Dr. Gian Pagnucci Chair of English 2018 International Student Orientation Tips for Academic and Life Success Dr. Gian Pagnucci Chair of English

Welcome to IUP! This is a great university You are going to have a fabulous time here Success depends on you! Work hard to collect lots of great memories and experiences

Take a Few Chances You’ve come a long way to get here Raiders of the Lost Ark Take a Few Chances You’ve come a long way to get here You’ve embarked on a great adventure Make the most of this opportunity Not many people get this chance View yourself as an adventurer In your role of adventurer you can be a little braver than you were before you left home Raiders film clip

Actively Talk in Class Let people hear your voice so they get used to how you sound Talk all you can in small groups Volunteer to be the person who reports back to the class Try to say something in full class discussions Write down your comment if that helps you to have confidence to speak

Class Readings Look for main concepts and key terms It isn’t critical to read and understand every word of an article Write a brief summary of the main ideas from each article Keep a References List where you record the citation for articles so you will have it for writing your papers Make note of 2-3 important quotes from each reading

Non-Class Readings You need to read more material than the assigned class readings Professors often mention additional sources Try to read some of these materials Identify key journals related to the course Review the last 3-5 issues of the journal to learn about research topics and writing style

SHHHHH!: Secret Tip for IUP Success IUP is a Doctoral/Research University That means IUP faculty regularly publish scholarly articles So look them up through IUP library or at http://www.googlescholar.com Read some of your professors’ works and you’ll get an insight into how they think Then quote your professor in your next course paper to earn mega brownie points 

Writing Papers Don’t worry, you can do this Your professors know English is not your native language Pick a current topic Create an outline Start writing and don’t try to make everything perfect in the first draft

Writing Papers Divide your paper into multiple sections and use headings to label each section of your paper Use your outline to create a map in your paper where you explain how your paper is organized The map should include all your headings Make your ideas clear Show which ideas come from other sources Use lots and lots of sources

Use of Sources in Papers Use current sources, preferably from within the last 5 years Summarize each source in about 1 paragraph Explain how each source relates to your paper’s topic Also explain how the sources relate to each other or why you feel one source is better than another Buy an APA and MLA handbook Buy a grammar handbook

Get Help! (It’s Why You Pay Tuition) Once you have your topic and outline, make an appointment with your professor to discuss your paper Have an American student read a draft of your paper If your paper gets a low grade, ask your professor to identify 2 or 3 language issues you can work on for next time

Visit the IUP Writing Center Located in 218 Eicher Hall, library satellite, & online Trained tutors will read your paper and give you feedback Provides assistance with all varieties of writing Houses computers and writing reference materials Used for a variety of writing workshops Writing Center Director: Dr. Ben Rafoth (brafoth@iup.edu) https://www.iup.edu/writingcenter/

Take Chances to Practice Your English Talk to the American students in your classes Get in groups with American students Repeat your name a lot so people learn it Volunteer to be the group note taker Have another person check to make sure you are doing ok with the notes Be sure to talk in the group Volunteer to be the group speaker Have the group help you to know what to say and write some notes

Have Some Adventures Outside of Classes Attend department events, especially speakers Attend campus events Join an IUP club Read The Penn (IUP’s free student newspaper) Go to IUP football and basketball games Try some new foods Watch a Steelers game with some American students Take trips to Walmart and Martins Travel to Johnstown, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C.

Be an Ambassador Talk a lot People get better at understanding World Englishes the more they encounter different English speakers Tell Americans where you are from and what your country’s traditions are like Share some of your country’s foods Be proud of your name, your country, your culture, and your voice Invite your new friends to come visit you when you return home Send back a postcard to your new friends and your IUP teachers

Your IUP Adventure Awaits In the words of IUP English Professor Jane Leonard (1840-1925): “Go forth. Be brave, be proud, be true!”