Reading

"If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all"

What is Reading?
 Most of the human beings think that reading is simple, passive process that involves reading words in a linear fashion and internalizing the meaning one at a time (Readingrockets, 2012). But reading is actually a very complex process that requires a great deal of active participation on the part of the reader (Indiana, 2005). According to Lrs.ed.uiuc (2012), skilled reading can be defined as,

• constructive: Learning helps to improve knowledge in everyday life.  
• fluent: Basic processes to the point where they are automatic so that attention is freed for the analysis of meaning.
• strategic: controlling one’s reading in relation to one’s purpose.
• motivated: Able to sustain attention,learning that written material can be interesting, informative.
• lifelong pursuit: continuous practices, development, and refinement.

Reading.ccsu (2003)

29-04-2012
In the modern world people spend the time with electric items by reading less number of books. Text message, mails have changed the reading habit specially for teenagers. Helps to get a meaning after reading a particular paragraph. Reading is a receptive skills (Teachingenglish , 2012) which can be done silently, aloud. Reading requires the ability to speak with good pronunciations. Receiving and transmitting information also done by the productive reading skill ( Networkedcranfield , 2012).

Why do we read?

When somebody asks from you why you do read what the answer is? There are many reasons such as for pleasure (Acrlog , 2012).Some people does reading as a hobby. They make interest in themselves while reading. Reading can deepen the bonds between the parent and the child and it's always nice to pass a little time alone with your kids (Acrlog , 2012). While reading others work we can improve our knowledge writing patterns too.

30-04-2012

Reading skills

In the university life students have to read more and there are tips which will help to improve reading (Studyskills.sotonac , 2008).

1. Styles of reading
2. Active reading
3. Speeding up reading
4. Spotting authors navigation aids
5. Word & vocabulary

01-05-2012

1. Styles of reading

• Scanning: for a specific focus

This technique is used when the reader is looking for a name of  a person by moving the eye quickly over the page to find that (Studyskills.sotonac , 2008).This can be use specially for reading a introduction/ conclusion of a book. 

• Skimming: for getting the gist of something

This technique is use when reader is going through a newspaper to get the main points and by skipping  detailed information (Studyskills.sotonac , 2008). To get a understand about the topic first the reader is going through the main titles. 

• Detailed reading: for extracting information accurately

To get the exact idea of the chapter reader use this technique (Studyskills.sotonac , 2008). Before use this, reader will do skimming to get an idea what is it about and then use a dictionary to make sure you understand all the words used in there.


02-05-2012
2. Active reading
While doing research for projects students need to read a lot and therefore they should be careful in active reading in order to save time for other activities.Also make notes while reading and understanding the concepts mentioned in the chapter. There are few tips where readers need to follow;

s2.hubimg (2012)

• Underlining and highlighting

While reading pick out  the most important parts and  make photocopy and then underline or highlight the things using different colors where you can  understand in the later view.

• Note key words

If you are using the Contrell's note taking method this can be done easily. This will help to get a little idea what you 're talking about briefly.

• Questions

Before you start reading the chapter first upon read down the questions which is thee in the end of the chapter.

• Summaries

After reading a particular text you can make summaries to get a better understanding with your own words. So your knowledge too improves a lot while your productive reading skill improves itself.


03-05-2012                                  
3. Strategies for speeding up reading

• A person can learn more from reading. If you are not active in reading read more advances texts and practice. Then the brain get working more than previously by collecting the new sentences.Use SQ3R technique for reading. 
• Move the finger from the top to bottom as well as the eye while reading.
• Understand when to read aloud, silent. While reading if you can record that and listen its best as you can reread by ear. 
• Background knowledge of a subject increases the speed of reading.

                             Blog.iqmatrix (2008)

04-05-2012
4. Spotting authors navigation aids
While reading sequence of signal should be identified by the reader himself. 

• Three advantages of........................
• A number of methods are available..................
• One important cause of.....................
• Another important factor.................
• The final cause of...................

