Ten Habits Of Highly Effective Students
1. Think Broadly
One goal of every liberal arts institution is to enable students to acquire knowledge and develop tools for inquiry that will help them become lifelong learners and independent thinkers. Some universities attempt to meet this goal by requiring their students to complete a defined set of courses. Clark's unique approach to realizing this goal is the program of liberal studies, which provides the framework for ensuring that all students have a broad exposure to the liberal arts. All undergraduate students are required to complete eight courses within the program of liberal studies which are intended to help you develop essential skills and ways of thinking that will serve as a foundation for more advanced study and lifelong learning. The courses you will select come from departments representing at least six different academic disciplines. Besides giving you a solid foundation in the liberal arts, they may also confirm a direction you are pursuing or introduce an area of study you never considered.
2. Learn Actively
Like anything in life, how much you get out of a class, a lecture, a book or a discussion is going to be largely determined by how much you put into it. “Active learning” is a phrase that refers to how engaged you are while you are reading and listening. For instance, it is possible to passively read a book by simply scanning the words on the page. Reading a book actively means thinking, questioning, summarizing and writing while you read. Underline passages that seem important. Write an example or comment in the margin. Stop every once in a while and ask yourself, “What is the main point of this book, chapter or lecture?” How much you interact with the material has a large and demonstrable effect on how well you learn (and, thus, how well you perform on exams and papers). A survey conducted by a Clark faculty member revealed that the difference between those students who received As on a midterm and those who received Cs and Ds was not how much time they spent reading the material (the poorer performing students spent as many hours reading.) The difference was whether a student outlined the reading (an active process). So listen, read, and write actively.
3. Plan Ahead
Being organized is an important life skill that should be developed in college. Don't let things creep up on you! You need to organize your time at three levels: by creating an overall academic plan for your four years at Clark, planning out your work load for the semester, and setting a time schedule for each day. Life at Clark is going to fly by, so plan now. Set a projected calendar for your four years with your adviser and revisit that plan each time that you select courses. Use this calendar to write down the due dates for all of your papers and exams. If assignments are clustered together, plan to finish some things early and set a reasonable starting date for your work. Then stick to that date. Every day make a list of things that need to be done and then budget your time. Take advantage of all that Clark has to offer by planning your four years wisely. Members of the Academic Advising, Dean of Students, and Residential Life and Housing offices periodically offer workshops on time management if you need help in developing this skill.
4. Rely on Your Adviser
From your first day at Clark, you will have a faculty adviser to work with you. This is a full time faculty member whom you may also have as a professor in one of your classes. Faculty advisers are primarily academic resources. They can assist you in selecting which courses are best suited to your interests and abilities and can answer questions about University policy. Your adviser, however, can do much more than help you put together your schedule of classes. This is a faculty member with whom you can discuss your academic and career plans, raise concerns you may have about a course you are taking, or merely have a conversation. Be sure that you meet with your adviser at least once a month, especially in your first semester at Clark. Your first semester is an ideal time to begin assessing your goals for the next four years and beyond, as well as to examine the ways in which Clark can help you achieve those goals. You will find this task easier if you use your adviser as a resource.
5. Practice writing
Some skills (like tying one's shoe) have what are called “low skill ceilings”. Because the ceiling is low, practice and experience don't translate into much improvement (despite all the shoes you've tied you probably aren't a better tier now than you were three years ago). Other skills, such as writing, have extremely “high ceilings” (so high, in fact, none of us will ever reach it). This means practice will always lead to improvement. Even great work improves with subsequent drafts. And great writers get better the more they write. So write as much and as often and as early as you can. Seek advice and criticism. Use the writing center. It is a valuable resource for all students. Ask classmates to read over drafts. Spell check. If you think the paragraph is okay, try writing it one more time to make it a bit better.
6. Go to class
According to Woody Allen, 80 percent of success in life is just showing up. So as a starting base for academic achievement, attend your classes regularly. Among the many reasons to attend class, remember that the person who teaches the course assigns the final grade. Concentration during class also shortens your study time afterwards, and often material is presented in class that is not available elsewhere. Professors, who are experts in their fields, are skilled at making theoretical connections and highlighting intellectual nuances that may not be obvious to a novice in the field. Take advantage of this expertise to learn and ask questions. If you do miss a class, ask the professor what material was covered (and if anything was handed out or announcements made), copy over a classmate's notes, and promise yourself not to miss that class again. See the University's policy for absence due to religious reasons in the blue book. If you need further assistance, contact Academic Advising (x7468) or the Dean of Students Office (x7423).
7. Use campus resources
Clark offers a variety of support services on campus. However, these resources are only effective when you make use of them. The Academic Advising Center will answer any questions you may have about academic policy. If you wish to have an exception made to one of those policies, this is where you'll go. Special assistance is available to help you in making the most of your academic experience. Career Services can help you make career choices, select an appropriate major, find full-time employment, and apply to graduate and professional schools. If you need assistance in writing a paper or in understanding math problems, you will find individual tutoring available in the Writing Center and Math Center. If you are thinking of spending a summer, a semester or a year studying abroad, you can explore your options in the Office of Study Abroad Programs. The Dean of Students Office will help you address any of your student life issues and is a good place to go if you are not sure where to go. Health and Counseling Services are available at Health Services and the Counseling Center respectively. If you are an international student, you will find answers to your questions and help adapting to life in America in the Office of Intercultural Affairs. Students living on campus will have access to the Resident Advisers, Head Residents and Area Coordinators, and of course, the Peer Advisers can assist you throughout the year as well. These are but a few of the many resources available to you on campus. Make use of them.
8. Be honest
You will discover that academic integrity is highly valued at Clark. Research, scholarship and teaching are possible only in an environment characterized by honesty and mutual trust. Academic integrity requires that your work be your own. Violations of this principle, such as cheating or plagiarism, will not be tolerated. When writing papers, you will be expected to give proper attribution to the sources you have used in your research. Submitting someone else's work as your own is a breach of academic integrity. Remember, using a paper you found on the Web or buying one from a “term paper outlet” will result in a failing grade or worse if you're caught.
9. Belong
The novelist E. M. Forster wrote as an epigraph to “Howard's End” the simple but powerful injunction: “only connect...” At Clark, connecting and belonging are an easy but important part of your education; whether you are interested in journalism, or student governance, choral singing or sports, it is likely that there is a student organization for you to join. Being part of a group not only helps you realize your goals, it is a good way to make friends and learn skills like leadership and organization. So join a club, play sports, volunteer or attend a lecture or play. Whatever you choose, remember, “Only connect...”
10. Be Healthy
At times, you may be tempted to stay up all night and skip meals. However, getting enough sleep, eating regular meals, exercising and relaxing each day will reduce stress and enhance your overall health. So, join an intramural team, visit the fitness center or pool, throw a Frisbee on the green, or just go for a walk. Remember that the best students are well-rounded individuals. Campus Resources
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Synergy Handbook
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