Developing Business Practice –302LON Critical thinking, reading and taking notes Unit: 4 Knowledgecast: 1

In this Knowledgecast, we will: Analyse a range of learning styles and the factors that influence successful study Evaluate current academic skills and present a plan for the development of academic skills Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of independence in learning and the need for a ‘growth’ mindset Module Learning Outcomes

Module Overview Unit 1Developing as a learner 2Working independently and with others 3Academic writing 4Critical thinking, reading and taking notes 5Using data in your studies 6Business and management research 7Career development strategies 8Effective self marketing tools 9Successful work experience 10Personal Development Planning

4 Steps to Develop Your Reading Skills 1. Be clear about your purpose2. Choose what to read3. Choose how to read4. Read critically

What are you try to achieve? Why do you want read about the subject? What type of information are you looking for? How will you use this information now or in the future? Step 1: Be Clear About Your Purpose

Identify your options Identify all your options Use a selection criteria Make your selection Step 2: Choose What to Read

Go back to your purpose Use the Index and Contents pages Use Introductions and Summaries Scan for key words Identify the main arguments Take good notes Apply what you’re learning Step 3: Choose How to Read

Engage with the content Relate to other sources Think about the context and period when the writer was active Think about the assumptions Step 4: Read Critically

Recognising Key Terms ConceptModel MetaphorFramework Theory

Analysing Arguments Identify the claim being made Evaluate the evidence that supports the claim Evaluate the reasoning used to link the evidence to the claim

In our next Knowledgecast, we will look at: Analyse a range of learning styles and the factors that influence successful study Evaluate current academic skills and present a plan for the development of academic skills Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of independence in learning and the need for a ‘growth’ mindset What are we going to cover next?

In this Knowledgecast, we have looked at: Analyse a range of learning styles and the factors that influence successful study –Reading and Critical Thinking skills for academic and business sources Evaluate current academic skills and present a plan for the development of academic skills –Evaluate and develop your skills by applying a new framework to reading and analysing sources Demonstrate a critical understanding of the importance of independence in learning and the need for a ‘growth’ mindset –Take responsibility to apply reading and critical thinking skills in your studies and in the workplace Knowledgecast Summary

Seminar – Critical Thinking 4 Perspectives for Critical Thinking 1.Engaging with the content - What claims is the author making? - What concepts are being introduced? - What do they mean? - How might they be useful? 2. Relating to other sources - Does this text extend an existing theory or set of ideas? - Is it consistent with other sources? - In what ways is it different? And why? 3. Thinking about the context - When and where was the text written? - What was the purpose of the text? - What types of bias may be present? 4. Thinking about the assumptions - What assumptions does the author make? - Are they explicit? Are they implicit? - Do the assumptions make sense? How?

An introduction to Mind Maps Creating your own mind maps Seminar: Creative Note Taking

Source: Buzan, T. et al (2007) Group Activity – Creative Note Taking