

• As for the information provided by Eshed, there are issues. He provides no supporting information or facts for some incredibly spectacular claims, and no one backs him up. There are no other sources that can be found to verify anything that Eshed is saying. The actual information would have to be rated a “1”, for Probably False.

• Overall, then, the information provided in this article should not be used in your research, unless your purpose is to document people’s opinions and unsupported beliefs.

EXAMPLE 2

Now for a second article that could shed a little more light on the information that was presented in the last article. This material refers to the same set of initial facts but then goes on to analyze and comment much more than the first article. Check out the article and try determining truthfulness as you read through it. Are there facts that you can use in your research, or is it mainly opinions? Some excerpts are provided. The entire article can be found with the following link.

“Why do smart people lie about alien encounters?”

Rozsa, Matthew and Keith A. Spencer. Salon.com, Dec 10, 2020.

https://www.salon.com/2020/12/10/why-do-smart-people-lie-about-alien-encounters/

Some excerpts are provided here:

Every year, thousands of stories of supposed alien abduction or interstellar communication emerge from citizens around the world, though just about all of them are dismissed by the scientific community outright for lack of evidence. Yet while most stories of alien abduction emerge from those who are either mentally ill or desirous of attention in some regard, occasionally someone with political clout makes such claims — as the former head of an Israeli space agency did last week when he announced that human beings have made direct contact with extraterrestrials.

An attention-hungry loner or a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic person reporting alien sightings is common enough as to not be newsworthy. That is because the public does not expect this type of person to be credible, and such people generally don't provide evidence that would make their claims so.

But what about when someone with political power, influence and credibility makes such obviously bogus claims? “Without further information, it is impossible to know what psychological factors might underlie these claims from Haim Eshed,” Christopher C. French, a British psychologist who specializes in the psychology behind people claiming to believe in or have experienced the paranormal, wrote to Salon. French noted that he could be telling the truth, although “given the outlandish nature of his claims and the lack of any direct evidence to support them” French agreed it was “extremely unlikely.”

A more likely possibility is that Eshed genuinely believes what he is saying despite it being false, in which case French says he would want to know the reasons. “Has he seen any actual evidence or is he basing his claims on reports from others? If the former, is the evidence convincing? If the latter, are these others credible? What are they basing their claims upon? Is it possible that Eshed is delusional? This is certainly a possibility.”

Finally, it is possible that Eshed and his ilk are deliberately lying; certainly, he has a financial incentive to do so, as he is promoting a book about UFOs. “He has already garnered much attention by his claims,” French mused.

“Mr. Eshed's background as a space security official serves as a reminder that outlandish views are not limited to uneducated people,” Glenn C. Altschuler, a historian at Cornell University who regularly contributes to Psychology Today, told Salon by email. Altschuler also argued that belief in UFOs can be viewed in the broader context of people interpreting reality in different ways based on influences including those of parents, peers, and charismatic figures. He added, “We know as well that when presented with evidence that seems to debunk their beliefs or conspiracy theories, they often hug them ever more tightly, exhibiting what psychologists call cognitive dissonance.”

French made a similar point, noting that Eshed's unsubstantiated claims are part of a larger phenomenon that can lead to misinformation being taken seriously by large sections of the public. He added, “If Eshed has any solid proof to support his claims, he should tell the world what it is. Until he does so, we should feel no more obliged to believe him than we would any other conspiracy theorist.”

• You can see from the title that the authors appear to have made up their minds about the information provided by people in the article. It may also be serving the purpose of getting attention, in the hopes that people will take the time to read the article. The experts referenced offer what appears to be a balanced and comprehensive list of reasons to explain why a person would promote an unsubstantiated claim. The question remains as to whether we will be directed to actual facts to support the claims.

Analysis/Comments Regarding the Second Example: 

There is no confirmation provided for Eshed’s original claim. So, the likelihood of Eshed’s claims being true remains a “1”, likely false. The article goes on to list the possible motives for providing this type of information. The authors point out that most stories of this type are provided by “those who are either mentally ill or desirous of attention in some way,” They note that there are further issues when it is someone with political clout or a background that would give them some credibility. It’s that category that the authors address. Many possibilities are provided, including deliberate attempts to deceive or actual states of mind where people are convinced that they are speaking something that is true. If your purpose is in outlining general categories of opinions and reasons why certain claims are made, the authors do a reasonable job of exploring that. Their presentation could be rated a “5” for Probably True.

EXAMPLE 3

Finally, here is another article on the same general topic. You may wish to check this one out, and practice making some determinations regarding truth. Some excerpts are provided, and the entire article can be found at the following link.

“Have We Already Been Visited by Aliens?”

Kolbert, Elizabeth. NewYorker.com, Jan 18, 2021.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/01/25/have-we-already-been-visited-by-aliens/amp

Some excerpts are provided here:

On October 19, 2017, a Canadian astronomer named Robert Weryk was reviewing images captured by a telescope known as Pan-starrs1 when he noticed something strange. The telescope is situated atop Haleakalā, a ten-thousand-foot volcanic peak on the island of Maui, and it scans the sky each night, recording the results with the world’s highest-definition camera. It’s designed to hunt for “near-Earth objects,” which are mostly asteroids whose paths bring them into our planet’s astronomical neighborhood, and which travel at an average velocity of some forty thousand miles an hour. The dot of light that caught Weryk’s attention was moving more than four times that speed, at almost two hundred thousand miles per hour.

It was dubbed ‘Oumuamua’ (pronounced ‘oh-mooah-mooah’), from the Hawaiian, meaning, roughly, ‘scout.’ As astronomers pored over the data, they excluded one theory after another. By far the most spectacular account of 1I/2017 U1 came from Avi Loeb, a Harvard astrophysicist. ‘Oumuamua’ didn’t behave as an interstellar object would be expected to, Loeb argued, because it wasn’t one. It was the handiwork of an alien civilization. “In contemplating the possibility of an artificial origin, we should keep in mind what Sherlock Holmes said: ‘when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,’” Loeb wrote in a blog post for Scientific American.

