Try College 101 (2019.A.01)

Read the first two sections of Chapter 1 entitled "Where Are You Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?" which are self-assessment tools. Be honest with yourself when considering these questions - nobody but you will see the answers. Understanding exactly where you are right now is the key to building goals that will work for you.

Read the sections entitled "How to Get There" and "Welcome to College" in Chapter 1. This reading provides an overview of the importance of setting goals that are related to your own personal values and gives a general introduction to the topics that the entire course will cover. Do yourself a favor and read this section in full, even though you might be tempted to skip or skim it. This section will give you a healthy and important context to why the course is important.

Read "Section 1.1: Who Are You, Really?". First, you will complete two activities that will help you identify your personal attitude towards college and your personal life values. Then, you will read about how to begin to match up your education with the values you have identified in order to create a plan for your college experience. Make sure to complete the Checkpoint Exercises at the end of the reading.

As you read through Chapter 2, you will first learn about how to design goals that fit your values and then learn about some tools and resources that will help you prioritize and achieve the goals you have set. Make sure to complete Activity 1, entitled "Personal Goals," as well as the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this PowerPoint presentation. With each slide, consider the information you have just read in the textbook to reflect on your own goals. Be sure to take notes as you progress through the presentation; in the assignment that follows, you will be asked to write down your goals in concrete terms based on this reflection. Work through the exercises to help you determine and articulate your own goals. Take some time to complete the worksheet and to review your responses.

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-framed. In this assessment, you will look over the goals you set for yourself in this unit and evaluate them according to the SMART parameters.

Read the introductory text under the "Learning Objectives" box. The bullet points will give you several good reasons for selecting a special study space. Consider what type of atmosphere you feel most productive in, e.g., a mostly quiet space, such as a library; a space with some background noise, such as a coffee shop; or a space with total privacy, such as your own room. Then, make a list of all the possible study spaces in your own environment that meet your desired criteria. Don't forget to include information about each space; for example, opening and closing hours. Keep this list in your notes so you have several suitable places in mind when you are looking for a study area. Spend approximately 15 minutes re-reading this section and responding to the notebook prompt.

Read the text under the heading "Use Space to Your Advantage and to Avoid Distractions."

Read the text under the heading titled "The Distractions of Technology." Be sure to answer the questions posted within the text and reflect on your responses in your notes.

Then, write a summary of multitasking in your academic journal.

Consider how multitasking can actually compromise your time. In your notebook, jot down any recent examples in your own life in which multitasking caused problems. Think of all the free time you could save by staying on task!

Consider how multitasking can shorten your attention span. Following your review, answer the following questions in your notebook: Can you think of any other disadvantages to multitasking while studying? What are some ways you can minimize distractions while studying?

Read the heading titled "Family and Roommate Issues." Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading to test your knowledge. Then, write a few sentences in your notebook about how you might prepare for unexpected interruptions.

Along with eliminating technology distractions, try to avoid multitasking in the form of participating in unrelated activities with family or roommates, while you should be spending your time studying.

You may have to rely on others to work with you in developing a manageable schedule for studying in order to minimize distractions.

Remember to stay committed to the time you allotted for studying, which may mean saying no to other activities.

Identify two appropriate study spaces in your home, school, or community that meet the criteria set out by the readings. Open the activity instructions and work through the four questions, using information from the readings and your newly chosen study spaces to draft your answers.

Read the introductory text and the text under the heading titled "Time and Your Personality." Be sure to complete Activity 2, "Where Does the Time Go?," to estimate how you spend the hours in your day. In the next subunit, you will gather data about how you actualy spend your personal time using the Daily Time Log in Figure 2.4 of this reading.

Compare your estimates from Activity 2, "Where Does the Time Go?," with the actual data you have collected in your Daily Time Log. This comparison will help you develop a better understanding of how you can adjust how your time is spent. In your notebook, jot down a few sentences recording your reactions to your data and brainstorming how you might adjust your time usage.

You can use this web media resource to review Activity 2, "Where Does the Time Go?" in the reading assigned beneath Subunit 3.1 above. The point of this activity - whether you complete it in the reading or with this web resource - is for you to estimate where you think you spend your time. After you have completed this activity, spend time during one day using the Daily Time Log in Figure 2.4 of the reading to collect data about how you actually spend your time. The time you spend to faithfully record your activities in the Daily Time Log will pay off in the long run as you come to understand your own time personality better. Keep the data you collect. You may be surprised to learn that your time estimates may not have been very accurate!

