Final Week Tutoring Schedule

Final week schedule: http://goo.gl/DRhFh

 

Good Luck!

Tips for better test taking

1. Analyze how you did on a similar test in the past.
   Review your previous tests and sample tests provided by your teacher.
   Each test you take prepares you for the next one!
2. Arrive early for tests.
   List what you need beforehand to avoid panic.
   Good preparation prepares you for the task at hand.
3. Be comfortable but alert.
   Choose a comfortable location with space enough that you need
   Don't slouch; maintain good posture.
4. Stay relaxed and confident.
   Keep a good attitude and remind yourself that you are going to do your best.
   If you find yourself panicking, take a few deep breaths
   Don't talk to other students right before: stress can be contagious.
5. Read directions carefully!
   and avoid careless errors.
6. If there is time, quickly look through the test for an overview.
   Scan for keywords. If permitted, jot any notes that come to mind.
7. Answer questions in a strategic order:
   Easy questions first to build confidence.
   Then those with the most point value.
   On objective tests, eliminate obvious incorrect answers.
   On essay tests, broadly outline your answer and sequence of points.
8. Review! if you have time.
   Resist the urge to leave when you complete the exam--
   check if you have answered all the questions,
   and not made any errors or mis-marked any answers.
9. Change answers to questions if you erred, or misread the question!
   You may also find information in the test that will correct a previous answer.
10. Decide on and adopt study strategies that work best for you.
    Review where you succeed and where you are challenged.
    Check out your academic support center or a trusted teacher for advice.

 

http://www.studygs.net/tsttak1.htm

FALL EMPLOYMENT

Fall employment application is now available. Visit http://iit.edu/arc/about/ for more information about employment.

Twenty-five Ways to Improve Motivation and Concentration

1. Design an adequate environment for yourself. Check lighting, noise, comfort of furniture, etc., in three or four places to determine which spot works best for you.

2. Make sure you have all the tools (i.e. compass, notebook, pens) you need before beginning a study session.

3. Choose a regular time to study each day so that you set a pattern for yourself.

4. Have a special reminder pad for jotting down extraneous thought that enter your mind while you are studying (e.g. Calling a friend for a lunch date).

5. Use a symbol for studying. Choose an item, like a hat, that you put on when, and only when, you are studying or an item that you place on your desk as you study.

6. Relax your body before you start studying.

7. Relax your body and give yourself an affirmation and/or an image that will motivate you.

8. Do some alternate nostril breathing before you begin study. Active-Passive: Do 3 rounds, starting with your active nostril, break 3 rounds starting with you passive nostril, break, 3 rounds starting with your active nostril.

9. Imagine that your brain is filled with the subject that you are going to study and that there is no room for anything else. See that the entrances to your mind are blocked by that subject.

10. Take two minutes before reading to jot down everything you expect to come up in the text that you are about to read.

11. Employ and SQ3R technique to begin each subject.

12. Break assignments into small step-by-step tasks.

13. Analyze your study skills to make sure that your problem is one of concentration, not faulty study skills.

14. Look for a special interest in each subject for which you do not feel motivated. For example, of Biology does not thrill you but you are interested in keeping your body in good shape, you may be able to develop an interest in nutrition, the effects of exercise on muscles, etc.

15. Develop a contract for a particular study problem. Decide if you are more responsive to reward or punishment and construct a contract accordingly. For example, "For every 10 pages read, I can listen to music for 10 minutes", or "If I don't read 20 pages of history, I must wear mismatched socks tomorrow". Set up the contract on graph paper. Chart your progress over 5 study sessions before you consider making modifications.

16. Set realistic study goals.

17. Solve some of the problems that are interrupting your concentration (i.e., speak to your professor about the lecture that you didn't understand).

18. Keep a pencil in your hand while studying so that you can be an active participant in the process.

19. When you find that you are not concentrating, take some action. Suggestions: Make a check mark every time you find your mind wandering; stand up and turn around every time your mind wanders.

20. Take a short break after every 20-40 minutes of reading to let what you have just read have a chance to sink in and find its way to connectors and memory storage points in your mind. Do not use the break for a phone call, TV. Etc., just sit back and reflect on what you have read.

