[nabs-l] studying, skimming and reference material

Tue May 3 02:38:29 UTC 2011

I say again:  the answer is a human reader.

Look at the May, 1993 Braille Monitor for an article by Peggy Elliott on
this subject and in Future Reflections (some time in 1995, I think) for =
a
similar article by Peggy Elliott and Barbara Cheadle.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of bookwormahb at earthlink.net
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:43 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] studying, skimming and reference material

Chris,
I use a computer; but as I said to find a text segment, you got to know =
the
words exactly you're looking for.  If you have a variation on it, that
won't help. Plus some stuff is probably just in the index/glossary, like
definitions.  Often the index is not part of my e-text and even if it =
is,
its so big that using a computer may not be practical to find it.
Ashley

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Nusbaum
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 3:55 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] studying, skimming and reference material

I don't know whether you use a computer or notetaker to read E-texts, =
but
if you have JAWS on a computer or use a Braille-Note BT, you can use a =
find
command to find a text string, or word/phrase in a large document like a
textbook.  On a Braille-Note, hit space with F for the find command.  =
Then
it will ask you, "Search forward or back?" If you want to search for
something that you know is further into the text than you currently are,
het f for forward, and to search for something before the place where =
you
are, hit b for back.  Then, it will prompt "Find?" Type the text string =
you
want to search for and hit Enter.  If it finds the string you're =
searching
for, it will put your cursor under that string.  If you use JAWS on your
computer, I think the find command is Alt F3, but don't quote me on =
that.
I'll have to check and get back to you on that.  If there's someone else =
on
the list who knows what the Find command on JAWS is, please let us know.
Hope that helps!

Chris Nusbaum

"A loss of sight, never a loss of vision!" (Camp Abilities motto)

----- Original Message -----
From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Mon, 2 May 2011 00:31:32 -0400
Subject: [nabs-l] studying, skimming and reference material

Hi all,

College texts are full of words and examples.  Frustrating when you =
cannot
skim through especially when you need the highlights for a test.
I take notes when reading.  But my notes don?=99t always amount to what =
the
professor tells us to study for the test, if they tell us.

So what do you do when the professor has a study guide?
Some students take it and jot down the coresponding pages to the study
topics and study those pages.
How do you use it?
Sometimes professors give a list of terms/concepts to study or a list of
questions to guide your preparation.  My communication professor =
outlined
on the board what concepts we needed to know for our final.
But here?=99s the thing.  I cannot skim the text or look up words.
My notes may or may not have them.  Even if they do, its still looking =
for
a needle in a haystack when reviewing for finals!  So I?=99ve usually =
had to
ask a reader; they act as my eyes and look in the index for the key =
words
or skim for the key words or headings in the chapter.

For me, I usually use audio whenever possible.  But even with e-texts, I
cannot skim because I don?=99t know the exact phrase and without that =
the
computer does Not know what to look for; also it is divided in to =
chapters
and I cannot search across chapters.

Another thing, how do you work with open book exams?
Do you have a reader there and they look up any info from the book? That =
is
what I?=99ve done.
Again, openbook  tests let you use it as a reference tool, but that is =
hard
for us.

So any tips for studying or ?=9Cskimming??would be good.  How can you =
direct
a reader to actually skim?  Usually they will read too much to me rather
than just the main paragraph of the topic; generally under the main
headings I find the introduction to the concept and smaller headings =
tell
you details/examples.

Ashley
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