Boring material, God help me.

Reality's Fringe

Reality's Fringe

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I wanted to ask you guys what your methods were for reading and comprehending boring/dry material for classes. I seem to be having a problem with this as of late and with a political science exam coming up(.....at 2pm no less) I'm having a slight problem getting through a couple of chapters in Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom". So, how would you guys study with a dry/dull book?
 
I dropped out of high school, got a GED, started managing a Comic Shop, where i could read anything that actually interested me, and started teaching myself Japanese....

Well, you did ask :)

But to actually answer the question, i personnaly would set a certain amount of pages, or the amount of chapters needed to be read, and then reward myself with a few minuteds of game play/Ice Cream/Smokey Treat/Vodka shot/Insert whatever you enjoy
 
Yup, short doses. People tend to remember what they start to read, and what they finish reading. Plus it breaks up boring text.
 
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And I only accidentally chose a work of your namesake, Wshakspear
just kidding [although those can *help* with one's understanding of certain works, they are not a replacement for them].
But Wshakspear has a good suggestion. Set manageable, achievable goals, complete with rewards when those goals are met. Although don't have rewards that make it *harder* to meet future immediate goals ;)
 
Reality's Fringe said:
EE? And maybe short doses will work a little better, but that deadline is coming up......
Click to expand...

Then dont be lienent on yourself. Set length goals a little bit past where you wouldnt mind them. "Oh, i can read 40 pages no problem...lets make it 65-70", that kind of thing.
 
It's not length that bothers me, it's the terrifyingly dull nature of what I'm required to read. The ideas presented, while true(to me anyway) are presented in such a boring scholastic fashion that it's almost impossible for me to care. If I saw this guy on the street(if he's still alive), I'd probably end up dropkicking himinto oncoming traffic. The flipside of this is that the other reading I'm required to have finished is from a book written in a colloquial fashion, but its ideals infuriate me(it's basically a polar opposite of the aforementioned dry book). I don't see why the TA would choose a book with colloquial appeal, and then chose another one that's as dry as an 85 year old woman's inner labia while she lies nude in the middle of Sudan at high-noon.
 
[quote name='Wshakspear']I dropped out of high school, got a GED, started managing a Comic Shop, where i could read anything that actually interested me, and started teaching myself Japanese....

Well, you did ask :)[/quote]

So, are you like a creepy 300 pound pedophile who lives in the basement of a comic book store you run and has a whole room dedicated to porn?

No offense, just wondering.
 
Electrical Engineering, I'm guessing.

Your deadline is rather short, if you meant 2 pm today. But even then, you can break it up. Every chapter, topic, 15 minutes, whatever, just stand up and walk around, stretch, get a change of view for a moment.

Or, depending on how big the test is, and how much material it covers, study the rest of it, skip old Uncle Miltie, and hope his stuff isn't on too much of the test.
 
Chapter summaries and noting bolded text (though I suppose that may not apply in Poli-Sci) got me through 4 years of college and an Ivy League degree.

Reading isn't nearly as important as retention. When you're in the applied sciences/liberal arts, most exams give you some wiggle-room/BS allowance. If you know the material fairly well, but are knowledgeable in general about poli-sci, you might be able to BS your way through your tests with a couple keywords and choice references. If you've attended class and took reasonable notes, it might be better for you (more time-efficient) to just review your notes, rather than forcing yourself through the text. Who's grading your exam? Most TAs only look for keywords (concepts, ideas, events, legislation, laws, etc.) so underline those in your text if you use them. If your prof is grading them, then your BS allowance plummets.

Though, if your tests are multiple choice, you could be shaq-fued.

Hope this helps.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla'][quote name='Wshakspear']I dropped out of high school, got a GED, started managing a Comic Shop, where i could read anything that actually interested me, and started teaching myself Japanese....

Well, you did ask :)[/quote]

So, are you like a creepy 300 pound pedophile who lives in the basement of a comic book store you run and has a whole room dedicated to porn?

No offense, just wondering.[/quote]

I DO live in a basement, but its actually my GirlFriend's (yep, a real one) parents house where me and her father took an unfinished basement and converted it into a one level flat (apartment). Im 180 and am working on losing weight. I do know what sunlight is, and i enjoy BMX riding.

Im an enigma, really.

and yes, enjoy my life story :)

p.s.: unfortunately, no room O'Porn :(
 
You won't find Cliff Notes in the literal sense for Milton Friedman's work but there are many, many places where you can find it discussed in lighter form. Friedman himself is capable of more easygoing text but wrote that book for a market that required that style.

You can probably find tons of material just through Googling his name.
 
Reality's Fringe said:
I wanted to ask you guys what your methods were for reading and comprehending boring/dry material for classes. I seem to be having a problem with this as of late and with a political science exam coming up(.....at 2pm no less) I'm having a slight problem getting through a couple of chapters in Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom". So, how would you guys study with a dry/dull book?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't. Good luck!
 
Well, luckily, the exam wans't about Milton Friedman so much as it was about expounding upon his idea of how political freedom and economic freedom are interconnected. Thank god it's such a broad ideal. I probably could've skipped the reading and passed just as well. If anything, I hope people learn(from this topic, of course) that Milton Friedman is the leading cause of suicide among college students.
 
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