Study Skills Module

STUDY SKILLS UED102

| Universiti Teknologi MARA  |  |

CONTENTS Course Information  Assessments Rubrics Getting Ready to Learn Goal Setting Library & Campus Resources Time Management & Organizational Skills Memory, Learning & Improving Concentration Taking Lecture Notes  Academic Integrity & Performance  Appendices

COURSE DEVELOPERS

STUDY SKILLS UED102

 Jamiah Baba (PhD) [[email protected]] Mahadi Kamaludin [[email protected]] Marina Mohd Arif (PhD) [[email protected]] Muhamad Faiez Alwee [muhamed607@ salam.uitm.my] Rosilawati Sueb (PhD) [[email protected]] Shireena Basree Abdul Rahman (PhD) [[email protected]]

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UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

COURSE INFORMATION Course

:

Study Skills

Level

:

Diploma

Credit Unit

:

-

Contact Hour

:

2

Part

:

1 (Interim)

Course Status

: 

Non-core

Prerequisite

: 

None

COURSE DESCRIPTION This course prepares students with learning skills essential for varsity life. It exposes students to basic academic skills; e.g. effective time management, setting goals, learning styles, learning strategies, and processing information from lectures and texts, which  would help students cope with with academic demands at the tertiary level.

COURSE OUTCOMES Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. apply  knowledge  knowledge of study skills in academic settings, and 2. develop develop a  a personal study skills portfolio.

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SYLLABUS CONTENT  Week Topics 1 Getting Ready Learn

to -

2

Goal Setting

 3

Library & Campus Resources Time Management & Organizational Skills

4

5

Memory, Learning & Improving Concentration

6

Taking Lecture Notes Academic Integrity & Performance

7

-

Content Making the transition (from school to university) Characteristics of successful students Using learning styles to enhance performance Setting goals for the new semester  Writing effective goal goal statements Using the Learning Management System Using the resources in the library Making the most of college resources Optimising study time Organising study time Using time-management strategies to stay motivated Reducing procrastination Understanding memory processes Memory strategies Understanding concentration Strategies for improving concentration Reading/study system (SQ3R) Taking lecture notes Effective note-taking system  Avoiding plagiarism plagiarism Calculating grade point average

TEACHING METHODOLOGY Methods of instruction include: 1. Lectures 2. Pair/group discussions

 ASSESSMENT 1. 2.

 Assignments Portfolio Total

40% 60% 100%

REFERENCE  Van Blerkom, D. L. (2009). College Study Skills: Becoming a strategic learner  (6th  ed.). MA:  Wadsworth Cengage Learning. PAGE 3

 ASSESSMENTS (100% COURSEWORK) COURSEWORK)

 A.  Assignment (40%) – Group Work The purpose of the Assignment is to provide students with the platform to document their experience as university students, and work as a team to complete the assigned task. Duration: Week 2 – assignment & Week 5 - submission Students have to prepare a creative 10-minute video presentation of their visit to five important places on campus (e.g. the HEP office, Bursary, library, food center, etc.). They have to use their creativity to make their presentation as interesting as possible. The video needs to be uploaded onto an online platform which will be identified by the respective lecturer. Note: The total marks marks (see Video Presentation Presentation Rubric) have to be converted to 40%.

B. Study Skills Portfolio (60%) – optional: e-Portfolio [Individual Work] The purpose of the Study Skills Portfolio is to introduce the students to the concept of documenting the processes in identifying learning strategies that they utilized throughout the semester. It is anticipated that students will benefit from this task as they determine systematically the learning strategies that fit their learning style and personality, which in turn will enable them to observe the impact of these strategies on their learning process. Furthermore, the portfolio may be used as a reference for the students as they progress in their academic studies. To develop a Study Skills portfolio, students are required to prepare documents that demonstrate their individual study skills and strategies that they have utilized throughout the semester. The documents are related to the chapters/subtopics within the syllabus. The chapters/subtopics are: Topic 1: Getting Ready to Learn •

Learning Style Inventory

Topic 2: Goals Setting •

Goal Statements – The Five Step Approach

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Topic 3: Library & Campus Resources •

Notes on Library Tour

Topic 4: Time Management & Organizational Skills • • •

Fixed-Commitment Calendar  Job Task Analysis Analysis Prioritized To-Do List

Topic 5: Memory, Learning & Improving Concentration • • • • •

Memory Strategies (Activity 4-1: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 90) Organizational Strategies Strategies (Activity 4.7: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 107) - optional Concentration Strategies (Activity 6.1: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 144) Concentration Chart (Figure 6.4: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 161) Reading Text (Figure 12.3: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 309)

Topic 6: Taking Lecture Notes • •

Note-Taking Strategies (Activity (Activity 5-1: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 116) Note-taking Exercise using the Cornell Method

Topic 7: Academic Integrity & Performance •

GPA Worksheet

Students should begin preparing all documents at the beginning of the semester, and continue doing it throughout the semester. Students should be able to present all the documents to enable lecturers to provide feedback for further improvements. Unlike the Assignment, this task does not necessarily have to be typed in a form of an essay, as creativity is highly encouraged. However, it is crucial that the documents are neat and legible. Note: The total marks marks (see Student Portfolio Rubric) have have to be converted converted to 60%.

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 VIDEO PRESENTATION PRESENTATION RUBRIC RUBRIC

Elements

Exemplary

Good

 Average

 Weak

20 – 15 Marks

14 – 10 Marks

9 – 5 Marks

0 – 4 Marks

Introduction Unique and memorable introduction engages the audience immediately and communicates the purpose of the piece.

Introduces the topic and purpose in an engaging manner.

Delivery

Narrator has practiced the piece for smooth delivery.

Images & Graphics

Narrator sounds comfortable and has practiced the piece for an excellent delivery. Words are clear and pacing is appropriate.

 Words are clear and pacing is appropriate.

General introduction of the topic and purpose. Little creativity and only somewhat engaging.

Introduction is not included or does not make sense.

It doesn’t sound like the narrator has practiced the piece. Delivery is better in some places than others.

It sounds like the presenter is reading a script. Delivery interferes with ability to understand the piece.

 Words aren’t always clear and/or pacing is uneven.

 Words often aren’t clear and pacing makes it difficult to follow the piece.

The topic and purpose are not clear.

The graphics and images are accurate and contribute to a creative and effective presentation and enhance key points by contributing to the concept explanation.

The graphics are accurate, relate to the audio and are helpful in communicating the content.

The graphics only marginally relate to the audio and aren’t always helpful in communicating the content.

The graphics are not related to the audio and the content.

 All shots are in focus and nicely cropped. The camera work is smooth and steady.

Most shots are in focus and nicely cropped. Most camera work is smooth and steady.

Most shots are in focus, but pictures need additional cropping. Some camera work is shaky or unsteady.

Many shots are out of focus and many shots need additional cropping. Shaky or unsteady camera  work is distracting.

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Elements

Content

Exemplary

Good

 Average

 Weak

20 – 15 Marks

14 – 10 Marks

9 – 5 Marks

0 – 4 Marks

Creativity and original content enhance the purpose of the piece in an innovative way.

