ELP Reader
Meiland
College Thinking: How to Get the Best Out of College

I. Before reading & Chapter One: Introduction

General advice about reading

When you are given a reading assignment to do, what do you do first? Do you start with the first word of the first sentence of the first page and read every word until the last one of the last sentence of the last page? No. Why? Because this type of reading can slow you down and, in fact, make it more difficult for you to understand the difference between important ideas and small details. Furthermore, since everything you read is new and difficult, you don't know what to expect and can easily become lost in a forest of words.

Therefore, before you read anything, you should look it over from beginning to end and examine it to give you ideas about the content, the level of difficulty, and the importance of the piece. You will then be able to decide how to read it: carefully with much thought, quickly for general ideas, or casually for pleasure. In the case of a book, you’ll want to look at the front and back covers, the Preface, and the Table of Contents, in addition to the main text itself.

Certain chapters from the book, College Thinking, form the core reading of this unit on Educational Values and thus should be read carefully for full comprehension. Consequently, you will be asked to go through the reading in several different ways and for several different purposes: for general ideas about content by reading the headings, for basic comprehension, for fuller comprehension and understanding of the organization, and finally for writing activities.

See also: Previewing a Book & Previewing a Reading Assignment, SGW 92-93.

Before you start reading College Thinking

1. What is the complete title of the book? From the title, what do you think the book is about?

2. When was it written?

3. What is the author’s title?

4. How many main parts are there in the book? How many chapters? Where can you find this information?

5. According to the first paragraph, what was the author’s main intention in writing this book?

Chapter 1: Introduction

Now read the Introduction. A good introduction briefly describes the most important ideas in a text and shows how these ideas are organized. The following study questions may help you as you do the reading.

Study Questions for Chapter 1

1. What is Part 1 of the book about? What is the main idea in Part One?

2. What information is covered in Part 2? In Part 3?

3. From paragraph 2 on page 5 (“So far I...”) to the end of Chapter 1, the author discusses the controlling idea of the book. Most of the information presented in the book is directly related to this idea. In other words, this idea controls the development of the other ideas in the book. Because this controlling idea is so important, it is necessary for you to keep it in mind as you are reading. Using your own words, write down what you think is the controlling idea of College Thinking --

ELP Reader
Meiland
College Thinking: How to Get the Best Out of College

II. Before reading & Chapter 2: The Difference Between High School and College

General advice about annotating (or marking) the text

Marking a text as you read is key to understanding the ideas and issues raised in the text. And makes it quick and easy to review a text for discussion, writing an assignment, or studying for a test.

You can mark a text in many ways: write a question, an objection, or supporting comment, summarise an idea or write an idea in your own words, underline a key word or idea, draw a line connecting two or more ideas, use colours to code different information e.g. blue = unknown key word, purple = main idea, yellow = supporting reason, orange = objection. There are almost limitless ways to mark a text, the most important thing is that you develop a system over time that works well for you.

A good way to check whether you are marking effectively is to re-read your marking up and if your markings allow you to quickly review and understand the main ideas in that section, then that is a positive sign that you are marking up effectively.

See also: Marking a Text, SGW 92-93

Pre-reading Questions

Try give two (2) specific examples in your answer to each question:

1. What did you like/dislike about high school?

2. How do you expect university to be different from high school?

3. What criteria should Japanese universities use in selecting incoming students?

4. What do you think your teachers expect from you in your ELP classes?

5. What are your expectations of your ELP teachers?

6. What do you think should be the purpose of a university education?

7. Some of our beliefs are rational, i.e. we have reasons to support these beliefs. Other beliefs are irrational and we have no reasons (or at least we may not have thought about any good reasons) to support them. Examine the following commonly accepted beliefs. Do you think that they are rational or irrational? If they are rational, what are the reasons that support these beliefs? If they are irrational, why do so many people believe them?

a. The Earth is round.

b. A college education is important.

c. Tokyo University is the best university in Japan.

d. We should show respect for old people.

e. Smoking is dangerous to your health.

f. It is important for Japanese to learn English.

8. What makes a reason (for holding a belief) a good reason?

Study Questions for Chapter 2

1. What, according to Meiland, is the most common method of study for high school students.

2. How does the typical student view the difference between high school and college.

New Types of Intellectual Work

3. How is college work a “different kind” of intellectual activity from high school work?

4. What is the distinction between a normative statement and a descriptive statement?

5. What is W. K. Clifford’s philosophy with regard to accepting information from others?

6. What does the author mean by “rational justification of belief”?

7. What is the difference in treatment of “theories” between high school and university study?

Basis of Belief

8. What must we do to ensure our beliefs are true?

9. What two questions should college work be concerned with, as stated by Meiland?

10. What is the point being made in the example of the kidnapped businessman?

11. To be successful in college, what attitude should you maintain?

12. Why is it important to examine even the most “obvious” held belief?

College as a Subversive Institution

13. Why might colleges be labeled as “subversive” institutions in society?

14. Why have college professors come under attack by certain segments of society?

15. Socrates was put to death for his beliefs. What were they? What other individuals can you think of who were punished for their beliefs?

16. What is meant when referring to college as an “ivory tower”? What reason does the author give to argue against this belief?

17. Explain the difference in attitudes between “doubting the belief” and “suspending the belief.”

18. Which attitude appears to be the more reasonable one and why?

Why Reasons Matter

19. Using your own words, explain the five justifications given to support the importance of backing up or supporting ones beliefs through reasons.

20. The five justifications give support or reasons to illustrate the importance of each. What are these supporting points or reasons?

21. Explain Socrates’ logic with reference to the importance of having a justified belief as opposed to just a belief.

22. What example does he give to illustrate his logic?

23. Do you think beliefs should always be justified? Why or why not?

24. How can you as individuals go about the process of justifying, defending, or testing beliefs and information in your classes at ICU?

Beyond Chapter 2

1. What examples does the author give of teachers/students who have been threatened or punished for questioning established beliefs? Can you think of any similar examples (in the past or more recently) in Japan?

2. Have you gathered any evidence at ICU of "college as a subversive institution"? Explain.

3. Can you think of a time when you questioned your parents' (or another family member's) beliefs? Did you discuss it with them? If so, what happened?

4. What generally accepted beliefs are being threatened these days in Japan?

5. Explain the difference between doubting a belief and suspending a belief. Which does the author recommend?

6. Do you think ICU is an "Ivory Tower" (or an Isolated Crazy Utopia)? Do you think what happens here can have any real impact on Japanese society? Be specific.

7. How do "beliefs based on good reasons help us to get along better in the world"? Can you think of examples from outside the text?

8. What is the third reason Meiland gives to explain why it is important to have reasons for our beliefs? Do you think this reason applies to Japanese as well as non-Japanese?

9. Perhaps everyone has some beliefs for which they cannot give good reasons. Do you? Discuss. (examples: superstitions, religious beliefs, etc.)

10. Are there any ideas in College as a Subversive Institution or Why Reasons Matter with which you disagree? Discuss.