“No, ‘Oumuamua’ is not an alien spaceship, and the authors of the paper insult honest scientific inquiry to even suggest it,” Paul M. Sutter, an astrophysicist at Ohio State University, wrote. Loeb has now dispensed with the scientific notation and has written “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). The astronomical establishment may wish to silence him, but it can’t explain why ‘Oumuamua’ strayed from the expected path. Thus, Loeb writes, “Oumuamua’ must have been designed, built, and launched by an extraterrestrial intelligence.”

Ellen Stofan, who at the time was NASA’s chief scientist and is now the director of the National Air and Space Museum, said that she believed “definitive evidence” of “life beyond earth” would be found sometime in the next two decades. “It’s definitely not an if, it’s a when,” Jeffrey Newmark, a NASA astrophysicist said. “If we acknowledge that ‘Oumuamua’ is plausibly of extraterrestrial-technology origin,” Laub writes, “whole new vistas of exploration for evidence and discovery open before us.”

Elizabeth Kolbert, a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1999, won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for “The Sixth Extinction.” Her latest book is “Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future.”

• The reporting of these claims appears to be quite balanced and believable. Evidence is provided for the claims and there are experts who agree and experts who don’t agree. Credibility of the article is helped by the credentials of the author, Elizabeth Kolbert, who is an award-winning journalist.

 Analysis/Comments regarding the Example:

The information as a whole appears able to be relied on. The reporting by the author could be considered a “5” for Probably True. The claims themselves about the object observed would range from “3” Unable to Determine, towards “4” possibly true, depending on further research.

For each of the individual parts of QUICK, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for QUICK are also reprinted in section B.6 of these appendices, for your convenience.

There are 13 items for Q: QUESTION SOURCES. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1)    ___ I always consider how accurate and truthful my information sources are.

(2)    ___ When researching a topic, I always begin with information that is more likely to be true, like a textbook.

(3)    ___I usually use encyclopedia sources that have a good reputation for accuracy, either printed, or on-line.

(4)    ___After I have an overall understanding of my topic, I do a wider search for other information sources.

(5)    ___ I use all "text" features (pictures, italicized words, headings, etc.) to help me understand the information.

(6)    ___ I locate and use the "Title Page" and "Copyright Page" in my materials, checking when the information was written and by who.

(7)    ___ I locate and use the "Table of Contents" in my book materials.

(8)    ___ I locate and use the "Preface" and/or the "Introduction" in my book materials.

(9)    ___ I locate and use the "Appendices" in my book materials.

(10)  ___ I locate and use the "Glossary" in my book materials.

(11)  ___ I locate and use the "Bibliography or Reference Sections" in my book materials.

(12)  ___ I locate and use the "Index" in my book materials.

(13) ___ I am always aware that the material I encounter may not be truthful and may indeed be purposely presented to mislead me.

B.2: “U” Understanding Information

U

USE ACTIVE STRATEGIES TO UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION YOU ENCOUNTER!

Do you sleep-read? Many students have perfected this approach and can read through text material for hours without thinking or learning anything! What an incredible waste of time. You must be active when you read written material, whether it is in a textbook or on-line. You must do something to learn the material. You must think about what you’re reading.

You will be actively reading and learning if you use a reading strategy such as “SMILE.” The letters in smile each stand for a different step in an overall plan of attack on your reading tasks. Using smile, you will never have to read the same material, the same way, more than once! You will save a lot of time in all your future study sessions. Problems understanding? Just SMILE.

SMILE is a plan of attack to be used on all your text and on-line reading assignments. The letters stand for:

S = Skim to get the big picture.

M = Map out main idea notes in MOD (Mapped Outline Diagram) format.

I = Identify exactly what specific information you need. Focus on the information and ideas that you need, not on everything.

L = Link your information on your MOD as you read and gather notes, section by section, looping back through the text to verify accuracy.

E = Encode material for effective learning.

“S” Skim to get the big picture. Can you imagine trying to put together a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle without seeing an overall picture of what it is supposed to look like at the end? With nothing to guide you in your organization of the pieces, the assembly process would undoubtedly take you much longer – if indeed you ever solved the puzzle. Plowing into a textbook chapter from word one and slogging through to the end is, in many ways, a similar experience. You encounter many, many facts without an overall understanding of how they fit together. It is a very inefficient method of learning. What you need to do is get the big picture first. You must get an overview of the whole chapter by skimming for the main topics and organizational structure. Once you have the big picture, it’s easier to see where all the details fit in – and much easier to remember them.

Go through these steps as you SKIM:

•Examine the title and think about it - this will clue you into the general content.

•Read the introductory paragraph - a hint of what’s to come.

•Read the headings and sub-headings - they point out the main ideas. (If there aren’t any, read the first sentence of each major paragraph)

•Read the summary or last paragraph and any questions or exercises at the end of the chapter - you’ll know what to focus on when you read the chapter.

•Also, as you skim through the chapter pay attention to pictures diagrams, graphs, maps, captions, and italicized words.

Your skimming will only take several minutes, and it’s time well spent!

“M” Map out main idea notes in MOD (Mapped Outline Diagram) format. Once you have completed skimming the chapter, it is time to evaluate the information you have obtained and “Map Out” your first notes in a Mapped Outline Diagram (MOD) format. This is a strategy that involves the organization of notes in a graphic diagram which emphasizes the ideas that are most important. The outlined ideas are webbed out like a map. This allows for a great deal of flexibility when putting down ideas. It also allows you to easily add other points later. By constructing this type of diagram, you are providing the framework for the rest of your notes. As you organize your notes, you are also clearly defining the organizational pattern of the material in your mind.

Stop and think about the information. How would it be best organized in notes? Put down what you feel are the main points or subsections in the chapter. One suggestion is to write down the subtitles and main ideas as they are organized in the chapter. Be sure to leave sufficient room to add notes under each heading. If it is a long chapter, you may need to divide up your diagram over several pages. Each page could contain one subsection. In any case, it is usually a good idea to have plenty of space to work with. You’ll notice that the diagram is organized by placing the chapter heading or overall main idea of the chapter in the middle and the supporting subsections or major idea breakdowns around the outside connected by lines. Subheadings often provide good subsection headings if they are used in the chapter you are reading.

Under the subsection headings on your MOD notes, the main points and important details are then listed as you gather them by reading through the section. Later, when you’re looking back at your notes, it will be easy to pick out the level of importance of the ideas.