Creative elements are included, but don’t enhance the purpose of the piece. Creative elements don’t distract from the content or purpose.

Creativity is lacking and doesn’t enhance the content and/or purpose of the piece. Creative elements may distract from the content or purpose.

No creative elements are included, or the types of creative elements used are inappropriate or distract from the content and/or purpose of the piece.

High level of understanding of relevant concepts is apparent. Information is accurate and concise

Information is accurate and concise.

Some information is inaccurate, unclear or rambling.

Information is inaccurate.

 Audiences other than the presenter’s peers  would learn something from the project and find it  valuable.

The intended audience can understand the project.

The project reaches the intended audience, but isn’t educational.

The project doesn’t reach the intended audience.

Total Marks: 80

 Adapted from Rubric for Podcasts http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/podcastrubric.html by Ann Bell under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License

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STUDY SKILLS PORTFOLI PORTFOLIO O RUBRIC Marks

Required Items

Concepts

Overall Presentation

90-100

All required items are included, with a significant number of additions.

The student displays a significant understanding of the concepts and items listed.

Items are clearly introduced, well organized, and creatively displayed, showing connection between items.

75-89

All required items are included, with a few additions.

The student displays a general understanding of the concepts and items listed.

Items are introduced and  well organized, showing connection between items.

60-75

All required items are included.

The student displays some understanding of the concepts and items listed.

Items are introduced and somewhat organized, showing some connection between items.

40-59

A significant number of required items are missing.

The student does not display understanding of concepts and items listed.

Items are not introduced and lack organization.

0

No work submitted

Total Marks: 100  Adapted from Pierette Pheeney, in The Science Science Teacher, October 1998

Required Items 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Learning Style Inventory Goal Statements – The Five Step Approach Notes on Library Tour Fixed-Commitment Calendar  Job Task Analysis Prioritized To-Do List Memory Strategies (Activity 4-1: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 90) 8. Organizational Strategies (Activity (Activity 4.7: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 107) - optional 9. Concentration Strategies (Activity (Activity 6.1: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 144) 10. Concentration Chart (Figure 6.4: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 161) 11. Reading Text (Figure 12.3: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 309) 12. Note-Taking Strategies (Activity (Activity 5-1: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 116) 13. Note-taking Exercise using the Cornell Method 14. GPA Worksheet PAGE 8

Getting Ready to Learn MAKING THE TRANSITION (FROM SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY) CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS USING LEARNING STYLES TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE

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OVERVIEW This first topic in this Study Skills module focuses on Making the Transition (from school to university) concentrating on ice-breaking activities, as well as learning lea rning styles and characteristics of successful students.

MAKING THE TRANSITION (FROM SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY) Making the move from being in a school/college to university is not an easy task. There is a need for students to make new friends, find out new things and make necessary lifestyle adjustments for them to feel at home in the new surroundings.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS ICE-BREAKING In this introductory lesson, the instructor should select ice-breaking activities to be used in class. The activity should not take up more than 1 hour of the class time, as the second hour  would be needed for Learning Styles and Characte Characteristics ristics of Successful Students. For ideas on ice-breaking activities, activities, instructors can visit the websites suggested below: i. https://icebreakerideas.com/icebreakers-college-students/ ii. http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/display.aspx?DocID=7582 iii. http://www.crlt.umich.edu/node/816 iv. https://www4.ntu.ac.uk/adq/document_uploads/running_a_course/187450.pdf  v. https://www.pinterest.com/explore/college-icebreakers/ There are plenty of suggestions given, however, you will realize that some may not seem suited for our context and our students. A few which you may consider are as listed on the next page:

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 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 1 ICE-BREAKING – getting to know your friends and adjusting to life as a college/university student.

EXAMPLE ONE  ACTIVITY TITLE: TITLE: BALLOONS BALLOONS Time – 30 mins + (depends on group size)

Suggested max. particip participants ants – multiples of groups of 8, needs at least 20, will work with very large groups

Equipment required – 1 balloon per person, paper & pens, flipchart paper & pens  Activity level level – Participants will inflate balloons, throw them around the room, catch them and then work in small groups EXPLANATION Give each participant a post card sized piece of paper, and ask them to write down one anxiety that they have about starting at University. On the other side ask them to write one thing that they are looking forward to. Hand out the balloons. Ask the students to put their paper into the balloons then inflate and tie them. Now get everyone together in the middle of the room, throw the balloons into the air, waft them about for a few moments and then have the participants catch the balloons. Split the participants into teams of 4. They then burst the balloons and read the comments people have made about what they are looking forward to. Then working in groups, they explore ways of dealing with the anxieties that students have written down. Feedback solutions at the end, perhaps offering additional reassurance and support as you do so.

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EXAMPLE TWO  ACTIVITY TITLE: TITLE: PAPER AEROPLANES AEROPLANES Time – 20 mins

Suggested participa participants nts – 20 +

Equipment required – Paper Aeroplane templates, lots of different coloured paper  Activity level level – Participants will make paper aeroplanes, throw them into the air, catch a plane and then work in pairs EXPLANATION This exercise is a good way of randomly pairing up participants; it works well with very large groups. People will throw and then catch a paper aeroplane and then find the other person in the group with the matching plane. The planes will have different animals on them: elephants, zebras, cats etc. You will need to photocopy the planes onto different coloured paper and make sure that you have two of each. For example, the two participant participantss who catch the blue aeroplane with an elephant on it sit down together, so will the pair who catch the green penguins, etc. Therefore, make sure that you produce enough pairs of coloured aeroplanes for all the participants in your group. As they enter the venue, give everyone a paper aeroplane. Ask them to follow the instructions, fold the plane and when everyone is ready all the planes are thrown into the air and caught. Participants will need to find the other person that caught the same plane as themselves, then sit down and answer the questions on the plane.  Written on the plane are some instructions: instructions: Please find out about the person you are sat with. • • • • • •

 Where do they come from and why did they choose UiTM?  What have they enjoyed most so far about being at at UiTM?  What are they most looking forward to about being being at UiTM?  What are they most nervous about?  What do they miss?  Where do they see themselves 10 years from now?

Health & Safety Warning There is a theoretical risk of hitting someone in the eye. Warn the group to throw the planes into the air, not at people and to be careful (if you have enough safety glasses to spare, handing them th em out might add to the event’s comic value), but really people ought to be able to survive this.

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LEARNING STYLES & CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS  After the iceice-breaking/“getting breaking/“getting to know you” activity, the instructor should lead the s tudents to the next sub-topic. As cliché as it may sound, we must highlight that though students might think that they already know this pretty well, there is plenty more to this then they are actually aware of. This leads to to the discussion discussion of ‘Learning Styles’ Styles’ – How – How aware are they of their own learning styles? and what is the importance of knowing what type of learners do they fall under?

