Week 1 Discussion Forum

http://apps.3cmediasolutions.org/oei/modules/study-time/index.html

Dr. Daphne E. Williams and

Dr. Mxolisi Siwatu
(2019)
*

*

Pursuing a graduate degree can be an exciting, but somewhat daunting process. Learning to effectively balance the demands of family and work with the rigors of pursuing a graduate degree can be challenging. However, strong study management habits and techniques can empower you with the confidence that you need to meet the demands of the graduate curriculum.

This presentation will provide you with several practical strategies for strengthening your study management habits and strategies in the following areas:

Study Management,
Reading,
Note-taking, and
Resource Management
*

*

Developing effective study management strategies is an important way to mitigate some of the more common challenges that are associated with pursuing a graduate degree.

These strategies include:

Goal-Setting
Planning
Time Management
Location and Environment Management
*

Goal-Setting

The development of short- and long-term plans that are designed to help one to achieve a specific outcome.

The Importance of Goal-Setting

Short- and long-term goals help students to maintain focus and to provide the drive necessary to accomplish daily, weekly, monthly tasks that actually help them to reach their goals.
*

*

Write Goals Down

Post goals in an area where they can be seen regularly

Develop daily, weekly, and monthly goals

Be certain that the goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and have a clear time-frame for completion.

*

*

Goals should be: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and provide a clear time for completion

An appropriate specific short-term goal: “by the end of the week, I will have read the two chapters assigned in Module 1 of my Finance course”

The Goal:

is measurable if one can evaluate if it has been reached.

is attainable if it is a task that is challenging enough to be interesting, but not daunting enough to be discouraging.

is realistic if it is manageable and can be completed in the time allocated to complete the task.

has a clear time for completion if it allows enough time for one to comfortably complete the assignment, review it for quality, and if possible, submit it before the deadline.
*

Break larger tasks down into smaller parts and include interim deadlines for completing the smaller components of the larger task (desJardins, 1995; Drew & Bingham, 2010).

Determine tasks that can be completed in less than an hour and then move to the more time consuming tasks (desJardins, 1995)

If motivation is an issue, commit to spending at least 15 minutes working on any task.

*

Identify expectations for the course and develop strong planning and organizational techniques (Drew & Bingham, 2010)

Step 1: Identify the expectations for the course by reviewing the course syllabus, course schedule, assessments and student learning outcomes. This information will help you to determine how best to approach weekly assignments.

Step 2: Organize assignments and deadlines into a list or into a table and set personal deadlines for completing each assignment a few days before they are due

*

Step 3: Add the assignments to a time budget worksheet.

Step 4: Add the assignments to a personal planner or calendar. Use a wall or desk calendar to help you to see the “big picture” of patterns for deadlines and assignment due dates. It helps to plan for weeks when several assignments are due either on or near the same date.

Step 5: Plan when to begin assignments to ensure that the established interim and final deadlines are met.

*

Step 6: Determine when you should begin an assignment by working back from the final deadline, determining how much time you will need to obtain resources, and determining how long it will take to complete the final assignments (Drew & Bingham, 2010).

Step 7: Consider any potential problems and have a plan for mitigating them. Have a backup plan.

Step 8: Select a meaningful reward, no matter how small, to reward yourself for completing the task (Drew & Bingham, 2010).

*

Career, family and personal obligations can be difficult to balance with school obligations. However, developing and consistently implementing a time-management plan can help to promote balance between these obligations.

Time management-”managing your time effectively so you get everything done” (Parson, 2012, p. 5).

*

*

Step 1: Plan to consistently complete short study sessions throughout the week (Loveless, 2018).

Step 2: Plan to study specific subjects and to identify the day and time that a specific subject will be studied.

Step 3: Plan to study at the same time everyday and to clearly identify the goals of the study session. Try to remain consistent, but feel free to be flexible.

Step 4: Complete a time-budget worksheet.

*

Completing the Time-Budget Worksheet (Sample on slide 15. However, you can find one in many places online)

Step 1: Add established time commitments such as work, family, commute times, meals, exercise, personal, social and regularly scheduled weekly activities (Christ, 2016).

Step 2: Any time that is left is what remains for studying.

Step 3: Allocate at least 2 to 3 hours of study time per week for every 1 credit hour of coursework (Bennett, 2000).
*

Step 4: Allocate between 9 to 12 hours per week for every 3-credit hour online course (Christ & Ganey, 2007).

Step 5: Consider studying in 40 to 45 minute blocks and schedule short breaks between (Moore et al., 2010).

Step 6: Add between 5 to 30 minutes before and after class to preview, edit, and review class notes (Christ, 2016).