Read the text from "Time Management" through "Time Management Strategies for Success." Make sure to complete Activity 3, "Where Should Your Time Go?" Use these to further assist you with determining what your typical week should look like, in order to ensure that you have scheduled enough time to stay on track.

Using the data you collected about your own time use and needs, use this interactive log to create a reasonable weekly schedule that includes enough time for the activities that are most important for you to prioritize in order to reach your college goals.

Read through this PowerPoint presentation. Each slide reviews and expands upon information covered in material you have read so far.

This is an extremely valuable exercise. Read the introduction and answer the questions based on your own self-evaluation; then, click on the "Calculate my Total" button. Be sure to read not only the personalized score interpretation but also the evaluations below that are based on various time management skills. No matter how much attention you give to these skills over your lifetime, you will always benefit from reviewing these strategies.

As you read through the section below the "Battling Procrastination" heading, you will become more familiar with the causes and symptoms of procrastination and learn ways to beat it. In your notebook, list some examples of personal challenges with procrastination that you have encountered in your academic life so far; then, brainstorm a few ways you can combat these challenges in the future.

Reflect on your own academic experience: Are there any instances you can remember when you were procrastinating but didn't know it?

What are some of the reasons why people procrastinate? Make a list outlining some of the reasons you may procrastinate in completing your college coursework.

Write a few sentences in your notebook about which strategies for beating procrastination may be the most helpful to you personally, and why.

Read the section below the "Calendar Planners and To-Do Lists" heading. You will see an example of a weekly planner in Figures 2.5 and 2.6 and will read about how to use this tool effectively. You will also read about how to use a to-do list most efficiently. While these topics may seem obvious, the text offers several useful tips you may not have considered previously.

Read the section entitled "Time Management Tips for Students Who Work" to learn how to balance attending school and working a job.

Read the section below the "Time Management Tips for Students with Family" heading to learn how to balance family obligations with your undergraduate workload.

Read the section under the "Time Management Tips for Student Athletes" heading.

If you have not yet done so, now is time to pull out your academic planner or calendar and put it to work. Based on what you have learned in this unit, review the syllabus for this course and any other course/s you are taking. Record class times, appointments, study sessions, project milestones, goal action items, deadlines, test dates, and other important dates or activities. Once you have completed this activity, do not forget to update and review your planner or calendar as you meet your goals and set new ones.

How well do you manage your time? Complete this interactive time management quiz. Be sure to record and assess your score using the scoring guide provided for you. Then, study the key components of time management that are outlined below the quiz and consider how these components are reflected in your own time management habits.

Using the interactive scheduling feature, develop a reasonable weekly timetable that will allow you to successfully balance schoolwork with healthy physical and social activities, as well as any work and family commitments you may have.

Now that you know how you spend the hours in a week, use this interactive site to help you build a calendar of when to get everything done.

Complete the first two self-assessments of Chapter 5, titled "Where Are You Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?" You already know how to read, but there are different skills that can enhance your ability to learn through reading. These self-assessment tools, and the brief section that follows, titled "Reading To Learn," will help you measure where you are now and identify ways in which you can improve your own reading skills.

Read the chapter introduction and Section 5.1. This section will help you understand the ways in which reading is going to be different in college. In order to accomplish the maximum amount of learning while reading, you must take a different approach to a text than you did in high school or when you have read for pleasure in the past.

Read Section 5.2. This section presents the four steps of active reading, an approach to reading a text that will allow you to absorb more information from a text in a shorter amount of time. This is a valuable skill you should work to acquire because you will be responsible for a great deal of reading as a college student! Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Complete this activity, in which you will practice active reading and the Cornell Method on a text of your choice. Be sure to answer reflective question at the end of this activity.

Watch the video under the heading titled "Learn." Take notes as you watch, and then review your notes as well as the graphics under the webpage's heading titled "Visualize." Finally, complete the exercise under the heading titled "Apply" and email the answers to yourself.

Complete this activity, in which you will continue working on the reading selection you chose in the first part of this activity. As you read, you will follow up on the previous activity, answering the questions you wrote down. You will also write a brief reflection on your reading experience.

Read this section. Reading in college is unique because, in addition to having a different overall goal for reading, you will also be reading different types of texts. This section discusses the main types of texts you will encounter in college and give you some special strategies for getting the most out of each.

Read this section. Learning new vocabulary is not all about flashcards and memorization. When you read effectively, you absorb the meanings of many words quickly. However, one of the main objectives of many college-level texts, especially in introductory courses, is to provide you with new vocabulary that is specific to the subject matter you are studying. Therefore, you should have a strategy for how to learn and incorporate new words into your writing and verbal communication. Additionally, if one of your reasons for achieving a college education is to advance your career or socioeconomic status, you will want to pay particular attention to eliminating what this text refers to as "lazy speech," which many people consider to be an indicator of lack of education. Make sure to complete the activities and checkpoint exercises within the text.