5. Words & Vocabulary

As students we need to use broader vocabulary list than in college. Use a dictionary to find meanings and if you have time start reading the dictionary too. It helps a lot to collect new words to our present vocabulary list.

05-05-2012
Why sometimes slow reading is helpful?

• To read and understand the condensed information like science and technology.
• To understand the instructions in a give exam paper or whatever.
• To prepare the formulas and equations.
• For close analysis of texts like law, lit etc.

Benefits of reading

Reading has many benefits that continue to enhance the life mentally, spiritually and socially. Reading is improving the people's knowledge in various ways. 

Thekidswindow.co (2012)

1. Enhanced Smarts

Reading helps in most of the smarts areas while improving intelligence and general knowledge (Lifedev, 2009) .Reading helps in almost every area of smarts.Reading helps personal growth by expanding the knowledge.

2. Reading reduces stress

Reading is an exercise to the mind.When a person is stress and start reading it will distract the reader where as fictions are fantastic (Midnighteden, 2010)

3. Improve analytical thinking

Readers improve the general knowledge and try to apply that theory to the ways of thinking in order to achieve a purpose (Lifedev, 2009).

4. Increased vocabulary

Reading improves vocabulary as well as spelling. Increased vocabulary is especially high powered for bloggers or writers (Persistenceunlimited, 2007). All successful writers will tell you that in order to write well, you need to read.

5. Improve writing skills

Reading improves the writing skills. To write in more creatively each person should read and collect information and use them in appropriate stages (Lifedev, 2009).

The picture below illustrates that improvement of vocabulary and writing skills makes a good reader specially for academic success. Not only that but also to achieve goals in the life.

Esl.fis (2012)

6. Helps to prioritize goals

If a person needs to achieve success in the life he/she has to read a lot and collect information to prioritize the work activities (Lifedev, 2009). 


7.New mental associations 
When reading the depth and breadth of the knowledge expands and your ability to form new associations are increasing. 

Blog.iqmatrix (2008)

06-05-2012
                 How do you actually do reading? 


Some one can say i read when i need something to get understand.But i am busy and no time to read. But the correct answer is suggested by the Themillionairesecrets (2011), is that "By making the decision to spend at least 60 minutes into reading personal development or any related books that will improve your knowledge and skills in your career and business". This shows how you can achieve anything in your life by just spending a 60 minutes a day for reading.

Themillionairesecrets (2011)

Do you know ?????????

Top people in the industry who produce extraordinary results read newspapers, book in order to improve their knowledge and innovate new things. 

So star this at least today for 60 minutes before you start your day........

Reading helps to keep the mind positive and before going to work you van change the life of thinking and performing. 

This why reading is important and if you can make the commitment to follow through, success will be yours and you are able to produce best results in your life.

Importance of Reading is difficult to express in words but the experience is really important for the life. With the modern technology people don't have time to read any material as they are busy. But however parents and others would challenge the students to read the books, newspapers to improve their knowledge than using the electric knowledge to make use of the own brain. Although reading can be done by any person at any time if they need to success the life. Reading has a host of benefits - tangible and intangible. 


Author is a active reader since the childhood and at  present too author is doing reading well. I have a small library of books, magazines, newspapers which i read and still reading. I constantly move from one book to another enjoying reading and i don't have words to express my gratitude for my parents, relations, friends who gifted me thousands of books as i am a good reader. 

                       “The habit of reading 

                           is the only enjoyment 

                                in which there is 

                                      no alloy; 

                          it lasts when all other 

                               pleasures fade.”

Freetxno1 (2011)

Plagiarism & Referencing

Plagiarism

plagiarismchecker (2012)

According to Indiana university (2004), plagiarism is using the others ideas and words without thanking the source of information. In the universities students use other people's view for reading and then some write the same thing without acknowledging to the particular source (Science.widener, 1995).As a result, this is very important that students give credit where it is due. This means the unacceptable to copy something out of a book or other source (Indiana university , 2004).


