What Do You Do When You're Given A Piece Of Reading That You Just

[Guest]

Have been given a handout from uni which is all about "Modernity and Postmodernity: Power and Ethics" which I am supposed to read before next week. It is sooooo hard going! I don't understand what it is talking about and to be honest, it just looks like lots of random big words strung together. It doesn't make sense to me.

 

I have tried looking it up on the WWW but even then, I'm confusing myself even more. I knew this year was going to be hard but not this hard so early on.

 

What am I going to do!?

[Guest]

Hi - my first instinct would be to ask other people on my course - they may be just as horrified as you! Sometimes just talking it thro with someone else can open things up and give you a way in - you know what they say about two heads being better than one If all else fails speak to your tutor - his/her job is to help and guide you and introduce you to new ideas and ways of thinking - tthey had to learn to understand this stuff themselves once - they weren't born knowing everything either and you will not be their first student to ask for help. Much better to ask now than struggle on and get in a muddle. I'm sure it is very sort-outable and you will soon be feeling much less worried about the whole business - Good Luck and remember, chocolate boosts brainpower......at least I'm sure I read it somewhere;) !!

[Upsy Daisy]

Take a deep breath and try to be calm. You will find it ten times as hard to think when you're all wound up.

 

Do have have any set texts or other books which might explain some of the terms? If you do have a look at them first and write a little list of definitions of words you are struggling with. If you don't have any other books on it go to the library.

 

When you do sit down to read it go very, very slowly. Just try to make sense of one sentence at a time. Don't go on for too long. Give yourself chance to absorb the information.

 

Remember that this is very diffierent from everyday reading and it does get easier. You will not keep feeling like this once you understand some of the terms.

 

And talk to other students and your tutor when you can. If you feel like this the others probably do too.

 

Big hugs! x

[Alison]

I hate reading and the big words just make it even worse

 

I invested in a good dictionary and looked up all the words I didnt understand as I went along I found it helped to explain the text and increase my vocabulary theres loads of big words that I thought I knew what they meant but taking to time to translate the text helped me improve my knowledge as well as my vocab

[pickle]

Have been given a handout from uni which is all about "Modernity and Postmodernity: Power and Ethics" which I am supposed to read before next week. It is sooooo hard going! I don't understand what it is talking about and to be honest, it just looks like lots of random big words strung together. It doesn't make sense to me.

 

I have tried looking it up on the WWW but even then, I'm confusing myself even more. I knew this year was going to be hard but not this hard so early on.

 

What am I going to do!?

 

 

Really feel for you Clare - had a flick through my books but could make very little sense out of it either.

 

Bad news for me though, is I have to cover this next term!!

 

At least I'll know where to come for help ? hopefully?

Edited September 30, 2009 by pickle