Advanced Research
The Trivium and
Quadrivium
The Liberal Arts
• Core curriculum
• “Liber” = free person, not a slave
• From Plato, Socrates, and Pythagoras
• The Trivium and the Quadrivium
The Trivium
• Grammar (learning information)
• Logic (evaluating information)
• Rhetoric (expressing your conclusions)
• (constitute basic learning skills)
The Quadrivium
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Arithmetic
Geometry
Music
Astronomy
• (the arts and sciences)
• Philosophy is the synthesis of all
Grammar
• First stage of research and learning.
• Must come before evaluation or opinions.
• You must first read and learn the
information.
• Must be open-minded; avoid prejudice and
mental filtering.
• In research, narrow the subject so that you
can read everything available about it.
Logic
• Evaluate the value and meaning of what
you have read.
• Use critical thinking skills.
• Identify fallacies in thinking.
• Make connections between cause and
effect.
• Identify bogus information
Rhetoric
• Analyze and synthesize all information
read; make connections.
• Write a rough draft.
• Fully document; develop a Works Cited
page.
• Re-write several times, polishing your
ideas and your paper.
• Have a friend read your paper; edit.
Reading Principles
• Read through the material.
• Note difficult passages.
• Read the publication information and the
table of contents
• Do not read the preface unless the author
wrote it (avoid preconceptions)
• Summarize each chapter or substantial
section in one sentence.
Reading Cont’d
• Note questions, reflections, connections
as you read.
• Underline or note important passages.
• When finished, go back over notes and
summarize what the author has done.
• Question the validity and reliability of the
material.
• What questions should you ask?
Reading Research Articles
• Typical pattern
– Introduction
– Methodology
– Data collected
– Statistical analysis
– Conclusion
Research Articles cont’d
• Questions to ask
– Does the question make sense?
– Is the methodology valid?
– Is the data representative?
– Is the sample big enough?
– Was the correct analysis method applied?
– Does the conclusion make sense?
– Does the conclusion follow from the data?
– Beware of averages.
Critical Thinking
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Keep an open mind.
Insist on reasons being given.
Demand sources.
Compare different sources.
Watch for errors in thinking.
Watch for historical mistakes.
Be suspicious.
Strategies for CT
• Know yourself; be honest and open to new
ideas.
• Be observant like Sherlock Holmes.
• Clarify issues.
• State the issue in a clear, precise question
• Conduct an inquiry into facts and opinions.
• Interpret the evidence carefully.
• For details see
http://lonestar.texas.net/~colby/Phil1301/ctstrate
gies.htm
Synthesis
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Involves combining, not taking apart
Combining alternatives – win/win
The Quaker approach – new alternatives
Mind mapping
Mind shift – metanoia
– Once you have reached metanoia you actually have
something to write about.
For more on autodidactism, see
http://lonestar.texas.net/~colby/$trivium/autodidact.ht
m and
http://lonestar.texas.net/~colby/$trivium/trivium.htm