Step 7: Make friends and family aware of when your study sessions are and try to not deviate from your times.
*

*

Hour
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

6 a.m.-7 a.m.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

7 a.m. -8 a.m.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

…..
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

9:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Choosing an appropriate location to study is essential to making the most of the time that is available to you to study.

Study Environment-“The things that surround you when you learn make up your study environment” (Saddleback, Inc., 2013, p. 3).

*

*

Conditions that promote an effective study environment (Saddleback Educational Publishing, Inc., 2013).

Location: library, room in the home, a coffee shop, campus learning assistance center. However, experiment with locations to determine what works best.
Step 1: Identify at least two possible study locations
Step 2: Identify a location that is not open to back and forth traffic
Step 3: Ensure that lighting on your desk or table is sufficient
*

Step 4: It helps to have the ability to close the door or to limit noise

Step 5: Have study materials near the work area

Step 6: Ensure that the study site is cool, but not cold (somewhere between 65 and 70 degrees).

Step 7: Ensure that the workspace is organized and that one can locate resources. Reduce chaos in the workspace (Moore, Neville, Murphy, & Connolly, 2010).
*

As a graduate student, you will be expected to read volumes of manuscripts, engage in countless hours of discussion activities, and to meet deadlines in a timely manner. Therefore, developing effective reading and note-taking strategies is very important.

The next slide outlines the strategies that we will review next.

*

Information retention and redundancy

Engaging in intellectual discourse

Practicing active reading

Using process maps and flowcharts

Staying engaged during note-taking

Expanding your vocabulary, and

Recreational reading and writing

*

*

Practice expressing a single idea in multiple ways by experimenting with synonyms, analogies, and metaphors as you attempt to understand a concept.

Look to personal experiences to create real-life examples that make the material relatable.

Practicing redundancy forces you to think deeply and dynamically about the material.

*

*

The most lasting knowledge is transmitted through conversations with your peers and professors.

Take advantage of the intellectual capital that exists among peers and professors.

Find time to regularly engage your peers and professors both in and out of class about topics related to your discipline.

As you attend class, note topics for which you may need clarity or that you perceive may be controversial.

Thought provoking discussions and different interpretations help to cement ideas.

*

Before reading the chapter, browse the chapter, noting headings, sub-headings, and general topic areas.

Observe the length and complexity of the chapter so that you can pace yourself.

Identify the author’s goals and objectives. Note bold and italicized words. Note any visual cues such as tables and figures that may communicate priorities.

Set learning goals and establish personal objectives for what you wish to gain from the reading.

*

Ask yourself, “Why am I reading this chapter and what is it that I am seeking to know?

Identify questions that you would like to answer and read to answer these questions.

Consider the reading as a conversation between you and the author

Try to identify the most salient aspects of the discussion, but do not assume that everything that is presented is of equal importance.

*

When Reading Journal Articles

Study the abstract and conclusions prior to reading the article.

Read the main body of the article including the purpose, research questions, theoretical framework, findings, and conclusions. The main body of the article will include the goals, objectives, findings, and key concepts.

The more engaged you are in the material, the more information you will retain.
*

One of the best ways to make complex concepts retainable is through graphical representation.

Try to visualize the concepts presented in your reading material so that you can understand how they are interrelated.

A collection of logically connected charts, graphs, and tables will provide a useful tool for finding the cohesion across seemingly disjointed content.

Process maps and flowcharts make it easier for you to quickly review the notes during commutes or before class.

*

Attempting to document everything said by the professor during a lecture can be distracting and pulls away from the discussion.

Instead, learn to listen to what is being said and to remain engaged.

Get actively engaged in the conversation as opposed to noting details mechanically.

*

Write down only those ideas that you believe may be too complicated for you to immediately file to memory and that may require a deeper consideration later.

Use a short-hand technique; neatness is a relatively low priority.

Rewrite and organize notes later as you reflect on the discussion when you are alone and not distracted.

Rewrite notes as closely a possible to the time that you initially wrote them.

*

Do not be intimidated by manuscripts written with expansive vocabularies, nor should you be ashamed of how often you may encounter words with which you are unfamiliar.

Take advantage of technology by looking up unfamiliar words and making a note of them in your notes or in the margins of your textbook.

Use your personal electronic device to retrieve definitions in real time. It’s okay to look it up!

*

Recreational reading and writing beyond the scope of your discipline will help to improve your vocabulary and communication skills.

Study how authors use words to create images and narratives, and practice incorporating some of these writing styles and conventions into your academic writing.

*

As a graduate student, it is very important that you familiarize yourself with the physical and digital resources that are available to you through your campus.

Knowing how to efficiently and effectively access your campus’ resources can save you time and energy and can make your searches more productive. We will now cover the following: Using the Campus Library and Using the Internet.
*

Visit your campus library and familiarize yourself with your institution’s physical and digital resources.

As an online student, review the campus’ online resources.

