A C A D E M I C S K I L L S C E N T R E ( A S C )A C A D E M I C S K I L L S C E N T R E ( A S C )

P e t e r b o r o u g h • O s h a w a

Survive and ThriveA Guide to Your First Term at University

Phone (705) 748-1720 Fax (705) 748-1830

e-mail: acdskills@trentu.cawww.trentu.ca/academicskills

For information on this or any of our services, contact the Academic Skills Centre, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8

Contents

Welcome to University 1

What to do before you arrive 7

What to do during the first week 8

What to do during the first month 12

What to do during the first term 30

Thanks to Dana Capell, Mary Ann Armstrong, Erin Stewart Eves, Paul Gamache and Ruth Brandon for their suggestions.

Welcome to UniversitySo, you have finally made it. Congratulations! Feeling excited? Nervous?

Wondering what’s ahead, and how you will do? University life can

be exhilarating, nerve-wracking, confusing, illuminating, and, yes,

sometimes boring. But no matter what happens, you will be forever

changed by the experience.

You want to do well, right? Naturally. It is also natural to keep on

doing what has worked for you in the past; after all, you have reached

university because you learned the skills and habits that brought

success in high school. But the game has changed, and there is a new

set of rules. University is a different sort of school, with its own way

of working and its own set of expectations. You must learn the ways

of university and learn how to meet these expectations if you are to

survive—and thrive—here.

This e-book will help you start off on the right foot. We have drawn

upon our own experiences (we’ve been hanging around universities

most of our adult lives) both as students and as teachers, and collected

the advice of thousands of students to help make the transition to

university as smooth as possible.

While there is no formula for success at university or anywhere else,

we will show you the problems that other students have encountered

and the strategies that worked for them. Think about what we have

to say; try things out. But, ultimately, you will have to figure out what

works for you. Remember, there is no one “right” way to do anything:

there are many ways.

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What is University Anyway?“University” is as much a state of mind as it is a place. When you become

a university student, you do more than attend a particular institution;

you enter into the world of scholars, a world that engages many cultures

and reaches through time. You will be engaging with an intellectual

community that has deep roots, and just as you will build on the work

of others, future scholars may one day build upon the work you do.

This is serious business!

But it is also fun. University is the place where you finally get to learn

about things that interest you instead of just “giving them what they

want.” And, herein lies the first key to how you can survive and thrive:

figure out what interests you and work on that. The best part is that

by working on what interests you, you will be doing something that

you really enjoy!

How Does University Differ From High School?As mentioned, university is a different world. Think about it: you have

chosen which university to attend; you get to choose your own course

of study; you have actually paid to be here. The amount and type of

work differ from that of high school, as does the pace, purpose, and

style of your studies. These differences provide a wealth of opportunity

but also a range of challenges. Let’s explore these differences along

with the keys to successfully taking advantage of the opportunities and

meeting the challenges that university will bring.

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A Difference in Attitude: Independence and ResponsibilityEveryone at university will assume that you are an adult. “Good,”

you’re thinking. But with independence comes responsibilities. You will

be expected to manage your own affairs. No one will make you come

to class or hand in your work. You skipped class? You did not hand in

a major paper? You missed the deadline to drop a course? Unlike in

high school, no one will contact you to find out why or to make sure

that you stay on track. No one will contact your parents and express

concern. Instead, they will allow you to make your own decisions and

to face the consequences of those decisions.

What this means is that you need to make decisions that are in your

best interest. You are now responsible for your own education and

your own life. There are many qualities that can help you to make

good decisions about your education.

Key Qualities For SuccessA Sense of Responsibility - You have a responsibility to yourself.

You must take control of your education, choosing the right

courses, making the right decisions, and acting in a way that is

in your own best interest.

Self-Direction - Too often, students see education as “jumping

through the hoops,” or doing what they’re told so that they can

get that elusive piece of paper – a degree. Certainly you must

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satisfy the requirements of the institution: pay your fees, do

the work, satisfy the course and discipline requirements, and so

on. But academically, you should be setting the hoops, deciding

through your course selection and actual topic choices what ideas

you will pursue and what paths you will follow. In other words,

your university education must be self-directed, the result of your

choices, your abilities, and your desires.

An Open Mind - University will expose you to new ideas and

ways of doing things. Consider these new approaches carefully

and completely instead of dismissing them right away. At times,

you may find yourself disagreeing; this is natural. But resist the

impulse to reduce disagreements to merely “a matter of opinion.”