 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 2  Ask students to complete the Learning Style Inventory in Figure 1.1A (pg. 10-11 of Van Blerkom – the Reference Book). Alternatively, there is a PDF version (see Appendix 1: PDF Learning Styles Inventory) which can be photocopied and used in class. There is a scoring instructions table  which they can refer to upon completing their task. This is to be done individually, however they may be grouped (3-4) to make the whole task more interactive. Instructors can even get them to compare between the group members.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS The instructor can put up the characteristics of the different learning styles, either via PP slides or handouts (pg. 11-16 of Van Blerkom – the Reference Book). The lesson can be summed up by reiterating the importance of knowing our learning styles in order to take the necessary steps to maximize our learning process. The instructor can then end the session with the 8 Steps to College Success as listed below:

8 STEPS TO COLLEGE SUCCESS 1.  Attend All Classes. One of the best ways to be successful in college is to attend all classes. Although you will be tested on material from the course text, most of the test questions will come from lectures. 2. Become an Active Learner. Unlike high school, in college, you can’t learn all of the material just reading over it a couple of times. You need to write and recite the information to get it into long-term memory. 3. Participate in Class. If you feel a bit uncomfortable participating in class, set a goal to either ask or answer one question during each class. Once you begin participating, you’ll PAGE 13

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

feel more a part of the class and will become more actively involved in the learning process. Get to Know Your Lecturers . Take a few minutes and stop to talk with your lecturer before or after class or during office hours. Ask a question about the material or check on your progress in the course. If you get to know your instructors, you may feel more comfortable asking for help when you need it. Form Study Groups with Friends. Study Groups of about 3-4 people are known to be  very effective. However, make sure that you include friends who are serious serious about doing  well in their studies, because only then they they will contribute. Stay Up to Date with Your Work . Many new college students have difficulty keeping up with all of the reading that’s assigned in class. If you get behind in your reading, y ou y ou may never have time to catch up. The workload in college just increases as the semester progresses. Never procrastinate! Be Receptive to Change. If the strategies that you used in high school aren’t working, ask you lecturer or tutor for suggestions for different ways to learn. Even though the strategies that they suggest may not seem like they’ll work, you must be willing to give them a chance. If you don’t make changes in the way you take notes, read your texts or prepare for exams, for example, you won’t won’t see changes in your performance. assignments in the evening. evening. If  Work Hard This Semester Semester. Forget about doing all your assignments  you’re taking fifteen credits this semester, you’ll need a minimum of thirty hours (two hours outside of class for every hour in class) to do your work. If you want high grades, if you work slowly or if you’re taking difficult courses, you’ll need more time to do your  work well.

REFERENCES  Van Blerkom, D. L. (2009). College Study Skills: Becoming a strategic learner  (6th  ed.). MA:  Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

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Goal Setting & Learning Lear ning Management System System SETTING GOALS FOR THE NEW SEMESTER  WRITING EFFECTIVE GOAL STATEMENTS USING THE LMS

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OVERVIEW The second topic of this module will focus primarily on goal setting. Apart from that, there will also be an introduction to the LMS (Learning Management System) platform used in UiTM. It is suggested that one hour be allotted all otted for goal setting and the next hour for the introduction to the LMS.

LECTURE NOTES GOAL SETTING The class should begin with the focus on the word wo rd ‘goal/s’. What comes to students students’’ mind when they hear the word ‘goal/s’?  Visit (for ideas): i. ii.

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/goal-list/ Google – ‘goal setting quotes’ ‘goal setting pics’ for ideas to use during the introduction part of the lesson

This particular topic will focus on: 1) 2) 3) 4)

Characteristics of goals  Academic and Personal Goals Setting goals for the new semester  Writing Effective Effective goal statements

Goals are the ends toward which we direct our effort. In other words, goals are things we want to achieve. Goals are important in varsity life because they help motivate you to do work, attend classes and study for exams. Even though you already may have set some goals before in your life, chances are you thought little about whether those goals were realistic. You can actually improve your academic performance in university by learning to set goals that motivate you to do well and that increase your chance for success. To be both useful and motivating, the goals you set must have some important characteristics: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

goals should be self-chosen goals should be moderately challenging goals should be realistic goals should be measurable goals should be specific goals should be finite goals should be positive

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 ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL GOALS Next, the instructor should move on to discuss the difference between academic and personal im portant topic which will possibly lead to an exciting discussion. Students goals. This is a very important should be made aware of o f the importance of both and how priorities should be set right from the beginning. They need to be able to ask themselves what is it that they want to achieve by joining the course that they have chosen? or by furthering their studies in UiTM?

 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 1  WRITING EFFECTIVE GOAL STATEMENTS STATEMENTS – THE FIVE STEP APPROACH Step 1: Write Down What You Want to Accomplish Step 2: Write Down Any Obstacles Step 3: Write Down Any Resources Available to You Step 4: Review and Revise Your Tentative Goal Statement Step 5: Polish Your Goal Statement Using the Five Step approach, ask students to write their goal statements. Any one of the templates provided below can be given to the students.

Review &

Obstacles

Goals

Revise

Resources

Publish

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USING THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) Learning Management System (LMS) is a software application that allows instructors to create, document, track, report and deliver courses to students. Additionally, it helps the instructors to deliver material to the students, administer tests and other assignments, track student progress, and manage record-keeping. In UiTM, the Learning Management System (LMS) is called i-Learn. i-Learn aims to help students increase the skills of technology use, and improve knowledge acquisition and information sharing.

 ACCESSING I-LEARN I-LEARN can be accessed i-Learn learn.uitm.edu.my/v3/home/

at:

http://i-learn.uitm.edu.my/v2/

OR

http://i-

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS Instructions should be given to students on how to use i-Learn. The main features/functions such as Log In, Announcement, Group Forum, My Drawer and Members should also be introduced to the students.

Figure 2.1: Accessing i-Learn Portal

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Figure 2.2: Features Available in i-Learn Portal V3

REFERENCES/RESOURCES Farah Atikah. (2015). UiTM I-Learn Student https://prezi.com/_3o9vb10eevc/uitm-i-learn-student-portal/

Portal.

Retrieved

from

i-Learn Handbook - UiTM Perak i-Learn Portal. (2008). Retrieved from http://perak.ilearn.uitm.edu.my/guideline/ilearn_usage_guideline1.pdf  Van Blerkom, D. L. (2009). College Study Skills: Becoming a strategic learner  (6th  ed.). MA:  Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

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Library & Campus Resources USING THE RESOURCES IN THE LIBRARY MAKING THE MOST OF COLLEGE RESOURCES

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OVERVIEW  We will walk through the steps that students should take to make full use all their library and campuses resources. For this topic, lecturers need to equip themselves with two types of information, namely the campus resources as well as some basic knowledge on the library resources. Lecturers can also get help from the librarian/s from respective campuses to give hands-on guidelines on how to use the library facilities.

INSTRUCTIONS TO INSTRUCTORS LIBRARY TOUR  Your students may prefer to google all the information to to assist them in in doing assignments assignments and research papers. However, your task is to show them the advantages of using proper library facilities. The library is a key resource as it provides collection of books and journals and coordinates an electronic gateway to a massive online information. However, accessing these resources requires library information and skills that are essential for your students. Contact a librarian to conduct a library tour for your students. Instruct your students to document the information that they have gathered from the library tour. Then, they have to include the library tour notes in their Portfolio.