For an even more accurate measurement of any "lazy speech" you may use, consider recording a conversation with a friend (with their permission, of course) and listening to yourself, noting any verbal expressions you may want to eliminate.

In your notebook, make a list of the specific types of new words you may be interested in acquiring through your undergraduate reading.

In the Chapter 3 introduction, complete the self-assessment exercises titled "Where Are You Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?" Then, read the section "How to Get There" and the introductory text under "It's All in Your Head." Next, read Section 3.1, titled "Types of Thinking" in its entirety. Pay special attention to the chart featured in Figure 3.2, which introduces Bloom's Taxonomy, and evaluate yourself based on this information using the Thought Inventory Exercise provided later in the text. After you have completed the reading for Section 1, complete the checkpoint exercises.

Listen to this eight-minute podcast. This lecture provides you with reasons why developing critical thinking skills is essential to navigating the challenges of both college and the real world. Be sure to take notes on the ways in which the concepts presented in this podcast affect you in your own life.

Read this section. This reading will explain the building blocks of effective critical thinking. You should be thinking about ways to use critical thinking not just in your overall life, but also in your academic work. After you have read the entire section, be sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this section. Pay special attention to the descriptions of what creative thinking isn't - the myths - and what creative thinking is. After finishing the reading, complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the section.

Read this section. This short reading will give you valuable steps for understanding and solving a problem. As you read, consider how you can implement these steps not only in your overall life but also as you work through academic problems, such as a mathematical equation or a writing assignment. After reading the entire section, be sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the section.

Answer each of the questions on the questionnaire to determine your learning preference. Many people score highly in more than one category, but one category usually is at least mildly stronger than the other three.

Click on the helpsheet for each of your learning styles ("Visual" through "Multimodal," available via links at the bottom of the webpage) to read about strategies that are specific to your strengths.

Read and answer the questions in this activity based on what you have learned from your textbook readings and the VARK website.

Read the Chapter 4 introductory text, as well as Section 4.1, to identify the roles of listening and note-taking in the learning cycle. Then, write a brief paragraph in your notebook summarizing how practicing these skills in high school differs from practicing these skills in college.

Read this section. Consider writing your answers to the three main questions at the beginning of the reading in your notebook. Being prepared to learn could be the most important factor in determining what you get out of going to class. This reading is very short but presents key steps to follow before you enter the classroom. If you are an online student (for example, in studies at Saylor.org), consider how these steps will still apply to you in your online learning environment.

In Section 4.3, read from the beginning of the section through the box titled "Principles of Active Listening." Pay close attention to the description of this skill; it is not the same concept as just plain listening! Even if you are an online student, these skills will be of great benefit to you. Good active listening skills are critical for viewing online lectures, videos, and other course media. As an active learner, you are not a passive consumer of knowledge, but rather an alert participant.

Pick up the Section 4.3 reading where you left off in Subunit 6.3 (from "Listening to Your Whole Body" onward) to learn additional strategies for staying active while you listen. Even if you are an online student, these skills will pay off great rewards. When interacting with online course content, eliminate distractions, lean forward, focus on what is being said and make note of questions you may have as if you were in front of a live instructor. Even though you may not have ready access to a live instructor who can immediately answer questions, noting your questions will allow you to focus on the material. You may be able to answer most of these questions through conducting independent reading of related texts, reviewing the course materials (textbooks, assignments, and lectures) and performing independent online research. You may also wish to establish or join a study group or online discussion forum in order to share questions and answers with fellow learners. After reading the rest of Section 4.3, make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read Section 4.4 to learn about the reasons why you should take notes in class, some effective note-taking methods, and what to do with your notes once you have taken them. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

In your notebook, list the note-taking methods that might work the best for you based on your academic strengths and learning style.

This video will provide information that is correlated to the readings in this unit. Note that the video also covers reading skills, a topic that has been covered in earlier assignments in this course. You can use this video to review strategies for reading college-level texts effectively.

The first section of this webpage describes the Cornell Method of note-taking. Note that the chart listing the various elements of the system provides a specific example of a topic that has been organized using the Cornell Method. The second section contains additional information on the note-taking method of Concept Mapping. Concept Mapping is particularly useful to help you organize information not only when taking class notes, but also during study sessions.

