SNAPPS (Summarize, Note, Assess, Pose Questions, and Synthesize) is a popular active learning strategy that helps students engage with academic content and improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Whether you are a high school, college, or graduate student, you are likely to encounter SNAPPS in your coursework and assignments. In this article, we will discuss some tips and strategies to help you excel in a SNAPPS assignment.
Table of Contents
Understand the SNAPPS process
The first step to succeeding in SNAPPS assignments is to understand the SNAPPS process. Here’s a brief overview of each step:
- Summarize: Summarize the main points and ideas of the text, lecture, or discussion.
- Note: Take notes on the key details, examples, and supporting evidence.
- Assess: Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the argument, evidence, or perspective presented.
- Pose Questions: Ask questions to clarify your understanding, challenge assumptions, and explore alternative perspectives.
- Synthesize: Integrate your insights, questions, and critiques into a coherent and original response.
Practice active reading and listening
To perform each step of SNAPPS effectively, you need to practice active reading and listening skills. This means that you need to pay close attention to the text, lecture, or discussion, and actively engage with the content by asking questions, making connections, and forming opinions. Some tips for active reading and listening include:
- Preview the material: Skim the material before reading or listening to get a sense of the main ideas and structure.
- Take breaks: Take breaks every 20-30 minutes to avoid burnout and improve retention.
- Use annotations: Highlight, underline, or annotate the text or notes to mark important points and ideas.
- Summarize in your own words: After reading or listening, summarize the main points and ideas in your own words.
- Ask questions: Ask questions to clarify your understanding, challenge assumptions, and explore alternative perspectives.
Plan and organize your SNAPPS assignment
To produce a high-quality SNAPPS assignment, you need to plan and organize your work. Here are some steps you can take:
- Review the instructions: Read the instructions carefully to understand the expectations, requirements, and deadlines.
- Analyze the material: Analyze the material using the SNAPPS process to identify the main points, key details, and areas of strengths and weaknesses.
- Brainstorm ideas: Brainstorm ideas for your response using the questions and insights generated during the SNAPPS process.
- Outline your response: Create an outline or a mind map of your response to organize your ideas and ensure coherence and logical flow.
- Draft and revise: Draft your response and revise it several times to refine your ideas, improve your writing style, and ensure accuracy and completeness.
Seek feedback and support
To improve your SNAPPS skills and achieve better results, you should seek feedback and support from your instructor, peers, or tutors. Here are some ways to do so:
- Consult your instructor: Consult your instructor for feedback, clarification, and guidance on the SNAPPS assignment and the course material.
- Join a study group: Join a study group to discuss the material, share insights and questions, and receive feedback and support.
- Get tutoring: Get tutoring from a qualified tutor or an online service to improve your SNAPPS skills and overcome challenges.