How to Read?

Although this question does appear obvious, it is not as easy to describe as it might seem. When it comes to reading everyone has their own method, mentality, speed and strategy when diving into an article, monograph or textbook. This can complicate how much information a student can get out of the material they are reading whether it be for pleasure or their class.

So Then What Is the Goal Here?

In this section, the goal is to help students find an efficient way to read, retain the information from the text and be able to not loathe reading for class or pleasure. The guide below is an amalgamation of the lessons and methods learned over the span of many years and classes from differing subjects. I hope you find the following method helpful in your time as a student and beyond...

Let's Get Started!

Approaching the Text (Monographs & Articles)

On the topic of monographs and articles, they alone for the most part need to include this step before starting to dive into the text. Whether the text you are reading is short or long one of the first steps is to look up and find out just who the author is and see if they are qualified to write on the topic of the text you are reading. Look at their education. Also look up a few reviews of the text to see what other scholars are saying about it. Is the book controversial or does it fit with all the other texts on the subject?

The Meat of the Text

When it comes to monographs, articles and textbooks the main sections can sometimes seem intimidating whether that example be in the form of long chapters or complicated subjects within a section of a chapter itself. First, you will want to skim the chapter or section (depending on the length you are comfortable with) at hand. While moving through, if there are topics or subjects that stick out to you or you do not feel confident in that particular subject, make a mark or write down a question for yourself regarding that section or passage. Once you finish skimming that section/chapter, go back and thoroughly read through the sections that you marked, found difficult or that you are not confident in. Next, after you have gotten through that chapter or passage, take a short break to allow your mind to absorb all of the new information from the reading. Then, proceed to move forward within the reading and rinse and repeat this strategy.

A Tale of Caution

This reading strategy is not for everyone. There are some cases where reading out the entire section may be necessary depending on the difficulty of the subject at hand. Always be aware of what methods for reading work best for you.

Exam Prep As A Whole

Each exam is different, so this makes prepping slightly complicated. But not really. Whether the test is open-book or set in a traditional style, the prep is the same. Make sure to study the key topics of that chapter(s). Even though it is tempting to divert time and energy to other classes since one of your exams is open-book, do not underestimate the amount of time you will spend searching for specific answers if you have not studied the material overall. It is important to study the material no matter if the exam seems easy or not, it is always worth to study.

Multiple Choice Exams/Quizzes

The simplest way to approach multiple choice exams is to remember the material and what you have studied. When taking the exam, make sure to stay focused on the question being asked and try to immediately eliminate the choices that you know are wrong. If the multiple choice is a fill in the blank, use the same process as before. The faster you are able to eliminate wrong choices the faster you can move on to other questions. Speaking of speed, multiple choice exams/quizzes seem to have the ability to take more time than students think it will. Do not allow yourself to get stumped on a single question. Eliminate the choices that you can and move forward, but make sure to write down the question you need to return to just in case. Multiple choice tends to require some study time in order to do well. Although the chances of a better score are higher when you do not have to write in the answer, beware of the temptation to not study your material.

Short Answer and IDs

Most of the time when it comes to short answer questions and IDs on an exam, the prompts will be given to you ahead of time. A good method and routine to get used to when approaching this exam is to look at how much time you have between getting the study guide and the date of the exam. From that point, consider mapping out specific days where you sit down and write them out ahead of time. Test what you know and where you need improvement. This ensures that you are thinking through the ideas presented in the study guide. If there is no study guide, things begin to get tricky but are not impossible. Take the key components from the chapter(s) and define them. If there are key events, make sure to explain them and their significance to history or the political world...or both. At the end of the day, do not feel overwhelmed even if there are fifty or more IDs or short answer prompts. Take the time to see how many you can look into a write about before the exam. If there is a massive amount of given IDs, possibly look into making a table to fit them all in and instead of writing out the full essay, put down bullet points and key words to remind yourself of the main topics to discuss on the fly. At that point, you could even explain the answer out loud as prep that way you can retain, in your own words, how you would put that ID or short answer question together.

Essay Questions on Exams

The best way to prepare for the essay question on an exam is to create an outline. 

Creating an outline is a valuable preparatory step for an essay exam for several reasons:

Organization: Outlining helps to organize your thoughts and ideas coherently before you start writing. It enables you to structure your essay logically, ensuring that each point flows smoothly into the next.

Clarity: By outlining, you can clarify your main arguments and supporting points. This process allows you to identify any gaps in your reasoning or areas where further research might be needed.

Time Management: An outline helps you allocate your time effectively during the exam. By establishing the main sections and subsections of your essay in advance, you can better gauge how much time to spend on each part.

Focus: When you have a clear outline, you're less likely to stray off-topic or include irrelevant information in your essay. It helps you stay focused on addressing the specific question or prompt provided in the exam.