21. Watch your diet. Limit the amount of chemicals (that includes junk food, too!), sugar, and caffeine you are taking. They can give you a buzz but that don't really make you any more alert.

22. Exercise on a regular basis. Try exercising before you study to increase alertness.

23. Get 7-9 hours of sleep per 24-hour period. It does not all have to happen at one time.

24. Do not give in to mental fatigue - the kind that goes away when you do something besides studying. Push on and wait for the 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) "wind" that is another stage of alertness that will come if you persevere.

25. Talk about your concentration/motivation problems with a friend and/or make an appointment at the Learning and Academic Skills Center.

-University of Minnesota

10 tips for Managing Procrastination

1. Know it when you see it:

There are days when you know exactly when, why, and how you're procrastinating. Other times, it's a little harder to tell. Convincing yourself that you can do less if you accept a lower grade or substituting one activity (like cleaning) for a more important one (like studying) are as much forms of procrastination as watching TV or hanging out with friends just before something is due. If you want to stop procrastinating, you have to recognize when you're doing it.

2. Be positive:

Taking a positive approach to whatever it is that you're doing can help motivate you and will reduce procrastination. Instead of thinking that you have to do something, tell yourself that you choose to do it. When you succeed at a task, acknowledge your hard work and don't pass it all off as good luck.

3. Overcome perfectionism:

The quest to be perfect isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Perfectionism can cause high stress levels and lower your productivity, which can lead to procrastination. Accept the fact that none of us will ever be perfect. Accomplishing the goals you set out for yourself is what makes you successful, even if you occasionally stumble along the way.

4. Set clear goals:

Setting clear and meaningful goals can help you to focus your energy. A general rule for setting realistic goals is to make sure you allot your time accordingly. Think honestly about how much time it'll take to get a job done, then double it. Remember, things won't always work out the way you planned. By monitoring your progress and making the necessary adjustments to your schedule, you'll accomplish more than you thought possible.

5. Prioritize:

With so many opportunities to do new and exciting things on campus, it's easy to put studying off to another day. Avoid giving in to impulsiveness by writing down all the things that you have to get done. Rate each item on a scale of 1 to 5 and focus on finishing the higher priority tasks before the lower ones.

6. Break it down:

Big projects can be overwhelming and might lead to procrastination if you don't know where to start or if you think there's simply too much to do. Rather than tackling a huge project all at once, work on smaller sections of the task over a longer period of time.

7. Pick your spot:

If you're not getting anything done at home, get out! Similarly, if you're running in to too many people you know, or there are too many distractions to keep you focused, find a more suitable environment to work in.

8. Get organized:

Plan a detailed daily schedule with blocks of time set aside during the day for different tasks. Setting up in advance prepares you mentally for accomplishing the activity. While you can't predict when an unexpected event might throw you off track, building flexibility into your schedule will keep you from falling behind. If you can, avoid arranging blocks of work back-to-back. Instead, plan to take breaks between activities.

9. Set reminders:

Once you get the hang of it, scheduling all the stuff you have to do is fairly easy. The hard part is actually doing it! Leave yourself easy-to-see reminders to keep you focused on the task at hand. Put them on the TV, your bedroom door, the bathroom mirror, or anywhere else where you can't miss them.

10. Reward yourself:

Rewarding yourself for finishing even the smallest task on your list of things to do serves two purposes: it makes you aware that managing procrastination is a process with several steps and it motivates you to do more. Promise yourself phone time, TV time, a get-together with friends, or anything else that you consider a reward.

Holiday

Holidays are here:

ARC Survey

On behalf of Academic Resource Center (ARC), we have a special opportunity for you to participate in a survey about the visits you made to our center in Fall 2012 semester. The ARC is focused on delivering excellent tutoring experience and therefore, would like to include your valuable opinion on how well we took care of your most recent visit. The survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete.
 
 
Please take a moment to complete the survey now since this link will only be available until 12:00 noon CDT on 05/15/2012.
 
 
Please click HERE to take this survey.
 
 
 
If the above link is not click-able, you may copy and paste or type the URL below into your browser window:.
https://docs.google.com/a/iit.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHdHT3VrYUpka00yZ2FfTFhWOVBYNUE6MQ#gid=0
 
Thank you for your participation.

