Some tidbits

I've linked to Grammar Girl before, but I don't think I've linked to this – Top Ten Grammar myths. I love this list because it highlights assumptions made by both inexperienced and experienced writers.

For those of you who think "a run-on sentence is a really long sentence," here's a link to a great handout on subordinate clauses (created by Robin Simmons whose website Grammar bytes is also worth checking out), as well as one we created on sentence structure. If you want to find ou if you have a problem with run-ons, or need help deciphering these handouts please stop by to see one of our writing tutors!

And, because it's exam season, here is a brochure on exam stress put out by Alberta's mental health board and a trio of our handouts - preparing for exams, tips on taking multiple choice exams, and writing essay exams. Finally, now is a perfect time to try out Counselling's "Chill out at Noon" meditation group.

Miriam

Avoiding bad study habits.

Hmmmmm, one of the bad habits I should obviously avoid for 2008 is procrastination. I apologized for my rather spotty blog additions.

Cal Newport who wrote How To Become A Straight A Student also has a blog called Study Habits. January's entry (which I saved many weeks ago . . .) is called "5 Bad Study Habits You Should Resolve to Avoid in 2008." This entry is useful (particularly his first suggestion – study with a plan) as is much of the rest of his blog. Check it out.

Miriam

Learning and Memory from multiple perspectives

I just found this totally funky website on memory and learning designed by Bruno Dubuc (affiliated with Canadian Institutes of Health Research). The website is interactive and adjusts focus and level of information based on your knowledge (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced) and interest (Social, Psychological, Neurological, Cellular, and Molecular).

So, for example, the first "Beginner" (the default) sentence is "Memory and learning are so closely connected that people often confuse them with each other. But the specialists who study them consider them two distinct phenomena." However, if you click "Intermediate" the opening sentence is "Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour that marks an increase in knowledge, skills, or understanding thanks to recorded memories. A memory is the fruit of this learning process, the concrete trace of it that is left in your neural networks." And finally, the "Advanced" opening sentence is "Learning is a process that lets us retain acquired information, affective states, and impressions that can influence our behaviour. Learning is the main activity of the brain, in which this organ continuously modifies its own structure to better reflect the experiences that we have had."

All of these sentences present memory from the psychological point of view. If you then click on "Social" the first sentence (Intermediate) is "People have always tried to keep some records of what they have learned. The earliest records consisted of oral tradition, rituals, and cave paintings. Later on, the ancient Egyptians used pictographs called hieroglyphs to glorify their pharaohs. The subsequent invention of alphabetical writing marked the first universally accessible form of external collective memory (as opposed to internal individual memory, located in the human brain). This was the birth of history."

I really like the flexibility of this site and how easy it is to see how different disciplines approach a different topic. Students who are taking different subjects (as most of do) may find themselves discussing/learning the same topic from a number of different disciplinary perspectives. However, sometimes we have a hard time seeing topics from multiple perspectives and this site provides one useful example of such an exercise.

Miriam

Graduate Writing Kit

The University of Ottawa has developed a wonderful resource for graduate students called the "Graduate Writing Kit." The "kit" covers graduate writing, thesis writing, writing a thesis proposal, information management and writing a literature review. As many graduate students know there are few writing resources available for them, so this new site is very welcome!

Also, don't forget about the graduate section of the VLC!

Yet another podcast post

I confess I'm addicted to listening to podcasts. In particular, I like listening to them on the bus on my way home after work when I'm kind of brain-dead, but still need to do some work. I also like accessing information on my own terms and podcasts allow me to listen anywhere – even in the bathroom!

It's easy to find great radio-based podcasts (I love CBC Radio 3 & NPR's All Songs Considered for example) but informational podcasts on something other then technology (and the wonderful grammar girl mentioned in the previous post) are more difficult to track down. However, McMaster's Centre for Student Development has developed a useful series of video podcasts that are short (usually under 4 minutes) and to-the-point. These podcasts present time management, writing, math, and learning tips. I really like the one podcast called "winning through wedging" (as opposed to "winning through wedgies"). They also come in a variety of video formats: video iPod, mp3, Flash, Quicktime and Window's media.

