IF YOU WANT TO:
Indicating the relative importance of ideas presented in your lecture.
A professor of political science says, "I highlight major points by saying, `This is more important than that.' For example, if I am giving a list of six contributing factors to some phenomenon or event, I identify which in my view are most important. I don't want students to go away thinking that everything I say is of equal weight or importance."
A professor of engineering also thinks it is important to differentiate between the most and least important ideas presented in lecture. Therefore, he tells the students, "You don't have to memorize everything, but you might want to remember this..." or "This, on the other hand, is something you will use so many times that it's worth paying special attention to." Used sparingly, he believes that these prefatory remarks help focus student learning on the most essential parts of the course.
Limitations on Use of Suggestion
Copyright 1983 by the Regents of the University of California