ALL: Binder guidelines + Reading Notes guidelines

Binder Guidelines:

By Friday, you should have a 3-ring binder for this class only (unless you've spoken to me about another arrangement). It should be 1.5” wide and should include the following five tabs:

1. DO NOW
2. Handouts and study guides
3. Class notes and vocabulary
4. Reading notes
5. Homework and assessments

Please also have a designated spot for your non-history vocabulary list (where you define words from the readings that you looked up in a dictionary such as www.dictionary.com).

If any of you expect to have trouble getting a binder by Friday, please contact me before Friday to discuss.

Reading Notes Guidelines:

If there are no specific questions or assignments given about an assigned reading, please create reading notes according to these guidelines as homework (due on the day the assigned reading is due):

These are flexible guidelines – take notes in a way that (a) helps you remember what you read and (b) shows me that you have carefully read and understood the assigned reading.

If you don’t understand something even after doing further research (such as looking up a term), say so in your notes and ask about it in class!

The length of your notes should be as long as necessary to cover all the main points and unfamiliar concepts you found in the reading material. This can usually be done in two handwritten pages or less.

Identify the main points and major secondary points of the article and put these in a loose outline form as follows:

TITLE OF READING

MAIN POINT (thesis of article/reading)
Major subpoint #1
Key term, concept, or argument
Key term, concept, or argument
Major subpoint #2
Key term, concept, or argument
Key term, concept, or argument
Ideas or terms I didn’t understand, even after looking them up

This format is just a guideline, not an absolute requirement.

The MAIN POINTS I am looking for in your reading notes:

Your reading notes should...
(a) help you digest and remember the most important parts of what you read;
(b) make it very clear to me that you did your best work on the assigned reading; and
(c) be your own work, and not be copied or paraphrased from other students' notes under any circumstances.

See you tomorrow!
--Mr. McCarl