Essay

Decade Summary: Writing Assignment

Reading, highlighting, and notetaking skills

When you read an article in a history textbook or other textbooks, an important skill that you should try to develop is notetaking. It should be recalled that learning and remembering are enhanced by repetition. Let us recall the steps in reading a textbook:

1. Skim the chapter (passage) to find out:

a. the length of the passage

b. how it is divided (various units with headings, page units, etc.)

c. the writing style

d. the number of facts, examples, and supporting material presented

2. Read the chapter a first time, with a pencil in your hand. Use the pencil to make a small check in the margin of material that you think might be important. You may also lightly underline any new words.

3. If possible (if the assignment allows you more than two days for completion), wait until the next day and read the passage again.

4. This time you should read with a highlighter. Highlight material you consider indispensable, material that you absolutely must remember. Highlighting makes permanent marks on the text: this is the reason why you should wait until the second reading to highlight. On the first reading you might highlight something unimportant.

1.3 Using an idea chart to record notes on the text.

Use the idea chart to summarize the important aspects of the passage. Write Decades Analysis in the center oval, and 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's in the other ovals. Then draw lines stemming from the ovals to write important events.

1.4 Writing an Outline Based on Reading (deductive approach)

Research Assignment

Use encyclopedia, history texts, magazine articles, or online sources to research one of the decades not covered in the article: 1900-1910, 1910-20, 1970's, 1980's, or 1990's. In your notebook, record six or seven of the most important events and trends taking place in your chosen decade.

1.5 Writing an Outline (inductive approach)

When you prepare an outline for a writing project, you use an inductive approach. That is to say, you map your own outline based on your research. This is an essential organizing tool. There are several types of outlines possible. One utilizes a standard organizational formula, and is composed of ovals.

Notetaking Outline: Decades analysis. Take notes from the passage using the following outline.

Prepare for your research and essay assignment using the following organizational chart.

Essay Assignment:

Based on your analysis of the text and the research that you conducted to fill out the idea cluster, write an essay on one of the decades not discussed in the passage, either 1900-1910, 1910-1920, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's or 2000's.

Attachment:- Decade_Analysis.rar