Eng Study Guide

8/6/2019 Eng Study Guide

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Bircham

International

University

BIU Distance Learning System

* Effective learning methodology

* Content-specific syllabi

* Remarkable bibliographic selection

* Required works completed at home* Without the stress of traditional exams

STUDY GUIDE



B i r c h a m I n t e r n a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t y

P e da g o g y

Bi r c h a m I n t e r n

a t i on a l Uni v e r s i t y

Is it possible to increase the capacity of our mind?The issue is not so simple. On the one hand, we must first create additional mental schematathat will allow us to process and store any new flows of new useful information. Such newmental pathways are generated with the sum of strong data associative links, as mentionedbefore. On the other hand, it is the intensity and frequency of the new data processing throughthe recently created pathways and schemata what will actually expand and fix a higher level of mental capacity.

How BIU pedagogy works.The key to successful learning is in the type of mental process that takes place when weextract information from a text and how we have to reprocess and express it in the form of written work. Studying becomes an active phenomenon that enables comprehension (readingand search for data), new mental schemata (concepts hierarchy and interrelation) and inputtransformation (data reorganization and writing). The newly acquired thinking structures do notrely on classic memorization and help to increase our reasoning capacity and problem-solvingskills. This intellectual improvement is permanent and ever expanding. Learning at BIU willnot become just getting trained in our life, but should become a permanent absorption.

The use of published textbooks

BIU programs employ a remarkable bibliographic selection of published textbooks. BIU prefers to use publishedtextbooks rather than self-designed course materials as the main source of knowledge to complete any academic program.BIU believes that in matter of contents, presentation, information structure, case studies, self-assessment, and diagrams,the quality of published textbooks is superior to any other option. Additionally, the resume of the selected textbooksʼauthors cannot be easily challenged.

The books assigned on BIU programs:The material for the academic program consists of a set of published textbooks

specifically selected to ensure the expected learning outcomes of the student program.

The student should follow the book reading order established in the Academic

Assignment Control Form (ACC Form) as these books are assigned in a complementary

or dialectical order.

* The complementary order ensures a progressive in-depth knowledge acquisition.* The dialectical order presents different approaches to the study of the discipline sothat the student has access to a complete and comprehensive perspective.

Learning from the books:Is all the information of a text organized in a coherent way? Definitely not! There are poor writers, disorganized authorsand inefficient editors. All BIU assigned textbooks are supervised by the members of the academic board and thedepartment of pedagogy to make sure that they are truly functional, practical, and useful to the student. Best learningrequires a sound foundation material in order to ensure the development of appropriate criteria about the subject.

Textbooks versus Online Material:BIU has conducted a serious research about the efficiency of online teaching and textbooks.

The conclusions are as follows.

* Extension. Online material has proven to be efficient for short courses or seminars, usually under 40 hours of study.

Online material is very motivating and pedagogical because of interactive charts and schemata, knowledge trees, etc.,

but not so efficient as a source of extensive amounts of content material.

* Exhaustion. Computer screen reading and comprehension exhausts the mind and the eyes after one hour of continuos

concentration. Book reading allows three times more continuous work before reaching the same level of mind and

eyes exhaustion.

* Versatility. Online study time is limited by the availability of a computer and Internet access. Textbook availability is

more versatile. One may read a book on a train on the way home, sitting in a park, waiting for someone, etc... The

ambiance surrounding the study time also plays an important role in the mindʼs state of receptiveness.

* Research. Concept search is conducted faster through the pages of a book than on a computer screen (for contents

equivalent to a 600 pages book) except in the case of exact phrase or word search. Concept comprehension andinterrelationship is more important than concrete data search when it comes to the efficiency of learning.

* Comfort. Despite of the intensive use of computers, our mind feels more comfortable facing a book. Books allow note

taking in the book itself, text marking, running through different sections and they are affordable, portable and can be

read practically everywhere and under most circumstances.



Pedagogy

Bircham Internat

ionalUniversity

Primarily, the chosen degree program consists in studyingthe textbooks listed in the Academic Assignment ControlForm and then writing reports based on them, followingthe instructions set out. The composition of the reportsmust follow format requirements such as the title page,table of contents, minimum and maximum length,numbered pages, etc.

The instructions and requirements for writing reports arenot open to discussion. They correspond to the carefuland pedagogical plan of the BIU Distance LearningSystem in order to maximize capacity of learning and tofacilitate academic work assessment. Report ranges froma minimum of 20 pages to a maximum of 35 pages andshould be worked out in the following way:

I. Table of contents.The student is required to extract from the text read alist of main concepts or key ideas. These key ideas mustbe systematize in a table of contents ranging from 2 to 5pages.

II. Analytic Summary.A comprehensive synopsis has to be developed accordingto the organization and hierarchy established by the tableof contents. This essay must range from 15 to 25 pages.