When these “opinions” involve a discipline, fellow students’ and

professors’ views are based on training, experience, and study;

theirs are “informed opinions.” This is what you have come to

university to get: the training that is needed for you to develop

educated and informed views. And you will – if you keep an

open mind.

Openness to Taking Risks and Making Mistakes - “We often

discover what we will do, by finding out what we will not do; and

probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery,”

said Samuel Smiles. Don’t be afraid of making errors; just be

sure to learn from them. Instead of thinking solely about marks,

concentrate on doing your very best work; the marks will follow.

Persistence - In university, you will encounter challenges and

sometimes obstacles. When you do, persist. Keep trying, keep

learning, and keep asking questions, even when you feel like

giving up. You will find that reward comes from hard work and

dedication.

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Remember that the most important factor in your success at university

is your attitude. Take responsibility for your actions and for the shape of

your education. Keep an open mind and explore this new world openly

and honestly, using the methods taught by your professors. Above all,

do what you enjoy, and enjoy what you do.

A Difference in Time: Managing Your Time and WorkloadWithout a doubt, you will spend less time in class and yet do more work

in university than you did in high school.

The First Year WorkloadOn average, a Trent first year student

• spends 15-20 hours a week in lectures, seminars, or labs

• is assigned approximately 250 pages of reading per week

• spends approximately 15 hours per week completing weekly

reading assignments

• writes up to 64 pages per term for which he or she completes

additional reading and research

In high school, you probably completed many small assignments

throughout the year. In university, you will find that the work tends to

be less evenly distributed throughout the term. This means that you

may not have any assignments due until the end of term, but then you

will have five essays due on the same day (plus exams!).

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What to do? Somehow, you will have to organize your time so that you

can get your class work done, get your assignments done (on time!),

and have a life too. The solution is to develop good time management

skills. Plan ahead; know when your crunch periods are and make them

easier by spreading work out throughout the term. Later we will

discuss specific time management tools that will help you to make an

effective plan.

How Can I Survive and Thrive?The following pages contain a variety of tips that can help you adapt

to the different academic environment that you will find at university.

There are four sections:

• What to do before you arrive

• What to do during the first week

• What to do during the first month

• What to do during the first term

But please remember that these are not “recipes” to be followed

slavishly; they are suggestions that have worked for some students in

the past. You must always discover what works for you.

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What To Do Before You ArriveSeek Out Academic Advising and Choose Your CoursesTrent offers New Student Advising days throughout the summer.

Attend one if you can as they will provide you with valuable

information about choosing courses and preparing for university.

Please visit: www.trentu.ca/nsa

You should also spend some time familiarizing yourself with the

academic calendar. Know degree requirements for your program:

B.A., B.Sc., B.B.A., B.Sc.N., B.Sc.F.S. For some programs, your path is

determined, but you may have some choice in your courses. For other

degrees, it is wide open. Make choices for yourself based on your

interests and goals; be aware of course material, look at outlines, see the

reading list: Cultural Studies may not be what you expect or Astronomy

may require more math than you expect. Ask about courses, consider

long term planning, but be open: you may take ERS because you like

the environment, but it could become your major!

Prepare YourselfUniversities are not designed to do the same things as high schools,

which are supposed to give you the basic skills of communication,

thought, and expression. University, as the next step, will teach you the

methods of your chosen discipline(s), so you can begin to make sense of

the world at a more complex level. Your professors are expecting that

you will have already mastered the basic skills of reading, writing, and

speaking. As a result, they will spend little, if any, time showing you

grammar and punctuation or the paragraph, essay and bibliographic

formats that you will need.

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Have you mastered these things? Are your skills good enough for the

next level? Are you confident that you know how to write well? If not,

consider what you can do about it.

Start Preparing From Home!The Academic Skills Centre offers free online materials on

topics ranging from essay writing, critical reading, and

notetaking to mathematics and exam preparation. Check

out www.trentu.ca/academicskills to start preparing for

university from home!

Summary: Before You ArriveAttend a New Student Advising day.

Register for classes.

Find resources that will help you improve your reading,

writing, and thinking skills.

Get a feel for what is ahead and what will be required of you.

What To Do During the First WeekCheck Out Your CoursesIntroductory Week is the time to check out all of the courses that you’re

thinking of taking. Go to the information sessions, listen, gather the

handouts, and ask questions. Many course outlines are available online.

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Check them out to see what you’re getting into. Look at them carefully:

How much reading is expected? How much writing? What topics will be

covered? How many essays, exams, and other assignments are required?