Miriam

Grammar Girl and "Writing Dates"

For me, January is all about remembering to write down the correct year. For the next couple of weeks I'll be writing 2007 instead of 2008. New year or not, there concerns about how to deal with dates in text that arise over and over again – for example, do you write two thousand and eight or two thousand eight? Grammar Girl (Quick and Dirty tips for Better Writing) tells us what do in this case, as well as explaining why we should never write January 1st, 2008 (you write January 1, 2008), where to put the comma, and whether to capitalize New Year's Day (you do). Grammar Girl's podcasts can be downloaded on to your mp3 player and/or read in transcript form on her web page.

Miriam

Facebook and Privacy

Personally, I enjoy Facebook. I like having a central location where I can keep up on my friend's activities, particularly those friends that have moved away and I love Scrabulous! I'm not at all fond of all the add-ons (what vegetable are you? Zombie bites?), but those are easy enough to avoid.

However, Facebook has been getting some bad press on their privacy policy. Brian Lamb, the "Emerging Technologies discoordinator" outlines the privacy issues and some steps you can take to better protect your privacy on Facebook.

Miriam

Book Ahead

Lately the LAC has been a hectic place. Our new found popularity can be easily explained when one looks at the calendar as it is crunch time once again here at the U of M. This time is marked by the donning of sweatpants, an increased consumption of coffee and a total lack of sleep on behalf of students. We love the attention, and the fact that people are willing to line around the block just to get a glimpse of one of our hard working tutors. Okay, it isn’t that busy, but if you would like to see a tutor I would like to suggest that you book at least two days in advance. We really hate to see students turned away and, unfortunately, this has been happening a lot lately. It isn’t a big deal, just try to book ahead and you will save yourself some unnecessary stress during a time of year when stress is easy to find.

Have a very merry crunch time!

- Jeff

Words as weapons

People are always talking about how books can heal – those Chicken Soup for the Soul books are a good example. But the opposite is also true. Books are often used as tools of propaganda (Hitler’s Mein Kampf) or of more subtle manipulation where the writer’s objective may not be so clear. In this sense, books and words are weapons and can result in both perceived and real damage.

There is a way to defend yourself, and your “W” requirement is part of it. One of the aims of the written requirement is to get university students used to thinking about the written word. By examining books and articles to be used in essays, you can learn about bias, voice, logical progression of thought and tangential arguments. No one publishes anything without a reason and having the skills to decipher that reason means you will be less easily manipulated.

The important thing to remember is that the skills you learn plodding through some seemingly incomprehensible article can just as easily be applied to the newspaper, television, advertising or the internet. Those skills are continually relevant just as someone will continually try to convince you of something. Words are weapons, but education is your armour.

Kris

Whoosh!

First week. Aaahh!
Don’t any of the professors know that I’m taking more than just their class? How the heck am I supposed to get all this reading done? What does this assignment mean? No one is making any sense!

What you have just read is so commonly said and felt in the first few weeks of school, that they may as well just broadcast it over the campus radio.

The first step is to take control of the careening car of anxiety by realizing that everything you’ve been handed is doable. Generations of students have succeeded before you and you’ll do just as well (or better). Coming and talking to one of our friendly writing tutors or chatting with your friends with more university experience can also be extremely helpful. A more experienced student can help you break down your dramatically overwhelming chores into itty-bitty, accomplishable tasks. So can the assignment manager on the Virtual Learning Commons.

The Learning Assistance Centre also has workshops and handouts on time management, essay writing, research, textbook and lots of other areas that students find tricky.
www.umanitoba.ca/u1/lac

Relax and remember, it’s only the first week. No one’s expecting miracles…yet.

Kris

Study spots

You’re reading a textbook. It’s boring. Very boring. You’re getting sleepy…very sleepy. BANG! You wake up when your head hits the desk. Now your forehead is red and you have to re-read that stupid, boring paragraph for the third time. How are you going to get through the entire chapter? Who will save you from the Boredom Fairy?

You will. It is possible. Getting through overly dense and jargon-filled text is a challenge for any student, especially in a less-than-interesting subject area. (Note: The Learning Assistance Centre officially denies that any of University of Manitoba’s subjects are dull, and we in no way imply that any specific subject is.) Success is just a matter of getting creative and knowing your own limits.