Complete this chapter's self-assessments, titled "Where Are You Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?". Then, read the introduction to Chapter 8, titled "The Importance of Writing." Pause to consider your own writing skills and how often you use them. Jot down any reflections on your past writing in your notebook.

Read the first part of Section 8.1, focusing on the introduction and the section titled "Difference between High School and College Writing." Note that college writing assignments will likely ask you to use one or all of the higher-level thinking skills you learned about in Unit 5. As you read, make a list of the main differences between high school and college writing in your academic journal, and note the differences you may already have encountered in your own education thus far.

Read this webpage, beginning with the section titled "Understanding Writing Assignments" (click on the title to access the full webpage covering this topic). Then, click on the nine different types of writing assignments listed on the webpage. Read each section for an introduction to various types of writing assignments. In particular, note the different approaches suggested for each type of assignment. In some cases, an instructor will not be clear about which type of writing he or she wants; in this case, you can ask the instructor for clarification and use your critical thinking and problem solving skills to determine the best approach. In fact, it may be very helpful to you to bookmark this webpage for use throughout your college experience.

Read the second part of Section 8.1, comprising the text under the heading titled "What Kinds of Papers Are Commonly Assigned in College Classes?" In conjunction with the nine types of writing presented on the Purdue website, this reading will give you some very useful tools for evaluating specific writing assignments. Use these tools once you have received a writing assignment from an instructor. After you finish the reading, make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the section.

Complete this activity in which you will practice the skills you have learned in Subunit 7.2 by evaluating three different writing prompts.

Read the Section 8.2 introduction and the text under the "What Do Instructors Really Want?" heading. Do not rush through this reading; college instructors often will not take time to explain to you exactly what they want, especially for a writing assignment. They may assume you already know this information, so it benefits you to have a solid understanding of these expectations.

Access a sample student essay on the novel Robinson Crusoe. You do not need to know anything about the novel to complete this reading. Scroll down to the heading that reads, "Robinson Crusoe," and read the writing prompt for the two essays; then read the two essays and begin to think about how each essay responds to the writing prompt. You will evaluate the introductory paragraph of the first essay in the assignment that follows this reading.

Follow these instructions to evaluate an introductory paragraph written by a college student. After you have evaluated the paragraph, you will rewrite it to improve it. Once you complete this assignment, check your answers against the guide to responding.

In Section 8.2, read the text under the headings titled "The Writing Process," "How Can I Make the Process Work for Me?," "What's the Difference between Revising and Editing?," and "What If I Need Help with Writing?" Be sure not to rush through this material and to carefully take notes on the information provided in this reading. Remember that writing is the most commonly required skill for a college student - you need to know how to do it well!

Explore the different resources available via the links on the webpage above. Note in particular the sections that can help you refine your own writing process ("The Writing Process"); answer your questions about basic writing skills ("Mechanics, Grammar, and Punctuation"); and the extremely helpful citation guides on the left-hand navigation under the heading titled "Suggested Resources" (particularly the MLA Guide and the APA Guide). Note that you may click on each heading on the webpage to access a particular section for more detailed information.

You have already visited Purdue University's Online Writing Lab and explored some of the resources there. There are many other good online resources to assist you in your writing. Several more options are listed in the article above. The most important thing for you to do at this time is to become very familiar with what is available among these resources. By evaluating these resources now, you can access and navigate them more quickly when you need to refer to them for specific college assignments. Be sure to bookmark these resources so that you can quickly find particular guides when you need them in the future.

In Section 8.2 of the textbook, read the text below the headings titled "Plagiarism - and How To Avoid It" and "Forms of Citation." Be sure that you understand the underlying reasons why it is important to cite where you have found information. Many students learn how to cite without understanding that citation is an important research tool and a critical component of academic integrity - not a meaningless rule. After you have completed this reading, work through the checkpoint exercises at the end of the section.

Just like words, ideas also belong to the original writer. In college, you will be encouraged to read and use other people's words and ideas, but you will need to know the correct and incorrect ways to do so! Many students struggle with knowing what is common knowledge and what needs a citation. If you are ever in doubt about whether to cite something or not, err on the side of caution and cite it. You will never get in trouble for telling someone where you found your information - but you might get in trouble if you do not. You have already explored several great online resources and citation manuals. For your convenience, links to two important citation styles, MLA and APA, have been provided again below for your review. Click on one or both of the links below to further explore these resources. Specifically pay attention to the menu of clickable links that run down the left-hand side of the page. These links include both style guides as well as examples of specific citations and documents that you can use as models. Do this right now, while you are thinking about citations. Don't wait until you need this information at the end of a research assignment! Because different instructors may ask for different types of citation formats, it might be a good idea to bookmark both of these webpages for later use.

