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Academic Skills

 

PREPARE TO BE A SUCCESSFUL LEARNER

Augsburg Orientation University To Online Learning

Student Success Workshops for Online Learning

Free or Low Cost Assistive Technology for All Augsburg Students

TIME MANAGEMENT

Tools

NOTE TAKING

Tips:

  1. Consider using a 3 ring binder for each class.
  2. Choose a note-taking format that works for you, such as Cornell Notes or outlines.
  3. Be an active listener
  4. Recognize important information during the lecture (such as information that is repeated, or phrases such as “main point” “this will be on the quiz”).
  5. Highlight key words in your notes.
  6. Ask your professor for note taking tips recommendation in their field.

Tools

  • Notetaking Apps: Notetaking, SoundNote, Sonecent Recorder, AudioNote, and many more options in the link.

READING

Tips:

  1. Get an overview by surveying the reading (read section titles, bold type, pictures, graphs, introductions, summaries, and review sections).
  2. Read and use the tools provided (headings, subtitles, bold print, vocab lists, etc).
  3. Turn each heading into a question and see if you can answer the question at the end of the reading.
  4. Review by by surveying the reading AGAIN (read section titles, bold type, pictures, graphs, introductions, summaries, and review sections).

TEST TAKING

Test Prep Tips:

  1. Schedule time each day to study for test. When you review often, you move information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
  2. Test Prep Resources: class notes, textbooks, handouts, review sheets, homework, quizzes, classmates.
  3. Make flash cards or review sheets.
  4. Explain topics/material in front of a mirror.
  5. Change studying for type of test (multiple choice – know facts and details & essay tests – review main ideas & open book tests – put post-it notes to help find information quickly).

Test Tips:

  1. Get plenty of sleep before a test.
  2. Get up early enough to eat a calm breakfast and walk to class early.
  3. Think positively thoughts, visualize yourself answer questions correctly, and walk into the classroom confidently.
  4. Read through the whole test to decide how much time you will spend on each question.
  5. Give yourself enough time to check your answers – even the ones you felt confident about.
  6. Types of Tests
    1. Multiple-choice: try to come up with answer before you look at the choices, cross out the wrong options in case you need to make an educated guess.
    2. True/False: absolute words (all, always, every) are often false, if any part of the statement is false then the answer is false.
    3. Open Book – use post-it notes in your textbook, only highlight important information, have all the information you know you need on a separate paper.’
    4. Essay test – read each question and start with the easiest, brainstorm before you start writing, use complete sentences and write neatly, include intro paragraph and final paragraph.
    5. Math Tests – show all your work, consider drawing a picture, diagram or graph if it will help, don’t spend too much time on one problem – move on and go back to it, for review – do the problems again to see if you come up with the same answer.

Tools

  • Test Prep Apps: Quizlet, AnkiDroid, Earworm Audio Flashcards

MOTIVATION

Tips:

  1. Be confident – you were accepted to Augsburg because we believe you can get a college degree!
  2. Surround yourself with positive people
  3. Focus on strengths – how can you use your strengths to be successful in your major and on to your career.
  4. Use positive self-talk.
  5. Accept negative feedback – this is how you improve!
  6. The most important thing you can do is attend every class, so make sure you choose your class times wisely, don’t give yourself any other option!

Reasons to go to every class:

  1. It is difficult to teach yourself the material.
  2. Attempting to teach yourself difficult material from textbooks or class notes does not work.
  3. Grades are often based on attendance and participation.
  4. You get to know your classmates and professors!

Staying Engaged

  1. Eliminate distractions by sitting in front of class, put phone away, and only use a laptop if needed.
  2. Ask and answer questions.
  3. Make eye contact, nod during lectures, write down notes to ask professor during office hours. Even if you struggle to participate, you can still send a message that you are engaged in the class with body language.
  4. Stay awake by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, sipping on a water bottle.
  5. Take notes!
  • Productivity Apps: Pomodairo, Tomight, StayFocused, Anti-Social, and many more options in the link.

Tools

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Tips:

Tools