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Chapter 11: Using Writing to Learn

Academic Reading,Fifth Edition

by Kathleen T. McWhorter

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Learning Objectives: To use writing to monitor your

comprehension To use highlighting to improve textbook

reading To use note taking to organize, synthesize,

and retain ideas To use mapping to show relationships To use summaries to condense information To use writing as a discovery process

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Five Writing Strategies Highlighting and note taking Note taking Mapping Summaries Brainstorming

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How to Highlight Textbooks

Analyze the assignment by previewing.

Assess your familiarity with the subject.

Read first; then highlight. Read the boldface headings. Use

the headings to form questions.

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How to Highlight Textbooks

Highlight main ideas and only key supporting details.

Avoid highlighting complete sentences.

Move quickly through the document as you highlight.

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How to Highlight Textbooks

Develop a consistent system of highlighting.

Use the 15-25 percent rule of thumb: Highlight no more than 15-25% of any given page.

Now evaluate your highlightingToo much?Too little?

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Marginal Annotation Sometimes you need to make

marginal notes as well as highlighting.

See Table 11-1 for examples of marginal annotation.

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Note Taking to Organize Ideas

Read an entire section and then jot down notes.

As you read, be alert for academic thought patterns.

Record all the most important ideas in a brief form.

Organize your notes with main ideas and supporting details.

© 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

Note Taking to Organize Ideas

Use words and phrases instead of sentences to summarize ideas.

Write in your own words! Be highly selective of the

information you record. Use an outline system to take

notes.See Figure 11-1 for Sample Notes

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Mapping to Show Relationships:

Four Types

Conceptual Maps (Figure 11-2) Process Diagrams (Figure 11-3) Part and Function Diagrams:

Classification Time Lines (Figure 11-4)

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Summarizing to Condense Ideas

Highlight or write brief notes for the material.

Write one sentence that states the writer’s overall idea.

Paraphrase, using your own words. Review the supporting information

or details.

© 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

Summarizing to Condense Ideas

Check the purpose before deciding which details to use.

Present ideas in the same order they appeared in the original material.

Include any opinions expressed. Don’t worry about sentence structure

unless it is a class assignment.

See Figure 11-5 for a sample summary.

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Brainstorming to Discover Ideas

Make a list of topics that come to mind.

Write continuously. Reread what you have written. Highlight those topics that are

worth further exploration.

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Summary Questions Why should you highlight and mark

chapters when you read them? What guidelines should you follow

for effective highlighting?

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Summary Questions What are the five writing strategies

presented in this chapter? What are the four types of maps

presented in this chapter? Why is summarizing and

brainstorming useful?

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Read the articles on cultural anthropology and complete the exercises following the articles.

“Body Adornment: The Use of Cosmetics” by David Hicks and Margaret A. Gwynne“The Decorated Body” by France Borel