MLA Formatting and Style Guide

APA Formatting and Style Guide

The website above contains three videos (including a quiz). Start by clicking on the words "1. What is Plagiarism?" to watch the first video and learn about what plagiarism is and some possible consequences that committing plagiarism could bring to your academic career. Continue to the second video by clicking on the words "Click Here for Part 2" on your screen. This section will explain how to cite your research in the correct way in order to avoid plagiarism. Continue to the third video by clicking on the words "Click Here for Part 3." When you come to the quiz show section, select your answers and then read the responses. After you have finished watching these videos, take the time to locate and familiarize yourself with your own college or university's academic honesty policy by searching the school's website or asking an advisor.

Read this article to learn about the complex issue of crediting your sources in order to avoid plagiarism. Following your reading, answer the following questions in your notebook: How do you feel about the different examples described in the article? Have you ever been in a situation where you were not sure whether you should cite a source? Considering what you know now, how would you have handled that situation?

Many new college writers struggle with how to integrate the research they have collected from other sources into their own writing. Learning the mechanics of how to do this is one thing (which you learned earlier in this unit) but what about style? Read the "Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing" resource found via the first link below to understand your different choices. Then, click on the second link below, which provides you with an essay and a sample summary, paraphrase, and quotation from the essay. Before reviewing the sample summary, paraphrase, and quotation, you may want practice writing your own summary, paraphrase, and quotation based on the essay, and then compare your work to the sample provided. Make sure you understand how these elements are different from each other and how to create your own summary, paraphrase, and quotation in the future.

Read this guide to quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing another author's work. You will use this resource to inform your own summary, paraphrase, and quotation in the reading below.

Read this sample essay. Then, in your notebook, write down your own summary, paraphrase, and quotation from the essay before reading the examples provided below the essay. How do your summary, paraphrase, and quotation compare with those on the webpage?

Read all the content under the tab titled "Begin Research." Click the button that says "Next" on the bottom right hand of each webpage in the section to read all 17 entries and answer any questions within these entries.

Read all the content under the tab titled "Knowledge Cycle." Click the button that says "Next" on the bottom right of each webpage in the section to read all 16 entries.

Read the content under the tab titled "Find Books." Click the button that says "Next" on the bottom right of each webpage in the section to read all 15 entries.

Read the content under the tab titled "Find Articles." Click on the button that says "Next" at the bottom right of each webpage in the section to read all 10 entries.

Read the content under the Basic Search and Advanced Search tabs. Click the button that says "Next" on the bottom right each webpage to read all 20 entries in the first tab and all 16 entries in the second tab.

Use this document to complete the following activity.

After you have reviewed Jim Kapoun's guide to evaluating webpage resources, especially the "5 Ws", evaluate one of the websites linked at the bottom of this activity. Write your evaluation in your notebook.

Writing is a critical life skill, and your mastery of writing will have a tremendous impact on your academic and professional career. Like many skills, the best way to improve your writing is to practice. This assignment will help you apply many of the writing guidelines and techniques that you have explored in this unit.

You will find more information about this assignment at the link, including an essay review checklist to help you check your work after you have finished writing.

Watch this video and take notes.

In Section 4.5, read the text underneath the headings entitled "The Role of Memorizing in Learning" and "How Memory Works." Attempt the "Just for Fun" and "Exercise Your Memory" activities.

In Section 4.5, read the section titled "Using Mnemonics." Then, attempt the Creative Memory Challenge, and make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the section.

Focus on the section with the subheading titled "Acronyms" to review how you can use acronyms to help recall information. In thinking about acronyms, consider the many organizations that use acronyms to simplify a longer title, such as United States government organizations like NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) or world-wide organizations like the UN (The United Nations). Jot down a list of common acronyms in your academic journal.

Focus on the paragraph starting with "Acrostics" to review how you can use this device to help recall information. Pay particular attention to the examples provided for memorizing musical notes or the order of the solar system's planets. Consider any other acrostics that you may already be familiar with, and write these down in your notebook as examples.

Focus on the paragraph starting with "Rhymes" to review how you can use rhyming as a device to help recall information. Consider the examples provided about familiar ways in which rhymes are used to memorize factual information. Can you think of any times in your own academic career when you have used rhyme to aid your memory? Write these down in your notebook as examples.