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTORS INSTRUCTORS LIBRARY ACADEMIC SERVICES 1.Library Orientation Briefing 2.Library Tour 3.Information Skills Classes 4.Help Desk Services 5.Research Consultation Service 6.Information Discovery 7.Library Outreach Programme 8.Library Mobile InfoKiosk PAGE 25

9.Live Chat Service 10.Digital Map 11.Collection of Companies Yearly Report 12.Collection Government Annual Report and Publication 13.Endnote and Mendeley Services 14.Research Skills Classes 15.Report of UiTM Indexed Publication in Scopus and Web of Science

ONLINE AND OFFLINE SERVICES 1.Blog: www.researchjsp.blogspot.com 1.Blog:  www.researchjsp.blogspot.com 2.Facebook: Bahagian Perkhidmatan Akademik 3.Twitter: #researchsupport 4.Website for Reference Service & Research Help: http://www.library.uitm.edu.my/bpa Help:  http://www.library.uitm.edu.my/bpa 5.References at Bahagian Perkhidmatan Akademik Room: 8:30 am – 4:45 pm 6.Reference Counter: Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 7:45 pm Saturday – Sunday: 8:30 am – 4:45 pm 7.Live Chat: Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 7:45 pm Saturday – Sunday: 8:30 am – 4:45 pm  After office hours, all the chats will be answered via email.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS CAMPUS RESOURCES  Your students need to as much as possible know the campuses resources provided for them to ease their life as a university student. Ask them whether they are familiar with name of the places such as the HEP Office, Bursary, Library, food court, cafeteria and ATM machines. There are 3 major types of campus resources that your students need to know: 1.Academic Resources – Library, Information Technology & Computing, Registrar 2.Housing, Dining, and Transportation Resources – Buses, Dining Places 3.Student Organization Resources – Extra-Curricular, Leisure Activities

 ASSESSMENT 1 Instruct your students to prepare a creative 10-minute video presentation of their visit to five important places on campus (e.g. the HEP Office, Bursary, Library, food center, etc.). They need to use their creativity to make their video presentation as interesting as possible. The students have to submit their video presentation in Week 5.

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Time Management & Organizational Skills OPTIMISING STUDY TIME ORGANISING STUDY TIME USING TIME-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO STAY MOTIVATED REDUCING PROCRASTINATION

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OVERVIEW Managing time effectively is an important key to fulfilling university career. This chapter provides ideas for organizing activities and tips to help students focus on important tasks.

CHAPTER TERMS •

•

• •

 Academic planner –  is a system that will allow the students to plan out their entire academic career. Block schedule – is an effective format for a weekly schedule since it provides a concise  visual representation. Procrastination – this is simply putting off a task for another occasion. Self-regulating attitudes and behaviours –  able to monitor independent time consistently.

LECTURE NOTES USING TIME-MANAGEMENT TIME-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO STAY MOTIVATED FIVE STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP A SUCCESSFUL SYSTEM OF STUDY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

use a weekly schedule use a daily planner use a semester calendar balance academic with social and personal demands avoid procrastination

REDUCING PROCRASTIN PROCRASTINATION ATION PROCRASTINATION (avoiding and postponing what should be taken care of now) can rob  you of your time and detail your best intentions. intentions.

COMMON REASONS WHY PEOPLE PROCRASTINATE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Being a perfectionist  Avoiding failure  Avoiding success Being rebellious Feeling overwhelmed Being lazy PAGE 29

STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION PROCRASTINATION 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Know what you should accomplish Determine deadlines Use schedule/planners/calendars Prioritize Break a task into a series of steps Do the unpleasant task first Change how you think about the task Have fun with the activity Establish rewards as personal incentives for completion

 ADVANTAGES OF BEING ORGANISED ORGANISED If you organize your time well, you will: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

keep on schedule and meet deadline; reduce stress caused by a feeling of lack of control over your work schedule; Complete work with less pressure and fulfil your potential; build your confidence about your ability to cope; avoid overlapping assignments and having to juggle more than one piece of work at a time.

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 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 1 PERSONAL SCHEDULE (30 MINUTES) MATERIALS NEEDED Calendar for next two months (Jun to August) –  refer to Appendix 2 (Fixed Commitment Calendar) DIRECTIONS 1. Prepare a schedule of everything you will be doing tomorrow. This should be a very detailed list of what you will be doing and where you will be doing it throughout the day. 2. Prepare a weekly schedule for your activities and commitments during the next full week (Sunday through Saturday). You should have listed for each day all the major responsibilities that demand your time and presence, along with the times during the day for each responsibility/task. Although this list should be relatively detailed, do not include mealtimes or minor tasks that would take only a few minutes. The list for each day should contain both routine things you do each day as well as the items that are one-time events and tasks. You may be surprised how full each day will seem to be. 3. Prepare a schedule for the next six months using the same guidelines as in the schedule  you just completed. This time, you yo u will need n eed to have a much more long-range thought process and will need to include additional items such as vacation plans and other events that occur on a non-routine basis. Did you remember to add some important schoolrelated events such as major exams, and due dates for assignments?

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 ACTIVITY 2 DESIGNATING PRIORITIES (30 MINUTES) MATERIALS NEEDED Handouts: Designating Priorities & Job Task Analysis sheet (refer to Appendix A ppendix 3) DIRECTIONS Using the handout of Designating Priorities (page 32), allow the students to determine  whether each item listed is a routine, rush, or ASAP situation in the  Job Task Analysis sheet. Directions are given on the activity sheet. Possible answers follow below (answers may vary because of interpretation). The important thing is that students understand that some tasks are more important than others. 1. Routine 2. Routine 3.  ASAP or rush 4. Routine 5. Routine 6.  ASAP or rush 7.  ASAP or rush 8.  ASAP 9. Routine 10.  ASAP (broken into manageable blocks of time)

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Designating Priorities INSTRUCTIONS: Designate priorities for the following activities. Write Routine if the activity is routine, ASAP if the activity should be done as soon as possible, and Rush if the activity should be completed immediately.

________

1. Work completed with a minimum amount of effort.

________

2. Activities that benefit the company.

________

3. Important work.

________

4. Does not require immediate attention.

________

5. Socializing/attending meetings.

________

6. Workers receive immediate gratification.

________

7. Developing new product information.

________

8. Should be done as soon as time permits.

_______ ________

9. Expected, customary duties. 10. Require considerable time to complete.

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 ACTIVITY 3 TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS (30 MINUTES) MATERIALS NEEDED Handouts: Time Management Tips & TO-DO List sheet (refer to Appendix 4: Prioritized ToDo List) DIRECTIONS Using the Time Management Tips handout, ask students to list their activities in the To-Do List sheet. Students need to observe better time management when coming up with the list.

Time Management Tips      

        

Plan for rewards after unpleasant tasks. Do the most unpleasant tasks first. Learn to say no. Plan for change (involve others and ask for help if needed). If you are too busy, ask, "What is essential?"  When you are indecisive indecisive or unsure, remember that you can rarely be 100 percent sure.  Waiting is inevitable; inevitable; plan for it. Let someone else do when possible (delegate). Finish fully. It leaves you energized and motivated. Do one thing at a time.  Watch out for the TYRANNY of the urgent! Let others make the smaller decisions. Model, ask, and observe. Planning for one minute saves four or five minutes in the execution of a task. Once you have found the extra time, enjoy it!