Review your campus’ catalog and the variety of books, journals, and other resources as they relate to your discipline.

Contact your campus’ subject librarian. He or she will be able to provide you with their resources as they relate to your discipline and save you time in locating sources relevant to your discipline.

*

Familiarize yourself with any other resources that the library provides including, online databases, ebooks, research datasets and datalabs, videos/DVS, historical documents, access to quantitative and qualitative research analysis software packages, or microfilm.

Familiarize yourself with the journals within your discipline to which your campus library subscribes.

Review previously publishes theses and dissertations that are related to your discipline.

Take advantage of research training, academic assistance and interlibrary loan services.

*

Gain remote access to the libraries’ resources and services. Be certain that you can access the library when you are away from campus.

Attend training activities or attend any training sessions that your library provides that can help you learn how to better navigate and understand the libraries’ resources.

Familiarize yourself with your libraries’ borrowing policies including book and interlibrary loan policies and any costs associated with requesting copies of journals from other institutions.

Visit your local library and any surrounding college or university libraries to see if they can be possible sources of information to you.

*

Peer-reviewed books and journal articles should be your primary sources of information when conducting research in a graduate degree program.

Research reports and newspaper articles are also acceptable sources.

Be cognizant that biases may exist with organizations that publish research reports and newspaper articles.

Be careful about relying on information that is presented in blogs, Wikipedia, and other sources that are not peer-reviewed or that have not undergone a rigorous quality review process

*

Search for literature using the Google Scholar search engine instead of using only Google.

Google Scholar will limit the search results to only academic and scholarly websites and information (Parson, 2012).

Take advantage of Google Scholar services such as email alerts and email notifications.

Review the websites for when the website was last updated. If there is no author or contact information for the author, then you may want to find another source. If the website has not been recently updated, it may be advisable to find a more recent source of information.

*

Check to see if the URL still works if you remove parts from the end of it (Parson, 2012). Usually, if a site is reputable, then when you remove parts from the end of the URL, you are redirected to the homepage for the website. If you remove portions of the URL and the link stops working, then you may want to reconsider using the website as a source (Parson, 2012)

If the website address ends in .edu, then this indicates that the website is an academic institution and that it is probably a reputable website (Freeman & Stone, 2006).

*

Determine if the website is merely providing information in an effort to expand knowledge about a particular topic or if the website is promoting an idea or a product (Parson, 2012).

If you have any reservations about the veracity or quality of the information that is presented on a website, then err on the side of caution and avoid using the website as a source (Parson, 2012).

*

Bennett, J. (2000). Hints on how to succeed in college classes. Retrieved from
https://caps.ucsd.edu/Downloads/tx_forms/koch/college_success/college_success

Christ, F. L. (2016). 7 steps to better management of your study time: Where there’s a skill, there’s an A. H & H Publishing Company, Inc.: Clearwater, FL.

Christ, F. L., & Ganey, L. R. (2007). 100 things every online student ought to know. (2nd ed.). The Cambridge Stratford, LTD: New York

Clinton, V. (2015). Examining associations between reading motivation and inference generation beyond reading comprehension skills. Reading Psychology, 36(6), 473-498.

Collins, K.T.M, Onwuegbuzie, A.J., & Jiao, Q.G. (2008). Reading ability as a predictor of academic procrastination among African American graduate students. Reading Psychology, 29(6), 493-507.

desJardins, M. (1995). How to succeed in graduate school: A guide for students and advisors. Crossroad, Online ACM Student Magazine, 1(3), 1-15.

*

*

Drew, S., & Bingham, R. (2010). The guide for learning and study skills. Ashgate Publishing Company: VT.

Freeman, P. J., & Stone, T. (2006). Study skills for psychology: Succeeding in your degree. SAGE publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.

Levin, P. (2007). Skillful time management! Open University Press: New York.

Loveless, B. (2018). Study habits of effective students. Retrieved from
https://www.educationcorner.com/habits-of-successful-students.html

Moore, S., Neville, C., Murphy, M., & Connolly, C. (2010). The ultimate study skills handbook. OUP: New York.

*

*

Parson, V. (2012). Study and communication skills for psychology. Oxford University Press: United Kingdom.

Saddleback Educational Publishing. (2013). Study Skills 1. Saddleback Educational Publishing: Irvin.

 

Williams, D. E., & Siwatu, M S. (submitted July 2018, under review). Using discipline to develop and maintain good study habits and techniques. In V. L. Farmer, & E. S. Wynn (Eds.), The Black students’ pathway to graduate study and beyond: The making of a scholar. (Book chapter in upcoming book).

Wilson, S. B., & Dobson, M. S. (2008). Goal setting: How to create an action plan and achieve your goals. (2nd ed.). AMACOM: NY.

*