III. Case study.One to three case studies from the assigned textbookhas to be critically analyzed by the student. The studentmay choose one single complex case study with severalinterrelated issues or three simple ones depending on itsown preference. The student is encouraged to provide his

own solution or opinion based not only on the principleslearned from the textbook but also on his/her own criteriasuch as personal conclusions or professional applicationof the theoretical concepts. The case study section shouldrange from 5 to 10 pages.

FINAL VERSION The student has to submit for final evaluation a reportranging from 20 to 35 pages that must integrate in aharmonic way the previous steps described: the table of contents, analytic summary and case study. It might benecessary to re-write the work to match the format andlength requirements, to improve the style, content flow andcontinuity.

The exam consists in writing reports.

Just as anybody would do in their professional life.

This evaluation method encourages developing of thinking ability and information processing.

The assessment committee and teachers, which depend onthe Academic Board, base the evaluation of the material(reports, projects, and thesis) submitted by the studentson the three criteria, accounting for one third of the finalgrade each:

* 33% Format:The organization and presentation of the information.

Evaluation of course data organization, hierarchy andinterrelationships, and clarity of presentation.

* 33% Content:The way the report corresponds to the bibliographyand reflects it. Evaluation of contents comprehension,synthesis skills and concept interaction. Report contentsare valued only a 33% of the final grade because BIUconsiders they should be correct given the fact thatthe textbook is available for the student during reportelaboration.

* 33% PQT- Personal Quality Thinking:How the subject is mastered through the case study,comments and the application of the information learntto the problem solving. Evaluation of studentʼs analysiscriteria and critical thinking as well as they are reflected inwriting and presentation style.

To earn any course credits a grade point average

of E (2.0 - 50%) or higher is required. BIU

follows the following grading scale:

4.0- Excellent - 91-99% / A

3.5- Very Good - 81-90% / B

3.0- Good - 71-80% / C

2.5- Satisfactory - 61-70% / D

2.0- Sufficient - 51-60% / E

1.5- Fail - <50% / F

The evaluation process involves three phases:

1. Evaluation:The Delegation carries out a fast format review to state whether the submitted work meets the format requirements.Then it is forwarded to the corresponding faculty teacher for content evaluation. The teacher should correct the worksubmitted within three to seven weeks. BIU will notify the student whether the report submitted has been approved ornot. Final grade will appear in the transcript only. In the case of not qualifying for the minimum grade (2.0 - 50%), thepaper has to be repeated. BIU teacher will always explain what has to be improved.

2. Supervision:BIU Supervisor will review a second time the paper evaluated by the teacher. The supervisor will concentrate mostly onformat and personal quality thinking criteria of the paper submitted. The supervisor will also assess the teacherʼs criteria

and will ensure that the paper has been properly corrected in agreement with BIU pedagogy. The supervisor may raiseor lower a 20% the grade proposed by the teacher and, in case of major discrepancy, may also request a different teacherevaluation.

3. Final Grade & Transcript:The evaluation and supervision results of the papers submitted are presented to the Academic Board for the final review

and elaboration of the grades certificate or transcript.

E x a m i n a t i o n U n i t = R e p o r t

E v a l u a t i o n & G r a d i n g

T h e E v a

l u a t i o n P r o c e s s




P e da g o g y



LEVEL 1. Knowledge and comprehension.Comprehensive reading and preparation of index (Table of Contents).

Through reading of the assigned textbooks for the program the student will identify and sort

the programʼs key ideas. The selected concepts will have to be classified and rearranged inorder to prepare a coherent index or table of contents. This index will become the skeleton to

develop the work required. Thus this index will demonstrate the studentʼs ability to grasp the

interrelationships, hierarchy and overall meaning of the programʼs key elements.

LEVEL 2. Analysis, synthesis and development. Material analysis, textbook content selection and first draft writing.

The student will examine the assigned textbook and integrate selected extracts of the text contents

according to the previously defined index (table of contents). The selected text extracts will need

to meet the format requirements. Consequently, the student will have to search throughout

the textbook several times in order to expand the information when needed, or in other cases

will have to summarize the information found because it will be too lengthy. This recurrentadjustment of the text contents will lead the student to categorize the information read in

order to produce a suitable first draft of the work required. In other words, the read material

must be rearranged and fit into a new written format. This may involve transformation of the

information: graphic and numeric data into verbal and vice versa; its interpreting, explaining and

summarizing.

LEVEL 3. Production, style and self-assessment / Final assignment. Reports (20-35 pages), Project (over 50 pages), Thesis (over 70 pages).

Once the first draft of the academic work required is completed, the student will need to reread

the work thoroughly in order to detect possible mistakes. The material should be developed in

such way that its style, content and structure would be logical and revealing the knowledge of thesubject. The studentʼs ability to combine the parts of the text and to form a new coherent and

harmonic whole will determine the final grading of the work submitted. Diagrams, charts and

examples may be added to illustrate the contents.

LEVEL 4. Knowledge application and critical thinking.Case study analysis, conclusions, problem solving and applicability to professional experience.

