Reading Guide for
Chip and Dan Heath’s Made to Stick
Author Dan Heath will be coming to Lambuth on Wednesday, August 29th to give a presentation on his book, Made to Stick. This event is early in the fall semester, and you will enjoy his talk much more if you have already read his work, so it is in your best interest to read this over the summer. Moreover, you will be incorporating information from Made to Stick into lessons for your Freshman Seminar class. The book is currently on the best-seller lists, and although it is not meant primarily for college students, there is much information in the book that you will find useful. We have prepared this reading guide for you to complete over the summer, but you should also be prepared to take quizzes on the book in the fall, meaning that you should take good notes on the book.
You will keep a journal (preferably typed) in which you answer these review questions, and you should also have notes in your journal that summarize the reading (again, your notes/journal will be turned in to your Freshman Seminar professor by the second week of classes). You may use bullet points or an outline to summarize the chapters (you don’t have to write full paragraphs), but your journal should be an accurate reflection of the content of each paper, and you should answer the questions below. For each chapter, you should have at least 2 pages in your journal, using 12 pt. font and single-spaced type. You will also be incorporating much of this information in fall assignments, so it is in your best interest to keep a thorough journal. As with most everything in life, the more you put into this journal, the more you will gain from it, and the more you will learn from the book.
Reading Questions from Made to Stick. A reminder: this journal should include 1) your notes on each chapter, which may be in bullet format 2) answers to the following questions, which may also be in bullet/outline format, but remember that the more polished your outline is, the easier your final project will be for Freshman Seminar (the final project will be a career portfolio that incorporates much of this information).
Introduction:
What does the author mean by “stickiness?” Look at www.snopes.com and examine some of the urban legends about college life. Pick two and analyze what makes these legends “sticky,” even if many of the stories are demonstrably false?
I.
Chapter
I: Simple
What is “The Curse of Knowledge?” What do the authors means by “simple?” Keep in mind that you do not have to agree
with the authors here. Is there evidence
that undercuts their thesis? What are
"schemas" and why are they useful?
What is the core reason you are attending college? Discuss examples from your own life that
make you agree with the authors about the curse of knowledge. Discuss other examples from your
own life that make you disagree.
On the whole, do you agree or disagree with the authors on this issue?
II.
Chapter
2: Unexpected
What is the advantage of doing something that is unexpected? What is the link between the “knowledge gap” and curiosity? Relate a personal example of a time when you experienced a “knowledge gap” and filled in the missing knowledge on your own (without a teacher asking you to). Thinking about your intended major, what are you curious about in your chosen field? (If you don’t have a major yet, explore what subject interests you the most and why you think you’d be interested in it.)
III.
Chapter
3: Concrete
What do the authors mean when they say that ideas should be
“concrete” in order to be understood?
Again, discuss different examples from your own life -- one in which an
idea was presented to you using a concrete image, and one in which a concrete
image wasn't used. Compare the two and
explain which was more effective for you.
Also think of an example where someone did not use a concrete image.
Lastly, imagine that you have to describe
IV.
Chapter
4: Credible
The authors pose a deceptively simple question in this chapter: what makes people believe ideas? In your own words, summarize their answer to that question, then agree or disagree with their ideas.
V. Chapter 5: Emotional
Explain, in your own words, how emotions increase the
"stickiness" of an idea. Now imagine that you have to justify your
choice of major to someone who is skeptical about it
(your parents, your friends, former teachers, etc.). Explain how you would use
self-interest and/or the "identity model" to do this.
VI. Chapter 6: Stories
Explain the concept of the "springboard story."
Present a springboard story of your own, explaining what idea it illustrates or
supports.
VII.
Epilogue
General: Many of this
book's examples and ideas come from the world of advertising. Does that fact
undermine or reinforce the book's credibility in your view? Why/why not?
Explain your
answer using specific references to the book.
If you have any
questions about this assignment, please contact Dr. Steven Patterson (patterson@lambuth.edu). I may not respond immediately, but I will
respond to any query you have about the book.
This guide will also be posted on my Eaglenet home page:
http://eaglenet.lambuth.edu/facultyweb/faculty/history2/index.html