Knowing this information before plunging into a course will help you

to think about its place amongst your other choices.

Seek AdviceTrent is a very friendly place, built on a personal scale. Take advantage

of this by seeking advice from as many people as you can. Ask second-

year students about courses and professors and talk to the professors

themselves. Don’t forget to consult your Senior Tutor or Academic

Advisor for help with academic matters such as ensuring that you take

the courses that will allow you to pursue your chosen field, explaining

the sometimes confusing administrative requirements and deadlines,

and helping you to fill out and submit all the required forms. Your

academic advisor won’t know everything, but he or she will know how

to find out for you. Visit: www.trentu.ca/advising

Explore Support OptionsIn addition to academic advising, Trent offers many other support

services. Either online or in person, take an opportunity to find out

about the following:

Career Centre, www.trentu.ca/careers/

Disability Services Office, www.trentu.ca/disabilityservices/

Health Services, www.trentu.ca/studentaffairs/healthservices.php

Counselling, www.trentu.ca/counselling/

and the Academic Skills Centre, www.trentu.ca/academicskills/

The staff in these offices is committed to providing you with

academic and emotional support as you make the transition to

university. Do not be afraid to ask for help; indeed, asking for

assistance early, before a situation has become critical, is a key way

to survive and thrive!

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Get to Know the LibraryThe library is the centre of the scholarly universe, its heart, if you will.

And like a heart, the library never stops, continually bringing in new

information and ideas and pumping them out again into the real world

(libraries even call this activity circulation). Material is available online

via the library website and on the web at large. But, please note that the

library houses many reference books, monographs, maps, government

documents, archival materials and the expertise of trained librarians

and researchers; these are not always available in an online format.

You may be used to doing all of your research online, but the librarians

can help you learn to find appropriate materials with directed searches.

So, learn how to use the library. The library provides excellent online

library skills tutorials that are available through the library website at

www.trentu.ca/admin/library/help/skills/ You can also register for an

in-person library workshop to see how the place works.

Find a Place Where You Can WorkAs soon as possible, stake out a physical space that meets your

requirements. If you need isolation and quiet, look for that. If you need

to be around people, search for that space. If you need food while you

work, look around the cafeterias. Different people require different

working conditions, so look for a place that offers what you need.

Get to Know Trent’s TechnologyAfter arriving on campus, you will want to get acquainted with Trent’s

Information Technology department at www.trentu.ca/it/student.php

Here you can find out how to configure your computer for Air Trent

and how to access your campus email and MyTrent accounts. Use your

Trent accounts; important information is often posted on MyTrent, and

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the administrative and academic departments at Trent often require

email to originate from a trentu.ca account.

Many classes use MyLearning System to post course outlines, lecture

notes, and assignments. Log on to the system at www.trentu.ca/mls

and get familiar with its features. Make sure to note which classes have

discussion forums as these are often places where students can post

questions or organize study groups.

Summary: The First Week3 Choose your courses carefully and be open to making a change

– find the best fit for the year and your long-term plans.

3 Ask for advice from your academic advisor, upper year students,

and professors – but weigh it carefully.

3 Explore the campus; find out where everything is.

3 Learn the important dates for drop-add deadlines,

reading week and holidays; record them in your planner.

3 Explore the library; use the online tutorials.

3 Establish a workspace that will work for you.

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What to Do During the First Month Organize Your CoursesEach course has a “course outline” (something called a “syllabus”).

READ IT! These outlines contain much of the crucial course information:

the goals and themes of the course, the schedule of class readings, the

seminar schedule, the lecture schedule, the assignment due dates (and

often, the assignments themselves), the professor’s office hours, and

much more. They serve as a type of “contract,” detailing what you

will receive and what you are expected to give in return, as well as all

of the deadlines. Often, professors will assume that you are aware of

the assignments and deadlines listed in the course and, as a result, will

never mention them in class.

As you get each outline, put it in a place of honour. Read each outline.

Then, compare outlines: are there a number of assignments due around

the same time? If so, start planning ahead to deal with these crunch

times.

Make a Plan to Manage Your TimeCreating a time management plan can help you to meet the new

demands of university. First, your time is no longer as clearly organized

and structured by school as it has been in the past. Second, you are

responsible for figuring out what is expected of you and how you will

meet those expectations. Third, you need to have balance in your life;

it is important to have a great social experience that does not come

at the expense of your learning experience at Trent. So, consider how

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you can adapt to university and succeed academically while having fun.

That is what time management is all about.

