Approaching the End of the Semester

At my institution we only have three weeks of classes and one week of finals left in the semester.  Here are some ideas to succeed in this busy time:

• Map out the final weeks day by day.  Include what assignments are due, regular exam and final exam dates.
• Plan ahead when you will start to work on projects and papers.
• Plan when you will start to study for each exam.
• Check to be sure you have all material – class notes if you have been absent – and handouts.  Rewrite the missing class notes in your style and include in your notebook.
• Realistically look at your grades so far and set a goal for each class.  Set your goal a little high but make it something you can achieve.  Post your goal grades where you can see them each day.
• If you are close to a higher grade in a class, put in extra effort to achieve the higher grade.
• Plan some time to relax.
• Take care of your health – eat well, exercise, sleep!
• Plan a pleasant treat for yourself after the semester ends.
• Imagine how sweet it will be to check you grades for the semester and see your hard work pay off.

The next blog will discuss how to keep your learning fresh over Thanksgiving Break.
*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right link.

 

Imply and Infer

One reading skill we work on in my class is making inferences.  This reading and thinking skill is heavily stressed on the Praxis and PAPA exams freshman students take to enter the College of Education curriculum.  When you make an inference you take the available information combined with what you already know to understand what is being implied but not directly stated.
Remember:

• The writer and speaker imply.
• The reader and listener infer.

You make inferences all the time.   For example, when you meet someone for the first time, you take what you see (their appearance, facial expression, demeanor) and what they say and form an impression of their personality.


Read the following three pairs of sentences and pay attention to your thought process as you read the second sentence in each pair.  You will be using context clues to make an inference about what the first sentence means.


Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.


Mary had a little lamb.
She liked it served medium with mint jelly.


Mary had a little lamb.
The vet arrived just in time to help with the birth.


Usually textbooks directly state what they mean.  In persuasive essays, conversations and fiction writing implications are very common.  Be sure you are looking for any subtle meaning as well as what is directly stated.
*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Click on the upper right link.