I read my plays for my Shakespeare class on the kitchen counter near the sink. That way, I had plenty of natural light, I was able to put my feet up, but I wasn’t so physically comfortable that Dreamland threatened to invade Renaissance England.

My brother made a point of studying for his accounting courses next to an open window in the middle of winter. He was cold, but he was able to focus through it and get his reading done.

My cousin used to read journal articles while sitting on the bus – all night. She liked being able to sense people moving around her, but the bus was quiet enough that she wouldn’t be distracted and, most importantly, she could get off and get a coffee when the bus driver did.

In the end, a unique study spot can help you through a difficult text, but mastering the material is more than just gimmicky fun. Knowing where and when you learn best is often a matter of experimentation, and thinking outside the box. Just like university is.

Kris

VLC Contest for UM Students

If you're a University of Manitoba student, this is a contest for you:

Google or Facebook - which is more important to you? Tell us why and you could win:

1st prize: 80GB Video iPod $399 courtesy of Student Services
2nd prize: 30GB Video iPod $299 courtesy of Learning Technologies Centre
3rd prize: 1GB iPod shuffle $89 courtesy of Learning Technologies Centre

Contest Instructions:

1. Go to the University's Virtual Learning Commons and under the discussion topic 'Google or Facebook' post your rationale for why either Google or Facebook is more important to you.

2. You will have to log in to the Virtual Learning Commons with your UMnetID to post your rationale.

3. The winner will be selected at random from all posts that meet the following criteria:

• Posts must be exactly 54 words long
• Posts must offer a compelling argument as determined by our judges rom UMSU.

4. Postings must be submitted by Sept 21, 2007.

5. One entry per student.

While you're at the VLC, why not explore a bit and find out how the assignment manager works, discover what other students are interested in doing, and find the writing or study supports you might find helpful.

Welcome to university!

Anita

Fall rituals and routines

Many people have rituals and routines that they associate with the (not necessarily unique) North American event called returning to school. The following blog offers a perspective from Kris. We invite you to share your rituals and routines. Are there things that fall + school make you think of? Things that you do every year?

Tradition

Every time that big tree in my front yard starts to turn yellow, I know school is about to start. Involuntarily, I start to assess my wardrobe and note how many faded and pilly clothes I’ve got, wonder the last time I wore that very trendy shirt, and decide I will need more clean underwear in case I get into an accident and have to go to the hospital.

Yes, you read correctly, I am channeling my mother. She’s still very much alive, but I can hear her disembodied voice telling me to try on every stitch of clothing I own to see what I need to buy for the coming year. My cheeks flush at the embarrassing memory of having to parade in front of my mom outside the change room and have her tug at the waistband of my jeans to see how much room I’ve got left. *shiver*

So despite the fact that I haven’t lived with my parents for nigh-on a decade, just before tuition is due, I go shopping. I am not a shopper. I hate malls and I hate trying on clothes. My strategy is therefore comprised of finding an eager store attendant who can stock me up without me having to look for anything myself. It’s a flawed strategy, and invariably leaves me with things I only wear sporadically, but it’s a survival mechanism and, ultimately, tradition. If my mother has taught me nothing else, it is the importance of tradition.

Kris

Expectations

Remember those really awesome high school teachers you had? They would always let you re-write a test or give you extra time to do your homework if you were sick. They would also put together a packet of work for you to do if you missed a few days of school. Those people don’t work at the university level.

• 
  Your attendance is not foremost in a professor or lecturer’s mind, especially considering some classes may have over 200 students.
• The marks of most classes will follow a standard bell curve. Your placement on that curve is your responsibility.
• Most professors and lecturers will not give you extra work to “make up” a bad mid-term grade. Mid-terms can be worth a lot, often 25-40% of your final grade. Don’t underestimate their importance.

The one major difference between high school and university is who is responsible for the learning. In high school, the teachers are responsible to make sure that you learn how to solve equations, play the trombone and spike a volleyball. At university, you are solely responsible for how much you learn.

