Diversity Day 2018

Diversity Day

This week the College has been celebrating Diversity Day and the LRC this year used their stall to focus on 100 years since women in this country got the vote. We created a table quiz where students were asked to match the year to each country when women got the vote. Nearly everyone got Saudi Arabia right with 2011, but the others were tougher. It was hard to believe, for example, that women only got the vote in Switzerland in 1971 and in Portugal, it was 1976. 

We also had a word search - remember to hand these in at the LRC for the chance to win a prize - and some bookmarks to take away. As a backdrop we had a display of inspirational women which many found interesting.

LRC Diversity Day stand
Photograph: Peterborough Regional College

Diversity

Diversity is about celebrating our differences. There is a saying of Muslim origin:- "A lot of different flowers make a bouquet". Also, Stephen Covey has written "Strength lies in differences, not in similarities". This relates especially to teams in the workplace as well as groups in College.

Finally, have a listen to this short clip from a Radio 4 programme. It gives a scenario which could be said to test whether we unconsciously harbour racist and sexist attitudes - known as implicit bias. See what your first thought is when you hear it!

18th January - Thesaurus Day

Thesaurus Day (18th January 2018)

This week we look briefly at how a thesaurus can help you in your college work and show you where to find one.

What is a thesaurus?

Oxford Dictionaries define a thesaurus as a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts.

The most famous thesaurus is probably Roget's Thesaurus.

A thesaurus will help you find words that mean the same (synonyms) or similar as a particular word. (You may also find opposites). This can help when you are trying not to repeat the same word in a sentence, an essay or presentation and you want a different word to make the sentence read better.

A thesaurus will help you with similar keywords when using a search engine or looking for information in a library catalogue or online resource. (In this example "look for" would be found alongside "search").

A thesaurus can help you build your vocabulary as it will teach you new words, but in this case it is best to look at examples of how the word is used in sentences and to check a dictionary definition first before you use it (see pitfalls below).

How to use a thesaurus

If using a printed thesaurus, you need to find the word for which you want alternatives at the back of the book first (a sort of index). This gives you a page number where you find the group of similar and related words. The LRC has some thesauri at shelfmark 424.

The LRC provides access to the Oxford Paperback Thesaurus (4th edition) as part of it's subscription to Oxford Reference Online (a collection of online specialist Dictionaries). You will need to log in with your network login and password and search for the thesaurus. Then use the box on the left hand side to search for the word within the publication or alternatively use the letters A- Z across the screen to navigate. LRC staff can also help you.

Microsoft Word also has a built in thesaurus feature which may be useful (but is not extensive). Just right click on the word for which you want an alternative and select "synonyms" to see a list of possible words.

A free online thesaurus you can trust is
Collins Thesaurus  (www.roget.org does not appear to be the genuine publication online!).

The pifalls of using a thesaurus

There can be problems with using alternative words from a thesaurus especially if they are words you have not heard of before. Some words have more than one meaning and you need to make sure you use the right one.
The video below explains (albeit simply) the layout of a thesaurus entry and how to use it wisely and make sure you choose the right words.

Note-taking from reading

Note-taking from reading

Last week, we focused on reading for your assignments. This time, we are looking at the process of taking notes as you read.

Each person needs to find the way that works best for them. Some students will prefer to be more traditional with linear notes like lists and bullet points. Others will prefer to be more visual and use mind maps and spider diagrams. Some will write freehand on paper and others will prefer to type using a computer. Below, are a few tips (largely taken from the further reading resources below) which are relevant whichever way you use.

Photo CC0 https://pixabay.com/en/student-concentrated-preparation-1178024/

• Prepare beforehand - remind yourself what you are taking notes about and what exactly you are trying to find out. This will ensure that from the outset you are aiming to keep your notes relevant.

• Decide how you want to organise your notes. Are you going to have different page for each theme or argument?  Remember to number your pages as well as you go so that you can read them back in the right order!