Other types of graphic organizers can be used to assist your display of various types of information. Boxes or circles can be strung together if you are representing a sequence or chain of events. You might use a chart of some kind, with boxes, to classify something. You may use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast something, showing the overlapping area in the middle as features common to the two things looked at.

If you are in a senior class or other course and you own your text, you may be able to make marks on the page. Be cautious. When marking a selection, make sure that you only underline or highlight the key points – do not highlight examples or definitions in the same manner. This ensures that you will be able to pick up the main points rapidly at a future date. Use an abbreviation system in the margin to mark other important information: “ex” for example, “def” for definition, “1,2,3…” for enumerations, and “sum” for summaries. Review is easy with a well-marked text.

“I” Identify exactly what information you need. Focus on the parts that have that information, not on everything. Understand what your purpose is in reading the chapter. Do you just need an overview? Do you need some general information? Or do you need many precise details? Your purpose will determine your level of note taking and your degree of concentration on the individual sections within the chapter. It may be that the skim and initial mapped notes is all that is required. If that is the case, you do not need to proceed to the L and E steps.

Be curious. Ask yourself questions if you don’t already have a set that needs to be answered. If you do have an assigned set, then one of your primary concerns will be locating answers. Keep your questions in mind as you read. Actively search for answers.

“L” Link your information on your MOD as you read and gather notes, section by section, looping back through the text to verify accuracy. After you’ve skimmed, mapped out your information, and understood your purpose (I need what, exactly?), you’re ready for more in-depth linking of information. The best way to do this is to work through the chapter mastering one manageable section at a time. A section marked off with a boldface or italic side heading is likely to be a manageable amount for thorough study.

As you investigate each section, you will want to identify the main idea(s) and the supporting details. You could start the search for the main idea by turning the heading or the topic sentence into a QUESTION. You can do this by asking “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, “why”, or “how”. Next, read to find the answers to your questions - but, above all, search for the main points.

Don’t write everything down. Focus on the MAIN IDEAS AND SUPPORTING DETAILS:

(a) The main idea in a paragraph is the most important idea. It is the idea which the rest of the paragraph is about.

(b) Supporting details explain, prove, or tell something more about the idea. They make the main idea clearer or give more information about it.

(c) The main idea of a paragraph is stated in the topic sentence. Most often the topic sentence is the first sentence in the paragraph. It can also be last or in the middle.

Link the supporting ideas and details around the main points in your notes as you locate them through your careful reading. If you missed a main point in your skimming, it’s easy enough to add it as you encounter it in your reading. Make notes in the suggested way after each paragraph or section of the chapter. Note taking is an active process that will help you learn much faster than just reading by itself.

Do something about words you don’t know. Use context clues if you can. In other words, figure out the meaning of the words from the way they are used. If you can’t, try the glossary at the back of the book, or a dictionary.

Check the accuracy of your notes by glancing back at the text. If you’ve missed some information, make sure you fill in any gaps before proceeding with anything else. Also check your understanding. Look at your mapping notes and tell yourself what the reading is about. Summarize the most important points from the chapter.

When you are finished reading, you will have a set of good useable notes. Keep them in your notebook, labelled with the text page numbers. Don’t lose them - they will form your review notes for test preparation.

“E” Encode material for effective learning. “Encode” is a term used to describe the process of readying information to store in memory. It means, literally, to put into some type of code. We must first decide what form the information should be in. What form will make it easier to learn and easy to recall later when we need it? We’re already well on our way to effective learning. The MOD (Mapped Outline Diagram) strategy has organized the notes in a way that can already be most easily learned.

When studying, you can cover up most of what you’ve written and only look at the main ideas. Then you can practice reciting the important details. Check to see how accurate you are and restudy points that you miss. Finally, when you feel confident that you know the material, turn all your notes over and practice recalling the main ideas and related information. Attempting to redraw your MOD notes is a useful exercise. LOCK INTO YOUR MIND the notes you’re reading over. Use as many of your senses as possible when you do this. SEE the important words, SAY the important words out loud, listen to yourself and write down what you need to remember. The strategies discussed here will ensure that you learn and understand the material you’ve read. Further memory strategies are supplied in section “C” of QUICK, “Coding for memory.”

For each of the individual parts of QUICK, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for QUICK are also reprinted in section B.6 of these appendices, for your convenience.

There are 8 items for U: UNDERSTAND INFORMATION. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I’m ACTIVE when I read.
(2) ___ I THINK about what I’m reading.
(3) ___ I use an overall reading strategy such as SMILE.
(4) ___ I skim to get the big picture.
(5) ___ I map out main idea notes in a MOD (Mapped Outline Diagram) format.
(6) ___ I focus on the information and ideas that I need, not on everything. “I need what, exactly?”
(7) ___ I link the information on my MOD (Mapped Outline Diagram) as I read and gather notes, section by section, looping back through the text to verify accuracy.
(8) ___ I encode material for effective learning.

B.3: “I” Informing Others

I

USE COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIES TO INFORM OTHERS WITH PRESENTATIONS AND WRITTEN REPORTS!

One of the special types of assignments that strikes fear into the hearts of many students is making a presentation or writing a report. The comments that follow are geared to making some kind of written presentation, but there are similar considerations when creating other types of presentations, whether they involve models, display boards, or some form of audio-visual format. The focus is on the message that you are attempting to convey to others. Preparing a report is usually seen as a huge task which will consume hours and hours of time. It needn’t if you plan ahead and break the large task into smaller ones. Approach them with a plan, using the “writing process.” The following steps are involved: 1) choosing the topic; 2) brainstorming for all related ideas; 3) making an outline; 4) conducting research and assembling notes; 5) adjusting outline and arranging information; 6) writing a first draft; 7) revising; 8) writing the final draft; and 9) proofreading. The way that you gather information together and present it in a report is like what you are required to do when compiling information for an essay, either as a take home assignment, or a test question.

1. UNDERSTAND ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

There are several tips which will prove useful when you come to work through this process. First of all, when you start, make sure you have a clear topic, and you know the extent to which you are to examine the topic and the approximate required length of the written piece or the size and features required for the project and presentation. When the assignment is introduced, make sure that you get all the facts straight. What exactly are you to do? What should the length be? How many marks is it worth? When is it due? Is it to be writing only, or can it include pictures, video, and other formats? Next, it is vital that you break your task into small chunks and set deadlines for the completion of each part. The following steps will be helpful.