According to Plagiarism (2012), the following are clues of plagiarism

• turning someone else's work as your own work
• copying words/ideas from someone else without acknowledging
• failing to put a quotation marks
• giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
• changing some words here and there but copying the sentence without thanking

Bestessaytips (2012)

Even the words/ideas are not yours, use the different methods that the reader can tell what is yours, and what is someone else as follows (Science.widener, 1995).
Quotations should be:

•         used sparingly - and only if the words really are worth quoting
•         brief - a few words or, at most, a few lines.

In writing a quotation you should:

•        copy words and punctuation exactly
•        use three dots ( ... ) to indicate omitted words
•        put 'quotation marks' around the words you quote (thus: 'Stunning,' wrote the artist.)
•        say exactly where the quotation comes from

Lib.uconn (2012)

Types of Plagiarism

There are plenty of plagiarisms types but here author has mentioned few of them.

• The Ghost Writer - The writer turns the someone else work as the owners work (Plagiarism, 2012).

• The Labor of Laziness - Writer takes time to paraphrase the paragraph which is being taken by the other sources and make it as a combination of the other sources, where as devoting the same amount of time on the own work (Plagiarism, 2012).

• The Self-Stealer - Writer gets the senior students work of the same university and read and use the same method to perform the own work (Plagiarism, 2012). This is specially happening in the universities most of the time.

• The Forgotten Footnote - Writer mentions author's name for a source, but neglects to include the information taken by that and put other reference source content (Plagiarism, 2012).

• The Too-Perfect Paraphrase - Writer properly cites a source, but neglects to put in quotation marks text that has been copied word-for-word, or close to it ( Gervaseprograms.georgetown, 2012). 

Tips to avoid plagiarism

• Be aware of the reasons plagiarism occurs
• Sometimes people have the excuses about the misunderstandings of plagiarism. Therefore makesure that you have noted down exactly where you read the information. 
• Work of the students for doing the assignment can be increased so that the students can get the sufficient time to make their assignments because self-generated work is more valuable than the occupied work
• Write all your notes in your own words

To get more information please refer the following link: 
http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_educational_tips_on_plagiarism_prevention.html

25-04-2012
Reference
As students its needed to state the source from where the information is taken from in order to complete the task (1.columbia,2012). 
http://www.referencedeskpress.com/logo.jpg

When should give reference?

If simply say that when you refer to the someone else source need to give reference there.

– as the source of a particular theory, argument or viewpoint

– for specific information, such as statistics, examples, or case studies

– for direct quotations 

– for texts and electronic information which you paraphrase rather than quote.

Referencedeskpress (2006)

26-04-2012
What information is included in a reference?
•the name and initials of the author(s)

•   the title, in full

•   the year of publication

•   for journal articles, the name of the journal and the number of the volume

•   the edition, if relevant

•   the location of the publisher

•   the name of the publisher

•   relevant page numbers

•   for electronic materials, the webpage address.

Citation
What is Citation?
According to Aub (2012), citation is the  way you shows the readers that you have used some other material in your work. 

Accordning to Library.uq (2011), as a example (Berkman 1994) is a citation and this can be referred in the reference list as Berkman, RI (1994), "Find It fast: how to uncover expert information on any subject", HarperPerennial, New York


27-04-2012 & 28-04-2012

Harvard Referencing  

Img.docstoccdn (2012)

Rules of Citation

 1.     If author’s name occurs naturally in the sentence the year is given in parentheses.

2.   If name does not occur naturally in the sentence, both name and year are given in parentheses.

3.   When an author has published more than one cited document in the same year, these are distinguished by adding lower case letters (a,b,c, etc.) after the year and within the parentheses.

