1. Four Essential Skills for Academic Success

2. Want to Take a Guess
According the ACR (AVID College Readiness), there are four essential skills students need for success. Discuss with the students sitting at your table what you think these might be. As a table, come up with at least two that you think may be on this list. Be prepared to share.

3. Essential Skill #1 Analyzing the prompt or academic task.
Students need the ability to analyze their notes in order to better ask the professor more appropriate questions as to what is expected of given assignments or readings.

4. Essential Skill #2
Selective and purpose-driven reading, especially for expository (non-fiction) texts.
Students need the ability to correctly approach an assigned reading and initiate the appropriate reading strategies.

5. Essential Skill #3
Focused note-taking, designed around a prompt or academic task.
Students need the ability to refine their note-taking skills to allow them to come up with useful, relevant and detailed questions on their Cornell notes.

6. Essential Skill #4
Integrating sources into texts, using direct quotes, paraphrase, summary, or synthesis.
Students need the ability to synthesize information and correctly incorporate it into their writings. This is probably one of the most challenging essentials for students.

7. A Writing Process
What is the writing process that you are taught in your English classes?
There are actually many academic writing processes that may differ in the way they:
Begin with a prompt
Rely on sources
Integrate resources

8. Research Log Contents In-Class Notes Research Notes Works Cited
Quickwrites and journaling
Relevant Vocabulary List

9. Homework
Designate an area in your binder for your Research Log, which can be sub-divided as noted in the power point. Be prepared to show it on Wednesday.