2. CLEARLY DEFINE YOUR TOPIC

Make sure that you have your topic well defined. If you have been given a choice of topics, then you have a decision to make. The most important point is your interest. You’ll do a much better job of something which captures your imagination. You should also check to ensure that there is enough information - look through several encyclopedias and the appropriate section in the library. By the way, don’t settle on too large a topic. If there is an overabundance of material available, you may have real trouble dealing with a topic adequately. In a case such as this it would be better to “narrow down” the topic. Once you have chosen the topic, or at least adjusted the scope of the topic, check back with your teacher to make sure it’s O.K. with him/her. He/she may want to see a rough outline of what you’re going to do. That’s the next step.

3. MAKE A ROUGH OUTLINE WITH A MOD DIAGRAM

You should approach your research with a general outline in mind. This acts as a guide. Don’t be reluctant, however, to modify your outline in light of information you gather. To organize a rough outline, you will use a form of Mapped Outline Diagram (MOD), which was introduced as a note taking strategy in the chapter on text reading.

4. ADD ALL APPROPRIATE SECTIONS TO YOUR OUTLINE

Put the title of your report in the middle of the page. Next, look at a couple of encyclopedia articles which cover the topic. Decide what sections would be needed to cover the topic. For example, if you’re doing a report on a particular country, you may have some of these sections: people, geography, government, natural resources, and industry. Also, include a section for an introduction and one for a conclusion. Label these sections and place them on your Mapped Outline Diagram. Leave space below for adding notes - you will have to use several sheets of paper or one very large sheet. Now enter all the information you currently have onto your diagram in the correct sections. This is the outline you can show your teacher. You have made a significant step toward completing your assignment. If your teacher prefers a more traditional outline, you can put numbers and letters on your sections and then arrange them one after the other on lined paper.

5. GATHER INFORMATION TO ADD TO YOUR OUTLINE

Now that you have an outline to work with, you will have to search out more information on the topic. Use several different sources. As you add information to your diagram, ensure that you put it into your own words. Do not copy word for word - this is plagiarism. You won’t learn much and, if you’re caught, you’ll fail the assignment. If you do quote someone’s work, make sure to give proper credit. If your outline was complete to begin with, you can just add the information in the right section. If you come across information that can’t be contained in the sections you have, you can either create a new section or leave the information out. If you need more room, you can extend out onto other pages.

6. SORT AND CONNECT ALL INFORMATION TO YOUR SECTIONS

Your diagram allows you to sort all the information into the sections you will have in your final report. When taking research notes, another method that can be used is an organized system of cards. Each card should contain one major point and have the source clearly indicated. You can then make piles of the notecards which can each be assigned a section. Cards can be used to lay out a facsimile of a MOD diagram, or they can be added to your diagram with tape or glue. The most important thing is that you are organizing the information you are gathering, by section, as you obtain it. Keep track of the sources of information (the books you use). They will need to be listed in a bibliography at the end of your report.

7. WRITE YOUR ROUGH DRAFT

Once you have all the information down on your Mapped Outline Diagram and/or cards, it is time to write the rough draft. Do this section by section. Don’t worry about getting the wording exact at this point. Just get your ideas down. The writing of the rough draft should be done rapidly and spontaneously. Some people find it easier to prepare this draft with pen and paper, but it would be most beneficial if it could be entered into a computer at this stage. That way you will be able to make changes easily and be closer to a finished product with less additional work needed. For input, you could consider a speech to text program (WORD has a built in component which is fairly accurate) if your typing skills are lacking. Concentrate on getting the major points down and arranged according to your outline. Worry about the specific wording later. Do your introduction and conclusion after you have written the rest of your draft. This will make it easier if you find you have to add sections to your original outline. Your options are kept open to make changes in what you say you will be discussing, pointing out or proving in your report.

8. PROOFREAD AND REVISE

The logic and flow expressed in your paper is crucial. Proofread your work, carefully correcting the wording, punctuation, and spelling. It’s even a good idea to let it sit for a few days at this point. Sometimes a little time will help you see things more clearly. This is something that becomes very possible when you have properly scheduled your time and you are not completing things on the day before it is due! When you’ve fixed as much as you can, let one or two others read it and offer suggestions. Review and revise until your report provides a clear representation of the points you are making. Read it aloud to check for awkward areas and mechanical problems. Have several other people read it and give you feedback. You should also use some form of organized approach to check your writing. One example, allowing you to “police” your writing is C.O.P.S. (capitals, overall organization, punctuation, and spelling). Another strategy that an editor might use as he “sweats” over a writer’s work is S.W.E.A.T.S. (Sentence structure, word choice, ending, attention grabber, thoughts, and sequence).

9. WRITE FINAL DRAFT

Only after you have worked through each of these steps, should you write the final draft. Be careful with your general layout and neatness. Neat and tidy work makes a good first impression and will often result in better marks. If you have used a computer or other electronic device to do your earlier drafts, then the preparation of the final draft should not be too difficult. Corrections are easy and a professional looking product is well within your reach. Start your report in plenty of time to complete all these steps. Late assignments often lose marks or are just not accepted.

For each of the individual parts of QUICK, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for QUICK are also reprinted in section B.6 of these appendices, for your convenience.

There are 16 items for I: INFORM OTHERS. Respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I use the “writing process.”

(2) ___ When the report is assigned, I make sure that I know all the requirements.

(3) ___ I make sure that I have my topic well defined.

(4) ___ I adjust the scope of my topic, as necessary, and check back with my teacher.

(5) ___ I approach my research with a general outline in mind.

(6) ___ I organize a rough outline using a form of Mapped Outline Diagram (MOD).

(7) ___ I add information to my diagram, ensuring that I put it into my own words.

(8) ___ If I do quote someone’s work, I make sure to give proper credit.

(9) ___ While taking research notes, I use an organized system such as note cards.

(10) ___ I begin to write the rough draft, section by section, only after I have organized all my notes.

(11) ___ I write the rough draft rapidly and spontaneously.

(12) ___ I do my introduction and conclusion last.

(13) ___ I revise and re-revise until my paper is clear.

(14) ___ I use some form of organized approach to check the mechanics of my writing.

