Can anyone in University currently give any tips to a very slow reader on drawing information out of a book quickly and efficiently? I have always made it thru by paying attention in lectures then doing the readings...however, for my current course, I gotta draw all the info out...AND write a 2000 word essay worth 10% of the final before each topic has been fully discussed.

What can I do to not screw up all my hard work to this point? I have dreaded this class cause I never took any poli-sci till last year....now I am doing a high level course in it. :uhoh: :uhoh:

Mr. Blak what you have to do is try to scam the text for relevant information. For example if you are reading a chapter on, let says the Democratic transition of say France.

You would not really need to really dig dip in to the various types of classes in France that caused the French Revolution, you would really need to know that their was an economic war which caused the Revolution; thus, created a democratic transition.

Now that is easier said than done. But it is one approach.

Another approach is to utitlize lecture notes for essays and internet and library research. Remember your text book is only really a guidebook for any political science course, alot of information about poli-sci can be garnished from other sources, which have the ability to give you a clear and jargon free way of translating things. However remember that the internet sources must be legit, do not use personal webpages, only use strong sources.

I was a political science major so I can understand your frustration.

I hope this helps at all and let me know if it did.

That is great advice Manisiac!!! I can use the first one...unfortunately, most of the reading and the papers we gotta do have to be done by the time the topics are discussed in class.

I will use your scanning technique for sure.

This was usefull. Thanks

MrBlak

Mr. Blak you got to re-read what I said. I said use other sources for the same information, not change the topic.

Other sources will usually provide clearer information about the topic than your poli-sci and convoluted text book can.

Just make sure the sources are legitimate, a poli-sci teacher should have no problem with a student using alternate reliable sources for an essay.

Oh ok...thanks.

We actually, in this case, are only allowed to use the texts listed for each section. That is the only other problem. They restricted us....but it is more than enough reading that I may not get thru thoroughly. I may have to take other poli-sci courses and will get to use you ideas better later on.

Yea that is pretty lame, that shows your Poli-Sci teacher is not keen to a different opinion.

Thank God I did not have a professor like that.

It doesn't necessarily mean that he's not keen to a different opinion, he may want to limit the texts for any number of reasons, it could be very dependent on what the course title/ topic focus is.