Short-Term PlanningShort term planning involves creating a weekly schedule

that allows you to complete your work. Creating a 24-hour

schedule is an excellent way to start your planning. A 24-hour

schedule sounds daunting, but it allows you to be flexible and

to work at times which suit you best, whether you prefer the

moonlight or early morning sun for study. The ASC provides

free, downloadable schedules like the one below, online at:

www.trentu.ca/academicskills

24/7 schedule

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT

7 AM

8 AM

9 AM

10 AM

11 AM

12 PM

1 PM

2 PM

3 PM

4 PM

5 PM

6 PM

7 PM

8 PM

9 PM

10 PM

11 PM

12 AM

1 AM

2 AM

3 AM

4 AM

5 AM

6 AM

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Making a 24-Hour ScheduleBlock off all of your class, seminar, and lab times.

Block off your paid work hours, volunteer commitments, or

program placement.

Block off times for socializing, shopping, eating, and exercise.

For each course, start off planning for three hours a week per

course of “keeping-up” work such as weekly readings or exercises.

As time goes by, you may have to add more time or subtract time.

These can be in one large block or in three one-hour chunks of

time; you may adapt this as you work through your courses.

Schedule in “major assignment” time. This is time that you can

focus on research, writing, and preparation for essays, labs,

projects, or exams. Each week, you can decide which major

assignments you need to focus on based on your long term

planning.

Long-Term PlanningIn addition to having a weekly schedule, it is essential to create

a long term plan that will allow you to know when your major

assignments are due and whether you have crunch periods during

which you have many assignments due at once. A 4-Month

Planner can be an excellent tool to use. Again, the ASC provides

free downloadable calendars like the one on the following

page, online at www.trentu.ca/academicskills/resources.php. The

bookstore also sells poster-sized “Term at a Glance” calendars

that you can write on with a dry erase marker.

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Making a Long Term PlanGo through the course outline for each class and carefully note

all assignment due dates and exams.

Put these dates onto your 4-month calendar. You can use a

different colour for each course if this helps. Keep this calendar in

plain view for quick reference. Don’t forget important birthdays

and planned trips home as you often need to work around them.

Block off reading week and know that you will have this time to

prepare assignments.

Indentify your “crunch times,” periods when you have multiple

assignments or exams.

Plan for these times by deciding when you need to start each

assignment in order to get it done in time.

You may want to make intermediate deadlines for different

stages of each assignment and put these on your calendar.

January 2010 – April 2010January 2010 February 2010

S M T W T F S S M T W T F S1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28

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March 2010 April 2010S M T W T F S S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30

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Having a time management plan can give you control over your work

and your life. Review your plan constantly; update it often. If you fall

behind, don’t worry, simply rearrange your schedule. If something

unexpected happens, go with it and rearrange your plan later.

Remember, you control it; it doesn’t control you.

The Academic Skills Centre offers many time management resources

on our website. You can also book an appointment with an instructor

to create a personal time management plan.

Get to ClassAs mentioned, one of the big differences between high school and

university is the difference in attendance requirements: in university,

you are often not required to attend class. You may be tempted to skip

a class or two for one reason or another, but don’t do it! Skipping class

has a number of repercussions.

You will create a bad impression with your professors and tutorial

leaders, implying that you have something more important to do

than to attend class. You will also miss the chance to participate

and to ask questions.

You will miss both information and learning. The information can

be provided by a classmate, but the learning is gone for good.

Another law of life says that whatever is discussed in the one

class that you miss will make up the bulk of the exam!

Speak Up – Don’t Be IntimidatedFor many students, university can be quite intimidating. Everything is

new and confusing, and the other students seem so much more at ease

and so much more knowledgeable about what’s going on. Everyone

else must be much smarter, you may think. Wrong!

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Actually, everyone is in pretty much the same boat; it’s just that some

people are better at hiding their insecurities than others. Don’t be

intimidated! Forget about everyone else and concentrate on learning

what you need to know.

If you don’t understand something or have questions, ask! If you find it

difficult to participate in seminars, try writing out some ideas of interest

or questions before you arrive. Having something written down may

help you to speak with more confidence.

Develop Your Listening/Notetaking SkillsUniversity lectures can be quite different from what you are used to. Basically,

a professor will stand at the front of a big room and talk to you for an hour or

so, trusting that you will be able to listen to what is being said, figure out what

is important enough to write down, think about the ideas being discussed,

and develop questions. Often, the lecturer will also use PowerPoint, requiring

you to read as well as listen. There will be few, if any, hand-outs and only some

indication of what the main points are. Welcome to the university lecture.

