A Guide To College Reading - Chap. 7

Before reading this chapter I already knew much about this topic. Since I recently have taken a Writing 100 class, as a prerequisite, I'm familiar with details and transitions in a paragraph. After reading this chapter I learned that a paragraph has four essential elements, which are: a topic, a main idea, supporting details, and transitions.

Supporting details are basically facts and ideas that prove or explain the main idea of a paragraph. Even though details support the main idea, they are not at all that important. The important details are, key details, which directly explain the main idea. There are five most common types of supporting details, which happen to be: examples, facts or statistics, reasons, descriptions and steps. Using examples make ideas real and understandable. Facts or Statistics provide evidence to the reader that the main idea is correct. Reasons are used by writers who show the readers why a main idea is correct. Descriptions are deals that help create a mental picture of the object described. Lastly, steps are used when the writer explains how to do something in a paragraph.

The last thing that I learned about in the chapter was a broader definition of the term transitions. Transitions are linking words or phrases used to lead the reader from one idea to another. Also, I learned that paraphrasing paragraphs is a useful technique for both building and checking your comprehension. This involves substituting synonyms and rearranging sentence parts. 

Body Piercing and Tattooing: Risks to Health

            Before reading this article, I knew very much about the topic discussed. When I turned sixteen years old, that's when I begged and pleaded my mom to get a second piercing on the lobe of my ears. Of course, she said no, she claimed that I was too "young" and that taking care of a piercing was a lot of work. My mom had experience since as a young child, piercing her ears were a hobby. After weeks of harassing her, she finally gave in. Afterwards, each and every year I would ask if I can get another piercing. The adrenaline running throughout your body right before getting a piercing is an incredible feeling. It seemed that I used to be addicted to wanting to have that feeling over and over again. I will be nineteen years old in a few months, and I've already gotten ten piercings. However, I have gone through my share of infected piercings, and unfortunately, learned the hard way.
          I would like to know more about the history of body piercings and tattoos, in addition to learning more about cultures and their beliefs on body art. As a person who gets a lot of piercings, I haven't really learned much from the article since I just so happen to know most of the consequences of piercings. As much as I suffered from the piercings that have gone wrong, nothing can stop me from getting more.

A Guide To College Reading - Chap. 5

Before reading this topic, I did not know much about the subject. I want to know more about the "SQ3R" system. I believe that this system can improve my reading skills quite a bit. I understand what the acronyms stand for in 'SQ3R', however, if that doesn't work out, then what is the 'back up system'? I learned from reading this material how to preview textbook chapters along with articles and essays.

Previewing Textbook Chapters:

I. Read the title and the subtitle

II. Read the chapter introduction

III. Read the first paragraph

IV. Read bold faced headings

V. Read first sentence under each heading

VI. Typographical aids

VII. Read graphs, charts, and pictures

VIII. Read the final paragraph/summary

IX. End-of-chapter material

Previewing Articles and Essays:

I. Check authors name

II. Check the source of the article

III. Read the first sentence of a few paragraphs throughout the essay

Along with learning how to preview, I've also learned how to read for meaning. In addition, I've also learned a few key terms, one of them being, "prewriting".

Prewriting: a way of quickly familiarizing yourself with the organization and context of written material before beginning to read it. 

A Guide to College Reading - Chap. 4

          Before reading this topic I didn't know much about the subject. Now that I have read through the chapter, I'm grateful for gaining so much from this chapter, now, I'm able to expand my vocabulary and knowledge of unfamiliar words. I learned many things from reading this material, such as prefixes, roots, and suffixes. This chapter gave a very coherent example, such as:

                                                            Term: Trichromatic
                                              Prefix + Root + Suffix = New Word
                                           "tri" + "chrom" + "atic" = Trichromatic
                                 "tri" = three + "chrom" = color + "atic" = characteristic of
                                                                           =
                                                           having three colors 
                                The definition of trichromatic is "having three colors"

I also learned that the first step in using the prefix-root-suffix method is to become familiar with the most commonly used word parts. Before you begin to use word parts to figure out new words, there are a few things that one should know beforehand:
                          1. A word is built upon at least one root
                          2. Words can have more than one prefix, root, or suffix.
                          3. Words don't always have a prefix or suffix.
                          4. The spelling of roots may change as they are combined with suffixes.
                          5. Different prefixes, roots, or suffixes may have the same meaning.
                          6. You may identify a group of letters as a prefix or root byt that it does not carry the        
                              meaning of the prefix or root.

I enjoyed reading this chapter. Not only has it made me distinguish meaning from words, but also, it helps me expand my range of vocabulary. I will use the information I gained from this chapter for future references such as reading novels and articles in many of my other classes.

A Guide to College Reading- Chap. 3

          Before reading this topic I didn't know much about the subject. Even though I knew that there were many types of context clues, I didn't know that there just so happened to be different types of context clues. I want to know more about how you can use your punctuation to separate the meaning clue from the rest of the sentence. I learned from reading this material that, there are five different types of context clues.

  1) Definition

  2) Synonym 

3) Example

4) Contrast

 5) Inference

 The synonym clue is when the writer provides a synonym which is a word or a brief phrase close to its meaning. The example clue is when the writer helps explain or clarify a word by providing examples. The contrast clue is when you have to deal with an antonym-- meaning the word you are looking for's opposite. However, there are limitations of context clues, such that: context clues seldom lead to a complete definition and sometimes a sentence does not contain clues to a words meaning. A few things that I also learned is that a writer provides synonyms in order to give out a hint to the reader, also, such punctuation: commas, parentheses, and dashes, separates the meaning clue from the rest of the sentence. 

Conversational Dilemmas

          Before reading this article I knew much about the topic due to the fact that everyone has experienced a conversation dilemma before. I would like to know a way on possibly avoiding a conversational dilemma, and if not, then find ways to prevent it from happening. A few things that I learned from the article are that there area six categories of responses to conversational dilemmas. Such responses are: direct responses, indirect responses, deception, impression management, pleasing the other, and soliciting the others help. In the case study of ethics, "Cell Phone Subterfuge", I believe that it is ethical to stage fake phone calls. Majority of the time, staging a phone call is extremely useful, especially when one is in a dangerous situation.

Stop Asking Me About My Major

Before reading this article, I knew much about the subject.
I want to know more about ways to tell my parents that whichever career goal I decide to go with, I will be sticking with it. I agree when the author says, it's better than majoring in something that you like, rather than something you don't enjoy, because it is shown that once you take interest in your major, you will more likely be motivated more to do the course work. Through observation, I've seen my parents attempt to control my younger sister's college and career goals. Even though she is only sixteen years old, my parents are pushing her to stay in the medical field, and become an anesthesiologist or a neurologist. However, my sister is an excellent artist, and even though she highly takes interest in art, unfortunately, she won't be able to pursue it, due to the fact that my parents repetitively stated, "art will not take you far in life". Even though I feel guilty of just standing in the side lines watching this, I take note to myself that this won't ever happen to me.
I learned from reading this material that I'm not the only student who seems to have to switch their major due to their parents. I realized that I'm not alone, and there is a way to not make this situation happen. Even though it will take a lot of time and convincing, this will be worth it in the end.