Research, note taking, and presenting

Research, note taking, and presenting Unit 1

research

vocabulary • 1. context – the setting in which something takes place • 2. analyze – separate or break information apart • 3. evaluate – make a judgment, determine value • 4. synthesize – combine ideas, beyond summarization

Research • A. Being able to categorize and organize information is important. Information sources can be divided into the following 6 categories based on content and format: • 1. Primary vs. secondary – primary sources provide “direct from the source” information. Secondary sources are analyses of the primary sources • 2. Fiction vs. non-fiction – texts originate from the world of imagination (fiction) or from the real world (non-fiction)

Research • 3. Books vs. Periodicals – a book stands on its own rather than being a part of a series • 4. Scholarly vs. non-scholarly – Journals are always scholarly, but magazines are usually not. Scholarly work always has references. Also, use the author’s credentials. • 5. Reference vs. general – reference information provides facts or a general overview on a topic – encyclopedias, dictionaries and thesauruses, manuals • 6. Internet vs. published – most of the sources of information are available both online and in print – use information that provides references with clear sources

research • B. A few guidelines for navigating the information world: • 1. For a single page summary or background information, use an encyclopedia. • 2. For an overall analysis of a topic, look for multiple books. • 3. For detailed analysis of a particular part of your topic, look at articles in publications. • 4. For accounts of events, use contemporary newspaper articles. • 5. For popular or cultural topics, use magazines and websites.

research • C. What is research? • It is a learning and sharing process. • Pick a subject you’d like to know more about.

research • D. How do we research? • 1. EXPLORE your topic – start learning about your topic through websites, youtube, online, books, etc. Don’t take any notes at this point! You are just exploring.

Research • 2. IDENTIFYa specific topic – brainstorm options and pick the best one for you. • Create SPECIFIC research questions about your topic. This takes thought! WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW? Questions will provide you with direction on how to approach the topic • b. Identify all the main concepts and keywords in the topic. Time, place and important keywords will help you to narrow or broaden your research topics • c. use keywords in your topic question to search for information. If you find too much information, narrow the topic down. If you find too little information, then broaden or deepen your topic.

research • 3. GATHERand organize (synthesize) information – answer your research questions through taking notes. Collect facts and images to help you answer questions. • a. KWL(know-want-learn) method – Organize research based on what you already know, what you want to know and what you have learned. Use your own words when recording the information in the KWL sheet

Research • b. a few things to remember when gathering information • -use key words • -skim and scan bold prints, headings, and captions • -take notes in your own words • -write bullet points, not full sentences • -find resources online – Don’t trust everything you find on the internet. Rely on reputable organizations and knowledge databases • -use quotation marks when copying an exact quote • -record all of your sources in a bibliography

research • c. Analyze, review, and repeat – determine if you have enough information to complete your research based on the KWL and the questions you want answered. Remember WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW? If you can’t answer your questions, you need to research more. • d. a few things to remember when organizing information • -list key points together • -write an outline – this will help you organize your points and add more information if needed

Research • 4. CREATE – what options do you have to present your information? Your notes are raw material for you to use to create something new • a. How do you know you did well? • -compare your project to the task requirements • -use the rubric your teacher provided • b. make your information flow – structure your facts in an order of increase or decreasing importance • c. connect the sections – be sure that every section of the research is related to the previous section and leads into the next section

Research • 5. SHARE – time to share your creation and teach your classmates what you’ve learned • 6. REFLECT/EVALUATE – think about all of the research process and how it went for you. • a. Consider these questions: • - What were the easiest and hardest parts? • - What would you do differently? • - When did you learn the most? • - Did your final product answer your questions?

Note taking

Vocabulary • 1. Transcribe – listen to and write down what is said, word for word • 2. Summarize – take a lot of information and condense it to the most important main concepts • 3. Reputable – considered to be good or trusted

Note taking • A. Note-Taking Skills Are Essential • 1. Note-taking skills have been found to be the greatest predictor of success in school. Good note-taking skills help students retain what they hear in lectures and read in their textbooks, which prepares them for tests.

Note taking • 2. Having some background information about the subject also makes it easier to make connections. • a. Learning is all about connecting new information with things you already know. If you go into a class with a little knowledge to connect to the lesson, you’ll learn a lot more than if you go in completely blank. • b. Your class textbook is the best place to get that information.

Note taking • 3. Pay attention to the teacher—not just what they say, but how they say it. • a. If your teacher gets loud or animated about a concept, or they repeat it more than once, that’s a big clue that you should write it down! • b. If your teacher takes the time to write something on the board, you should write it down too. • c. If your teacher says, “This will be on the test,” well, you had better write that down—and put a star next to it to make sure you remember to study it.

Note taking • 4. Add visuals to your notes whenever possible. • a. Create your own pictures, graphs, or diagrams. • b. Recreate visuals that your teacher shares in class or related pictures from the textbook. This will give you more than one way to think about the content, so you’ll have an easier time remembering it. • 5. You aren’t just transcribing what your teacher is saying, so you don’t have to write things on the page in the exact order that the teacher says them.

Note taking • 6. Make a “mind-map” by drawing lines connecting related concepts. • a. If there’s room, write related ideas next to each other. • b. Draw boxes around each concept and draw connections across the page if you have to.

Note taking • B. A Common Roadblock: Writing Too Much • 1. Don’t write down everything their teacher says— it’s impossible! • a. Don’t try to summarize what the teacher says in complete, grammatical sentences—that won’t work either! • 2. The most essential rule of taking notes is to keep it short and simple. • a. Only write down keywords and mainideas. • b. Skipas many unnecessary and “helping” words as possible.