Many first-year students have trouble getting the most out of lectures,

especially at first. There seem to be two main problems that can cause

this difficulty:

1. Information goes by once, usually very quickly. If you miss

something (say, you are writing instead of listening), it’s gone.

2. It’s difficult to separate what is important, the main points

that you need to note, from secondary points.

One of the best ways to meet the challenge of understanding and taking

good notes during lectures is to think of the lecture as more than a

one-shot, fifty-minute experience. Instead, think of it as a three-part

experience, and realize that you will need to participate actively in each

part in order to get the most out of lectures.

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Part I: Before the Lecture

• Read the syllabus to see what the unit is about and what the title

of the lecture is. Think about where the lecture fits into the course.

• Consider what you already know about the topic and try to

anticipate what might be covered.

• Review your notes from previous lectures to further re-establish

the context of the course in your own mind.

• Do assigned readings. Anticipate how they might relate to the

lecture ahead.

• If they are posted ahead of time, download and copy any outlines

or list of key terms for the lecture ahead. If PowerPoint slides are

posted, print them in handout form so you can make additional

notes, identify key information and indicate connections.

• Make a list of questions you would like to have answered by the lecture.

Part II: During the Lecture

• Listen Actively; it is not necessary to record the lecturer’s every

word or idea. Not only is this physically impossible, but excessive

writing can become a barrier to listening. What good is writing

down things that you don’t understand, anyway?

• Listen for important points.

• Listen for relationships between ideas in texts, class discussions

and the lectures.

• Listen for cue words; they help you cluster and prioritize

information.

The Lecture Experience:

A play in three acts

Act II: DuringListen actively and

find a note-taking

system that works

for you

Act I: BeforePrepare for lectures

before they begin and

try to anticipate what

they will cover

Act III: AfterReview and

respond to your

notes

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Know What to Write Down

• Record new or unfamiliar facts and ideas.

• Include things that come in lists: if the lecturer has created a list to

categorize facts, reasons, themes, etc., it’s a good indication that

the information is important.

• Note the lecturer’s reasons for questioning or favouring a particular

approach or theory.

• Underline points which the lecturer pauses over or repeats: people

lecture with certain goals in mind, and usually when they convey

a point which is crucial to their thesis they repeat it.

• Don’t write down what is on the PowerPoint slide if you have

access to it later. There is no need to repeat information.

Develop a Notetaking System

• Develop your own short-hand of abbreviations and symbols.

• Write in point form.

• Leave lots of white space to fill in later when you complete your

comments on the lecture or fill in gaps.

• For laptop notetaking, make sure to save often.

• For tape-recording: ask for the instructor’s permission, sit near the

front of the class, and take notes as well if possible.

Words that signal emphasis or importance

- essential- crucial- significantly- vital

Words that indicate the lecture is moving in a new direction

howevernonethelesswhereasin contrast

Words that signal the order or scope of a topic

first, second, thirdinitiallyfinallyfor instancean illustration of this

Words that signal that parts of the lecture are not relevant and may NOT need to be written down

incidentallyby the way

Cue Words

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The Cornell MethodThe Cornell Method is one of the most common and popular

notetaking systems. In this method of note-taking, you begin by

drawing a line down the length of your paper about one-third of

the way through the page. On the left side of the page, write only

key terms or ideas. Leave most of the space blank. On the right side

of the page, take notes on the lecture in point form.

Later, the space on the left side can be used to add in or expand on

information, highlight key points, or raise key questions.

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Part III: After the Lecture

Just as the lecture experience begins before the professor begins

speaking, it continues well after he or she is done. Many students leave

the lecture hall and file their notes away until exams. Unfortunately,

research shows that in doing so, they lose a significant amount of what

they just learned. Instead, review your notes soon after the lecture ends.

• Read through your notes as soon as you can after the lecture

ends. Highlight or underline main points. Put stars next to key

information. Try to fill in any gaps in your notes.

• Respond to and reflect on your notes in the margins of the paper.

You can use one margin to make a list of terms that corresponds to

the information in the body of your notes. You can use the other

side of the margin to write a short summary of a key idea or make

a connection between the point made in lecture and ideas from

readings or seminars.

• Discuss your notes with a friend or study group. This can help you

to process information, fill in gaps in your notes, and deepen your

understanding of the main points.

• Make flashcards or lists of key terms. You don’t need to wait for the

end of the term to start preparing for exams. Take a few minutes

to put key vocabulary terms or concepts on index cards or a list of

terms with a brief definition.