(15) ___ Only after I have taken each of these steps, do I write the final draft.

(16) ___ I use a computer or other electronic device for my writing.

B.4: “C” Coding for Memory

C

WHEN YOU NEED TO REMEMBER PRECISE INFORMATION, “CODE FOR MEMORY” BY USING CATCHWORDS, CATCHPHRASES AND OTHER RECALL STRATEGIES!

Use intentional strategies when you know you will have a need to recall specific information, either for life situations, or for tests and exams. First of all, here are some general thoughts to guide you. Schedule review for tests and exams over several weeks. Do not try to review an entire course in one sitting. Spread your study times out. Brief daily study and review sessions are a much more effective way to learn than cramming the night before a test. You should space out review sessions and test yourself repeatedly on the important material so that you can over-learn it. Concentrate initially on the overall structure of the material. You will then find it easier to learn the details. Use the time immediately before sleep for memorizing material. Your mind seems to process the information during the night, therefore helping to fix it in your memory. Organizing your learning in the ways suggested will not only help you for tests. These strategies will help you learn and remember important material for countless real world applications.

1. ORGANIZE FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING AND SUCCESS WITH EXAMS

Wouldn’t it be great if the teacher gave you a private copy of the exam two weeks before the day you were to write it? You wouldn’t waste any time. You could study exactly what was necessary. Well, that will rarely happen. Don’t despair, however, because there are some surefire ways to assemble an answer to this important question: “What’s it gonna be on?”

Find out as much as you can about the content to be covered on the exam and the types of questions which will be asked (for example, essay, multiple choice or fill in the blanks). Check past quizzes. Now you can guess why teachers recommend that you hang onto them! Ask! Your teacher will often share this information.

Assemble all necessary information from notes and texts. Start by organizing all your notes. If they are incomplete, obtain the missing notes from your teachers or other students. Identify areas in which you have had difficulty during the term or year. Be honest with yourself. Seek help from teachers or fellow students. Go over previous quizzes and tests to find sources of error.

Read over notes and assignments several times. The first time you read through your notes, underline main ideas and keywords. Then each time you review, you can concentrate on what you have underlined. If you have taken notes using the “Cornell Method”, you will have a margin on the left to place the key words and a margin at the bottom of the page to summarize the points.

Read chapter summaries and review questions in the textbooks. Make notes on main points and important vocabulary as you do this. The most important points to study are key terms, definitions, examples and lists of items. As well, if some points have been emphasized in class, you can be sure they will show up on the test.

Once you have organized and reviewed all the material, guess which questions will be on the exam. Consider it a game (guess the test maker’s strategy!). If you’re not sure what type of questions you will be getting, you should at least prepare for some ESSAY type questions. The most common type of exam requires essay answers. To prepare, you should anticipate ten or more probable questions. The exam will undoubtedly focus on the most important areas of the subject so you can probably do a good job of guessing the most likely questions. Once you have selected the questions, you should prepare and memorize an informal outline answer for each. This way you not only study the information, but how it goes together as well. You will be well prepared, then, for any type of question. Make up some study outlines and use the suggestions that are in the next few sections for CATCHWORDS and CATCHPHRASES.

Answer the questions you have made up or have someone else at home ask you questions from the material you have studied. You might want to exchange questions and ideas about the test with other students in the class. Think of this as a win-win for you and your friends. You will all be better prepared! You’ll have time for these strategies if you start preparing well in advance of your test.

2. CONCENTRATE ON MAIN IDEAS AND KEY WORDS

Now that you have organized all your material and decided what you need to concentrate on, there are some steps you can take to lock in your learning.

a. The most important thing you will have done up to this point is to make or write down the main ideas and the key words which represent the information that needs to be learned. One useful idea is to make a written master outline of all the main ideas and key facts. Try arranging it all on one large sheet of paper (perhaps using a mapping strategy with the major related points grouped together), or on several smaller sheets taped together.

b. Now, the main part of your studying will involve memorization. Many students tend to think of memorizing as a last-ditch attempt to stuff as much information as possible into their heads before a big test. Memorization, however, is more of a filing and retrieving skill. It’s a method of organizing information in a logical way, not simply the repetition of random facts. You are making a conscious decision to remember the information. Rest assured that this process will allow you to recall the information, not only for tests, but later as well, for real world applications.

c. First, you have to make sure that you have grouped your ideas. It is much easier to remember a list of related terms than many terms placed in a mixed-up order. If you have grouped your information in some form of Mapped Outline Diagram (MOD) you should already have it somewhat organized.

d. Identify KEY WORDS to remember. They should be words which bring to mind concepts and details. A whole main idea phrase might be boiled down to one word. Do this for all the main ideas in one section of your notes and you may have 6 or 7 KEY WORDS. For example, the “PROPERTIES OF HYDROGEN” might be boiled down to these key words: TASTELESS, has SMALLEST particles, CLEAR and colourless, LEAST dense of all gases, BURNS, and ODOURLESS.

e. Use mnemonics (memory recall strategies) as you prepare your material. These are systems which will help you remember a great deal of information for “content” type tests, like those you would get in Socials Studies or Science. Following are descriptions of how you can take key words and make up catchwords or catch phrases.

3. USE CATCHWORDS TO RECALL KEY WORDS AND MAIN IDEAS

a. Next, you need to organize these key words. Take the first letter from each key word and attempt to combine them into a CATCHWORD (acronym). The letters from the previous example are T, S, C, L, B, and O. They can be rearranged into “B.C. LOST”. In your studying, you would repeat the word over and over until there was no way you could forget it. By repeated practice, you can easily memorize the key words that it was formed from. Some of the words you make this way may seem silly, but they will make the information stick with you. Here are two well-known examples of this method. ROY G. BIV has been used as a way to remember the colours of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet). HOMES has been used as a way to remember the great lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior). The text reading section in this book has a catchword to help students remember the steps in the complete strategy: SMILE (Skim, Map notes, Identify what you need, Link ideas, Encode). Select some lists you need to remember and practice this. You’ll find that it can be fun.

b. Another strategy, if you need to remember a letter combination in a certain order, is to add other letters to create “word-like” structures. You would add these in lower case (small letters) to show that they don’t stand for keywords. Using the letters from “the properties of hydrogen” example, we might come up with this: ToSs CLub Out.

