Good Morning! Announcements Please pick up an Attendance Form. Take the Library Audio tour (has to be taken by October16 th ) Go to: and do the preliminary work (due October 16 th ). Your journals will be collected next week. Make sure you bring it to class!

Orson P. Smith, PE, Ph.D. Interim Dean of Engineering Dean's Message

Chapter 4 Making the Most Out of How You Are Taught

Chapter Overview Early course preparation Preparing for lectures During your lectures Making effective use of your professors How to Your Professor

Early Course Preparation Start of a course Using the course syllabus Acquiring textbooks and other materials

Preparing for Lectures Little like “warming up” for a physical workout Review notes, read text, attempt problems, formulate questions  use journal Makes lectures a reinforcement rather than an initial exposure Small effort can have a big payoff

During Your Lectures Sit near the front “Be here now” (concentrate) Practice good listening skills Take good notes Ask questions in class

Take good notes Good notes give you a record of what’s important Spiral notebook vs. three-ring binder Cornell Note-Taking System

 Ask Questions in Class Memory level questions – Who, what, where, when Convergent thinking questions – Why, how, in what ways Divergent thinking questions – Imagine, suppose, predict,… Evaluation thinking questions – Defend, judge, justify, what is your opinion,… The highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.

Understanding What Your Professors Do Teaching Research Service

Professors Play Important Roles for You One-on-one instruction Academic advising, career guidance, personal advice Monitor your progress; hold you accountable Give you the benefit of the doubt on borderline grades Help you find a summer job Hire you as grader, teaching or research assistant Serve as a reference Nominate you for scholarships or academic awards

How to Win Over Your Professor 1.Become genuinely interested in your Professor. 2.Smile. 3.A Person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound. Professors love if you call them “Dr. ….” (if they have a Ph.D.) 4.Encourage Professors to talk about themselves. 5.Talk in terms of the Professors interest. 6.Make the Professor feel important-and do it sincerely. Adapted from Carnegie’s “Six Ways to Make People Like You”

Behaviors to Avoid Coming late to class Sleeping in class Talking in class Doing homework in class Playing with electronics (phone, laptop, etc.) Leaving class early Failing to do homework

Behaviors to Avoid Correcting professors’ mistakes in an antagonistic tone Complaining that exams are too hard Complaining that grading is unfair Sending non-verbal messages to your professors that you dislike them personally ….

How to Your Professor Check if they accept s Write from your university account Include course number in the subject (e.g. ENGR 151) followed by the topic (e.g. Homework #3) Start with ”Hello Professor,” Sign with your full name

Things to avoid Spelling/grammar mistakes Abbreviations and jargon Request for information you can find yourself (e.g., check blackboard first) Criticism of the professor or other students Making unreasonable demands (e.g., sending about homework hours before due date)

Group Discussion Topic Making Effective Use of Your Professors In your group, develop a list of questions you could ask one of your professors about himself/herself when visiting during office hours. Be creative! Appoint a leader to keep the discussion on topic Make sure you note the important conclusions in your journal. Make a heading: Date: 10/9/2012 Group Discussion –Making Effective Use of Your Professors

Assignments due by Monday 10/15 Read Chapter 5 of the textbook – Note your opinions of the sections in your journal – Note questions, issues or perspectives you have/gained Exam 5 (blackboard), make sure you read Chapter 5 of the textbook first Homework #5: – Pick one of the important academic success skills, note taking, listening or questioning skills and perform an internet search. Gather information from at least 3 different sites and write a 250 word paper on what you learned about the skill Homework #5 needs to submitted as doc(x) or pdf file through blackboard ( submissions will not be accepted) Hand in your attendance form!