Develop Your Reading SkillsAcademic reading is almost always difficult reading. It is usually densely

packed with ideas and implications that need to be thought out and

considered. The result is that your reading will take time – lots of it.

It will also require that you read actively and critically. Critical reading

involves breaking the argument down into its parts to see how well

each part works and how parts of the argument work together. In high

school you developed the ability to determine what the text says. Your

post-secondary reading will challenge you to determine what a text

does and how it does it.

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Like lectures, one of the best ways to approach university reading is to

see it as a three-part experience: before, during, and after. And, what

you do before and after you begin a reading is as important to your

comprehension of it as what you do while you read.

Part I: Preview Before You Read

Critical reading is far easier if you have a sense of the purpose and main

point of a text before you begin reading it in depth. Having this in your

mind can help you to follow the author’s argument more clearly and to

separate essential ideas from supporting details. One way to develop

a sense of the purpose of the source is to preview before you read.

• Read and understand the title.

• Examine the table of contents and/or section headings.

• Read the introductory sections(s).

• Skim through the text looking for main ideas; read topic sentences,

transitional sections, bolded elements, captions, boxes.

• Read concluding sections(s).

• Read text summary and summary questions (if they are provided in

your text).

• Determine the thesis of article or book.

By the end of your preview, you should be able to explain and write

down:

1. The main topic or question that the text will address

2. The author’s main argument or thesis

3. The structure of the reading or how the author has

organized his or her ideas

Part II: As You Read

Once you have previewed a text, you can begin reading it in detail,

confident in the knowledge that you know where the text is going. To

read critically, you must read actively. Ask questions as you read: How

is the author supporting his or her argument? What assumptions are

made? What types of evidence are used? How do the ideas compare to

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other texts that you have read or to what you have heard in lecture?

What do you find intriguing or puzzling? Are you convinced by the

argument?

As for lectures, you will also need to find a good notetaking system so

that you can record the information and ideas that you will need for

seminars and exam preparation. There are many systems to explore,

including reverse outlining, concept mapping, and the Cornell method.

You can explore these methods in detail through the Academic Skills

website at www.trentu.ca/academicskills You may need to experiment

to find the method that works best for you.

Tips for Effective Notetaking During Reading

• Before you begin taking detailed notes, write down the topic

or question the text focuses on and the author’s thesis or

main point.

• Read a text in small chunks, the length of which will depend

on the length of the text. Take notes after you read a

paragraph, section, or chapter. This will ensure that you

write down only the most important information.

• Use point form. Avoid recopying the text.

• After you complete your reading, make a list of the 3-5 most

important points.

Part III: Review and Reflect After You Read

Just as we suggest you do after a lecture, take some time after

completing a reading to review your notes and reflect on them. If there

are review questions, answer them. If there are key terms listed at the

end, define them. You can even write them directly onto flashcards to

aid in exam preparation. If review exercises are not provided, make

your own. What 3-5 questions would you ask about the reading? What

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terms do you think are most important? What questions will you ask or

points will you make about the reading during seminar?

Reading is a large and complex topic, and we have just touched on the

basics here. If you find that you need help, don’t wait! Check out the

resources on the Academic Skills website www.trentu.ca/academicskills

or book an individual appointment with a skills instructor by calling

748-1720.

Develop Your Math Skills and Keep Up With Problem SetsDon’t expect math in your studies at Trent? Think again; students

are often surprised to discover the importance of math in many

disciplines: statistics are integral to research in psychology, geography,

and environmental and resource studies; economics is discussed in

international development studies, politics, and history; and math basics

are necessary for nursing, accounting, and forensics.

Particularly for classes in mathematics, but also for problem-based

courses like economics, statistics, physics and chemistry, you will be

required to complete weekly exercises, which may be in place of or

in addition to text or online reading. Your success in these courses

depends on your commitment to completing these exercises; working

through problems, using formulae, and developing a mathematical

vocabulary and skill base through practice will help you to make sense

of course material that is more abstract and theoretical than the math

you know from high school.

Another difference you may not expect: there is no in-class time to

work on exercises; however, in some classes, voluntary workshop time

is available. Lecture time is usually spent copying notes from the

blackboard or overhead projector screen. As soon after class as possible,

re-read your lecture notes and the section of the text that covers that

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topic. Use the margins to indicate important points and trouble spots.

Then, work your way through the exercises assigned in the lecture, using

the solved examples as a model. Although many exercises are designed

to develop skills, there are other types of exercises as well: some ask

for proofs, some have a number of correct answers.

