History Notes
While taking notes on history readings, be sure to:
Reading Questions to ponder while taking notes:
Specifics
A. Points (key ideas) - What are the key ideas or points presented in this work?
B. Premises - What are the assumptions or "givens" behind these ideas?
C. Process or method used by the writer:
- Structure: dialogue, list, analysis, exploration of an idea, or something else?
- Argument: Is the argument based on logic, tradition, efficiency, authority, practicality, or something else?
- Persuasion: Does the writer try to persuade you by appealing to fear, morality, beauty, or something else?
D. Proof (evidence) - What type of evidence is used--religious, scientific, personal experience, etc.?
Big Picture
E. Big Question - What problem or question is the author addressing? Is this stated or unstated?
F. Purpose (motivation) - What is the author trying to accomplish? Why? Is this stated or unstated?
G. Author/Audience
- What do you know about the life of this writer?
- To what audience is this addressed?
- How do these factors shape the text?
Connections
H. Conclusion - What big conclusions does the author reach?
I. Connections - context
- How does this work reflect or fit the time and place in which the author lived? Connect to lectures!
- How does this fit with other works we have studied in art, music, literature, history?
- What difference did it make at the time? What difference has it made since?
J. Your assessment & evaluation - Were you convinced by the writer? Did you enjoy this work?
Does it matter to you?
Some Ontological Questions: What are the author’s implicit or explicit answers to these questions?
1. How should we live? What is a good life? What should we try to achieve during our lifetime?
2. What is a good community? What is the best way to order our communities or societies?
3. What responsibilities do we have to other people? What responsibilities do we have to ourselves?
4. How should we balance individual well-being with the good of the group? Which matters more--the individual
or the community?
5. What is justice? How should we treat others? ("Others" can be human, non-human: animals, plants, nature,
laws, institutions.)
6. What should be our relationship to the material world? What should be our relationship to nature?
7. How much freedom should individuals have and how should that be balanced with obedience to the
community or other authorities?
8. How do we determine what is true? How can we find valid answers to these ontological questions?
While taking notes on history readings, be sure to:
- include some notes from each of the three categories below (Specifics, Big Picture, Connections)
- keep the ontological questions in mind
- use the author's name and title of work as your heading
- include date of seminar in heading
Reading Questions to ponder while taking notes:
Specifics
A. Points (key ideas) - What are the key ideas or points presented in this work?
B. Premises - What are the assumptions or "givens" behind these ideas?
C. Process or method used by the writer:
- Structure: dialogue, list, analysis, exploration of an idea, or something else?
- Argument: Is the argument based on logic, tradition, efficiency, authority, practicality, or something else?
- Persuasion: Does the writer try to persuade you by appealing to fear, morality, beauty, or something else?
D. Proof (evidence) - What type of evidence is used--religious, scientific, personal experience, etc.?
Big Picture
E. Big Question - What problem or question is the author addressing? Is this stated or unstated?
F. Purpose (motivation) - What is the author trying to accomplish? Why? Is this stated or unstated?
G. Author/Audience
- What do you know about the life of this writer?
- To what audience is this addressed?
- How do these factors shape the text?
Connections
H. Conclusion - What big conclusions does the author reach?
I. Connections - context
- How does this work reflect or fit the time and place in which the author lived? Connect to lectures!
- How does this fit with other works we have studied in art, music, literature, history?
- What difference did it make at the time? What difference has it made since?
J. Your assessment & evaluation - Were you convinced by the writer? Did you enjoy this work?
Does it matter to you?
Some Ontological Questions: What are the author’s implicit or explicit answers to these questions?
1. How should we live? What is a good life? What should we try to achieve during our lifetime?
2. What is a good community? What is the best way to order our communities or societies?
3. What responsibilities do we have to other people? What responsibilities do we have to ourselves?
4. How should we balance individual well-being with the good of the group? Which matters more--the individual
or the community?
5. What is justice? How should we treat others? ("Others" can be human, non-human: animals, plants, nature,
laws, institutions.)
6. What should be our relationship to the material world? What should be our relationship to nature?
7. How much freedom should individuals have and how should that be balanced with obedience to the
community or other authorities?
8. How do we determine what is true? How can we find valid answers to these ontological questions?