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Intro to Academic Success for CSC 104H 21 Sep 2011. Kathy Chung, Learning Skills Counsellor Academic Success Centre (ASC) URL: http://www.asc.utoronto.ca Koffler Student Services Centre Mail: mail.asc@utoronto.ca 214 College Street, Ground Fl. Tel: (416) 978-7970.
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Intro to Academic Success for CSC 104H21 Sep 2011 Kathy Chung, Learning Skills Counsellor Academic Success Centre (ASC) URL: http://www.asc.utoronto.ca Koffler Student Services Centre Mail: mail.asc@utoronto.ca 214 College Street, Ground Fl. Tel: (416) 978-7970
The ASC can help you: • Manage your time • Read course materials strategically • Develop memorization strategies • Deal with procrastination • Prepare for tests and exams • Improve your concentration • Take good lecture notes • Understand perfectionism • Manage stress • Improve your writing • Overcome writer’s block • Understand assignments • Improve communications skills • Getting and staying motivated • Organize a large project • Prepare for comprehensive exams • Work successfully with your supervisor • Balance competing demands • Cope with internet distractions
Types of services: • One-on-one consultations by appointment or by drop-in. Consultations are confidential. • Appointments are made: • In person at the Student Life front desk • By phone or email: please supply a telephone contact so we can confirm an appointment with you • Academic skills lectures and workshops throughout the year
Sample of Fall 2011 Lectures & Workshopssee: http://www.asc.utoronto.ca Lectures Sep 22 Time Management Sep 29 Reading & Note Taking Oct 4 Memory & Concentration Oct 11 Time Management Oct 25 Exam Preparation Workshops Sep 21 Basic Grammar & Punctuation Sep 22 Writer’s Warm-up for Grads Sep 26 Time Management Oct 3 Reading 201 Oct 12 Know Your Learning Style Oct 20 Writer’s Work-Out for Grads Oct 16 Exam Anxiety Oct 24 Motivation for Undergrads Oct 19 Coping with Internet Distractions Oct 27 Stop Procrastinating Oct 28 Reading for Graduate Students Nov 16 Stress Management
Ways to Avoid Plagiarism • Understand clearly what is and is not plagiarism. • Review Professor Capes’s instructions regarding collaborative work for CSC 104 (p.3 of the course information sheet). If you are unsure, consult with your T.A. or Prof. Capes • Understand proper referencing and citation practises • Practise good time management
What is Plagiarism? From the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters: It shall be an offence for a student knowingly: (d) to represent as one's own any idea or expression of an idea or work of another in any academic examination or term test or in connection with any other form of academic work, i.e. to commit plagiarism. Wherever in the Code an offence is described as depending on "knowing", the offence shall likewise be deemed to have been committed if the person ought reasonably to have known. There are also specific rules in CSC140 for collaborative work. See page 3 of your Course Information Sheet.
Proper Reference and Citation Practises • See the Writing at the University of Toronto website for Tips Sheets on • “How Not to Plagiarize” • “Standard Documentation Formats” • “Using Quotations” • “Paraphrase and Summary” http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/using-sources
Basic Time Management Principals • You can’t manage time. You can only manage your decisions and actions. • Plan ahead • Know yourself • Write everything down • Prioritize & Optimize • Work with a realistic schedule
Different Pictures • Big Picture: Monthly view. Plan ahead & know who you are. • Medium Picture: Planning your weeks • Small Picture: Planning your day • The Nitty-gritty: Prioritizing, breaking things down, finding time
Tools • Large calendar (monthly) • Agenda (weekly) • To-do lists for prioritizing • Timer or alarm clock
Big Picture – Plan Ahead • Write everything down • Assignments, reports • Projects • Test, exams • Other deadlines • What’s it worth? • Plan early • Think about when to start projects
Big Picture – Know yourself • Try a time log • Record everything you do • Ask yourself • When am I most/least productive? • What routines do I have? (Exercise, eating etc.) • Use the answers for your planning • Know your procrastination tactics & have strategies for dealing with them • Know your learning style, what works best for you
Medium Picture – Plan your weeks • Think about your time log • Make a schedule • Start with fixed items (classes, meals, clubs, volunteering, etc.) • Fill in times to study • Use best times • Mind-intensive vs time-intensive • For each course, estimate time req’d for weekly tasks and find regular times for them in your schedule (routines help) • Work backwards from a due date
Schedules & Study Plans • Take time to establish. You are trying to change your habit • Can help create a routine and maintain momentum • Can help you plan and make decisions • Can help you reduce stress • Can you avoid the temptation to plagiarize
Schedules – Be flexible and realistic! • Leave room for a balanced life (e.g. exercise, friends & family, relaxation time, volunteer work, activities which make you happy or give you energy, etc.) • If you are not realistic, you will not fulfill your schedule and may become discouraged and unmotivated • Sticking to schedule is secondary . . . the point is to have a schedule/plan. • At the same time, learn to say “No.”
Scenario • It’s 7 p.m. You have a quiz tomorrow at 3 p.m. You have a major project with your study group that you have to work on. You have three tough problem sets to work on. You have five pages of readings for another class tomorrow. What do you do?
Prioritize!Small Picture: Plan your day • What are you going to do? • Prioritize • What’s it worth? • When’s it due? • How long will it take? • Is it important or is it urgent? • Context: what else is going on? • A To Do list is a brain storming tool • Prioritise items in your To Do list.
The Nitty-Gritty • Break things down • Tasks • Time • Prioritize! • To-do lists • You can’t do everything, pick the 3 (or 4) most important items and start of those first. • Be realistic and flexible • Focus on moving forward!! • Don’t stay stuck on one problem for two hours
Tips for Commuters • Find a good, quiet place on campus where you can get things done • Study on transit – review • Avoid rush hour • Bring food to campus!
Summary • Plan ahead • Know who you are • Plan your week • Plan your day • Prioritize & Optimize • Break tasks down into smaller doable units • Find small pockets of time and use them • Don’t get stuck • Be realistic and disciplined, but flexible. • Balance your needs. You are not a student 24/7!
How to get more help… • Kathy Chung Learning Skills Counsellor kky.chung@utoronto.ca • Academic Success Centre • By appointment or drop-in • 416-978-7970 • mail.asc@utoronto.ca • www.asc.utoronto.ca