REFERENCES  Van Blerkom, D. L. (2009). College Study Skills: Becoming a strategic learner  (6th  ed.). MA:  Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

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Memory, Improving Concentration & Reading Sy System stem UNDERSTANDING MEMORY PROCESSES MEMORY STRATEGIES UNDERSTANDING CONCENTRATION STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING CONCENTRATION READING/STUDY SYSTEM (SQ3R)

| Study Skills | PAGE 35

OVERVIEW This topic on memory, improving concentration, and the reading system aims to enable students to understand the basic processes of memory, and apply the memory skills in their learning.

 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 1  Ask the students to complete complete Activity 4.1 (p. 90 in Van Blerkom, Blerkom, 2009). Ask them to score their points. A low score indicates they need some help and a high score shows that they are already using many good memory strategies.

LECTURE NOTES MEMORY AND LEARNING Show and discuss the learning pyramid:

Students need to understand how information is learned and to understand the needs of using  various kinds of active learning strategies in learning, retaining, and using the information (encoding, storage, and retrieval) and hence, indicates how one learns, remembers, and forgets.  According to Kenneth Higbee, “remembering is hard work, and memory tech techniques niques do not necessarily make it easy, they just make it more effective” (Van Blerkom, 2009, p. 93).

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Explain briefly about memory processes.  What is memory? What is brain?  Answer:

The retention of information over time (Santrock, 2011) or the mind stores and remember information (mental processes / cognition), like computer software. The brain is the organ, like computer hardware

 When we learn, and remember, we will encode, store, and retrieve the information. information. The analogy is like a computer. (Lecturer ( Lecturer can ask students examples of computer components and what are the components analogous to human ) human )

o

o

o

Encoding / input (computer – keyboard, camera; human – the 5 senses; ears, mouth, nose, skin, eyes) eyes) Storage (computer – hard disk, thumb drive; human - 3 types of memory – SM, STM, LTM) Retrieval /output (computer – computer screen, printer; human – writing, talking)

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Source: http://open.lib.umn.edu/int http://open.lib.umn.edu/intropsyc/chapter/8-1-memories-as-types ropsyc/chapter/8-1-memories-as-types-and-stages/ -and-stages/

THE STORAGE (RETAIN INFORMATION) Three different types of memory   (simplified) according to Information Processing Model (Atkinson & Shiffrin’s model in Santrock, 2011) Sensory memory (SM) -numerous incoming information from 5 senses will be stored in the sensory memory for an instant. If one PAY ATTENTION to the stimuli, it will go to the short-term memory (STM). If one does not pay attention, then the information will be lost. (therefore, the importance of PAYING ATTENTION / CONCENTRATION while lecture, reading etc.) 2. Short-term / working memory (STM) - very limited storage. storage. From the SM, information  will be relayed relay ed to STM. While in the STM, information must be REHEARSED/ REPEATED OR use SOME ACTIVE LEARNING strategies in order to get information to LTM, otherwise information will be forgotten. (therefore, students must realize that applying memory strategies is important to strengthen the memory ability). 3. Long-term memory (LTM)– this is unlimited and large storage (like a big library with a lot lo t of books, the books are analogy to information we encode and save). From STM, information moved to LTM and stored here for later use (retrieval). If the information is not being used for some time, forgetting may occur. Having cues / strategies during encoding earlier would help in retrieval processes. 1.

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 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 2 ▪

 Ask students to close their eyes and lecturer write down on the whiteboard 15-20 random numbers. Once finish ask students to look at the numbers for 5 seconds, then lecturer erase the numbers and ask them to write down on the paper as much that students can recall). Usually students will get approximately 7 – 12 numbers randomly. This indicate the limited capacity of STM (the capacity of STM is 5 – 9 items (Miller, 1956).

▪

 Alternatively, ask the students to complete Activity 4.7 4 .7 (p. 107 in Van Blerkom, 2009) on organizational strategies (However, allocate only 5-10 seconds and not 60 seconds for students look at the list of words). This activity is also an example of the limited capacity of STM.

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LECTURE NOTES MEMORY STRATEGIES Memory strategies, why it is important? Memory strategies will help students in their encoding, storing, and retrieving the information (help to remember and recall). Kenneth Higbee, “remembering is hard work, and memory techniques do not necessarily make it easy, they just make it more effective” (Van Blerkom, 2009, p. 93).

POSE THESE QUESTIONS TO STUDENTS: ▪ ▪

What strategy do you use to remember r emember the colours of the rainbow? If you do not have your smartphone or pen and paper, what strategy do use to remember  your friends phone number? number?

HOW FORGETTING COULD OCCUR  Before discussing the strategies, lecturer briefly discuss the reasons for forgetting: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Did not pay attention to the information Did not understand the information Cramming (last minute study) Did not have good strategies Interference (having 2 exams on the same day especially if the subjects are closely related for example psychology and counselling) 6. Test anxiety (negative thoughts about oneself, did not prepare well for the test)

MEMORY STRATEGIES (How to Improve Your Memory) 1.

Massed practice vs spaced practice

Massed practice (not good) – cramming, involves studying all the materials at one time. Do not have time to understand, remember, and organize the reading materials. (Reason: Short term memory (STM) cannot sustain many information at one time) Space practice (good, recommended) –  involves space time over some period of time for studying. Spaced practice or distributed practice allows time for the information to consolidate in the long-term memory. Taking breaks between learning sessions allow you to think and organize the information. 2.

Break reading material down (again no cramming) for some period of time. e.g. 2 chapters per day, not all chapters a day before the exam.

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3.

Rehearsal–– repeat the information many times. e.g. repeat a telephone number 10 times Rehearsal

4.

Elaboration strategies: ▪

 Associations

To associate, or "connect" each word or event with a person, place, thing, feeling, or situation. For example, you may connect what you are trying to learn with someone you know, or with a movie character or scene. When you have to learn vocabulary words, just  write the new words, write the definitions next nex t to them, and then write a person, thing, event, movie, or any strong association to help you remember the meaning of each word. For example, "My altruistic Aunt Alice gives great gifts." (altruistic means generous) Ref: http://www.teachhub.com/top-12-memory-strat http://www.teachhub.com/top-12-memory-strategies-better-grades egies-better-grades ▪

 Acronyms / catchwords e.g.

▪

 Acrostics / catchphrases catchphrases – e.g.

▪

MAS – Malaysian Airline System; UiTM – Universiti Teknologi MARA

carnivores – animal eaters herbivores – plant eaters omnivores – animal and plant eaters decomposes – eat decaying organisms the Catchphrase: “Can Henry Omit Dents”

Imagery – visualize the image of the information needed

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▪

Organizational strategies – organize the materials for example animals can be divided into 3 types which are mammals, reptiles, amphibians

▪

Comprehension monitoring strategies - need to comprehend materials being read – SQ3R will be a good strategy.

 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 3  Ask the students to complete Activity 6.1 (p. 144 in Van Blerkom, 2009) on concentration strategies. Ask them to score their points. A low score indicates they need some hel p and a high score shows that they are already using many good concentration strategies.