The university expects the student to contrast the learned material with his/her own knowledge

and experience to express his/her opinion on the subject, to consider practical application of the

theoretical concepts and to show the conclusions along the written assignment. All the personal

judgments should be based on sound criteria and must be clearly argued. Critical thinking

learning outcomes are usually achieved at projects and thesis level of research work. Some reportsmay also reflect conscious judgment based on clearly defined criteria when they render relevant

conclusions or profound case study analysis.

BIU Grading system will reflect the learning outcome level

achieved by the student through the assigned work.

1.5 - No learning outcome achieved.

2.0 - Level 1 & 2 partially achieved.

2.5 - Level 1 & 2 outcomes achieved.3.0 - Level 1, 2 & 3 outcomes achieved.

3.5 - Level 1, 2, 3 & 4 (partially) achieved.

4.0 - Level 1, 2, 3 & 4 outcomes achieved.

Expected Learning

Outcomes

These learning outcomes levels are achieved following the BIU Distance

Learning System, academic assignment instructions and through the

presentation of the required evaluation units:

Reports (20-35 pages) Project (over 50 pages) Thesis (over 70 pages)



Studying

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Tutoring

BIU has a complex international network of teachers andacademicians plus a worldwide interrelation with faculties of othereducational institutions. Due to this international nature of BIU, thestudent is obligated to channel any questions or concerns about theprogram through the corresponding BIU Delegation. This office hasthe responsibility to search within the BIU structure and find out the

best way to deal with the student request. BIU has developed severalways to provide the student with academic support and advice duringthe learning process.

* Formal advising.Questions concerning the completion of the assignments (reports,project or thesis), work format and presentation, as well as anyconcerns about administrative procedures should be addressed to thedelegation.

Answer time: Immediate to 24 hours.

* Teacher interview and interaction.The delegation may set up a telephone interview with a teacherto provide guidance to the student on very specific issues. The

assigned teacher and the student may also interact by E-mail anytime. Telephone interviews are usually scheduled and coordinatedwith both parties by the delegation. BIU teachers should not justbe academically qualified but they must be sound and updatedprofessionals as well. This is the reason why often teacheravailability is not immediate.Time to schedule an interview: 1 to 7 days.

E-mail interaction timing: 12 to 48 hours.

* Support books.Sometimes the questions posed by the student in regard to the comprehension of the assigned textbooks may reveal aknowledge gap that may not be filled with the usual teacherʼs answers by E-mail or telephone interviews. In such casesthe BIU Faculty will assign some support textbooks to assist the student in filling up that knowledge gap. No reports arerequired on the texts assigned for support purposes.Time for support text assignation: 1 to 3 weeks.

* Project & thesis mentoring.The instructions on how to elaborate a research work have been summarized to meet different cultural backgroundsworldwide. For example, BIU research format allows some students to use footnotes, others may just add a finalappendix containing research references, some may decide not to provide notes, but all of them must display the properbibliography. BIU allows certain format freedom. The student also proposes the title and content of his research subjectfor Academic Board approval. The student may ask the delegation to set up an interview with a mentor for guidance infocusing the content of the research. Besides, BIU may provide support textbooks to ensure a sound academic foundationof the student work.Time for support text assignation: 1 to 3 weeks.Time to schedule a mentor interview: 1 to 7 days.Time for research content proposal approval: 1 to 2 weeks.

* Feedback & Improvement.BIU teachers will provide feedback comments about the work submitted whenever relevant and helpful for the student.

These comments are intended to pinpoint any specific issues that need improvement. The student may raise the workgrade by resubmitting the same work considering the improvement comments pinpointed by the teacher.Time for report first evaluation & feedback: 1 to 3 weeks from reception time.Time for project/thesis first evaluation & feedback: 3 to 5 weeks from reception time.

* Emphasis on specific course contents.BIU diplomas display one major and one optional minor. Additionally, the student may propose the inclusion in his/herprogram of some subjects apart from the major and minor courses that particularly attract his/her interest. These subjectswill be shown on the final transcript but will not appear on the diploma. Such proposal must be formally addressed inwriting to the delegation and is always subject to approval from the Academic Board.Time for additional courses proposal approval: 1 to 2 weeks.

* Program reassignment.Seldom the assigned program might present some level of inconsistency. In other words, the suggested textbooksassignment could be too easy or too hard for the student. This unusual situation occurs when there is some lack of

information or resume misinterpretation during the admission process. In this case, BIU will assume the responsibilityand the cost of reassigning a whole new set of suggested textbooks, but first the student must provide accurateinformation of his expected learning goals and precise the deficiencies of the initial assignment. BIU may also requestfurther and detailed verification of the student resume before producing the new assignment. The Academic Board is theonly authority that may modify, add, or delete any bibliography and/or assignments.Time for new program reassignment: 1 to 3 weeks.

The aim of education should beto teach us HOW to think,

rather than WHAT to think.




S t udyi n g



You have received the textbooks and the

assignments instructions... You are sitting

at your desk and then, what?.