Working alone on exercise sets may prove frustrating, and you may

find it hard to concentrate. Some students find it helpful to work with

a classmate or a study group to discuss solutions. If you get stuck, ask

for help at workshops and labs or during your instructors’ office hours.

Often, you may not find a solution to a question on the first attempt;

but if you persevere, you will probably find the solution later. For this

reason, you must not wait until the last minute to do assignments

or to prepare for quizzes and tests. Train yourself to think logically.

Understand the procedure used to reach solutions. While it is unlikely

that you will be able to memorize everything, you will be expected to

know basic formulas and to understand when and how to use them.

Learning math takes much time and effort; indeed, the time you need

to devote to studying math is comparable to the time required for

reading and lab work in other courses. To prepare for tests and quizzes,

you must try all the exercises suggested in lectures, even if you are not

required to submit them. This will require self-discipline. If you do not

stay up-to-date, you will quickly lose ground in the course, and it can

be difficult to catch up. As you build your skills, you will develop more

confidence and appreciate the beautiful challenge of mathematics.

Develop Your Writing SkillsMost of your marks will come from your writing, either in assignments

or exams. It makes sense, then, to focus on developing your writing

skills. Many students find the writing assignments at university to be

different and more challenging than high school writing.

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What is an essay?: Thesis and Evidence

The essay or research paper is the most common university writing

assignment, and the university essay differs considerably from many

high school essays. In high school, your essays likely focused on providing

detailed information to describe a topic. In a university essay, you will

need to go beyond description to explain, analyse, and interpret a

question, issue, or idea. This explanation or analysis becomes your

argument, or thesis. You then need to provide detailed information,

or evidence, that supports your thesis.

Thesis StatementsA Good Thesis:

• is a declaration of the direction and purpose of your essay

• is clear and concise – generally 1-2 sentences

• indicates an argument or answers a question

• does something: answers a question or investigates an issue

For example:

Cable TV has not delivered on its promise to provide an

educational alternative to network programming due to its

reliance on major donors and sponsors within the business

community.

The aging of the Canadian population will eventually create

an economic crisis; unfortunately, because this problem is not

immediate, the government lacks the political will to solve the

problem.

The success of newspapers like the Sun, which focus almost

exclusively on human interest stories and rely on simple

language, indicates that Canadians want their news to be easy

to read and entertaining.

A good thesis is NOT

an announcement: “My essay will discuss whether cable TV

is educational” is a topic, NOT a thesis.

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a factual statement: “The proportion of the Canadian

population that is over 65 is growing” is a fact, NOT a thesis.

a question: “How does the publishing industry cater to the

taste of Canadians?” is a research question, NOT a thesis. A

thesis is an answer to a question.

Moving Beyond the Five-Paragraph EssayIn high school, you may have been taught one way to organize an

essay: the five-paragraph model in which you make one point and

provide three examples to support this point. While there is nothing

inherently wrong with this organizational model, at university you will

find that you will not be able fit every assignment into this pattern.

Indeed, the five-section model is just that – a model; it is one way to

write an essay, but it is not the only way. It was adequate for one stage

of your education, but now that you are becoming more intellectually

sophisticated, you will need to develop more intellectually sophisticated

ideas and methods.

Instead of relying on a set pattern, you will want to organize your essay

based on your thesis statement. An outline can help you to order your

ideas in an organized fashion. But an outline does not necessarily mean

you need three separate points. Use the assignment requirements, your

research, and your thesis to guide your outline. For more information

on moving beyond the 5-pargaraph essay and organizing your writing,

visit the Academic Skills Centre’s website: www.trentu.ca/academicskills

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Avoiding PlagiarismIn any piece of writing, you will need to provide evidence to support your

ideas. Your evidence might include events, data, or other information.

It will very often include arguments, ideas, or words that you came

across in another author’s work. When using the ideas, information,

or the actual words of another author, it is absolutely essential to use

proper documentation in order to avoid plagiarism.

Plagiarism is the passing off of someone else’s words or thoughts as

your own. All students must confront these questions: Is this material

original (i.e. are these my own ideas)? If not, how should I use the

material appropriately in my own writing? And finally, how do I show

where I found this information? Failure to adequately deal with these

questions may lead to plagiarism, which is a serious academic offence

that may result in a failure of the assignment or the course. It can also

lead to a notation on your transcript. For more information about

plagiarism and its consequences, visit Academic Integrity website at

wwww.trentu.ca/deanundergraduate/integrity_students.php and the

Academic Skills Centre’s website: www.trentu.ca/academicskills

Tips for avoiding plagiarism:

• Anytime that you summarize or paraphrase (put into your

own words) an author’s ideas or information, you must cite

your source.