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LECTURE NOTES STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING CONCENTRATION  What is concentration vs breaking concentration? (ask students to give examples of breaking concentration)

CONCENTRATION – focusing your attention on what you are doing. Causes of poor concentration (ask students to give examples) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Lack of attention Lack of interest Lack of motivation Distraction from others Uncomfortable environment Physiological matters – illness, tiredness Psychological matters – personal problems, worries, anxieties

STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE CONCENTRATION 1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Use motivational and organizational strategies – create interest in the work, develop a positive attitude toward you work, use goal setting strategies, use time-management strategies Create a positive learning environment – find a better location, reduce multitasking, minimize distractions Deal with internal distractions –  deal with personal problems, deal with competing activities, Use active learning strategies (as discussed in improving memory) Match your learning style to the task Monitor your concentration

 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 4  Ask the students to complete the Concentration Concentration Chart (Figure 6.4: Van Blerkom, 2009, 2009, pg. 161). They have to record up to ten problems that they encounter over a one-week period. They should also include one or more strategies that they used or should have used to improve their concentration. At the bottom, they have to indicate how well their strategies worked.

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LECTURE NOTES READING /STUDY SYSTEM (SQ3R/) CREATE AWARENES Reading academic materials are different from general reading tasks (story books, newspaper). Using a study system can help in comprehending reading academic materials due to three factors: 1. active learning strategies 2. use of multisensory methods (eyes, ears, mouth, hands – refer to the learning pyramid) 3. immediate steps for self-testing and review Ref: https://www.slideshare.net/gskeesee/ac https://www.slideshare.net/gskeesee/active-reading-sq3r tive-reading-sq3r

SQ3R: SURVEY-QUESTIONSURVEY-QUESTION-READ-RECITE-REVIEW READ-RECITE-REVIEW SQ3R is a comprehension strategy that facilitates students think about the text they are reading  while they are reading. As As a study strategy, strategy, SQ3R helps students “get it” the first time they read a text by teaching students how to read and think like an effective reader. This strategy includes the following five steps (Robinson, 1946 in Adolescence Literacy): 1.

Survey: Students review the text to gain initial meaning from the title, subtitle, chapter introduction or lead-in, boldfaced headings, graphs, charts, pictures, the final paragraph or summary and end-of-chapter material (study / discussion questions, vocabulary list).

2.

Question: Students try to form questions based on the preview (survey).

3.

Read: As students read, they need to look for answers to the questions they formed during their preview of the text. These questions, based on the structure of the text, help focus students' reading.

4. Recite:  after each section, pause. Students will attempt to answer questions formed

earlier. If students could not answer, then look back and find the answer in the section. Students should recite and rehearse the answers to their questions. Summarize the information. As students move through the text they should recite or rehearse the answers to their questions and make notes no tes about their answer for later studying. 5.

Review: After you have finished reading the whole reading assignment, refer back to each heading. Recall your questions and try to answer the them. If you cannot recall , go back and find the answer. This part is to test yourself.

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 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 5  Ask the students to read the text (Figure 12.3: Van Blerkom, 2009, pg. 309) and apply the SQ3R method.

REFERENCES  All about adolescence literacy. http://www.adlit.org/strategies/19803/ http://open.lib.umn.edu/intropsyc/chapter/8-1-memories-as-types-and-stages/ http://sass.queensu.ca/learningstrategies/topic-memory-strategies/ http://www.adlit.org/strategies/19803/ http://www.how-to-study.com/study-skills-articles/improving-concentration.asp http://www.studyandexam.com/how-to-concentrate.html http://www.teachhub.com/top-12-memory-strategies-better-grades http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Concentration-While-Studying https://www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/current-students/study-tips-and-techniques/stu https://www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/current-students/stu dy-tips-and-techniques/studydyconcentrate-and-remember/how-to-improve-your-concentration/ https://www.slideshare.net/EssayWriterCoUk/strategies-to-improve-memory-and-retention https://www.slideshare.net/gskeesee/active-reading-sq3r Miller, G.A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychol. Rev., Rev., 63:81– 63:81–97 Santrock, J.W. (2011). Educational Psychology (5 Psychology (5th ed.). N.Y.: McGraw Hill.  Van Blerkom, D. L. (2009). College Study Skills: Becoming a strategic learner  (6th  ed.). MA:  Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

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Taking Lecture Notes TAKING LECTURE NOTES EFFECTIVE NOTE-TAKING SYSTEMS

| Study Skills |

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OVERVIEW This topic introduces students to why they should take lecture notes, how to take lecture notes using an effective note-taking method, and what to include in their notes and reviewing their notes.

 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 1 Get the students to do Activity 5-1 (page 116) from the Reference Book. Ask them to score their points and ask them in which category they belong to based on their scores. A low score indicates they need some help in note-taking and a high score shows that they are already using many good note-taking strategies.

LECTURE NOTES Explain to the students WHY there is a need to take lecture notes.

 WHY TAKE LECTURE LECTURE NOTES 1.

Promotes active listening

2. Provides an accurate record of information 3. Provides an opportunity to interpret, condense and organize information 4. Provides an opportunity for repetition of the material

Ultimately, learning and practicing effective strategies for HOW to take lecture notes  will help you become a more successful student. student. (Explain briefly each of the point above. Please refer to the textbook pages 116-118)

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TAKING LECTURE NOTES Discuss or explain to the students on HOW to take lecture notes.

HOW TO TAKE LECTURE NOTES PREPARE BEFORE TAKING NOTES The best way to prepare your note-taking activity is to READ the text assignment BEFORE CLASS.

By reading the text assignment before the lecture you, it will allow you to • • • •

build up some background about the topic have some idea what the lecture is about identify main ideas of the lecture and organize your notes easier be familiar with the key terms and names related to the topic

 As you walk into the lecture classroom, GET READY to take notes. Sitting in front of the classroom, allows you to see and hear better. You will probably find that other interested and motivated students also tend to sit in the first few rows of the class. While waiting for class to begin, review the notes that you took during the last class meeting.

BECOME AND ACTIVE LISTENER Strategies for improving listening skills • • • • •

• • • • • •

read the text assignment before the lecture l ecture to build background on the topic review you last set of notes before the lecture begins sit in the lecturer’s line of vision decide what you want to listen focus your attention physically by sitting up and making eye contact with the speaker focus your attention mentally by eliminating or avoiding distractions d istractions listen with an open mind, setting aside your own biased control your emotional responses listen for the main points and related details and take notes ask and answer questions monitor your listening. Check with lecturer or a classmate (at the end of the lecture) if you’re unsure of some of the information

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EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKING SYSTEM

THE CORNELL NOTE-TAKING SYSTEM has an excellent format for setting up your note page. Use an 8.5-by-11 inch notebook. It has a recall/cue column and a summary column at the end.

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Explain what can be included in the students’ notes. Discuss how to take notes for classes which adopt other approaches apart from lecture.

 WHAT TO INCLUDE INCLUDE IN YOUR YOUR NOTES HEADINGS  Always note all headings – the main point – that are made during a lecture.