Focus on the paragraph starting with "Jingles" to learn how the use of catchy music may help you recall information. Can you think of any advertisements that used a jingle to help make a product more memorable? Consider how you can use this device as you study. Write down any jingles that you remember in your notebook as examples.

Watch this video to learn three steps in the learning process: exposure, review, and practice. Especially note the active reviewing techniques covered at the end of the video.

Test your memory skills with this website. You will need to create a free, private account to access the resource. This is a great website (and free unless you want to keep exploring it past the free options) to improve your memory skills. Click on the large orange button titled "Start Training." Next, choose which areas you want to work on. Once you have completed this training, complete the registration process. The progress beaker in the upper right corner will fill up to 100% when you are done. Next, you will be given three beginning tests. Take the tests, and record or print your results to use in the activity assigned below.

Complete this activity based on your previous training on the Lumosity website and your textbook readings. Answer the activity questions to review your coursework in this unit.

In Chapter 6 of the textbook, begin by filling out the self-assessments titled "Where You Are Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?" Then read "How to Get There" and the introduction titled "Tested at Every Turn" to gain some new perspectives on the purpose and value of testing. Pay particular attention to how testing fits into the learning cycle you have studied in earlier units of this course.

In this section, you will learn about the symptoms of test anxiety and many techniques for reducing and managing these symptoms when you experience them. You may be surprised to learn that you have symptoms of test anxiety - but note that these symptoms are extremely common among college students. The remainder of this subunit will present you with ways to keep your anxiety from affecting your performance. Make sure to complete all the activities in the reading, including the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

In this section, you will learn about different studying techniques to employ at different stages of the testing cycle. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

In your notebook, describe a successful study group that you have participated in in the past. If you haven't participated in such a group, write down what an imaginary successful group would look like based on one of the subjects you are studying. Then, describe a less-than-successful study session. What are three things you can do to make your next study group more successful?

Read the section titled "Types of Tests" to learn about the different types of tests and techniques for doing your best work on each.

Read the sections entitled "Tips for Taking Tests" and "Strategies for Math and Science Exams."

In this section, you will learn about the different types of test questions and strategies for effectively answering each of these types of questions. After completing the reading, take about a half hour or less to attempt the checkpoint exercises at the end of the section.

Read this section to review what constitutes academic honesty versus academic dishonesty. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this section. Make sure to attempt the checkpoint exercises after you complete the reading.

Access this exam and practice responding to the different types of exam questions. Spend only 15-20 minutes answering each exam question. You may take a break between each exam question, but it may be a good idea for you to attempt all five questions in one sitting in order to simulate the time allotted for each short answer and essay response in a typical college test. You can check your answers here.

Access this exam to practice three matching and fill-in-the-blank exam questions. Spend only 5 minutes answering each exam question. You may take a break between answering each exam question, but it may be a good idea for you to answer all three in one sitting in order to simulate the typical time allotted for each question in the matching section of a college test. You can check your answers here.

Access this quiz to practice answering five multiple choice and true/false exam questions. Spend only 5 minutes answering each exam question. You may take a break between each question, but it may be a good idea for you to answer all five questions in one sitting in order to simulate the amount of time allotted for each question in the multiple choice or true/false section of a typical college test. You can check your answers here.

Complete the two self-assessments in Chapter 7, titled "Where Are You Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?" These tools, and the brief sections that follow in this chapter, titled "Interacting with the College Experience" and "Differences from High School," will help you measure where you are now and identify ways that you can engage in the learning process through interactions with your instructors and other students.

Read the text underneath the headings titled "Why Attend Class at All?," "If You Must Miss a Class," "The Value of Interaction in Class," and "Are Podcasts and Recordings an Effective Alternative To Attending Class?" Be sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of this section.

Read the introductory text and the text underneath the headings titled "Guidelines for Participating in Classes," "Lecture Hall Classes," and "Teaching Style versus Learning Style." Be sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this section. Be sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this section. Be sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Complete all the chapter activities in this section, including "Chapter Review," "Outside the Book," and "Make an Action List."

Read this article about why and how to choose a mentor to enrich your learning experience while in college. Building relationships with one or more mentors can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your time in college. After reading about mentorship, you will be asked to carry out and reflect on the process of finding and interviewing your own mentor.

Read this section. College students comprise a more diverse group than you ever may have experienced before. You will have a much more interesting and fruitful time in college if you understand this change and know where you and your friends fit into the mix. For each category of student described in this section, consider whether you could fit into the category. It will be useful for you to be particularly aware that you and other students may fit into more than one category! Just as there are many diverse students that make up a college population, so too are there many ways to be a successful student in college. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

In Chapter 10, complete the "Where Are You Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?" self-assessments on the state of your current health. Then, read the "How Do I Get There" section to gain an understanding of the information you will explore in Chapter 10. Finally, read the introduction to get a good overview of this important unit.

