Friday, May 25, 2012

Priorities and Procrastination

Nothing really surprised me about my procrastination quotient, which was a 27, because I know I am a huge procrastinator.  At least I have been in the past.  That is one thing that I am destined to change!  When there is a task that needs to be done and it isn't something I enjoy I always seem to find something more important to do.  Two of the biggest activities I procrastinate about are school work and yard work.  In the past I have always been known to wait to finish school work the day before its due.  This results in rushing to complete things and not putting in my best effort.  If you add my anxiety on top of that it doesn't make a good mix.  As far as the yard work, I'm the type that waits until the grass is 2 ft tall before I decide to mow the lawn.
I have definitely got a grasp on my priorities the last few months.  All my bills are being paid on time, school work is getting done, I'm on time to work and I'm not blowing money like I used to.  I know what's important today and what can wait.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Keys for Writers

This blog will show how the Keys for Writers book will help me in different areas including writing courses, other college courses, job search, my workplace, and online.

Writing courses:
This book will be huge in helping me with my writing courses.  I have always had trouble with different formats and documentation as well as works cited formats.  Part 3 on MLA format is going to be a life saver.  It is very easy to read and apply with great examples and easy to follow directions.

Other courses:
Even when not taking a writing course, many professors still like to see proper writing in whatever assignments are given.  Points may be taken off for grammatical errors or use of wrong documentation.  This book will also help me in creating presentations, such as using powerpoint which can be found on page 345 in Part 5.

Job search:
Another area this book will help with is job search.  It has a whole section on resumes on page 329.  I have never had to create a resume for a job so I have no experience in this area.

Workplace:
There is also a section on business letters and memos.  In my current position I never have to use these tools but I might in the future as a business owner, so it is good information to know.

Online:
As I am taking online courses, this section will be very helpful.  Section 23 in Part 5 on page 308 is a whole section on online communication forums.  This section covers email, discussion boards, online communities, blogs, etc.  I use all of these on a daily basis so if I have any trouble I know where to look.

Service Learning Research

For my service learning research assignment I have chosen substance abuse prevention.  I chose this topic because it hits home for me.  I recently spent three months in a substance abuse treatment center in San Diego, CA.  I have been battling drug and alcohol abuse for a long time and I finally got the help I needed.  Now it is my turn to be of service and help another who needs it.  I regularly attend NA meetings and see first hand every day the harsh reality of drug abuse in the community.  Young people stumble in completely broken, no job, no family, friends dying on the street, its no way to live and they need help.  I now have 5 months clean and sober and I'm doing things I never thought I could do.  School being one of them.  With my first hand experience in this topic I believe this is where i could be of most service.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Pod 2: How to Take Notes

I think when I have actually taken any notes at all, they have been pretty good.  I always use an outline format for my notes.  I think it makes it easier and more organized.  I believe anyone could read and understand my notes.  In my opinion this was an easy article to take notes on.  Especially when outlining. Everything was already numbered so it was simple.  I didn't highlight any key points but I capitalized a few things.  I could definitely go back to these notes at any time and clearly understand the topic and the key points.



How to Take Notes
5/20/12
Page 1

Important Skills for Successful Study

1.  Notes may come from a variety of different sources, tutorials, TV, experiments etc.
2.  Notes will normally provide evidence to back up arguements, used as illustrative material, may include quotes, goal is to produce 1 to 2 page outline on material
3.  May take more notes than needed
information gathering stage-digesting and refining ideas
4.  Just because some material is not used, don’t imagine that your efforts have been wasted.
5.  Make a compressed and accurate record of info, other peopl’s opinions, and own observations
6.  Record main issues, not the details, keep as short as possible unless discussing in more detail
7.  Don’t write down every word, translate into own words
8.  Some people take so many notes that they don’t know which to use when it’s time to do the writing.  They feel that they are drowning in a sea of info.
9.  2 common weaknesses in note taking
a.  transcribing too much of the original
b.  being unselective in the choice of topics
10.  2 possible solutions
a.  select only words which will be of use, avoid being descriptive, THINK MORE/WRITE LESS, be selective
b.  keep topic clear in mind, keep notes based on relevance to topic
11.  record notes clearly and neatly
12.  good layout

General Guidelines

-make note of sources
-use loose-leaf a4 paper, no small notepads
-write clearly and leave spaces in between
-use tabs
-abbreviated and compressed, initials
-dont string points together
-logical and memorable layout, letters, numbers, indents, headings and sub headings, colored ink, highlighters
-new page for each set of notes, topics separate, clearly titled and labelled
-write on one side of page only, leave space for details

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Pod 2: Test Taking Strategies

I have never been a great test taker, unless math was the subject.  Theres something about numbers that make it easy for me to remember and solve.  As far as other subjects go, I guess you could say that I am not the best when it comes to being prepared or studying.  I usually cram overnight the night before the test and when it is put in front of me, I forget everything.  This is an area of my learning that I am taking very seriously now and will be working very hard to change for the better.  I never have a problem with the test itself.  I am very good at following directions and usually have no problem understanding whats being asked of me.

Anxiety is another issue I have, not just with test taking but with life in general.  Having anxiety during a test can be very distracting and can pull your focus away from the test.  Most of the anxiety I have has been with being in the classroom, so online classes might be just what I need!  Another issue I have is with frustration.  When I come to a problem that I get stuck on I get very frustrated and most of the time the answer is right in front of me.  What I need to do is skip over the question and come back to it instead of wasting valuable test time on that specific problem.

Overall I have a lot of work to do in this department if I want to be a successful test taker.  The areas that I am focused on the most are studying every night instead of cramming, and reviewing my test to make sure I did not make silly mistakes or grammatical errors.