DETAILS Listen for ALL details Some of the details that you may want to focus on: • • • •

• • •

 Any facts or explanations that that expand or explain the main points that that are mentioned. Definitions, word for word, especially if your lecturer repeats them several times Enumerations or lists of things that are discussed Examples – you don’t need to note all of the details for each example, BUT you need to know to which general topic (heading) each example relates  Anything that is repeated repeated and spelled out  Anything that is written written on the whiteboard or on a PowerPoint slide slide Drawings, charts, or problems that are written on the board

DISCUSSION CLASSES Some lecturers prefer the discussion format when teaching.  You CAN easily take notes on a discussion. discussion. Instead of writing down the main heading, write heading,  write down the question question that’s posed. Then jot down the various points that are made ma de during the discussion.

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MATH AND SCIENCE CLASSES Taking notes in math and science classes requires special strategies.  You may find it helpful to write the problem on the left side of the note page and anything the lecturer says about it directly across from each step. Listen carefully for the main points and the important details and put them in your notes.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS Use the headings and subheadings in the PowerPoint presentations to organize your notes. Copy the headings and subheadings into your notes as the lecturer refers to them. Then listen to what the lecturer says about the slide and take notes.

ONLINE LECTURE NOTES Some lecturers choose to post post their lecture notes on the course Web sites. Some post the notes prior to the lecture, others post their notes after the lecture. Students always ask whether or not they really need to take notes in class when they can simply print the notes either before or after class. The answer is ‘YES’.  When you take notes, you are actively engaged in the class, you can condense the material,  you can organize organize the material your way, and you can can put the information in your own words.  You use the lecturer’s set set of notes to build some background knowledge prior to the lecture. Then after you take notes, use the online notes to edit your notes.

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Figure 6.1: Samples of Cornell Notes

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 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 2 Get the students to listen to a lecture and try out the Cornell note-taking method. •

Note: Audio lectures are easily available online. Choose one that is related to your students’ field of study. Alternatively, you can record your own lecture and get the students to listen to it.

•

Examples of websites with audio lectures: l ectures: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/brain-and-cognitive-sc https://ocw.mit.edu/course s/brain-and-cognitive-sciences/9-00-introductio iences/9-00-introduction-ton-topsychology-fall-2004/lecture-notes/3-learning-the-power-of-association/ https://archive.org/details/Philosophy_133_001_Fall_2010_UC_Berkeley_Philosophy of Language

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LECTURE NOTES REVIEWING NOTES Explain to the students how they can use their notes for revision.

REVIEWING YOUR NOTES There are three ways to review you notes.

RECITE FROM THE HEADINGS  You can review your notes by by using the headings or topics topics to prompt your memory.  After you review you notes by reciting them aloud, cover the information under each heading and try to recall all of the points related to the topics. Then check your notes to see whether you missed anything. This review method helps you learn the material in an integrated way.

RECITE FROM THE RECALL QUESTIONS  When you think you know the information information in your notes, use the recall questions to test  your memory of the main points and supporting supporting details. This review method helps you learn the material in an isolated way – you learn specific answers to specific questions.

TALK ABOUT THE INFORMATION WITH OTHERS  Another way to study the information in your notes is simply to talk talk about it. Putting Putting the information in your own words and explaining it to others is an excellent way to move it into long-term memory. Get together with your note-taking friends or a study group to review your notes. You can take turns discussing the information, predicting additional test questions and quizzing each other on the information. You can also teach the material to someone or something.

REFERENCES  Van Blerkom, D. L. (2009). College Study Skills: Becoming a strategic learner  (6th  ed.). MA:  Wadsworth Cengage Learning. PAGE 54

 Academic Integrity & Performance  AVOIDING PLAGIARISM CALCULATING GRADE POINT AVERAGE

| Study Skills | PAGE 55

OVERVIEW Topic 7 deals with students’ academic integrity and performance. In this section, students are exposed to what is plagiarism, the common types of plagiarism, and how to prevent plagiarism  when writing their assignment, assignment, paper or report.

LECTURE NOTES  AVOIDING PLAGIARI PLAGIARISM SM Many students are unintentionally guilty of plagiarism when they write reports, assignments and research papers.

Plagiarism:

an act of using using or closely imitating imitating the the language language and thoughts of another author  without authorization and the the representation representation of that author’s work as one’s own, own, as by not crediting the original author.

The following are considered plagiarism: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

turning in someone else’s work as your own copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit failing to put a quotation in quotation marks giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your  work, whether you give credit or not

Check out http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page342054 to see the common types of plagiarism. In most cases, plagiarism can be avoided through citing the original sources. Plagiarism can be prevented by simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed and providing the readers with the necessary information to find that source is usually enough to prevent plagiarism.

PREVENTING PLAGIA PLAGIARISM RISM There are two steps to preventing plagiarism when writing your assignment, paper or report. The first one is planning, and the second is the actual  writing.

PLANNING YOUR PAPER 1.

Consult Your Instructor/Lecturer PAGE 56

If you have doubts or questions about something, you should ask your instructor/lecturer. 2. Plan Your Paper  You need to plan plan how you are going going to include other other sources sources of information information in your paper. paper. There must be a balance between the ideas taken from other sources and your y our own ideas. Writing an outline or coming up with a thesis statement in which you clearly formulate an a n argument about the information you find will help establish the boundaries between your ideas and those of  your sources. 3. Take Effective Notes Organize the information that you have found by taking thorough notes of all the sources before  you start writing. To avoid confusion about your sources, try using different coloured fonts, pens, or pencils for each one. Make sure you clearly distinguish your own ideas from those you found elsewhere. Record bibliographic information or web addresses for every source right away.

 WRITING YOUR PAPER 4. Cite Sources Citing is one of the effective ways to avoid plagiarism. If it is unclear whether an idea in your paper really came from you, or whether you got it from somewhere else and just changed it a little, you should always cite your source. When quoting a source, use the quote exactly the way it appears. If the quotation is relatively short (usually fewer than 3 lines or 40 words), those  words must be enclosed in quotation quotation marks. 5. Make It Clear Who Said What If you are discussing the ideas of more than one person, be careful with confusing pronouns.  Always make sure to differentiate who said what, what, and give credit to the right person. 6. Know How to Paraphrase  A paraphrase is a restatement or rewording of a text or passage giving the meaning in another form in order to achieve clarity. To paraphrase, you must change both the words and the sentence structure of the original, without changing the content. Paraphrased passages still require citation because the ideas came from another source, even though you are putting them in your own words. [A few examples of paraphrasing can be found here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/1/] 7. Evaluate Your Sources Make sure you know the author(s) of the page, where they got their information, and when they  wrote it (getting this information is also an important step in avoiding plagiarism). Then you should determine how credible you feel the source is: how well they support their ideas, the quality of the writing, the accuracy of the information provided, etc. [Try this link: http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction_backup/evalcrit.html]