1. Start reading “Text 1”.Read the assigned textbooks carefully, concentrating on the topics that requiremore thinking and understanding. Start reading the book listed as “Text 1”without concentrating too much on the details. Get a general idea of its contents,and then apply the reading and comprehension techniques explained in this guide(for instance, highlighting central ideas). At times, if you find a concept hard tounderstand, keep reading – your doubts will probably clear up on following pages.

2. Index of concepts / Table of contents.While you read, take notes on the ideas that catch your attention, on therelationships between different concepts and the way they correspond withyour own opinions. Instead of memorizing the goal is to end your reading

with a written index of the main concepts. This written record should not justsummarize or sketch the bookʼs main issues, but rather reflect the interactionbetween those concepts and your own thinking; in other words, a record of howyou interpret the points of the book. As you read on and jot down your thoughtsand opinions, consider how to match these key concepts to your own experiencein order to improve the quality of your personal and professional life. Take abrief note of this as well.

3. Report draft writing of Text 1.Use the notes taken during step 2 and develop those key concepts in writing

trying to explain them in a more coherent and organized style. Base your report

on your notes and avoid opening the book as much as possible except for

quick and specific reference or data (figures, dates, etc.) that you find hard toremember.

4. Review reading of Text 1.Review Text 1 again, concentrating on the sections highlighted during the firstreading. Contrast the explanations from your report draft with the explanationsprovided in the text. Analyze any differences found and sharpen yourcomprehension of each key point. Now you are ready to work out the final reportand you have to decide what you will or will not include into it in order to meetthe 20-35 pages limit.

5. Final report production for Text 1.Each author has different goals when writing a book, thus each text is different.It is your task to decide what is important and what is secondary in eachbook. At times the text will only need to be summarized, while at other timesit will require a more elaborated conceptualization. After reading a very longand information-packed chapter you might just end up with a few importantideas, whereas reading an apparently simple chapter might trigger an elaboratereport full of personal comments and ideas. In conclusion, what matters are theconcepts you decide to develop, not the all data contained in the textbook. Thisis precisely what must be clearly shown in your report, what BIU most values,and what will imprint the key concepts permanently in your mind.

6. Repeat this process with Text 2 and so on...Continue with the succeeding texts and reports as they appear on the Academic

Assignment Control Form. The established order is not open to discussion

because each book complements the following one, and following this order, you

will discard many of the doubts that might otherwise emerge along the way.

Now you have the books... how do you get started?




S t udyi n g



In order to complete your degree

syllabus, you are required to

submit the following:

* Final project of at least 50 pages

for Bachelorʼs and Masterʼs.

* Thesis of at least 75 pages for

Doctorates.

In both cases, this paper must be

typed in English, on white paper

(standard size), and on one side of

the page only. Two copies have to

be submitted to BIU.

Once the project or thesis is

corrected, one of the copies,

stamped by the University, will be

mailed back to you.

Your paper will not be accepted if it does not fulfill the requirements set below:

Front page:This first page contains the title of the project or thesis, the studentʼs first and last name, the name of theprogram and the date. The studentʼs signature and the following statement must follow the abovementionedinformation: “I do hereby attest that I am the sole author of this project/thesis and that its contents are onlythe result of the readings and research I have done” . Of the two copies required by BIU, only one will befiled at BIU and should contain the above statement. The second copy will be stamped and returned to youand does not require the authenticity statement.

Table of contents / Bibliography:Following the front page, you have to include the table of contents and the complete list of bibliographic

material consulted, including books, journal articles, conference papers, etc...

Abstract or Synopsis:Following the table of contents, the synopsis of one to three pages is to provide a brief explanation of the

content and objectives of the paper.

Body of the paper:In this section you should develop the core content of the project/thesis. The information contained in thebody of the work must be organized as follows: chapters, sections, parts, and/or case studies. This structureis to be reflected in the table of contents and all pages must be numbered. As part of your discussion, youcan include graphs, photographs, drawings, charts, photocopies of articles, and any other material that youconsider relevant. The body of the project/thesis should fulfill the minimum length requirement withoutexceeding the limit of 200 pages. At BIU we value the quality of the content more than the quantity of pages.

With prior approval from BIU, you may also submit published material, such as books, journal/magazine articlescompilations, research, etc... Of course, these items will not need to fulfill the above format requirements. Theycan be submitted to BIU in their original format. BIU requires that you submit two copies of each publication.

You are free to choose the title and content of your project/thesis. Once you have reached a decision, youmay submit a 1-3 page proposal containing a synopsis of your project/ thesis and the title of the paper to

BIU. This preliminary procedure is optional, since all submissions will be approved as long as they relatedirectly to the field of interest. Take advantage of this opportunity to explore in depth the topics that interest

you, both personally and professionally.

F o r m a t o f t h e P R O J

E C T / T H E S I S

BIU delegation carries out a fast revision to insure that your work fulfills the format and length requirements.It then sends the work to the members of the BIU Academic Board for evaluation of the content. A teacherwill correct your assignment and you will be notified of the result by means of the Academic AssignmentControl Form. The final mark will only appear in the transcript. If your work does not qualify, you will beasked to repeat the assignment or to present a different one.

