Class Preparation Guide

Posted: December 10th, 2013

Student’s Name:   _____________________
Chapter:  _______
Date:   ____________

Class Preparation Guide*

*Questions derived from Elder and Paul’s “The aspiring thinker’s guide to critical thinking” – 2009 – pp. 38 & 39.

1. The main purpose of this chapter is…………………..…………………………

(Here you are trying to state, as accurately as possible, the author’s purpose in writing the chapter.  What was the author trying to accomplish?)

1. The key questionat the heart of this chapter is………………

(Your goal is to figure out the key question that was in the mind of the author when the work was developed.  In other words, what key question or problem is addressed?)

1. The most important information in this chapter is…………………

(Identify the key information the author used to support his/her arguments/analysis.  Identify the facts, data, evidence, reasons, observations, experiences, etc., the author uses to reach their findings.)

1. The main inferences in this chapter are………..

(Identify the most important conclusions the author presents in the chapter.)

1. The key concept(s) we need to understand in this chapter is (are)…………….

(Identify the most important ideas, theories, definitions, etc., used to support the author’s reasoning.) Note:  It is important to identify key concepts in the readings such as definitions, ideas, theories, models, etc., and to summarize them in your notes.

1. The main assumption(s) underlying the author’s thinking is (are)……….

(Ask yourself: What is the author taking for granted in this chapter [that might be questioned]? The assumptions are beliefs the author does not think he/she has to defend.  Assumptions are usually not stated and therefore can be hard to figure out.)

1. If people take seriously what this author is saying, some important implications are…

(What consequences are likely to follow if people take the author’s ideas seriously?)

1. If we fail to accept what the author is saying, some important implications are…

(What consequences are likely to follow if people ignore the author’s thinking in this chapter?)

Questions Raised by the Chapter for Class Discussion—ThreeRequiredfor each Chapter:
(Items not addressed in the text of the work or not covered in assignments that you would like to discuss in class.)

1.

2.

3.