• You may want to start by highlighting or underlining text. This is especially useful with e-books as you can save highlighted text in different colours and annotations and access them from your bookshelf (remember to log in first). Please don't do this in library books!

• Notes should be brief. Avoid full sentences. Create your own abbreviations and use them consistently.

• Leave space before moving to a new point so you can add details later (perhaps from another source).

• Don't try and write down everything. Initially try reading without your pen in your hand (or hands on the keyboard/ mouse) to resist the temptation to do so.

• Try and write in your own words where possible. This shows you have understood what you are reading and you will need to do this when you come to write your assignment anyway.

• Note viewpoints and arguments, not just facts, making sure you also note who the viewpoints belong to. You may want to decide on a specific way to record your views as you go along.

• Note names and quotations exactly including page numbers and resource details for your citations and bibliography.

Sources and further reading 

The LRC has Stella Cottrell's book The Study Skills Handbook (shelved at 371.3) which has a section on note-making.

We also have an e-book Improving your study skills: study smart. Study Less. by Shelley O'Hara which has a chapter on taking notes. Read this in college or outside using your PRC network login.

ARU has a note-making guide which covers note-taking from lectures as well as from reading.

The SkillsYouNeed website also gives some useful note-taking advice.

OneNote

PRC computers have OneNote software on them so you can create your own online notebooks with sections and add notes, links, images etc. A useful feature is that the URL of anything copied from the internet is automatically added. There is of course other software and apps available which you may prefer to use.

Reading for your assignments

Study Skills

Over the next term, we are hoping to introduce some skills you need as a student; skills that can help you get extra marks and help you work more effectively on your assignments. If you are an Access student looking to move to Higher Education, it is particularly good to start practising these skills before you get to University.

Reading skills 

(Some of these points have been taken from the Further resources listed at the end of this blog)

• You need to use a range of different resources (books, journal articles, reports, websites) by different authors to get a rounded view of a subject. The better mix you have, the better your marks are likely to be. However, you need to be smart about this as you don't want to waste your time reading information you don't need. Here are some tips:

• Choose an environment where you can concentrate on your reading - without distractions. This is usually quiet, but some of you might find it easier to focus if you have music on in the background.

• Know exactly what information you are looking for. Have your assignment question clearly in your mind. 

• You may want to read an introduction to your subject in a core textbook first so you have some understanding of the main facts, theories and viewpoints before you start focussing on more specific elements of the topic.

• You can't read everything , so choose what you are going to read by:

1. Scanning contents pages. Use indexes, blurbs and abstracts.
2. Looking for keywords - you should have a mind map or list of those you used when searching for the resources. You can also use these to search electronically within a document or e-book.
3. Looking for resources that demonstrate different viewpoints (not just one).
4. Making sure that it is relevant, relevant, relevant. Keep looking back to your assignment question.

• Make sure you note down all resources you are going to read in more detail (why not write the Harvard reference now so you don't have to do it later?) with the page numbers. Make sure you spell names correctly as a wrong spelling can stop you finding the resource again quickly.

• Read critically. Don't just try and collect facts; analyse what you are reading. This means to read as if you are someone on the outside looking in, viewing things from a neutral standpoint.. Think about what you are reading as much as possible and then when you have read all the viewpoints, bring your own judgement to bear.

• Ask questions like What is the author saying? What is their main argument? Do they have evidence to support their argument? Have they ignored certain facts? Are they biased? How does what I am reading link to other things I've read already?

Finally, for good time management, limit the amount of time  you are going to spend reading (first, to identify resources you are going to read and then in more detail to take notes) before you move on to writing your assignment. 

Photo: CC0 https://pixabay.com/en/to-read-the-book-library-reading-2784895/

Further resources on reading skills.

The SkillsYouNeed website has sections on effective reading and reading for note-taking.

If you are UCP students there are resources in their Study Skills Plus section on academic reading. This includes an interactive module you can work through to help you improve your reading and note-taking.