Read this section. Make sure to complete the self-assessment and checkpoint exercises in this reading. Keep in mind that college life can present unique challenges to your eating habits, but by employing the strategies in this reading, you can successfully control you nutrition and weight.

Read this section and complete the self-assessment and checkpoint exercises in the text. If you are primarily an online student, this section may have particular importance for you! As an online student, you may be more sedentary. When you do not have to walk to and from classes across a large campus, you may have to seek alternative ways to add activity to your day.

Read this section to learn the basics of good sleep. Take care in reading the first section, titled "The Importance of a Good Night's Sleep," to identify the reasons why you should pay attention to your sleeping habits. Make sure to complete the self-assessment and the checkpoint exercises in this reading.

Read this section. Make sure to complete the self-assessment, the case study, and the checkpoint exercises. Please note that, as an online student, your reactions to this section will not be seen, heard, or read by instructors, administrators, or other students. This information is between you and yourself only, so make sure that your answers are honest and comprehensive. You can make decisions later about what actions you may or may not take; first, just read to inform yourself, without judgment.

Watch this video to learn what stress is and effective stress management techniques. It may help to take notes as you watch this video.

Read the introductory text to this section, complete the self-assessment, and read the text below the heading titled "What Causes Stress."

In your notebook, reflect on any major life stressors you have experienced over the years, and the ways in which you handled them. Knowing your past personal coping mechanisms will provide you with insight on how you can improve your strategies in the future.

In your notebook, also consider what stressors you may face in your daily life and how you may overcome these stressors to focus on your studies.

In this section, read the text below the heading titled "What's Wrong with Stress?" to gain an understanding of the negative effects that stress may cause.

Long-term effects of stress can develop into serious medical conditions over time; be sure to monitor your responses to stress so that you can manage your health before stress exacts long-term consequences.

 Can you identify any additional short-term effects of stress that you have experienced in your life?

In this section, read the text below the headings titled "Unhealthy Responses to Stress," "Coping with Stress," and "Tips for Success." Make sure to complete the self-assessment, journal, and checkpoint exercises.

Read through this presentation to review additional positive techniques to manage stress. It is vital that you reach out for help before you feel desperate or in a panic over your stress levels. A little help early on can help you learn how to manage stress before it becomes a major problem.

Read this section up until the "Relationships" heading, which will be covered in the next subunit. Make sure to complete the self-assessment in the text.

If any of these forms of anxiety sound familiar to you, it is likely that some professional counseling could greatly improve your emotional health.

Keep in mind that while you may not feel these emotions as strongly as they are described here, you may experience a version of these emotions at some point in your college career. Learning about these emotions and how to cope with them now will prove important and helpful to you in the future.

Pay attention to identifying these symptoms now, even though they may not apply to you or someone you know at this point.

If you or a friend is in a crisis and needs help at any time, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). All calls are confidential.

In this section, read the text beneath the "Relationships" heading. After finishing this reading, make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the text.

Read this section. Make sure to complete the self-assessment; know that this assessment is confidential and can be kept in your notebook for your own personal information. Complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Pay special attention to the careful definitions of various terms used in the text. Knowing how your values are related to these issues is an important part of building your own value system.

If you are sexually assaulted or know someone that has been, talk to someone. Call 911, a rape crisis center, your student health center, and/or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) for a confidential conversation.

Read this page. Think about how you can prevent sexual assault and violence. Make a list of important emergency phone numbers for your own campus and/or home. Be sure to program these phone numbers into your cell phone.

Complete this self-evaluation. At the end of the evaluation, print or save your "Stress Numbers," and then click on the "What Your Scores Mean" button. Read the explanations on this page, and then print or save this page as well. You will need this information to answer the questions for the next assignment.

Using your results from the "Oxygen Plan Stress Test," which you completed in the activity above, answer the questions in this activity.

Complete the first two sections of Chapter 9, titled "Where Are You Now?" and "Where Do You Want to Go?" which are self-assessment tools. These tools, and the brief section that follows, titled "Social Life, College Life," will help you measure where you are now and identify ways that you can engage in the learning process through interactions both inside and outside the classroom within the diverse society of the college world.

Read this section. Be sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this section. Attempt the "Challenge Your Thinking" and "Journal Entry" activities in the text.

Read this section. Attempt the "Explore Your Interests for College Clubs and Organizations" activity.

