Thank you for attending!

1. Study Skills and
Strategies for
Academic
Success
Jennifer Evans
English Language Fellow
Department of English

2. Introduction
 Jennifer Evans
 English Language Fellow
 EnglishDepartment Composition II and
TEFL & ICT

3. Seattle, Washington

4. NOT WASHINGTON DC!

5. Overview of Workshop
Time Management
Task Management
Skills Management

6. Activity
 You will get a different colored paper.
 Find your group and discuss the question
on your paper.
 We will then regroup with other colors to
share information from our discussion

7. Time Management
 Important Tools for Managing Time
 Pockets for Productivity
 Mindful Work
 Mindful Relaxation

8. Activity
 A Weekly Schedule: „Where does the time
go?‟
 Using the handout make a visual
representation of your typical week.
 Begin with „time anchors‟ (fixed parts of your
schedule that are regular) i.e. class or working
hours, meal times, prayer times, sleeping
hours, etc.

9. Activity
 Make sure you block off commute time
(longer for some of you than others!)
 Now look at your schedule & consider
where you could create fixed study time
every day. Create study blocks.
 Now look at where you could create
blocks that are for relaxation, sports,
socializing etc.

10. More Tips for Time
Management
 Can you find „pockets for productivity‟?
 Read on your commute, review notes, go
through vocabulary flashcards, make or
review a to-do list
 In-between class/before or after class
 10 pages a day= a novel (or more) a
month!
 Any waiting or „dead‟ time you can find?

11. Mindful Work
 GET ORGANIZED: Study Space, „Systems‟
 Necessary Tools: desk/table, light, comfortable
chair, supplies,
 Limited Distractions: The illusion of the „
 20 minutes of „real studying‟ vs. 1 hour of semi-
studying
 Consider starting with the most difficult task

12. Mindful Relaxation
 Have designated breaks
 Make sure you have drink/snack breaks
 „Reward yourself‟ after completing a task
 Get up, move around, change mindset
 Consider mixing up subjects
 Allow yourself a break and „re-attend‟ to
the task at hand

13. Task Management
 To-do list (the power of the „brain dump‟)
 Consider a Master listPriority list
 Timelines for projects
 „A journey of 1000 miles begins with one
step‟ –Chinese Proverb
 Start a project/assignment THAT DAY!
 Break task into smaller, more do-able
chunks

14. “Work Smarter, Not Harder”

15. Skills Management
 Academic Reading
 Lecture Listening and Note Taking
 Writing
 Presentations

16. Academic Reading
 The importance of Critical Reading
 „Active‟ reading with Annotations
 Reading Skills: Knowing what they are vs.
actually doing them

17. Critical Reading
 Using critical thinking skills to assess what
you are reading:
 Who is this author (background,
associations)?
 What „authority‟ do they have?
 Why do they want me to know this?
 Do I agree/disagree with their argument?
 How will I apply this reading?

18. Annotations

19. Annotations

20. Annotation Dos and Don‟ts
 AVOID:
 Making no marks on your reading
 Highlighting (or have a system)
 Translation (when possible)
 Understanding EVERYTHING
 Writing TOO much

21. Annotations Dos & Don‟ts
 TRYTO:
 Have a system that works for you
 Have a vocabulary system
 Mark sections you don‟t understand
 Mark sections you agree/disagree with
 Mark sections that make you think of
something related
 Consider „1-2 word summaries‟ in margins

22. Reading Skills
 Previewing: Titles, subtitles/headings,
captions, graphs, charts, pictures
 Reading „reflection‟ or discussion
questions at the end of chapters first
 Reflecting and Predicting
 Summarizing/Outlining
 Annotations help with Review
 READ! READ! READ!

23. Lecture Listening and Note
Taking
 Step One: Go to Lecture
 Step Two: Bring pen/pencil and paper!
 Step Three: Have an organization system
 Step Four: Be aware of GOOD lecture
structure (Outlines, Sign Posts, Repetition)

24. Lecture Listening and Note
Taking
 Step Five: Get key info: not a recording
device (abbreviations, symbols) and
„re-attend!”
 Step Six: Fill in the gaps (classmates, prof, text)
 Step Seven: Look back/Look forward and
begin to connect the dots (text & lecture)

25. Writing Skills
 Begin an assignment on Day One
 Don‟t wait until the „11th hour‟
 Understanding the
Prompt/Assignment…break it down!

26. Writing Skills
 PREWRITING: The most underestimated
writing phase
 BrainstormOutlineOrganizeWrite
 Take Time AwayReviewRevise
 Be aware of GLOBAL vs. LOCAL Errors

27. Activity
 Read the Assignment Prompt and
Assignment Response of the student.
 What should the student‟s first concern be
in terms of the revision?

28. Presentations Skills
Beware of the
POWERPOINT
PRESENTATION!

29. Presentation Skills
 Be organized (recognize principles of
strong lectures) Introduction, Overview,
Sign-Posts, Review, Reactions/Questions)
 Projection and Stance

30. Presentation Skills
 Eye-Contact: Don‟t fixate!
 Consider the „Eye-Bounce‟
 Don‟t be a „READER‟
 „That‟s it‟ is NOT a presentation
conclusion!

31. Success BEYOND the
Classroom
 Be on the lookout for OPPORTUNITIES:
 Workshops, Conferences, Events, Seek out
scholarships, programs, grants, funding (it
takes WORK, but it is out there)

32. Success BEYOND the
Classroom
 Getinvolved with the Campus
Community (don‟t just come to class and
leave)
 Clubs, Organizations, Causes
 Lookfor ways to build your Resume
(volunteer, help with projects, give
presentations, start clubs/organizations)

33. Success BEYOND the
Classroom
 Always be looking ahead, researching,
setting goals, making plans to achieve
them
 Graduate school, career, what does it
involve to pursue these goals?
 (Often you need to be preparing well
before it is „time‟)

34. Enjoy and Really LIVE this Time!
 University
education is a privilege not
many can enjoy
 Makethe most of this time (both
academically, and socially)
 You won‟t live the „student life‟ forever!

35. Review:
 Time Management
 Task Management
 Skills Management

36. Questions?
 For any other questions or for a copy of
this presentation:
 Email: Jennifer Evans
 jennifer.june.evans@gmail.com

37. “Keep an Eye Out”
 More workshops and events to come in
the new year, so stay informed and tell
others! (English Department notices
window and blog)