4. USE CATCHPHRASES TO RECALL KEY WORDS AND MAIN IDEAS

a. Sometimes you will not be able to make the first letters of the keywords into a word or something that resembles a word. When this is the case, you should use a CATCH PHRASE. This is especially useful when the keywords must be remembered in a definite ORDER. You are probably already familiar with a catchphrase to remember the lines of the musical scale. “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge” is used to remember the letters E, G, B, D and F in that order. If we had to remember the “properties of hydrogen” (see part 6 above) in the order they were presented, we would need a way to remember the letter combination T-S-C-L-B-O without rearranging anything. One example of a catchphrase to remember is this: “The Skinny Cow Loves Boiled Oranges”.

b. It can also be useful to use “visualization” when attempting to remember main ideas, important terms, catchwords and catch phrases. This involves closing your eyes and picturing the important points in your mind. If you can, tie the ideas to people, places or things, and have some motion involved in the picture you visualize. For example, to remember the catch phrase for the example above, you could picture an extremely thin cow eating steaming oranges. If you make your images a little strange or exaggerated, rather than ordinary, you will be more likely to “picture” them in your mind later.

5. WAYS TO LOCK IN YOUR LEARNING

a. Repeat aloud what you are trying to memorize. A message recorder can be a big help in memory work. Record what you are trying to learn onto a phone or other device and then keep playing it back. You could also recite items you want to memorize, leaving a pause after each one. Then play back the recording and try to fill in the missing information. This is especially helpful when you are trying to memorize spelling and vocabulary words, or definitions for various subjects.

b. Over-learn the material you need to know. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by using flashcards. Most students remember learning times-tables this way, but you should also realize that successful students at all levels use flashcards to memorize material. Most factual material can be mastered by using flashcards: vocabulary terms, definitions, rules, catchwords, catch phrases, key points, names, dates, problem solving steps, diagram labelling, locations on maps and answers to virtually any question. Condense any written parts to the key words which form the core of the idea. Don’t memorize a lot of filler words.

c. Carry flashcards with you wherever you go. In this way, you can study during all sorts of odd moments during the day: waiting for the bus, riding the bus, waiting for a class to begin, waiting for a class to end, etc. Short periods of five to ten minutes can add up to a lot less time you’ll have to put in during your regular study session. Carry about ten flashcards with you at a time. As you get quicker with some you can leave those at home and replace them with others. Continue to carry and practice those that cause you trouble. Another option is to invest in a smart phone app that allows you to set up and practice with digital flashcards on a device. By over learning material in this way you will remember it for a long time.

Sound like a lot of work? Well, it isn’t really, not once you get used to it. Students who use these systems make much better use of their study times and remember far more. Once they have all the main points memorized, they find it easier to remember all the facts they study - because there is an organized framework that they can use to sort out the information.

For each of the individual parts of QUICK, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for QUICK are also reprinted in section B.6 of these appendices, for your convenience.

There are 16 items for C: CODE FOR MEMORY. Respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I schedule my review for exams over several weeks.

(2) ___ I find out as much as I can about the content to be covered on the test.

(3) ___ I find out the types of questions which will be asked on the test.

(4) ___ I assemble all necessary information from notes and texts.

(5) ___ If I’m not sure what type of questions I will be getting, I at least prepare for some ESSAY type questions.

(6) ___ I make up study outlines.

(7) ___ I identify the main ideas and the key words which represent the chunks of information.

(8) ___ I group the ideas.

(9) ___ I take the first letter from each key word and attempt to combine them into a CATCHWORD (acronym).

(10) ___ When necessary, I use CATCH PHRASES.

(11) ___ I use “visualization” when attempting to remember main ideas, important terms, catchwords and catch phrases.

(12) ___ I repeat aloud what I am trying to memorize.

(13) ___ I over learn the material I need to know by using flashcards.

(14) ___ I study during short sessions throughout the day.

(15) ___ Once I have all the main points memorized, I use this organized framework to attach all the other facts and details to.

(16) ___ I spread my study times out.

B.5: “K” Knowledge Displayed

K

BE PREPARED TO DISPLAY YOUR KNOWLEDGE MOST EFFECTIVELY BY FOLLOWING PROVEN TEST TAKING STRATEGIES! ALSO, USE CHECKLISTS TO REVIEW ALL THE Q.U.I.C.K. STRATEGIES!

1. THE WEEKS AND DAYS BEFORE YOUR TEST

Writing an exam for which you are well prepared is not difficult if you remain calm and approach the task with a plan. Studying the material and being well prepared for a test is the best way to feel more confident and less worried. Plan to complete the majority of your test preparation at least two days prior to the date of your test. Ensure you have maintained a proper sleep schedule as well as proper foods and exercise. Good health will allow you to do the best you can. If possible, try to avoid taking a test when you’re sick, hungry, or tired.

2. THE NIGHT BEFORE

Practice responding to potential test questions during your study session on the evening before your test. Before preparing to sleep, ensure that you lay out everything you need for the next day so that you don’t have to rush to get organized in the morning. Include a notepad next to your bed. If you wake up during the night with a concern or thought you don’t want to forget, writing it down will ensure you remember it the next day and allow you to comfortably get back to sleep. It will also be beneficial to do a brief review of key words, main ideas, catchwords and catchphrases right before you go to sleep. Your brain will work through the material while you sleep. Whatever you do, don’t stay up late the night before a test. You need to be well rested to operate at peak performance on tests.

3. THE MORNING OF YOUR TEST

Plan to arrive at the location of the exam on time, with as little rushing as possible. Make sure you have all necessary materials. Keep a clear head. In the time leading up to your test, concentrate on what you know, not on what you don’t know. If you have time, do a brief review of the main points. Just before a test, many of your classmates may be talking about what they think will be on the test. Avoid these conversations - they will just make you anxious. Relax by breathing deeply. If you have prepared for the exam, you will do well; if you have not, just do your best. Try to go into the test alert but calm. Think of the task at hand. Be positive and avoid negative thinking.

