MATRIX

A matrix allows you to organize information and ideas for comparisons. It is better than a linear outline because it is two dimensional. The matrix also forces you to select and abbreviate information, a process that assists in memory retention. In fact, the process of making matrices is where learning takes place, so borrowing someone else's already completed matrix is practically useless. Try doing several different matrices, one on each theme, or ones focused on different aspects or societies. They work at different levels for getting the big picture or one segment of the course. Don't panic if some of them don't work and you have to scrap it and start over--you have learned things about the material in the effort. This is "active learning" as opposed to passive (mindlessly staring at notes).

• For the two dimensions, down the side and across the top, choose from these parameters: time, geography/culture, topic, or concept. A time dimension down the side would allow you track development in different civilizations as they change over time (put geographic regions across the top and see what happens).
  • More relevant to comparative questions on world civ essays, try putting geographic or cultural designations down the side (eg, Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China, etc). Then put topics across the top (worldview parameters for example, or even the lecture outline of environment-development-culture and worldview).
  • For specialized classes, put people, documents, regions, or eras down the side and topics or concepts across the top. For more issue-oriented thought papers, this allows you to develop conceptual categories for comparison.
  • I highly recommend topics as the top row dimension because these help you analyze (what does this relate to?), and can form the basis of essay arguments (eg, column one is paragraph one in the body of the essay, comparing the environment of three cultures).

• Fill in the middle boxes with keywords, documents, names and dates. The boxes force you to keep it short. Coming up with keywords--a word or phrase that reminds you of a whole set of ideas--is a good study strategy for essay preparation because it forces you to think conceptually. For example in world civ, for Egypt, environment, you might have the keywords Nile, regularity, isolation, Red land/Black land.