Writing Skills

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Communication is at the top of the list of skills that employers look for. And communication in the workplace often means writing.

Health professionals keep patient charts, researchers depend on the money they collect by writing grant applications, software engineers write technical specifications, and nearly everyone writes e-mail to people inside and outside the organization. And before you even get the chance to interview for a job, you’ll need to present yourself in cover letters and resumes.

So, by taking writing serious and doing your best on every research paper, every lab report you write, every new post you write in your blog site, and every writing activity you engage in, you’re preparing yourself for a good career.

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5 Tips for staying Motivated

Tips 1-2

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/8454.html

To succeed in high school and college, you have to do your best at all times. But sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated, even when you really care about the work you’re doing. Here are five ways to stay on the right track.

1.     Focus on High-Impact Activities

The key to success in school is staying focused on your course work. Make a list to get an overall picture of your workload before you start to tackle any of it. Then, make a plan. Although it’s tempting to do the simplest assignments first, those that take more time and effort to accomplish are probably the ones that you’ll learn the most from.

To determine what your priorities are, rank your assignments in the order of their importance. Then rearrange your time and devote more energy towards those that have the greatest impact on your course work and grades. For example, even though all homework assignment are important, studying for a midterm exams tackles priority over writing a paragraph for English class. As you complete each task, think of it as another step on your way to college success.

2.     Create New Challenges

Changing your approach can help you stay interested in what you’re doing. If you’ve been given an assignment similar to one you’ve done in the past, think about it in a different way. If you wrote an essay for a creative writing assignment last year, try a poem this time. For book report, pick a history book instead of another biography.

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Profile of a Successful Student

Part 1

http://www.plymouth.edu/office/online-education/online-learning/profile-of-a-successful-student/

A successful student…

…takes responsibility for his/her own learning

Online learning can be a powerful, stimulating, engaging experience for the student who can work and think independently. However, since most-if not all—of the learning takes place on your own time, you will not have the kind of direct supervision you would in a classroom. Online learning therefore requires a significant commitment from you. All education comes down to what you’re willing to invest in the experience—this is particular true in the online government. Commitment, self-discipline and self-motivation are all key qualities to ensuring success in an online course!

…is comfortable and confident with written communication

Reading and writing are the basis of most online courses, so it’s critical that you feel comfortable with this form of communication. While some courses contain modules that include videos or other activities, all of them required significant amounts of reading. And nearly all of your communication with your classmates and your instructor will be in writing. If these are weak areas for you, you will want to address those issues prior to enrolling or while enrolled in an online course. The PSU Writing Center is available to assist you.

…is willing to be a member of an online community.

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Study for Multiple Exams

Part 2

My strategies for written assignments: Everyone has their own writing styles. I generally come up with an idea and do massive amount of research before I ever think about writing. I then organize my research then sometimes prepare an outline before actually writing. I always print out the paper and come back to it the next day and reread it. That is the easiest way for me to catch my own mistakes. I have to give my eyes a break from it, and if I just wrote it I think it looks perfect. But if I look at it a day later I almost always find grammatical errors or phrases and sentences I just want to reword.

How I succeed in team projects: never assume someone is doing what they are supposed to be doing. Have regular meetings and have each member show their work, not just given you or group their word for it.

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Sarah’s Academic Success Story

Part 1

Time management became a key factor in study skills for college. In high school, there were times I was able to study for an hour or two the night before a test and get away with it. This was not the case in college. I made sure in college I was prepared for each class. Sometimes that meant writing out the terms for the chapter we read (even if when it isn’t required) to better understand them. That way when the midterm or test comes around I was able to understand what I was studying. I started taking excellent notes in class in college. I may have done this in high school, but in college I started typing up the notes after class. This helped me remember what I just went over in class then when I had a test one week later I was more likely to remember then as well.

My overall study method: Structure. One thing I learned was I had to adapt or change my study method according to the class. I couldn’t study for a Religion Class the same way I studied for a Finance class. But making sure I had enough time to study for each class—even if it meant carrying a planner with me at all times was a big part of my success.

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WORK TOGETHER

Part 1

I can and will work as part of the team as long as everyone in the team is willing to do work. I don’t like having to pick up the slack, but I will if I know that my grade will be harmed otherwise. My greatest academic success was in my first semester when I had to write a 10-12 page research paper. It was the longest paper I had ever been assigned and I was a little scared. Also, it was the first paper where they were like, here you go, just write about something. I had to argue in favor or against something, but it could be anything from the sky is blue hypnotism. I wrote mine on hypnotism. I worked on this paper for weeks. Every night I would be doing research or writing. I put so much effort into this paper. It ended being just under 12 pages but it was full on information. I turned it in and when I got it back a week or so later, I had received the first A+ of my college career. All my hard work paid off because I got the grader I deserved. I was really happy and proud of myself.

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