BIU will always explain to you how to improve your work.

P R O J E C T &

T H E S I S

E v a l u a t i o n



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1- Creating a study routine. Make yourself follow it by striking a balance between comfort and sacrifice. Do not push yourself too hard, but do not procrastinate either.

If at some point you lack the energy or motivation to fulfill the dayʼs of study goal, try just reading for ten minutes. You will probably not get much accomplished in those ten minutes, but it will help you to reinforcethe habit of reading and to create a study routine.

2. Setting weekly goals.Two and a half hours four days a week is a reasonable amount of time to complete your degree program successfully. Three days can be

devoted to the reading and note taking for around two hours followed

by a quick conclusions draft writing based on your notes. Use the fourth

day in full for in depth review reading and/or final academic work

production.

Free schedule of assignments

BIU believes on self organization of the learning process.BIU studentʼs profile is that of an skilled highly motivated learner andprofessional. Thus BIU assumes that such students have a sufficient level of responsibility and motivation to work out their own learning schedule and do notneed detailed tutoring and guiding to meet the requirements of academic work.There are plenty of personal and professional commitments that may interferewith the study time of a fixed schedule of assignments. BIU does not considerit fair to establish academic penalties if a fixed schedule of assignments is notmet. BIU believes that self organization is undoubtedly the best option for maturestudents because it provides timing freedom and reduces stress during theprogress of study.

* The free schedule of assignments:

Free schedule is automatically assumed by BIU.Unless you request in writing to comply with a fixed schedule of assignments,BIU will consider that you prefer to feel free to organize yourself or, in otherwords, a free schedule of assignment submission.

Monitoring and follow up are personalized and immediate.BIU will not be contacting you unless you request advice, tutoring or submit anyacademic work for correction. In this case your corresponding BIU office willkeep track and find the best way to deal with your request. The free schedule of assignments is meant to help you organize yourself the way you consider best,however BIUʼs intention is not to develop an impersonal and detached distancelearning experience so we do encourage you to contact us any time to resolve anyquestions, comments or feelings related to the progress of your study. BIU offersyou several communication channels during free self organization schedule.

* Minimum requirements and student file inactivation.

BIU does not stipulate a minimum or maximum time for completion of anyacademic assignments. However, you should submit at least one report per yearin order to keep your student file active. If you do not submit any work or noticeover this period of 12 months, your student status at BIU may be inactivated andcanceled. Once your student file has been canceled, you will lose your studentrights as well as all the tuition fees paid.

* Contact data update.

You may also move and complete your degree program from anywhere in theworld as long as you keep your BIU office updated with your contact data.

The schedule at BIU

can be Free or Fixed

G e t t i n g B e t t e r O r g a n i z e d :

H i n t s

a n d T i p s




S t udyi n g



Fixed schedule of assignments

Although free schedule proves to be the best choice, BIU may provide you with a fixed schedule of assignmentsin order to help you organize your studies through the establishment of weekly goals. You may request the fixedschedule of assignments anytime, although if you do not meet the schedule goals on three occasions you willbe automatically reassigned to a free schedule. The schedule of assignments is set per report required by yourprogram of study. You have the freedom to follow the free schedule for some of the reports assigned and the fixedschedule for the others. Choose always whatever suits your needs best.

3. Being persistent.Sometimes there will be personal or professional situations in the course of your study that will prevent you from meetingthe weekly goals. In such cases try to make up for it another day without falling behind in the study goals for the program.

Do not worry about how long the whole program will take. Just meet your weekly goals and keep your motivation alive. The

key to success is finishing the program, not beginning it.

4. Turning studying into a pleasant experience. Learning should become a pleasant and enriching process. Life should not be just working and studying. It is very important to enjoy your free time while completing your program so you will not feel that studying is taking up your life. There is nohurry; the time it will take to complete the program will not affect the universityʼs appreciation of your work. Do study in acomfortable and well-illuminated environment. There will be no teachers asking you to turn in homework or to meet studygoals unless you request so.

5. Developing the Sense of Responsibility. BIU pedagogy is not effective for everybody. It is quite efficient for students and professionals with a certain level of responsibility, people who wish to learn, to improve, and to excel. Nobody but yourself will monitor the way you study.You are allowed to use textbooks for reference when producing reports, but you should be careful not to overdo it. You are

encouraged to follow our pedagogical guidelines. We consider you mature enough to feel free to follow BIU study guidelinesor decide your own method of study as long as you fulfill the requirements outlined in the degree program. Whatever method

you choose take care not to demolish the mental processes of learning and assimilation outlined by BIU pedagogy. A degreeis not just a piece of paper; it is the representation of certain qualified skills that you are expected to have. During your lifeor in your professional career, whenever you come across problems needing to be solved, it will be this capacity that will allow you to do it successfully, not the piece of paper that identifies you as holder of a degree.