Note taking • C. A Little Help From Technology • 1. Take notes like you are texting. • a. Texting allows you to abbreviate – leaving out all but the most important words in sentences. • b. It’s much faster for them to write “Xndr Gr8 kngmcdnia” in their notes than “Alexander the Great was the king of Macedonia.”

Note taking • 2. Google and internet searches in general have also helped students understand “key words” and “main ideas.” • a. when you’re taking notes, write key words and phrases as if you were entering search terms. The right key words should summon related information from your memory. • b. don’t trust everything that you read online. Use reputable sources only. “org., gov.” will provide reliable information

Public speaking and presenting

vocabulary • 1. ambition – desire and determination to achieve success • 2. communicate – share information or ideas • 3. self-esteem – confidence in one’s own worth or abilities • 4. visualize – form a mental image

Public speaking and presenting • A. Public speaking is very important for anyone who has any ambition in life. The ability to communicate your thoughts takes on added importance when you’re a student. • B. Your academic career depends on how well you can communicate what you know. You can have the most brilliant ideas, but if you can’t communicate them effectively, they will not be heard and you will not get the credit.

Public speaking and presenting • C. Communication skills are not just valuable for leading crowds and addressing audiences. They are equally important for representing yourself to your peers and your teachers. • D. Good communication skills make you a more confident person and improve your self-esteem. If you want to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment, you must communicate and represent yourself well.

Public speaking and presenting • 2. Fight the fear of public speaking • A. Effective tips to help you master the fear of public speaking • 1. Think of your audience and how the speech could help people or change their life. Think about the audience instead of yourself to see the purpose and meaning of your talk. • 2. Cheering Squad – The audience wants you to succeed. • 3. Befriend the audience – Friendly faces in the audience will help you get comfortable.

Public speaking and presenting • 4. Use nervous energy – Channel your nervous energy to make your performance better. Change the word “nervous” to “dynamic energy.” Keep it positive and think of it as a strength that is there to help you do your best. • 5. Practice, Practice, Practice – the more you practice the more confident you will feel. Know your material very well. Practice with a timer and practice with a friend, but don’t memorize everything word for word. • 6. Visualize success – see yourself delivering your speech without any fear. Imagine yourself doing well and being successful

Public speaking and presenting • 7. Expect some mistakes – Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Even the most experienced professionals make mistakes. • a. acknowledge the mistake without emotion and correct it • b. remain calm and move forward • c. don’t dwell on the error • d. drop the mistake and move forward like the pros • e. some audiences will admire you for recovering gracefully and the other half won’t even know you messed up.

Public speaking and presenting • 8. Ignore nervous symptoms – most of the time the audience can’t tell that you care nervous. Don't talk about them or apologize for them. • 9. Be an expert – speak about the topics you are qualified to speak about. Think of yourself as the most qualified person on that subject. This attitude will allow you to deliver your topic to the audience with ease and excitement • 10. Appearance matters – look your best. When you look good, you feel confident.

Public speaking and presenting • B. 7 Habits of powerful public speakers • 1. Design your speech – list and prioritize the top 3 goals of what you want to accomplish with your speech and what you want the audience to get out of it.

Public speaking and presenting • 2. Create an outline – make sure you have enough time to talk about everything that you want to include • a. create an openingstatement that takes about 5-10% of your presentation time and should include the goals of the presentation • b. the mainbody of the talk should last for about 70-80% of the presentation time. Include all the supporting thoughts and ideas that you want to share. • c. Closing statement should take 5-10% of the presentation and should summarize the key points • d. don’t call the closing a summary. Use important phrases that will stay with your audience • e. allow 10% of your presentation time for questions and answers

Public speaking and presenting • 3. Deliver dramatically – your delivery is the most important success factor of your presentation. Research has proven that 93% of your presentations effectiveness is due to body language, voice and communication style. Only 7% is due to content. • a. make eyecontact while speaking and look at different people • b. don’t look at our material continuously – look up every 5-10 seconds – make sure to have TALKING POINTS – DO NOT READ YOUR SPEECH

Public speaking and presenting • c. speak a little louder and a little slower than your normal conversational pace – think news anchor • d. vary your volume and speed throughout – start each section with a pause and change your tone to emphasize points • e. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Every audience is easily distracted. By repeating yourself, you make sure your message is hear • f. use gestures and facialexpressions – interact with the audience through body language – remember to smile! • g. stand with good posture and walk around on stage – move from side to side throughout the speech

Public speaking and presenting • 4. Make firstimpressionscount – connect with your audience in the first 5 minutes of your delivery. The first few minutes are some of the most important! • a. engage the audience and ask questions. Get the audience engaged and involved to get them vested in the presentation • b. use humor, but don’t be a comedian

Public speaking and presenting • 5. Strengthen through stories – stories glue and solidify personal connections. Telling stories makes your presentation stronger • a. stories should be short and fit within the context of your presentation and should make a point that can be grasped quickly • b. stories should paint a vivid picture, and flow naturally • c. don’t tell too many stories – message could get lost

Public speaking and presenting • 6. Put a little excitement into your talk • a. never speak on a topic that you are not enthusiastic about or don’t believe in (unless it’s required homework) • b. make your audience see and believe in your enthusiasm (fake it until you make it) – it will become contagious • c. animate your delivery – movement, gestures and voice changes are all means to display your excitement • d. speak with feelings and use your facial expressions to convey your excitement

Public speaking and presenting • 7. Create mental images in the minds of your listeners so your message stays with them • a. make sure your illustrations are effective. Consider the audience and determine what kind of illustration would be most appealing to them. • b. use picture, graphs, diagrams, metaphor, analogies, similes, and parables as needed • c. keep them short and easy to understand • d. Illustrations work well at the beginning of the presentation. They can engage and attract special attention to the whole discussion. They also help by setting the stage.

Research, note taking, and presenting