PART I: INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
Note: Week 1 is the only week for which you have no before class activities for the first class.
Overview
Your syllabus is a core document because it outlines the following information that you will need to be successful in this course.
- The purpose of the course
- Learning objectives
- Format (i.e., the length of the course, weekly sessions, etc.)
- Readings
- Assignments and deadlines
- Grades
Many students do not read their syllabi carefully and, as a result, miss some of the important information that they need to understand the nature and requirements of the courses that they take.
We will review the syllabus and discuss the core content in this module. By reading the syllabus in this first class, you will be better prepared to engage with and learn the course content.
In addition, we will explore strategies for reading academic (research) articles.
Readings
Part 1
Imagine | Question | Search | Synthesize: Critical foundations in undergraduate research. (2022). Syllabus.
Before class activities
Key questions to ask while reading and watching
- What is a syllabus?
- How can a syllabus be used throughout a course for academic success?
- What are key components of a syllabus?
“Pile of words”: Group and label key concepts
Organize the words below into two lists of similar terms and label each list (include a definition for each label).
Remember: You may already understand some of these ideas relatively well and others may be new to you. Look up (e.g., in a dictionary or encyclopedia) the unfamiliar concepts in order to create your lists.
Make note of your reasons for grouping the ideas together as you will share them in class. These are self-paced individual activities, for which there are no right or wrong answers. The instructor will not grade this work.
Predict a learning outcome
PART 2: MAPPING OUR READING LANDSCAPE
Readings
Part 2
California State University: Dominguez Hills. (n.d.). Anatomy of a research article. CSUDH University Library.
https://libanswers.csudh.edu/loader?fid=12986&type=1&key=27f96ac907c2a26c1ad28530a6c3a2f6
Edwards, P. (n.d.). How to read a book. https://pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtoread.pdf
GVSU Libraries Instruction. (2019, Nov. 18). Annotating an article [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/JtRGUNo2pck (5:29 minutes)
Kuhlthau, C. (2008). From information to meaning: Confronting challenges of the Twenty-first Century. Libri, 58(2), 66–73. https://doi.org/10.1515/libr.2008.008
- Print out a copy to bring to class.
Yancy McGuire, S. (2018). Teach yourself how to learn. Strategies you can use to ace any course at any level. Stylus.
- Chapter 5 (pp. 40 – 51).
Before class activities
Key questions to ask while reading and watching
- What is the process should I use when reading assigned materials in general to ensure that I understand the key concepts and arguments the author is making?
- When I read academic articles, what elements do I read for “high information content”, such as the main argument, how the author(s) have gathered their evidence , and their conclusions?
- What is the benefit of annotating or marking up assigned readings? What process do I use to markup materials so that these notes reinforce key concepts and arguments?
“Pile of words”: Group and label key concepts
Organize the words below into two lists of similar terms and label each list (include a definition for each label).
Remember: You may already understand some of these ideas relatively well and others may be new to you. Look up (e.g., in a dictionary or encyclopedia) the unfamiliar concepts in order to create your lists.
Make note of your reasons for grouping the ideas together as you will share them in class. These are self-paced individual activities, for which there are no right or wrong answers. The instructor will not grade this work.
Predict a learning outcome
Reading Club activities
Share the results of your pre-class activities before class activities and respond to additional prompts provided by your instructor(s).
After class activities
For Part 1, read the syllabus after class and summarize key points.
- Key deadlines
- Assignments
- Academic integrity
For Part 2, annotate each reading for key ideas. For videos and podcasts, you can annotate the transcript.
Summarize the author’s key ideas from each reading. Highlight the following information:
- purpose of the reading;
- scope (the extent of the study);
- thesis (the main argument[s]);
- method (research method if applicable);
- outcome(s) and conclusion.
Note the readings for the upcoming week and make sure you have access to all the assigned materials.
Respond to this statement: do you agree or disagree and why?
“What happens when you read? Well, if you’re like most people, you begin reading and all is well until your mind starts to wander … At this point, what do you usually do? if you’re like most people, you go back and re-read the text from the beginning but this time you concentrate harder …” (Yancy McGuire, 2018, pp. 42)