• If you directly quote (use the exact words of) an author, you

must put his or her words into quotation marks and cite your

source.

• When you are researching a paper, make sure to take notes

on sources in your own words. Avoid cutting and pasting. If

you decide to quote an author directly, clearly note this by

using quotation marks. Always keep track of the page number

on which you find a piece of information.

• Different courses require different methods of documenting

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sources. Check your syllabus or assignment sheet to

see which style you should use for an assignment. If no

direction is given, use the departmental listing on the

Academic Skills Centre’s Documentation Website at:

http://www.trentu.ca/documentation/overview.php.

• The Academic Skills Centre’s Documentation Website at

http://www.trentu.ca/documentation/overview.php provides

complete information on what information needs to be cited

and how it should be cited. Consult it often.

Further Resources for Developing Your WritingThis e-book provides only a short overview of university writing. The

Academic Skills Centre provides many other resources to help you

develop your writing skills. The ASC’s website contains tip sheets and

online resources on the writing process and avoiding plagiarism. We

also offer a series of workshops on essay writing each fall. Finally, you

can book an individual appointment with an academic skills instructor

to discuss any aspect of the writing process. For info on all of these

services, visit our website www.trentu.ca/academicskills Take advantage

of these resources, and remember, learning to write is like running a

marathon, not a 100-meter dash: pace yourself!

Summary: The First MonthOrganize your courses; read your course outlines to know

what work you must do, the topics, and the deadlines.

Make a time management plan for the term so that you can

manage your time; include both your school work and your life.

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Get to class; establish good habits right away.

Speak up; don’t be intimidated by anyone; persevere.

Develop your listening and your notetaking skills; find a

notetaking system that works for you.

Work on your reading and writing skills.

What to Do During the First TermStudy Throughout the TermLeaving your studying to the night before the exam is a sure-fire recipe

for disaster. Instead, spread your studying out over the whole term. The

easy way to do this is to preview the reading before each lecture, review

the lecture notes as soon as possible after each lecture, and review the

previous week’s notes before the next lecture. Not only will this make

cramming for exams unnecessary, but it will help you to fit the lecture

and reading material into a “whole” and give the course shape in your

mind, something which will also help you write your essays, participate

in class, and make reading less daunting. The more often you read and

re-read the material, the more sense it will make and the more useful

it will become.

Review Your Progress and Adjust Your PlanTry to avoid living and dying with each class or assignment grade. Instead,

take the long view from time to time, and realize that everything has its

short-term ups and downs. But as circumstances demand, modify your

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work habits and your time management plan. After all, it’s meant to

serve you; you don’t serve it. Always the question is what you need to

do to improve, regardless of the actual grades you receive. There is no

end to improvement, just as there is no end to learning.

Seek Help When You Need ItToo many students make the mistake of thinking that they are in this

alone. They are not, and you are not. Trent has numerous sources

of support for students in need: Professors can be reached during

office hours and by email: www.trentu.ca/advising. Senior Tutors and

the Career Centre can help with majors, www.trentu.ca/careers the

Disability Services Office can help with accommodations for disabilities:

www.trentu.ca/disabilityservices. Health Services and Counselling

provide personal help: www.trentu.ca/studentaffairs/healthservices.

php and www.trentu.ca/counselling, and, of course, the Academic

Skills Centre can help with reading, writing, math, and listening skills:

www.trentu.ca/academicskills. Ask around. The help is probably there:

you just need to find it.

Much research exists from psychology and education to suggest

that student achievement cannot be solely predicted by previous

performance or ability; rather it is the attitude of a student which is

more closely linked to success at university. This means your approach to

school, your willingness to participate and seek out assistance or advice,

and your openness to ideas all affect how well you do in your studies.

Summary: The First TermReview lecture and reading notes each week.

Review and modify your study habits and time management

plan as needed.

Seek help if you need it.

Persevere if you face set-backs and challenges!

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A C A D E M I C S K I L L S C E N T R E ( A S C )

The Academic Skills Centre supports and empowers undergraduate and graduate students by providing flexible instruction in the skills necessary for them to succeed at university: the ability to think critically, communicate their ideas effectively, and take responsibility for their own learning.

Phone (705) 748-1720 Fax (705) 748-1830 e-mail: acdskills@trentu.cawww.trentu.ca/academicskills