Online Learning

Part 1

Read Between the Lines

Make a judgment about the site's reliability based on your own analysis of the site's and information it contains. Here are some ways to do this.

·        Look for facts you know or can check with a trusted source. If the site gets those facts right, it’s more likely that the other facts on the site are also accurate.

·        Study the language used, is it angry, satiric or overly impassioned? This may indicate that the site is biased.

·        Consider whether arguments are logical and backed up by evidence and whether the site presents only one point of view.

·        Check links to the sources that the author acknowledges. Scholarly writing, whether in print or online, should include a bibliography.

Reading

5 Tips for Success

Tip 5

Tips 5: Keep a List of Question

When you feel confused about something you're reading, write down any question you have. Sometimes your questions are answered as you read further. If not, don't be afraid to ask for help. Remember, teachers create assignments; they've read the texts and are familiar with them. When you have specific questions, your can provide answers that will help you understand the material. Learning is rooted in questions developed and asked by the learner.

Asking questions to yourself, to the teacher, and to others, is a great learning method. When you cease to ask questions, you cease to exist to a great extent. Read actively by silently asking questions as you read. Questioning immerses you into the material you are reading and therefore will expand your mental capacities more than almost anything else.

The philosopher Sir Francis Bacon said, “Knowledge is power.” Improving your reading comprehension is the key to gaining important knowledge and making the most of your education. So pick up a book…and a pen.

Reading

5 Tips for Success

Tips 3-4

Tip 3: Do Research

Literary critics have written vast numbers of analytical and critical pieces on countless on countless books. If you're having trouble understanding a particular text, do some research and see what knowledgeable sources have to say about it. In addition to increasing your comprehension, you'll be showing initiative, something that teachers always like to see. Always use legitimate and scholarly studies, not condensed study guides. Going the extra mile in your research elevates your achievement 10 fold.

Tip 4: Use a Dictionary 

Make sure you have access to a dictionary when you're reading. You can often figure the meaning of an unfamiliar word by using context clues, but sometimes you can't. Rather than simply skipping over words you don't know take time to look them up. The results are well worth the effort. Your comprehension will increase greatly, and you'll build your vocabulary at the same time.

Reading

5 Tips for Success

Reading and writing go hand in hand. The better you understand a text, the more likely you are to successfully to communicate your thoughts about it in writing. So it's important to develop strong skills in both areas. With that in mind, here's how to improve your reading comprehension.

Tips 1-2

Tip 1: Annotate

Be an active reading. Instead of passively reading a text, take notes about important story elements, key factual information and significant ideas in the text.

Tip 2: Note the Author's Writing Style

Every author writes with a purpose, using deliberate methods to successfully relate specific information to the audience. When you're reading, look for patterns in the author's writing. For example, you may notice repetition of key words, phrases, or symbols - or the use of a distinct sentence structure.read