Week Hours Pedagogy Sequence of Instruction

1 15 Reading Start reading. Comprehensive reading of the assigned textbook.1 Key concepts E-mail submission of the key concepts of the first 150 pages aprox. Teacherʼs feedback.1 Advice Teacher s̓ guidance upon request (E-mail or phone) along the weekly reading process.

2 15 Reading Continue reading. Comprehensive reading of the assigned textbook.1 Key concepts E-mail submission of the key concepts up to page 300 aprox. Teacherʼs feedback.1 Advice Teacher s̓ guidance upon request (E-mail or phone) along the weekly reading process.

3 15 Reading Continue reading. Comprehensive reading of the assigned textbook.1 Key concepts E-mail submission of the key concepts up to page 450 aprox. Teacherʼs feedback.1 Advice Teacher s̓ guidance upon request (E-mail or phone) along the weekly reading process.

4 15 Reading Finish reading. Comprehensive reading of the assigned textbook.1 Key concepts E-mail submission of the key ideas of the subject (table of contents). Teacherʼs feedback.1 Guidance Teacher/student set up of the synopsis objectives and development of the key ideas.

5 5 Writing First synopsis without textbook assistance. E-mail submission of synopsis draft.2 Guidance Teacherʼs guidelines to ensure student comprehension and detect understanding errors.

6 4 Writing Synopsis review with textbook assistance and teacherʼs guidelines.1 Monitoring Teacherʼs monitoring to ensure student comprehension and progress.

7 4 Writing Final synopsis writing with textbook assistance. Text review to ensure summary accuracy.1 Evaluation E-mail submission of the reviewed summary. Teacherʼs evaluation of the synopsis.

8 1 Guidance Teacherʼs feedback and final comprehension guidelines about the textbook contents.2 Discussion Teacher/student selection of the appropriate case study or an illustrative example.

9 5 Writing Analysis of the case study. E-mail submission of the case study conclusions.2 Discussion Teacherʼs advise and E-mail discussion about the student arguments and criteria.

10 4 Writing Writing of the final report integrating key concepts, synopsis and conclusions.1 Advice Teacher s̓ guidance upon request (E-mail or phone) along the report writing process.

11 4 Writing Final formatting, production and submission of the report.1 Advice Teacher s̓ guidance upon request (E-mail or phone) along the report formatting process.

12 3 Evaluation Teacherʼs evaluation of the submitted report. First correction results.

13 3 Evaluation Supervisor evaluation of the submitted report. Second correction results.1 Feedback Final grade. Improvement and assessment comments about the evaluated report.



How

toImprove

B i r c h a m I n t e r n a

t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t y

Choose the best reading speed

depending on the purpose of reading:

* Study-paced reading (250 w.p.m.):This is the speed to ensure comprehension, to face complex

issues or new vocabulary.

* Fast reading (400-800 w.p.m.)This is the ideal speed for reviews, reports, summaries and

previously read texts.

* Exploratory reading (500-1500 w.p.m.)This is the right speed for first recognition of the text. It

allows identification of the topic, the main points and the

principal details in a short period of time. Most important of

all, it prepares the reader for the better content assimilation.

When exploring a text for the first time, determine its length

and structure and pinpoint the ideas of most interest. Then,

when ready to study the text, one can get straight to the

heart of the matter. Exploratory reading as a timesaving

technique is extremely important if a book is to be studied

chapter by chapter because the faster reading pace allows for

the exploring of previous and following chapters, increasing

learning capacity and the ability to cover the main points and

answer potential questions.

How to Improve Reading Skills and Habits

What is reading speed?To explain the interaction of reading and the mind, let us look at the example of driving. If we accelerate the car from45 to 90 m.p.h., the brain is forced to adapt to this new speed and to assimilate the information faster. If later weslow down to 60 m.p.h, the brain makes our senses believe that we are actually going much slower. This is becausewhen we speed up, the brain is forced to process more information in less time; therefore when we slow down, the

brain still has extra time to perceive greater amounts of details. This example can be applied to reading: when readingspeed is increased, the brain, adapting to it, actually can assimilate more information in less time. Average readingspeed of a university student is 240 words per minute (w.p.m.), but fast reading training the same student can read upto 800 or even to 1,500 w.p.m.

Practice to increase reading speed.Seeing the value and power of speed-reading,one feels motivated to get rid of poor readinghabits and develop new and more efficient ones.The basic rule of mastering proper readinghabits is: practice, practice and more practice!

We should set up training sessions where thefocus will be on increasing reading speed asopposed to remembering. We are looking for thesame effect that acceleration has on the brainwhile driving.

Why do many people read slower

than they could?

Unfortunately, because of poor reading habitsacquired in childhood. A habit is developed if

an activity is repeated regularly over a periodof time. The way we read is an habit. The goodnews is that modifying reading habits is quite asimple process that can be accomplished overa relatively short period of time, depending onindividual personality characteristics and howmuch is put into it. Again: practice, practice andmore practice.

Here are some benefits of gaining

reading speed:

* Gaining time in identifying what is isimportant and discarding what is secondary.

