In addition to the matrix, a variety of other visual organization diagrams could be used. Research suggests that most students fail to use visual organizers with review of their course material. Somewhat opposite of the Memory Matrix, in this activity the matrix and the headings are provided by the SI leader. A list of the contents of the matrix is also provided. The SI participant is then to fill the matrix with the individual items.
Students discuss as a group the rules that they used in sorting the information.
This activity provides important information of students analyses and on their capacity for objectivity. Students must search for at least two sides. Students are asked to synthesize an entire lecture into a single informative, grammatical, and long summary sentence. First, the student summarizes a short text in a single word. Second, the student writes a paragraph or two explaining whey he or she chose that word.