Fortunately, most professors and lecturers will respond very positively to someone who takes ownership of their own learning. You will recognize these people, partly because they are always lurking around campus at all hours of the day and night. They are students who keep up on the readings without having to be told. They are students who study when there isn’t an exam looming. They are students who ask intelligent questions in class and make a point of visiting the professor’s office hours to ask even more intelligent questions. But most importantly, they are the students who ask for help when they need it and end up succeeding the most. These are not always the smartest people in the class, they are just the ones who know it’s their job to learn and treat school that way.

Kris

Top 6-ish things to do in your first week at University

1. Read up on the UMSU Health and Dental plan. Opting out can put some extra coin in your pocket, but knowing how the coverage works might save you even more. Careful research will help you tell the difference.
2. Write your professor’s office hours into your agenda as soon as you get them. Having them in your daytimer will simplify your life once you’ve mis-organized the syllabus.
3. Put money on your photocopy card/student card. You may not need to photocopy something now, but later on when you have 15 minutes to print out 20 copies of a presentation before class you’ll be thankful the money is there.
4. If necessary, walk through your timetable. Know where each classroom is and the most efficient way to get from one building to another (especially in winter). In this context, efficient can mean: warm, uncrowded and/or going past a coffee shop.
5. Avoid line-ups by getting there early. The registrar’s office, the University 1 office, the financial aid and awards office and the Bookstore are all hotbeds of activity in September. Showing up before they open can help you avoid wasting too much time standing in line.
6. Spend time on the University of Manitoba website randomly following links. There are hundreds of people at the university employed to do nothing but help students. Knowing where these people work and what they do is vital to helping you succeed in the long term. You can find a job, find a new course, find academic supports and many other resources. Accessing departmental websites can also give you a sense of different directions your education can go.
7. Attend Orientation events. They are a great way to have fun and connect with others.

Kris

You are not alone!

It’s almost August and in the midst of the balmy warm weather we’re having, university students – both new and returning- can be seen all around campus, signing up to meet advisors and browsing the bookstore as they gradually get ready for the upcoming academic year. Whether you’re a new or a returning student, you might be in the process of choosing your courses and getting ready for classes.

But what happens next? What if you aren’t as excited about that Introductory Logic course as you’d initially anticipated? Is the thought of dealing with written assignments causing you unwarranted stress, or are you worried you may need some extra help in Statistics? Irrespective of whether you’re feeling anxious, ambivalent, excited, or content about your academic goals, there is a host of services on campus ready to provide support and guidance to help you make the most of your academic experience at the U of M.

Perhaps the best place to approach if you’re curious about career options and degrees offered is your faculty’s office. Besides having handouts outlining programs of study and course requirements, academic advisors can help you work your way through VW deadlines, prerequisites and the like. However, if you’re interested in seeing for yourself what a prospective career may have to offer, you can drop by the Student Counselling and Career Centre, and possibly sign up for the Career Mentor Program

Other than offering a place for students to kick back between classes, many student oriented organizations on campus are also valuable resources for subject related concerns. The University of Manitoba Students’ Union, for instance, is in the process of setting up a tutor registry which should be accessible online starting fall 2007. Certain departments, such as the departments of Chemistry, Computer Science, Statistics, Physics and Astronomy have help centres open during the regular session run by senior undergraduate and graduate students.

If you’re looking to hone your learning, writing and research skills in general, why not drop by the Learning Assistance Centre? In addition to offering a variety of workshops year-round, writing tutors and learning skills specialists at the LAC are available to meet with students on an individual basis.

These are but a handful of the many services available on campus. Even a cursory glance through your UMSU daytimer may lead you to come across many other resources suited to your needs. In the end, while your academic career may ultimately be your call, don’t forget that there are many people cheering you on and wishing you success in every step you take.

Rebecca

Welcome to Summer Term!

Welcome to yet another new term! For those of you taking courses, congratulations!! Taking courses in July is a true challenge because the weather is usually quite pleasant, which makes studying even more of an undertaking. But if it is saving you a year or even another term of courses down the road, think of how happy you’ll be then.

