Topic outline

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  General

  • News forum
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  Handouts

  • Semester Plan (Winter 2020) File
  • Weekly Schedule File
  • Weekly To Do List File
  • Daily To Do List File
  • St. Thomas University Class Schedule File
  • Assignment Planner (How to Begin an Assignment) File
  • Cornell Note Taking Template File
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  Welcome to University!

  Whether you just graduated from high school (congratulations!) or took a few years off and decided to return (congratulations!), you will come to understand there are many differences between secondary and post-secondary education. A different standard in what is expected of you, a different style of teaching and a different style of learning. It can tough, that first semester... first year... navigating those unknowns. BUT. There are resources at your disposal to help you. In the meantime, here are some stimulating reads that will hopefully make you feel a bit better.

  • Welcome to University! File
  • How to be a Good Student... File
  • The Importance of Your Syllabus File
  • Campus Resources File
  • Study Spaces on Campus File
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  Time Management

  Most university students struggle with time management to some extent, particularly first year students who are transitioning from a stricter high school schedule, to the more unstructured and unsupervised schedule associated with university. It is important to develop strong time management skills early, because once you gain greater control of your time, you are better organized to succeed academically and personally.

  • Time Management (What is it) File
  • Making a Study Schedule File
  • Task Analysis File
  • Tips on Time File
  • Avoiding Procrastination File
  • 10 Ways to Beat Procrastination File
  • Pomodoro Technique File
  • Pomodoro Cheat Sheet File
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  Setting Goals

  The path to success begins with setting goals and finding a way (the specific steps you will take/perform) to reach these goals. By setting specific goals, you are more likely to succeed than by simply trying your best.

  • Working SMART File
  • SMART Handout File
  • Grade Tracker File
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  Note Taking

  The information your professor delivers in class will be the information they use to generate questions for tests and exams. Taking good notes is the first step to being prepared for these assessments and getting the grade you want.

  • Why You Should Take Notes File
  • Pre-Lecture Warm Up File
  • Peak Lecture Performance File
  • Post-Lecture Cooldown File
  • The Cornell Note Taking System File
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  Reading Strategically

  You will do a lot of reading in university... textbook chapters, novels, articles, etc. Behind lecture material, assigned readings are the second source from which your instructors will draw test questions. How you read in university is different than reading let's say... Harry Potter. You want to read actively not passively. Active reading means you are engaged and thinking about the material as you read it. Take a look at the information below to discover how you can improve your reading to become a more effective reader. 

  • Reading in University (Introduction) File
  • Before You Read File
  • As You Read File
  • When You've Finished Reading File
  • SPQR (cubed) Reading Method File
  • Questions to Keep in Mind as You Read File
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  Studying and Memory

  When you study... you make memories. When you make memories... you learn. It is a process that takes place over time (no last minute cramming now!) Your goal is to learn the material deeply (long-term memory) and create well used pathways in your brain for you to easily access that information during a test or exam. 

  • Your Brain File
  • Memory Techniques File
  • Mnemonic Devices File
  • Q-Cards File
  • Study Buddies File
  • Improving Concentration File
  • Recognition and Recall File
  • Review, Review, Review File
  • Designing a Study Strategy File
  • How to Study Presentation File
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  Test Taking Strategies

  You will be required to write tests throughout your degree. And midterms and final exams. [Insert false cheer here.] This section addresses various strategies that will improve your performance on these tests, from what to do when you begin, to multiple choice, to writing essay questions, and what you should do when you finish.

  • Putting Tests in Perspective File
  • What to do Right Before a Test File
  • Keep in Mind as You Write File
  • When You Finish Writing File
  • Multiple Choice File
  • True/False File
  • Essay Questions File
  • Words to Watch For File
  • What is Anxiety? File
  • Managing Anxiety During Tests File
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  Higher Level Thinking

  We are subject to a lot of information. Commercials where companies want us to buy their products. Books whose authors want us to agree with them. Politicians whose views they want us to accept. University teaches us to think at a higher level. At the very foundation of this thinking, we ask questions such as why? What? How? What if? We dissect the information we are fed so we might form our own, well-thought opinions. Higher Level Thinking teaches us to see flaws, bias, and prejudice. Below is some information on the types of higher level thinking, how to do it, and some common mistakes to avoid.

  • What is Higher Level Thinking? File
  • Analysis (Analytical Thinking) File
  • Application (Applied Thinking) File
  • Balanced Thinking File
  • Creative Thinking File
  • Critical Thinking (Evaluation) File
  • Multidimensional Thinking File
  • Synthesis (Integrative Thinking) File
  • Common Mistakes in Higher Level Thinking File
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  Oral Communication

  Writing is the primary avenue you will use to communicate your ideas. Speaking, is the secondary avenue. Whether raising your hand in class to ask a question or contribute to the lecture, class discussions, and those dreaded presentations... being able to deliver your thoughts, ideas, and opinions in a clear, confident, and concise manner is important to your success as a student.

  • Making and Delivering a Good Presentation File
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  Apps