* Assimilating essential points of a text fasterand more effortlessly.

* Understanding with greater clarity, moreeffective store of memory.

* Having more time to study specific topics indepth.




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Intelligence.Intelligence is the faculty that allows us to assimilate new conceptsand find relationships between different ideas, to adapt to newsituations by resorting to our cognitive skills, such as reading,calculating, memorizing, imagining, and so on. Establishing

associations, relating ideas and assimilating concepts is muchmore important than pure memory work. If we first develop thesecognitive skills, piecing together memories by associating ideasbecomes easier.

Understanding any text.The majority of the texts are organized according to severalstructural patterns. In order to understand and remember what weread, first we need to recognize the organization of the informationin the text. The best way to achieve this is to identify the structuralpattern of the text we will be working with. This will be also of agreat help in the development and presentation of any academic

work required. When we are reading with the purpose in mindto comprehend, assimilate, and remember concepts, we need toorganize them in a structured way, or otherwise we will probablyend up with a cluster of disorganized ideas.

The most common reading habitsthat should be corrected:

1. Uniform reading speed.The complexity of different texts is not the same. Therefore,learn to adapt the reading speed to the level of text difficultyand to the purpose of reading in each concrete case.

2. Low speed.Reading at a slow pace fragments the reading material andlimits perception. Reading fast allows greater clarity in theassimilation of concepts and ideas.

3. Inefficient eye movement. When reading, the eyes tend to go back and read the same line

again. Also, when passing to the next line the eyes are temptedto wonder aimlessly for a few moments instead of focusingstraight on the first word in the following line.

4. Low eye perception range.When the eyes fix upon a text, they usually perceive 3-4words. This quite low eye perception range results from poor

childhood reading habits: children are taught to read word byword. The eyes can be trained through practice to see up to 12words every time they fix on the text.

5. Subvocalization. This habit also known as auditory reaffirmation means

pronouncing each word, to oneself or aloud, as the eyes fix onit. Like low eye perception rate it is rooted in those early daysat school, when the teacher used to make pupils read aloudto make sure the relationship between letters and sound wasestablished. It is best to eradicate this habit as soon as possible.Because it limits the reading speed to talking speed, which ismuch slower.

6. Distractions.

Both internal and external distractions are killers of readingcomprehension because they break our concentration and forceus to go back in the text assimilation several times.

Most common structures

of text organization:

1- Problem / Solution structure:

Problem: To make both ends meet.

Effects: Expenses are higher than my income.

Cause: Unemployment.

Solution: Find a job, steal, enlist in the army...

2.- Opinion:

Opinion: The next president should be a

woman.

Reasons: Women are better managers, they

are less inclined to begin a war, and are more

sympathetic to other people.

Conclusion: Vote for the female candidate.

3.- Thesis:

Thesis: Alcoholism is caused by...

Research/experimental data: Recent

laboratory experiments...

Conclusion: ... to prevent alcoholism in adults.

4.- Description:

Purpose: To inform.

Presentation: Summary of the main points.

5.- Instructions:

Setting the purpose: To have a hard-boiled egg...

First step: Place an egg in a container filled

with cold water.

Second step: Put the container on the stove.

Third step: Bring it to a boil.

Reaching the objective: In ten minutes you

will have a hard-boiled egg.

How to improve Understanding



How

toImprove

B i r c h a m I n t e r n a

t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t y

Steps for successful learning

1- Exploratory reading and its goals:Begin familiarizing yourself with the text by first assessing the length of thechapter, going through titles, charts, bold text, and so on. Try to determine whatthe structure of the book is and then calculate how much time it will take you toread it in order to establish weekly study goals. Remember: be realistic in your

assessment of time and goals. If you set up objectives that are impossible to reach,you will be frustrated and discouraged.

2- Differentiate what you know from what you do not know:Take notes about what you already know about the subject of the text and aboutwhat you can learn by reading it. This exercise will prepare you to better associatethe new concepts you will acquire with those you already do know. Maintainingclear study objectives will increase your memory and comprehension capacity.Always explore the chapters that come before and after the one being studied. If you develop a broader perspective of the context of the chapter under study, yourbrain will assimilate concepts faster and more efficiently. If you still have doubts,keep reading. They will surely clear up in the pages to come.

3- Analytic reading:Once you have finished the quickly exploratory reading of the text, read itparagraph by paragraph classifying them according to their degree of difficulty.If a paragraph has been easy to understand write an exclamation mark ( ! ) on itsmargin; if you have understood it evenly but it seems a little dense, write an “X”on its margin. Finally, if you have not understood what you have read becausethe paragraph is too complex, write instead a question mark ( ? ) on the margin.Once you have classified all the paragraphs in the chapter, approach the text againin the following way: First, read all the “X” paragraphs, and then read all the “?”paragraphs: you will then realize all the “?” paragraphs do not seem as difficultor complex as they did previously. You may even wonder why you did notunderstand them in your first reading.