Reduced Stress: Having a well-organized outline can alleviate anxiety during the exam. It provides a roadmap for your writing, reducing the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed or getting stuck mid-essay.

Efficiency: With a structured outline, you can write more efficiently, as you won't waste time figuring out the overall structure of your essay as you go. Instead, you can focus on elaborating on the points you've already outlined.

Overall, creating an outline before tackling an essay exam can enhance your preparation, improve the quality of your response, and increase your confidence during the exam.

Exams That Have Multiple Choice, IDs & an Essay Question

If they work for you, follow the above steps. Get yourself ready as best you can for the exam overall. Fill out as much of the study guide as you can that way you are as prepared as you can be. When you get to the point of taking the test, sometimes the professor while give you a prompt with an estimated time you should take on each section. Usually try to follow that set-up. Unless you have a method of your own known by you to work, stick to that or go with the professor's suggestion. Time is key when it comes to a mixed exam. Make sure to also give yourself time to check any answers that you might want to add to or for example go back and finish the multiple choice section.

What is this section?

A student can do more than parrot the reviews that they find in journals or at online sources in general when it comes to the books and articles they have to read for their classes. While going through and projecting your own opinions of the book or article, it is important to understand the argument given by the author(s).

Applying Criticism

There are a few things you can do to remind yourself of when criticizing a book or article. 

1. Look into the author's background. There is a chance that the author is not from the field in which they are writing. This can impact the difference in the way they write compared to the usual readings you are used to. This can also be a positive investigation as the author might be one of the best in their field or they are just entering the field with a strong kick in the right direction.

2. Does the author successfully support their argument within their book or article? If not, why? Try to press your own argument about where the author failed to convince you of their argument. If they did, explain the strong characteristics of the book or article that stood out to you and provided the backbone to convince you that the author's argument is sound and properly supported.

3. Realize that it is not easy to write a book. The author of the book you might be critical of might be new to the field or it might be a new branch of historiography being added to the ever increasing pile to their topic at hand. Writing a book is not an easy task. Remember not to judge a book too harshly as until you write a book for yourself, the challenges that one faces are not known to you yet. And remember that the process of writing a book is not that simple either. And the process of publishing a book further complicates that task.

Some Takeaways

It is fine to be quite critical with a work for your class as feedback is a way in which to improve. Just be sure to remember the stakes that the author went through when publishing and working on that piece. What were the best sections? Where was their strongest argument? Was the argument strong at all?  A crucial point that you think should have been in the work? That could of been scrapped by the editor due to space. Thinking that the book is too short and it need to expand? Same problem. The author might have had only so much space to get their evidence onto the paper. So as you criticize a book or article, make sure to highlight the positive and important takeaways from your time reading while being honest with ways in which the author(s) could improve their work.

What is a Precis and Why Does It Matter?

There are a few professors within the History Department that have students write a Precis during the semester. This usually serves as a replacement to the usual essay required during the semester. It is important to know how a Precis should properly be put together, so below there is an example of how students must form their Precis...

Paragraph One must include the title, author, publisher, date, and the author’s thesis (clearly explained). Make the author the subject.  For example: 

Brad Jones, in Vegetarian Vengeance: Tofu, Tea, and Tories in the American Revolution (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012), effectively argues that tofu played an important role in the War for Independence, was essential for the victory of the Patriots, and had long-term racial, religious, social, political, cultural, and economic ramifications. By including these previously overlooked food staples, Jones succeeds in altering the discourse on revolution, colonial empires, and the post-colonial world.

Paragraph Two must include a description of the primary sources the author has used to support their thesis. Summarize the types of primary sources referenced, do not list specific sources.

Paragraphs Three, Four, and Five must give three specific examples of how the author proves the thesis. Give three specific examples, not a summary of the book.

Concluding paragraph is where you may include your opinion of the work, whether you think the thesis was (a) valid and (b) proven, and your concluding thoughts.

Additional requirements:

~ 12-point font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced

         ~ No more than two pages (print front-to-back if possible). 

                     Any paper longer than two pages will not be accepted or graded.

         ~ Quotes from book should be cited by page number (138). There is no room/need for Turabian.

~ Whenever possible make author subject of sentence, not the book.

~ No contractions in formal writing. (Don’t = do not)

~ After the first sentence refer to author by last name. Please spell their name correctly.

~ Avoid passive voice.

The Declaration of Independence was written by Jefferson. (Bad)

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. (Good)

~ Do not use a semi-colon unless you have a license to do so.

~ Book, newspaper, magazine, and journal titles must be italicized. Articles within newspapers, magazines, and journals belong in quotation marks.

~ We are reading monographs, which are works of historical non-fiction. These are NOT novels.

~ Be wary of being impressed by the number of footnotes and a long bibliography.

Heading on top left of paper (heading can be single-spaced):  Last Name, First Name

HIST 230T

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