4. If there are two authors the surnames of both should be given.

5. If there are more than two authors the surname of the first author only should be given and put et al.

6. If the work is anonymous then “Anon” should be used.

7. If it is a reference to a newspaper article with no author place with “Anon”.

Self-Evaluation

Turning personal skills into academic skills

The Current skills and qualities include specific skills which have more relevance to some courses than in others. The following exercise is an opportunity to map out the authors current skills required for most academic courses, and to rate how well author already perform them. This will give to the author a better idea of how well author may cope with academic study.

Authors work (2012)

According to Staffordshire University (2012), to be a successful student needs various types skills.There are 5 basic steps to completing an assignment which is individual/ group.The image below provide useful information to complete the assignment.

Staffs.ac (2012)

According to Staffordshire University (2012), Understanding What Is Required

• Terms and Definitions 
• Gaining a good degree 

Planning and Preparation

• Time Management 
• Managing Study Stress

Making a start

• Mind Mapping 
• Note Taking
• Research 
• Academic Reading

Assignment

There are 3 basic forms of assessment: written, oral and exams

• Academic Writing
• Academic Language
• Referencing and Plagiarism
• Written
  • Essay Writing
  • Report Writing 
  • Reflection
  • Literature Review 
• Oral  
  • Presentation Skills 
• Exam Success 

Before Hand In

• Proof read your work and make sure that you have met all learning outcomes and assessment criteria.

According to Ctetrailblazers (2012),the below graph compares employees ratings of academic skills like reading comprehension, maths and foreign languages and applied skills like teamwork, critical thinking, and work ethic. The applied skills which is in the graph are very important as its over 70% of employees. 

4.bp (2012)

Study skills: priorities, stage 1

Column A Tick if the statement is generally true of you.Column B Rate how important it is to acquire this skill: 6 = unimportant; 10 = essential. Column C Rate how good you are at this skill now: 1 = very weak; 5 = excellent. Column D Subtract the score in column C from column B (B–C). Items with the highest scores in column D are likely to be priorities. Then turn to page 36.

Later in the term, do this exercise again. Compare your ratings, then and now.

Authors work (2012)

Study skills: priorities, stage 2

Column A Using the scoring from stage 1, decide whether each item really is a priority, whether it could wait, who else could do it, or any other options you have. Column B Number your priorities in order. Highlight in yellow the one you are going to work on next. Highlight it in red once you have worked on it. 

Authors work (2012)

Study skills: action plan

Go back over your answers to the different exercises and the self-evaluations you completed for Chapters 1 and 2. Bring together the different ideas about your current strengths, the areas you wish to develop, and your priorities.

Authors work (2012)

Monitoring skills development 

Baseline (starting place)

Date:                                                    Skill being developed:

My current level of confidence in this skill (highlight one):

1 very low      2 low          3 OK         4 high      5 very high

Aspects of this skill I have already demonstrated:

Goal

What I want to be able to do (aspects, sub-skills, qualities I want to develop):

Record of progress

Note down steps in your development of this skill. It is up to you to decide what progress means for you. It could be the achievement of a personal goal (such as getting a particular mark for an Assignment), or a small step towards one of your goals (such as asking a question in class for the first time, or developing a successful strategy for arriving on time if you find time management is a Challenge).

How effective am I in giving a talk

Authors work (2012)

Steps for a good presentation

Making presentations
According to merriam-webster (2012), presentation is a practice of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience.In the life individuals face to many presentations in the business context. 
Purpose of a presentation

 Presentations get to the form of discussing something with the presenter and audience. And also according to Cottrel1(2008), presentations produce many prospective too. There are three basic purposes for giving oral presentations:

1. To inform
2. To persuade
3. To build good will

Njcprinting (2012)

Presentations are acessed based on the type of audience which is going to be communicated. Make the list of main points needed to emphasis  without swamping the audience. Select few concrete examples which is easy for the audience to visualize. Talk to the audience clearly and at the end state the important point as a summary. 

How to make a good presentation?