4. GENERAL TIPS FOR SUCCESS DURING A TEST

When you get your exam paper, always put your full name, date, and division or course section on the response paper or answer sheet right away. Next, read the general instructions carefully, underlining important words. After that, skim the test in its entirety. As soon as possible, write down any catchwords, catch phrases or key words that you may have memorized. If you can’t immediately see where the chunks of learning will go, then jot them on the margins of the test. If you don’t understand the instructions, ASK for help before you begin the test. Budget your time appropriately, according to the value of questions. Read and follow directions carefully for each question, underlining key words. Read each question twice and think about it, before answering. This will avoid many minor slips. Do the quick and easy questions first. Mark those questions which are more difficult and time consuming so you can return to them later. Be aware of “quicksand” questions. Don’t get stuck spending too much time on any one question or you might not have time to finish the test. If answers are to be written be sure to write clearly so that your teacher can read your responses with as little effort as possible. Don’t waste valuable time trying to remember something on the tip of your tongue. Put your memory on automatic search and go on to the next question. Many times the answer will pop into your mind later, or you will find a helpful clue contained in another question. You can often organize your ideas about a question with a simple picture or diagram. They do say that a picture can be worth a thousand words! Starting with a diagram can make it easier to compose your written answer. Leave time to check your paper before you hand it in. Make sure you have attempted all questions. If you’ve planned well, you won’t be in a rush. Use as much of the allotted time as necessary to do a thorough job. If you form the habit of doing all these things, you’re guaranteed to do better on all tests you encounter!

5. HOW TO DO BETTER ON SPECIFIC KINDS OF QUESTIONS

Hopefully you will have prepared well and have all the necessary information to successfully answer each question. If, however, you find yourself confused or unsure at any point, the following points will definitely be helpful.

a. Pointers for True-False questions: Read the statement carefully. If any part of the statement if false, then it is a false statement. In true-false tests long statements are often true (a teacher trying to be as specific as possible tends to lengthen the statement). Watch for words like “only”, “never”, and “always”. They are more likely to be false (because all that is needed, is one exception). Words such as “often”, “sometimes”, “probably”, and “usually” often indicate the statements are true, (because these words will tolerate exceptions). Sometimes a question will have a double negative. You can make these easier by crossing out both negatives before attempting an answer. An example of a double negative is: “There were none left unfinished” - which means they were all finished (“none” and “un” crossed out).

b. Pointers for multiple choice questions: Read the questions carefully. Then try to answer the question in your mind before you look at the choices. Read all the choices given and pick the best answer. Sometimes two answers may be right in some way. You need to choose the better one. Or they may all be correct, and the last choice may be “all of the above”. If you are not sure of the answer, lightly cross out the choices you know are wrong. Then, pick the best answer from the remaining choices. If you still aren’t sure, make a good guess. Even if you will lose some marks for wrong answers, it is still often in your best interests to guess - check to see if the odds are with you. If you’re guessing be aware that the true-false points above will also be useful for multiple choice questions. Also, and only if all else fails you and you are desperate, try answer “C” since that has been statistically shown to be the most likely position for the correct answer on a “teacher prepared” test. Of course, if both you and your teacher have read about this, or your teacher uses some form of random order test generator, you can pretty much forget the usefulness of this point!

c. Pointers for matching questions: Don’t dive in and start doing the question until you’ve read all the parts. Do you understand them? If not, think for a few moments before you begin matching. Next, size up the situation. Do both columns have the same number of items? If so, they may all be used up in the matching. If not, then there are one or more distractors which won’t be needed - watch for these. There is also the possibility that the same response can be used more than once - check to see if the directions indicate this. Once you have considered all the above possibilities, you can start answering the question. Start with the ones you know and cross them out as you go - this will help you to concentrate on the remaining parts.

d. Pointers for fill-in-the-blank questions: If you’re not sure of the exact answer, put down one which you think might be close - you may get partial credit. Sometimes the number of spaces in a blank is a clue to the length or number of words. (e.g. _____________ ____________ ____________). Sometimes there are grammatical clues which tell you something about the missing word (e.g. “an” would go before a word which started with a vowel). Read the full sentence with your choice included. Make sure it “sounds” right.

e. Pointers for essay questions: Read the directions very carefully. The teacher may only want you to do 2 questions out of the 5 presented, or he may want you to do all of them. When answering essay questions, you should pay particular attention to “direction words” as they have precise meanings which point out the requirements for your answer. Look up the specific meanings of these words and be aware of how they differ from each other: compare, contrast, criticize, define, list, discuss, explain, describe, evaluate, illustrate, justify, outline, prove, comment on, summarize and trace. Organize your essay by stating your main point briefly and making a short outline of your points and ideas - if you’re pressed for time, you can just expand on this outline, rather than trying to complete a full answer. One suggestion is to use a M.O.D. diagram (see sections on text reading and report writing) to organize your ideas. Think through each of your points carefully, then write a clear, well-organized essay which precisely addresses the question asked. After drafting an essay, leave it alone for a little while to work on other parts of the exam. Leave extra space in case you decide to add something later, when you return to re-read it.

Finally, when you’re all finished with your test, REWARD YOURSELF for a job WELL DONE! Is there an activity within your control that you can schedule that you will look forward to? Celebrate your success. Congratulations on running a great race!

For each of the individual parts of QUICK, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for QUICK are also reprinted in section B.6 of these appendices, for your convenience.

There are 17 items for K: KNOWLEDGE DISPLAYED. Respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ When I am well prepared for a test, I feel less worried, and I perform to my maximum abilities.

(2) ___ I get plenty of sleep before a test.

(3) ___ I remain calm when I am writing an exam for which I am well prepared.

(4) ___ Just before a test, I concentrate on what I know, not on what I don’t know.

(5) ___ When I get my exam, I begin immediately to skim it in its entirety.

(6) ___ I read and follow directions carefully for each question, underlining key words.

(7) ___ I budget my time appropriately, according to the value of questions.

(8) ___ As soon as possible, I write down any catchwords, catch phrases or key words that I may have memorized.

(9) ___ I do the quick and easy questions first.

(10) ___ I leave the more difficult and time-consuming questions and return to them later.

(11) ___ I use diagrams when possible.

(12) ___ I leave time to check my paper before I hand it in, and I don’t leave early - I use all allotted time.

(13) ___ I use pointers for True-False questions.

(14) ___ I use pointers for multiple choice questions.

(15) ___ I use pointers for matching questions.