Though this is the only time of the year that we at the LAC don’t offer any workshops, we are still open and available to meet you with you in our office at 201 Tier. In fact, July and August are two months where we are often available so students can drop in, but it’s recommended to make an appointment.

We have been busy gathering new resources and writing new material for the Virtual Learning Commons and we’re happy to share them with you. A section on Critical Thinking has been recently added and is beneficial to students taking philosophy courses, to those of you preparing for entrance exams and to those of you interested in improving your thinking skills for a variety of purposes.

To help you stay on track during this high pressure term, we have created a term schedule that is visually useful to remind you of the precious time this term. Check out this downloadable Excel document at https://www.umanitoba.ca/virtuallearningcommons/page/557

Cheers!
Natalie

The final push

It’s past mid-June so we’re half-way through many Summer 1 session courses. For many students, assignments are coming due and exams are just around the corner. If you’re like me, you might feel panicked, anxious and tired all at the same time, wondering, “How will I make it through to the end?” These feelings are pretty normal. Here are some tips that have helped me make it through the final push at the end of a course:

1) I re-focus on my goals. Successfully completing the course is my top priority right now. I have to accept that I may not be able to maintain “balance” in my life for the next two weeks. I can catch up on chores, family obligations, and socializing after final projects and exams are done. I tell my self: “The dirt will wait. I can vacuum the floor next week.”

2) I cut big assignments or tasks into small, manageable chunks. Writing a 20-page paper can seem overwhelming, so I think about a paper in distinct sections (introduction, background, literature review). I check off and celebrate small accomplishments. When I complete the literature review section, I will walk to DQ for a chocolate sundae reward.

3) I ask for help. If there are chores on my to-do list that must be done, can I ask a friend or family member to do it for me? Can I ask my mom to do my laundry this week? Can my boyfriend give me a ride to school, which will save me time and squeeze in a few precious minutes of togetherness? I remind my friends and family that this busy period will be over soon.

As we get to the end of this session, gather your energy for the final push and hang in there!

Monique

Answer the Question!

Have you ever received feedback that your essay did not meet the assignment requirements? To avoid this from happening again, follow the assignment description your instructor has provided. Often professors will use the assignment description as a rubric or as an indicator of key criteria that need to be included in a paper. The verbs used in the assignment description offer a hint of the expectation of the assignment. Check out our handout titled, Verbs Used in Essay Questions, to understand the kinds of responses required by different questions.

Another important way to view your assignment description is to look at the concept words used in essay questions to have an idea of the key concepts that you will need to address in your assignment. Another of our handouts titled, Concept Words Used in Essay Questions, discusses how to use concept words in essay questions to create a successful assignment.

Often instructors will include a list of questions that they will expect the paper to address. Below are some examples of assignment questions:

What is your assessment of this article’s contribution to …?
What is your analysis of ….?
How was the history of feminism affected by ….?

It is a good idea to structure your paper in such a way that the answers to these questions are obvious to the marker. This can be achieved by changing the question into a statement and using it as a subtitle in your paper. A clear thesis statement that includes the main aspects of your response will also guide the reader.

The above assignment description questions can be changed into the following subtitles:

An Assessment of the Contribution of ... to ….
An Analysis of ….
The Effects of … on the History of Feminism

Next time you sit down to begin writing your paper, remember to keep your assignment description close by, and refer to it often. This will help you to keep on track with your assignment response and avoid losing focus of your instructor’s expectations. Your paper may be interesting, coherent, logical, and grammatically correct but ask yourself the same question the instructor will ask: “Does it answer question?”


Cindy

Welcome to the June Term

As we head into a beautiful Manitoba weekend, take a few moments to think about what’s happening next week so that you can enter the new week feeling prepared. For those of you starting courses that demand a lot of writing, take advantage of the free one hour LAC workshop on Tuesday, June 5 on Thesis to First Draft. Follow the link to read more info.

Remember, LAC staff are available to help you with study skill and writing questions from 8:30–4:30 Monday to Friday throughout the summer. If you’d like to meet with a staff member, book your appointment online. Click here for instructions on how to book online.

And remember, you can also submit a paper in progress to the online writing tutor with a 48 hour turn-around time.

Happy studying,

Anita