Complete all the chapter activities, including the "Chapter Review," "Outside the Book," and "Make an Action List" exercises.

Read the Chapter 12 introduction as well as sections 12.1 and 12.2 to help you consider your future goals, learn about what careers are best suited to your personality type, and explore other important factors that may affect your career decision. Make sure to complete Exercise 2, titled "What's My Type?" as well as the checkpoint exercises.

Read this section to learn about the significance of choosing your college major. This is a short but truly helpful reading that can take some of the mystery out of what area you choose to study. While important, the major you choose does not necessarily limit your career choices significantly. This reading will help you identify what information you need to select a major that is appropriate for you and tips on making your major selection process easier. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this section to explore the benefits of a four-year college education, understand the difference between work-based skills and transferrable skills, and learn how to gain skills and experience through jobs, internships, and volunteering. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

In your notebook, identify opportunities that are appropriate for you and how to create a written agreement with your employer that outlines the goals your internship or work experience.

Read this section. This short section covers some very important elements of an effective effort at career development. Remember what you learned at the beginning of this course about the importance of setting goals. Your career should be no exception! Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises at the end of the reading.

Read this section to get a good picture of the purpose of a résumé and cover letter and to learn how to write them. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises except for item 3. You will create your own résumé and cover letter in subunit 13.7. For now, keep in mind that it is a great idea to have a draft of a résumé and a cover letter that you can easily update as needed for job applications; but also remember that you should plan to make significant alterations to your drafts for each job application, in order to tailor both your résumé and your cover letter to a company's specific needs.

Consider what your own purposes for your résumé will be as you consider your personal skills and job interests. Brainstorm how you will organize the three résumé elements - the header, the objective, and the résumé body components - in your own résumé. Think about how you can state your best accomplishments using action verbs.

It is usually better to keep formatting of a résumé as simple as possible. In today's electronic age, many résumés are read by machines before they are read by human eyes - so fancy formatting could compromise your résumé or even eliminate you from consideration before a person ever reads your résumé!

Be sure to understand the purpose of the cover letter, as well as the important elements that should always be included in the letter. Keep in mind that a cover letter should be adapted to the specific job being applied for and geared toward the specific company being applied to. This knowledge will help you avoid producing a general cover letter that might go unnoticed.

Read the headings on the webpage titled "What Is the Purpose of the Cover Letter?" and "Learning about the Job." Some of this information will serve as a review of information you have already seen in your course readings so far.

Next, click on the light orange tab on the left side of the page, titled "What To Include," and read the information under the headings titled "How To Relate your Experience to the Job Advertisement," "Deciding which Qualifications To Include," and "Afraid of Not Meeting the Requirements?"

Finally, click on the light orange tab on the left side of the page titled "Formatting and Organization," and read the information under the headings titled "Formatting Your Cover Letter," "Organizing Your Cover Letter," "Addressing Your Cover Letter," "The Introduction," "The Argument," "The Closing," and "Before You Send the Cover Letter." Be sure to carefully review the cover letter example provided at the bottom of this webpage.

Note that, although these resources echo the information you have read in the College Success textbook, these points are organized differently and often go into much greater detail than the textbook. You may want to bookmark this webpage, as it may prove very useful to you in your long-term college experience.

Watch this video on job interviews for an overview of the interview process. Take notes on this process and how it may apply to job interviews in your personal career track.

Read this section to learn tips on how to conduct yourself during an interview. Make sure to complete the checkpoint exercises. Take your time in preparing for the interviews and mock interviews assigned, completing the interviews, and reflecting on the experience.

Open this interactive document and click on each of the sections to review the purpose of each element of a résumé. Be sure to click on and read all of the following sections: "Contact Information," "Objective," "Experience," "Education," and "Honors and Activities."

Use the Purdue Owl Sample Resumes to develop your own resume, based on the information you have learned in this unit. You may find that the other resume resources listed along the left side of the webpage are also helpful. Once you have developed a rough draft of your resume, it is very important that you ask several knowledgeable people to review it for you, such as a career counselor, a supervisor at your current job, or a person with experience in business.

Use the Purdue Owl Resources to create a cover letter for a job posting you are interested in. Work through all five light orange tabs on the left side of the page, entitled, "Cover Letter Headings," "Addressing Cover Letters," "Cover Letter Introductions," Cover Letter Body Paragraphs," and Cover Letter Closings."

As you read through each tab, create that section of your own letter, using information about the actual company and job you are interested in. Just like your resume, it is a good idea to have a knowledgeable person review your first few cover letters, until you have mastered this skill.