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8. Include a Reference Page One of the most important ways to avoid plagiarism is referencing. Include a reference page or page of works cited at the end of your paper. Check the guidelines for citing sources properly and make sure that the page meets the document formatting guidelines used by UiTM. Look for the APA 6th formatting style. [Try this link: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/re https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/1/] source/560/1/] [For entries of Malay, Chinese and Indian authors’ names, refer to Page 18 of Avoiding Plagiarism: A Guide for Students at https://inqka.uitm.edu.my/v2/images/Special_Projects/ https://inqka.uitm.edu.my/v2/images /Special_Projects/plagiarism/policy/avoiding_plagiaris plagiarism/policy/avoiding_plagiarism m _a_guide_for_students.pdf] Be sure to edit your research paper carefully and check for plagiarism before submitting it. Refer to your instructor/lecturer for the turnitin turnitin account  account to assess your paraphrasing and other antiplagiarism skills. [Try this link: http://turniti http://turnitin.com/] n.com/]

 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 1 PARAPHRASING EXERCISES Try the following exercises on paraphrasing and summarizing: https://usu.instructure.com/courses/31801/quizzes/13501?module_item_id=63579 http://users.clas.ufl.edu/harlandj/courses/3942/exercises/Exercise3b.pdf Try another exercise at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resourc https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/2/ e/619/2/

 ACTIVITY 2 REFERENCING EXERCISES Try these exercises to help familiarize yourself with the APA citation style: http://library.georgiancollege.ca/citing/exercises

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REFERENCES/RESOURCES Beck, S. E. (1997; 2009). Evaluation Criteria. Retrieved from http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction_backup/evalcrit.html Georgian College Library. (2017). APA Writing & Citing Guide. Retrieved from http://library.georgiancollege.ca/citing/exercises Institute of Quality & Knowledge Advancement A dvancement (InQKA). (2012). Avoiding Plagiarism: A Guide for Students. Retrieved from https://inqka.uitm.edu.my/v2/images/Special_Projects/p https://inqka.uitm.edu.my/v2/images /Special_Projects/plagiarism/policy/avoiding_plagiarism lagiarism/policy/avoiding_plagiarism _a_guide_for_students.pdf iParadigms LLC. (2014). Plagiarism.org. Retrieved from http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarismfrom  http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism101/what-is-plagiarism/ President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2017). Harvard Guide to Using Sources: Sources: How to  Avoid Plagiarism. Retrieved from http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page342057 President and Fellows of Harvard College. (2017). Harvard Guide to Using Sources: What Constitutes Plagiarism? Retrieved from http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page342054 The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue University. (1995-2017). General Format. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resourc https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ e/560/01/ The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue University. (1995-2017). Paraphrase: Write It in Your Own Words. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resour https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/1/ ce/619/1/ The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue University. (1995-2017). Overview and Contradictions. Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resour https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/ ce/589/01/ Turnitin LLC. (2016). Resources. Retrieved from http://en.writecheck.com/ways-to-avoidplagiarism/ Turnitin LLC. (2017). h (2017). http://turnitin ttp://turnitin.com/ .com/ Utah State University Library. (nd). Retrieved from Avoiding from Avoiding Plagiarism and Citing Sources CSE Style Quizzes Style Quizzes Activity:  Activity: Paraphrasing and Summarizing

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LECTURE NOTES CALCULATING GRADE POINT AVERAGE The final examination results and assessments at the end of every semester are assigned a Grade Point Average (GPA) and a Cumulative Grade Point Average A verage (CGPA) which represent a student’s academic achievement.  A Grade Point Average (GPA) refers to the calculated average of the letter grades a student earns in each semester following a 0 to 4.0 scale.

Table 1: GPA Calculation Letter Grade Percent Grade

4.0 Scale

 A+

90-100

4.00

 A

80-89

4.00

 A-

75-79

3.67

B+

70-74

3.33

B

65-69

3.00

B-

60-64

2.67

C+

55-59

2.33

C

50-54

2.00

C-

47-49

1.67

D+

44-46

1.33

D

40-43

1.00

E

30-39

0.67

F

0-29

0.00

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Every semester, students receive a GPA based on the grades they earned in all their courses during that semester. The formula used for the calculations of the Grade Point Average (GPA) is as follows: GPA = The total credit values registered and attempted in the assessment assessment of a semester semester ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The total credit units acquired in the same semester

To find GPA weighted by credit hours, follow these steps: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Multiply each numeric grade value by the number of credits the course was worth.  Add these numbers together. Divide by the total number of credits you took. = (3.67 x 3) + (3.33 x 2)  Your GPA = 3.53. -----------3+2

= 11.01 + 6.66 -----------5 = 3.53

Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) refers to the overall GPA, which includes dividing the number of quality points earned in all courses attempted by the total credit hours in all attempted courses. CGPA = The total credit values registered and attempted in the assessment of all semesters -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The total credit units acquired in all semesters

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FAILURE AND DISMISSAL Students with extremely unsatisfactory academic performance will/can be dismissed from his/her study. The status of Dismissed (D) that can be given to students include:

Table 2: Academic Status Status

Description

D1

a CGPA of less than 1.80

D2

a CGPA of less than 1.80 with P1 status

D3

a CGPA of less than 2.00 with P2 status

D4

Failed in a certain course for the third time

D5

a CGPA of less than 2.00 at the end of the maximum period of study and still have courses which have not been completed

D6

Passed all courses required by a programme and fulfilled all the requirements of the programme but acquired a CGPA of less than 2.00

D7

Did not sit for the examination of all the registered courses for that semester without the approval of the University

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 ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS  ACTIVITY 1 GPA WORKSHEET 1.

Calculate the GPA for Amelia Ameer for her first semester: Course and Grade (1st Semester)

Course Point Average

Comparative Animal Physiology: 3 credits, earned grade of B+ Biochemistry I: 4 credits, earned grade of CIntegrated Physiology Lab: 1 credit, earned grade of A  Asian Civilization I: 3 credits, credits, earned grade of CEcology: 3 credits, earned grade of A Korean I: 3 credits, earned grade of B Total Number of Credits = Total Points Earned = GPA =

2. Calculate what would have happened if Amelia had earned a B in Chemistry. 3.  What is the difference in GPA?

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4. Now calculate Amelia GPA for the next semester: Course and Grade (2nd Semester)

Course Point Average

Cell Biology: 4 credits, earned grade of B+ Organic Chemistry I: 4 credits, earned grade of B Intro Physics I: 4 credits, earned grade of C  Writing in Biology: 3 credits, credits, earned grade of C Public Speaking: 3 credits, earned grade of ATotal Number of Credits = Total Points Earned = GPA = 5.  What would happen if Amelia had received a D in Cell Bio instead of the the B+? 6.  What is the difference in GPA? 7.  What is the difference in CGPA? CGPA? 8.  What does Amelia have to to do in order to achieve a GPA of 3.00 in in the 2nd semester if her CGPA falls below 2.50 in the 1 st semester?

REFERENCES/RESOURCES BHEA, UiTM. (2011). Academic Regulations Diploma and Bachelor’s Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) Programmes. Retrieved from https://hea.uitm.edu.my/v1/images/stories/downloads/academic_regulations/Academic%20R  egulations%20Diploma%20Degree%202011.pdf

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LIST OF APPENDICES  APPENDIX 1:

Learning Styles Inventory 

 APPENDIX 2:

Fixed-Commitment Calendar

 APPENDIX 3:

 Job Task Analysis Analysis

 APPENDIX 4:

Prioritized To-Do List

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