(16) ___ I use pointers for fill-in-the-blank questions.

(17) ___ I use pointers for essay questions.

B.6: “QUICK” REVIEW CHECKLISTS

A review of the following checklists will give you some idea of how you have progressed in using the strategies in QUICK. Note any thoughts that occur to you as you consider how you are improving with each of the points made. Video A21 will guide you with the review of these checklists as well as those from CLEVER. See this appendix of FutureLoop Fulfilling Potential: Life in Fast Forward if you would like to print out a copy of the checklists to respond to, either in conjunction with the video, or on your own. Alternatively, you may take a notepad and keep track of which parts you may need to revisit, by referring to the electronic versions of the checklist. Note comments and thoughts related to each of the identified strategies, using the large letter along with the number of the point from the checklist, for easy reference later.

To start off, consider the 13 items for Q: QUESTIONING SOURCES. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I always consider how accurate and truthful my information sources are.

(2) ___ When researching a topic, I always begin with information that is more likely to be true, like a textbook.

(3) ___ I usually use encyclopedia sources that have a good reputation for accuracy, either printed, or on-line.

(4) ___ After I have an overall understanding of my topic, I do a wider search for other information sources.

(5) ___ I use all "text" features (pictures, italicized words, headings, etc.) to help me understand the information.

(6) ___ I locate and use the "Title Page" and "Copyright Page" in my materials, checking when the information was written and by who.

(7) ___ I locate and use the "Table of Contents" in my book materials.

(8) ___ I locate and use the "Preface" and/or the "Introduction" in my book materials.

(9) ___ I locate and use the "Appendices" in my book materials.

(10) ___ I locate and use the "Glossary" in my book materials.

(11) ___ I locate and use the "Bibliography or Reference Sections" in my book materials.

(12) ___ I locate and use the "Index" in my book materials.

(13) ___ I am always aware that the material I encounter may not be truthful and may indeed be purposely presented to mislead me.

Now we have 8 items for U: UNDERSTANDING INFORMATION. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ I’m ACTIVE when I read.
(2) ___ I THINK about what I’m reading.
(3) ___ I use an overall reading strategy such as SMILE.
(4) ___ I skim to get the big picture.
(5) ___ I map out main idea notes in a MOD (Mapped Outline Diagram) format.
(6) ___ I focus on the information and ideas that I need, not on everything. “I need what, exactly?”
(7) ___ I link the information on my MOD (Mapped Outline Diagram) as I read and gather notes, section by section, looping back through the text to verify accuracy.
(8) ___ I encode material for effective learning.

Now these 16 items for I: INFORMING OTHERS. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1)___ I use the “writing process.”

(2)___ When the report is assigned, I make sure that I know all the requirements.

(3) ___ I make sure that I have my topic well defined.

(4)___ I adjust the scope of my topic, as necessary, and check back with my teacher.

(5)___ I approach my research with a general outline in mind.

(6)___ I organize a rough outline using a form of Mapped Outline Diagram (MOD).

(7)___ I add information to my diagram, ensuring that I put it into my own words.

(8)___ If I do quote someone’s work, I make sure to give proper credit.

(9)___ While taking research notes, I use an organized system such as note cards.

(10)___ I begin to write the rough draft, section by section, only after I have organized all my notes.

(11)___ I write the rough draft rapidly and spontaneously.

(12)___ I do my introduction and conclusion last.

(13)___ I revise and re-revise until my paper is clear.

(14)___ I use some form of organized approach to check the mechanics of my writing.

(15)___ Only after I have taken each of these steps, do I write the final draft.

(16)___ I use a computer or other electronic device for my writing.

Now 16 items for C: CODING FOR MEMORY. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ I schedule my review for exams over several weeks.

(2) ___ I find out as much as I can about the content to be covered on the test.

(3) ___ I find out the types of questions which will be asked on the test.

(4) ___ I assemble all necessary information from notes and texts.

(5) ___ If I’m not sure what type of questions I will be getting, I at least prepare for some ESSAY type questions.

(6) ___ I make up study outlines.

(7) ___ I identify the main ideas and the key words which represent the chunks of information.

(8) ___ I group the ideas.

(9) ___ I take the first letter from each key word and attempt to combine them into a CATCHWORD (acronym).

(10) ___ When necessary, I use CATCH PHRASES.

(11) ___ I use “visualization” when attempting to remember main ideas, important terms, catchwords and catch phrases.

(12) ___ I repeat aloud what I am trying to memorize.

(13) ___ I over learn the material I need to know by using flashcards.

(14) ___ I study during short sessions throughout the day.

(15) ___ Once I have all the main points memorized, I use this organized framework to attach all the other facts and details to.

(16) ___ I spread my study times out.

Finally, there are 17 items for K: KNOWLEDGE DISPLAYED. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ When I am well prepared for a test, I feel less worried, and I perform to my maximum abilities.

(2) ___ I get plenty of sleep before a test.

(3) ___ I remain calm when I am writing an exam for which I am well prepared.

(4) ___ Just before a test, I concentrate on what I know, not on what I don’t know.

(5) ___ When I get my exam, I begin immediately to skim it in its entirety.

(6) ___ I read and follow directions carefully for each question, underlining key words.

(7) ___ I budget my time appropriately, according to the value of questions.

(8) ___ As soon as possible, I write down any catchwords, catch phrases or key words that I may have memorized.

(9) ___ I do the quick and easy questions first.

(10) ___ I leave the more difficult and time-consuming questions and return to them later.

(11) ___ I use diagrams when possible.

(12) ___ I leave time to check my paper before I hand it in, and I don’t leave early - I use all allotted time.

(13) ___ I use pointers for True-False questions.

(14) ___ I use pointers for multiple choice questions.

(15) ___ I use pointers for matching questions.

(16) ___ I use pointers for fill-in-the-blank questions.

(17) ___ I use pointers for essay questions.

If you were able to respond on printed checklists, look back over the lists and put a star next to each point marked with an “S” and two stars next to each point marked with an “N”. If you took notes while reviewing an electronic version of the checklist, look over your notes now and put a star next to any items you considered to be an “S” and two stars next to any that you noted as “N”. Consider revisiting videos as necessary or look at the text materials for the appropriate sections in the appendix of FutureLoop.