4- Review reading:Reread everything and write an asterisk ( * ) on the margin of more relevant

paragraphs; write “V” in those paragraphs in which you have encountered new

terms and vocabulary. It is always easier to remember a word in its context. When

you underline words and parts of the text, you are preparing it for summary and

memorization, not for assimilation and understanding.

5- Draw up a summary chart:Focus on organizing ideas, concepts, and formulas in chart form. This will give

you the basic structure for the table of contents you will have to present on the

first pages of your required academic work.

6- Apply and review what you learned:Comment on, practice, and develop what you have learned. While studying and

reading, it is important to develop oneʼs own criteria. Integrate those ideas and

review all your summaries before going to bed. Serotonin is released in higher

amounts during sleep, so you will assimilate concepts better before going to bed.

The different sides of understanding:

* Description: To present the characteristics of a concept, idea, etc.* Definition: To specify its main elements and characteristics.* Classification: To identify the different categories, groups, and subgroups theconcept, idea, or object belongs to.* Comparison: To discover similarities and differences between two things or for aseries of things.* Induction: To establish a general rule by studying specifics.* Deduction: To arrive at conclusions based on initial premises after carrying out aseries of logical operations.* Analysis: To separate the different elements that make up a structure.* Synthesis: To extract the most elemental aspects of a whole, and, in general, tounderstand the different relationships that exist among things; i.e. “be a part of,” “depend on,” “be caused by,” etc.




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How to improve your Memory

Understanding should not be confused with memorizing.You may study and feel quite comfortable because you easily understand andassimilate your readings perfectly. But after several hours you realize that youunderstood something that you have nearly forgotten. The human brain has aninfinite capacity of understanding and assimilation but its memorization capacity

is extremely limited. As a consequence, your memory should be administeredefficiently, unless you wish to devote extra time to absorb more concepts.

Use strategic breaks to improve performance.If, however, the list of topics you have to study requires more than three hours aday, you must then counter the memorization level problems during prolongedstudy. This can be done by giving your mind some strategic breaks. If this isnot done, the brain will force those breaks on you and you may suddenly findyourself thinking about completely unrelated things; it becomes harder andharder to concentrate on the subject. This dissipation of the mind is used by ourbrain to get some rest.

Long term strategic reviews should be carried out regularly.There is another important factor that is usually disregarded by most studentsand professionals: short-term and long-term memory. Reviewing is a veryimportant part of the process of studying, since 80% of what we have studiedwill be lost after 24 hours.

Good nutrition improves your memory.The first mental faculty to deteriorate with time is memory. In an average adultthis deterioration begins at the age of 30. To alter behavior, develop abilities,and energize your life after this time depends very much on your ability of storing information in your long-term memory and being able to retrieve it. If this ability declines, you become an automaton, incapable of learning much

new, repeating habits and recalling memories that seem increasingly distant intime. The amount of neurotransmitters, substances that allow the exchange of information among neurons, determines how certain information is going to bestored in your memory. If this amount of neurotransmitters is insufficient, thestored data distorts.

* Serotonin.

A neurotransmitter that plays a central role in the process of memory is

serotonin. This is why it is easier to remember things if you go to sleep right

after you have been studying as serotonin levels increase during the sleep.

Serotonin is produced in the brain cells by the L-Tryptophane aminoacid.

To increase the levels of this aminoacid in your blood and to allow it to get

to your brain in larger amounts it is advisable to consume protein (found

in beef, fish, poultry, dairy products, soy beans, etc.) regularly, along withsome other foods rich in carbohydrates, such as wheat bread or rice. L-

Tryptophane complements are available also in nutrition centers.

* Acetylcholine.

Another neurotransmitter involved in the process of memory is

acetylcholine. With a regular intake of soy lecithin, pantothenic acid, and

vitamin B, you will experience a noticeable increase in your memory

function.

* Antioxidants.

The process of oxidation is what causes greater damage to your neurons;

therefore, you will lengthen your brainʼs life and capacity if you add to

your diet a nutritional complement that includes vitamins A, E, C, selenium,

coenzyme Q10, and, if possible, acetyl-l-carnitine.

Study time per day has to

be 3 hours of maximum.

While endeavoring to optimize

studying (understanding and

retaining at the same time),

keep in mind that when you

are learning, your memoryʼs

capacity gradually drops

down to a 50% after twohours of study, down to a 30%

after three hours, and so on.

Therefore, you should not study

over two or three hours a day.

Periodic Reviews

To capitalize on reviewing after

studying a chapter, book or

topic, carry out a strategic 10

minute review in the following

two days. Repeat this review

session after one week, then

after a month, and then after

six months of having first

studied it. After these quick

reviews, you will realize that

you only need 10 minutes every year to review the concepts and

remember them.

Give your mind

strategic breaks

If for every 30-40 minutes of

study you rest between 5 and

10 minutes, your mind will

be able to recover the initial

levels of memorization. Please

note that taking a good break

does not mean having a snack,

making a phone call and

such. It means doing mental

relaxation exercises such as

deep breathing or napping.



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