Humanities Guide to Academic Success

 

We welcome you to a course with a lecture/seminar format and an interdisciplinary syllabus, taught by a team of five teachers.  These features make Humanities both exciting and challenging.  This guide is a synthesis of suggestions from the humanities teachers and from former students designed to help you meet this challenge.  You may already have a system that meets your needs, but we encourage you to consider the following.

 

I.              Study Groups

á      Find a small group of people with whom you can get together to study. 

 

á      Studying with a group can be a lot of fun and very effective.  ItŐs a smaller version of the seminar with more leeway for digressions and pizzas.

 

á      Your teachers will be glad to help you form or find a group but wonŐt help with the pizzas.

 

II.            Lecture Notes

á      Pick up an outline and any handouts at the back of the Little Theater when you arrive.  Since some outlines cover more than one lecture, be sure to bring those outlines to all of the lectures covered.

 

á      Most students find it works best to take notes on a sheet of notebook paper rather than on the outline itself. 

 

á      Listen actively: analyze what is being presented as you listen.

-  DonŐt just sit back and expect to be entertained.

-  Identify the major points being made.

-  Distinguish between main points and illustrations of main points.

-  Pay attention to the organization or structure of the lecture.

 

á      Summarize major points as clearly as you can.

 

á      Develop and use a system of abbreviations for common words or phrases.

 

á      Use symbols to signal repeated points or concepts.

 

á      Review your notes soon after taking them.

-  Compare your notes to those of another student to see if you are

   catching the same major ideas.

-  As you review your notes, write down thoughts about

 i. connections between lectures and readings;

ii. connections between art, music, literature & history.

- Summarize major points in your own words if you have a

  tendency to write down the exact words of the lecturer.

á      If you are absent, make sure you get a copy of the outline for the lecture you missed and borrow a competent classmateŐs notes. 

 

III.         Reading Notes

á      Read actively: analyze what is being presented as you read.

-  DonŐt just sit back and expect to be entertained.

-  Identify the major points being made.

-  Distinguish between main points and illustrations of main points.

-  Pay attention to the organization or structure of the reading.

-  Notice similarities between lectures and readings!

 

á      Make a list of important terms or concepts used in the reading.  (Please look up words you donŐt know.)

 

á      For all disciplines, use the timelines in The Humanistic Tradition (all six volumes) to orient yourself and to keep track of how things fit together.

 

á      Write down questions about ideas or points you find difficult to understand.  Bring those questions to seminars and review sessions.

 

IV.          Special suggestions related to the specific disciplines

 

           A.  Art

á      DonŐt wait too long to review your notes—the images come back more easily when they are fresh in your memory.

 

á      As you review your notes, keep in mind these questions:

                                               i.     How does this work of art reflect the attitudes, politics, economics and values of the culture that produced it?

                                             ii.     How does this work of art demonstrate the stylistic conventions of the time in which it was created?

                                            iii.     What terms and definitions apply to this work?

 

á      Use Mr. BenedictŐs Art History Website on a regular basis.  DonŐt wait till the night before a test.

 

á      Read the supplemental readings in The Humanistic Tradition.

 

á      Draw simple outlines of works of art to help you remember them.

 

á      Try to conjure up images of a work of art as you review your notes.  Make a list of the works you have trouble picturing and find images of those works to study. 

 

á      Practice comparing works of art from different cultures or periods to get good at noticing major similarities and differences.  Ponder how these reflect similarities and differences between the cultures.

á      Formulate generalizations about how the art of a given period reflects ideas similar to those you have encountered in the literature, music, and history of the period.

 

á      Attend review sessions or make an appointment for a conference if you are having major difficulties.

 

B. History

á      Read the introductions to reading assignments.  These are very helpful and can be an excellent guide in identifying key points and main ideas.  They are also written in modern English and sometimes contain a little humor—very little and very subtle.

 

á      Make connections between the readings, seminar discussions, and lecture.

 

á      If you encounter a passage that you donŐt understand, donŐt spend a lot of time fretting over it.  Formulate as precise a question as you can about that passage, write the question down, and ask it in seminar.  You will impress your classmates and teachers with your insight.

 

á      Check the humanities history website for reading guides if you are having trouble analyzing a particular reading.  If a specific guide is not available for that text, use the generic reading guide (also available on the website).  Hard copies of the generic reading guide are also readily available from Ms. Bruggers.

 

á      Look through The Humanistic Tradition.  Find and read sections on topics you find especially interesting or especially confusing.

 

          C. Literature

á      Take notes: Jot down key ideas and any questions that arise as you read. Flag troubling passages with sticky notes and bring these up in seminar. Flag what seem like particularly key passages as well.

 

á      Keep in mind the historical context as you read. What do you know about the values and ideals of this culture? How are these presented (or perhaps questioned) in the work?

 

á      Review your lecture notes before reading and take note of background information and key ideas about style and theme.

 

á      Use study guides when available:

                                               i.     read the study guide before reading the assignment;

                                             ii.     try to answer the guide questions after reading the assignment;

                                            iii.     note puzzling questions to ask about in seminar;

                                            iv.     review for exams from the guides.

 

á      Make plot outlines and character charts; quiz each other from these.  Study groups are very helpful for this.

 

á      Maintain a list of technical terms and literary devices in your notebook.  Include definitions and examples.

 

á      Compare the values and ideals of the cultures represented by the different works.  Try to identify and clarify the elements that are unique to a particular culture or period.

 

         D. Music

á      Practice your listening skills and try to identify musical styles and techniques.

 

á      Listen actively: analyze what is being presented as you listen.

-  DonŐt just sit back and expect to be entertained.

-  Pay attention to the organization or structure of the lecture.

á      Try to make connections between the music, literature, art and history of a particular culture or period.

 

V.            Audience Participation Credit

á      DonŐt procrastinate!