Struggling with first major school assignment, pleas help :(

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I have started off taking classes at a local campus in college, and one of my first semester courses is critical reading and writing. What the instructor assigned us to complete by tomorrow is to read an article and take notes. The second part is the issue: Take notes? What do you want me to take notes about? It's bad, I haven't been in school for a long time and I'm struggling with confidence in my ability to complete the assignment. I feel frustrated with having to have everything broken down to the smallest atom of detail.

I feel like I'm a failure at some stuff when you have to answer things and are given no clear instructions to complete. I wish people knew what I was saying I struggle with it. I wish I even knew how to do it without accidentally communicating the wrong words or information. Other typical students in my school probably don't have this same problem. Usually when typical people are assigned or pursue a new endeavor, like a hobby, video game, schoolwork, job, and literally any "adult" goals in life, they feel confident in their abilities to progress and eventually achieve it right from the start. I don't know how this is possible for me.

Also, my academic and support success for this program is very important to me. It became urgent because it's due for review tomorrow, it's not like I'm really procrastinating or blowing off until the last minute, I'm trying my best, but I'm struggling to continue to type words on the paper when I'm so over-focused I will let my mom and maybe others at the school down.

I feel kind of bad right now as if I can't try academically. Also, when I was doing "normal" K-12 school years ago, I struggled with "limping" through and not focusing super hard on the work or teacher in front of me. I no longer want to have to "limp" through academic work as I did back then. I want to change, I don't know if my struggle is because of my Asperger's or other diagnosis.

The instructor basically is asking for your opinion on the article that he or she wishes for you to review.
If you're struggling, i suggest visiting the writing lab in your campus if there is one and ask for someone to help you though you still have to do the work but they'll help clarify anything else.

To help, am going to pick a random article from the web..
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/harvey ... smsnnews11

Now, take a look 20,000 people stuck in a cruise ship in sea.
*What do you think about the article?
* How do you think people will react to being stranded in sea? Happy, angry, sad?
* Why do you think the passengers haven't been rescued yet? How do you think rainfall impacts sea navigation?

They just are asking for your opinion on this kind of stuff, if you notice any spelling errors that's a plus!

Also, do you agree or disagree with the US Coast Guard having to close most of their ports around the Gulf Coast? Why or why not?

Cause and Effect Relationship <-- Read

Hope this helps!

By taking notes, the instructor means to annotate the text, or write on the text and/or in the margins. Things that you can do to annotate the text are:

- write a sentence next to each paragraph that summarizes the paragraph
- write a small outline of the important details next to each paragraph
- circle/highlight important details, such as dates or numbers
- write down questions that you have while reading
- mark an important passage to go back to later
- write down comments that you have about parts of the text (ie. this is surprising, is this true, this reminds me of...)
- outline the reading on a separate piece of paper
- etc.

Annotating is kind of like having a conversation with the text. It helps you to engage in what you are reading and to understand it better, as well as to remember it. It also makes it easier if you have to go back to it later in the semester, and or reference something from it in a future reference paper.

Basically, by giving you this assignment, your instructor wants to make sure that you read and have evidence that you read it, that you understand what you are reading, and that you come to class prepared with something to talk about and/or are able to engage in the next day's class.

Good luck!

I always hated assignments like this, because I do not need to take notes when I read. I have a photographic memory for what I read, so if I read it, I know it. I realize that the vast majority of people aren't like this and teachers like to prepare students for how to take reading notes since most will need them, but it's stupid when you have a learning style that doesn't need to do it in the first place! I wish you luck on the assignment, and I just was curious if you were struggling to take notes because you are like I am and remember all that you read.