9 Steps to Successful Reading FOR Evidence and Writing WITH Evidence

 

 

The analogy of the math problem that is too big to work in your head

If you are just collecting information for a general paper, you can probably work as you did as a kid and be OK.

 

If you need to figure something out accurately and quickly, critical thinking is a lot like a math problem that is too big to work in your head. You have to use paper and pencil to work it—to try out different solutions and reject some things if necessary. Paper and pencil help:

·         With reading FOR evidence

·         With the 5Ws chart to help you understand things so you can write WITH evidence

 

Background on a 5 Ws Chart

Honorable reporters are expected to cover at least these things:

§  Who?

§  What?

§  When? (for this class, not a specific date but a period of time or an order of events)

§  Where?

§  Why?

§  and sometimes How?

Be sure you:

§  Always make sure you understand the questionComparison Topic. For example, if the Comparison Topic is about a region, a type of worker, or any category, always check that you have the right one. If you do not find that in the resources for the course, then ask.

§  Write down the specific page number where you can find a specific fact you place in the chart. (If facts in a section of the chart are from one page, you may place the page number after the last fact.)

§  Do not write down quotations at this stage. Instead, if you think you might want to quote a phrase, write the word QUOTE? and the page number in the 5 Ws Chart as a reminder.

§  Line things up in each of the time periods so you can see changes easily. (The videos above show you an example of how to line up facts.)
When you are doing this for yourself, just write the 5 Ws Chart on a piece of notebook paper with lines.

§  Limit yourself to a word or two for each thing. Refer to things in the book; don’t copy what is in the book, especially not quotations.

9 Steps to Successful Reading FOR Evidence and Writing WITH Evidence

  1. Read with care and for accuracy and then log what you have read into a 5 Ws Chart.

Information on a basic method for reading FOR evidence with examples of the reading method and of logging what you observed in a 5 Ws chart for pages:

·         35 on how Africans in Virginia began in the 1620s sometimes as servants and sometimes as slaves

·         36 on an example from the 1650s of free blacks Anthony and Mary Johnson who had a 250-acre plantation and used the court system to protect their land

·         75 on the changes to law by the colonial legislatures with the black codes

 

If you prefer a face-to-face meeting or a phone conference, let me know.

 

Tips:

  • The method above also tells you how to use those labels to self-test to be sure you understand.
  •  Don’t take notes from your textbook or your primary source in a separate notebook. If you have this habit, click here for why you want to replace this habit.

 

  1. Tentatively identify about 3 or so things you plan to discuss in your 2 summaries or in a comparison. You can mark them on your 5Ws chart with a big checkmark (or an arrow or a number of the paragraph you plan or something that works for you).
    Keep working from the 5Ws chart. You can use the same 5Ws chart for steps 3 through 9.

 

  1. Using your 5 Ws chart, practice aloud as though you were teaching who is smart and wants to learn but knows nothing about this subject.

  2. When you cannot speak without stammering around, that means you do not understand.
    What do you do? Go read that section again—and you can find the page quickly because the page number is on the 5 Ws chart.

  3. Do this until it you can explain aloud in a common sense way—it often takes five practices. By using the 5Ws chart and practicing aloud, you will catch your own errors in understanding and notice when you need to add or remove a fact.
    Caution: Do not write your paper yet. Students who write before they have practiced several times believe their own errors.

 

  1. Now, you say your summaries or your comparison aloud one last time, typing as you speak. (Think of it as dictating to yourself.)

§  If you want to quote a phrase that you identified, open the book and quote it exactly. To avoid errors in quoting, use the brain trick in this link.

§  Keep your book closed as you write. If you must check on something, open it briefly but close it again before you write a word.

Why? If you have your book open when you write or you took extensive notes (see the tip with step 1), in almost all cases you will make both these errors:
- Plagiarize or do a “half-copy” version of plagiarism (to use the term in The Bedford Handbook)
- Be factually inaccurate

  1. When you have finished typing your paper, upload your comparison to Turnitin in Blackboard so that it can check your paper for both language errors and possible plagiarism. Ask if you need help.

  2. Double check your work and carefully make any corrections:

§  Read your paper syllable by syllable—ideally in a funny accent that will force you to pay attention.

§  Check your paper against each of the instructions for the assignment. Did you do everything?

§  Run spellcheck and grammar check with your paper, but do not make corrections automatically.

§  Check your citations: some people benefit by using this tactile method to make sure their citations are correct.

 

Here are additional tips on how to prevent different types of errors:

·         How to verify content before you write

·         How to check evidence in your written work

·         How to proof quotations   - Plus the Basics about Quotations)

·         How to proofread for clarity

 

  1. If you can wait 24 hours, check your paper again.

 

Look at This Part ONLY If You Think You Ought to Take Notes in a Notebook When You Read

Taking notes in a separate notebook or on paper can be useful if you are collecting information that you do not have easy access to. The typical example of when it is OK to take notes is when you are collecting information for a term paper when you can’t check out the source.

 

If you take notes in a notebook when you read a textbook or when you read anything you have to do something with, it is dangerous to your success. The simplest way to put it is:

 

IF you are absolutely sure that taking notes from your textbook is something you ought to do, then click here for a PowerPoint video on the danger of taking notes separately from your source.

 

 

 

 

Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2003-2015

 

WCJC Department:

History – Dr. Bibus

Contact Information:

281.239.1577 or bibusc@wcjc.edu

Last Updated:

2015

WCJC Home:

http://www.wcjc.edu/