• Think about the presentation beforehand. 
• Do use PowerPoint if you can make use of this facility.
• Face the audience at all times while speaking and use hands, face to express ideas. 
• Be very clear about how much time you have and stick to that time and talk the essential things only while making humor. 
• E-mail the presentation to somebody to correct that before you present.
• Ensure that the slides look good which is not surprising the audience.
• Each slide should have a heading and the below should explain that.
• Make use of appropriate pictures, videos at the correct time.           (Rogerdarlington.me, 2012)

Pie chart below shows three element needed in a presentation .

4.bp (2012)

23-04-2012

Preparing the talk
This takes lots of time than reading through a book as need to speak slowly and clearly in the presentation.Prepare the speech where you can deliver the presentation at a reasonably slow pace. Divide the materials into the essential points that you can definitely them at the correct time. Prepare a strong summary at the end of the talk. Break techniques into sections and give a heading to each of them. 
While preparing and delivering the talk presenter should be focus on the audience  and the materials should be  presented with enthusiasm and energy. 


Using electronic aids

Users.rowan (2012)

There are software which is useful to prepare the talk and the handouts. There should be a proper font size, use one slide to 2-3 minutes while delivering the speech. Use animations, sound effects, flashy graphics in the correct time. 


Importance of visual aids

• Enhances speaker’s delivery
• Clarifies and emphasizes important points
• Reduces time required to present
• Increases audience retention
• Increases speaker’s ability to meet  goals and lead a group to consensus

Design strategies

• Limit the number of visual aids used in a single presentation
• Develop precise slide content to reflect important ideas
• Create a standard design that is simple and clean

Presentation skills

Fuzz2buzz (2012_

Presentation skills should include the characteristics like language, emotions, connection, focus, aids while the speaker speak enthusiastically. Make humor with the audience is important that speaking to them. 

Research & Cheating on a quiz show?

Research
Reading and reflecting is a part of a research. accordingly there can be ten steps in a research process such as; 

Rdinfo (2012)

1. Concept
2. Problem Analysis
3. Problem Statement
4. Research Question
5. Literature Survey/Review
6. Research Methodology
7. Data Collection
8. Data Analysis/Summarization
9. Conclusion
10. Recommendations

Before starting the topic Informed opinion the lecturer spoke about the  statement called "Common Sense isn't gut feeling." Next the lecturer moved to Informed opinions topic which is useful in the higher education which is asked to used own ideas and express own opinions, not just commonsense answers but the informed options are based on knowledge of the subject area. Showing a deeper understanding about something is very important than middle people.


21-04-2012
Sharing work without cheating 
Some work can be shared with the others, but some are cheating while sharing the work to others. If you don't like to share your own work and have a doubt please check it with the tutor. Even though author has several friends mostly author is showing the work to others and getting an idea how to approach correctly to the particular path. 
According to Cottrell (2008,P106), when you discuss ideas  something in a group write down the notes in bullect form which is short and sweet. 

Inthecapital (2012)

This image describes that even a person cheat someone, that person is not a mad fellow and advising to be a collaborator while working. So author is also agree on this as this is essential while working.
Some work can be shared with the others, but some are cheating while sharing the work to others. If you don't like to share your own work and have a doubt please check it with the tutor. Even though author has several friends mostly author is showing the work to others and getting an idea how to approach correctly to the particular path. If you recorded discussions don't copy the same things as its representing cheating . While sharing the work don't share the writing tasks between group members as all the piece of work is in your own words. And also don't show the writing before lecturer mark and return the marks as again this is cheating by your self more. 


Accidental cheating 
To find whether the student has copied from someone else ideas there are software and universities use this method. If the lecturer find same wording in more than one assignment they are suspect that cheating has occurred.


Cheating yourself and see what will happen????
At the class any student can copy one of the friends work and complete the task but its not good as when he/she sits for the exam the own standard is guaranteed based on the abilities. Even for the assignments, small tests in class  the students have high score there can be situation where this is reducing due to the cheating of oneself. So according to authors experience, author suggest not to copy from someone and use the own skills.