Final Week Schedule

ARC hours:

 

12/2...Closed
12/3-12/6...10 - 4pm


Final Week Tutoring Schedule is available at http://iit.edu/arc/tutoring_schedule/index.shtml

Spring 2013 Employment

The Resource Center has posted its ARC Scholar and monitor application online at CMC and FWS positions. You can submit your application here: http://iit.edu/arc/employment_at_arc. We are looking for applicants in the following areas:

• BUSINESS/ECON
• BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
• ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING
• COMPUTER SCIENCE / ITM
  
• CHEMISTRY
• CIVIL & ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING
• ARC MONITOR

All positions are critical to our mission.

Free Emergency Rain Ponchos at the ARC HH-112

Get your Free Emergency Rain Ponchos when you like us on facebook or twitter

How to write a research paper:

Step 2: Searching the literature

The next step is gathering information. It helps to choose specific key words that directly relate to your topic.  These are the words you will use to search for in Google Scholar or whichever search engine/database you plan to use.  The IIT library website provides access to numerous databases in various subjects.  If you are unsure about which database is right for your research question, talk to your professor/instructor, a librarian, or one of the tutors at the ARC (they may have prior experience).  Choose keywords directly from your research question. Many search engines allow you to search multiple words at once. For instance, if my question was, what is the difference between depressive symptoms in Eastern versus Western cultures?, I may choose to enter, "depression," and "Eastern culture." Entering "depression" by itself would provide too many results.  Specificity is key; however, being too specific may not provide you with enough information.  For example, entering a specific symptom of depression would not be the best route.  Also, it does not hurt to enter different combinations of keywords to ensure you have covered the entire area of research. More to come next week!

Final Week Schedule

The ARC is open during Final Exam week: Apr 30 - May 3 from 10am to 4pm. New tutoring schedule is posted here: http://iit.edu/arc/tutoring_schedule/pdfs/201220_Final_week_schl.pdf. Good luck with your exams.

Employment

We are hiring for Fall 2012 semester. The positions are available in all areas of tutoring. All federal work study students must complete the application at financial aid web site and all non-federal work study students must complete an application at career management site. For full consideration, please complete ARC application at http://iit.edu/arc/employment_at_arc.

Study Week Hours

The ARC is open for tutoring today till 4pm. There is no tutoring after 4pm this week, but the ARC space is open till 8pm Mon - Thu and Friday 10-3pm. 

It was suggested that I write do series on how to write a research paper.  I will add a new step each week.

Step 1: Choosing a Topic

You cannot begin to write a research paper without a topic.  Choosing a topic may seem like a simple task, but it is sometimes a complicated process.  As undergraduates, you are typically assigned to write a review of the research in a particular area, such as psychological disorders or genetic diseases.  Pick something that interests you!  For some, writing papers is a tedious task.  Picking an enjoyable topic rather than choosing an easy topic, such as one in which you know a lot of information exists (e.g. a topic the media covers regularly) may make the process more interesting.  

When you have no idea what topic to choose, talk to your professor/instructor or flip through your book to get an idea.  Once you have chosen a general area as your focus (it could be as general as "depression" or "Huntington's disease"), perform a Google Scholar search to see what information exists on the subject.  For example, when searching "depression," you may come across articles regarding ethnicity or gender, and decide it would be interesting to write your paper on depression in non-Western cultures, for instance.  It may help to think about your topic as a question -- Why is depression more prevalent in Western cultures than non-Western cultures?  From this point, you can move into the next stage of writing your paper, which I will discuss next week.

MS 201 Exam Review at WH-119 & Live stream

MS201 Exam Review by Mike L. at WH-119. Attend in-person or live stream at: https://www.fuzemeeting.com/fuze/c9a7e9ec/16287797

online limited to 45 attendees. in-person limited to 25. Online live streaming through Fuze meeting available on iOS and Android.


Exam review sheet for MS 201: https://docs.google.com/open?id=1cTZnwpL_iD64pSXNkUES1ozCduc4ORZvpnVEW9U-K7zuszgz4mVsjzI0VL3r

Spring break has come and gone, and there's only a little over a month left in the semester.  Some of you may feeling unmotivated and wishing it was time to sleep in like last week instead of going to your early class.  Hopefully these tips will help you push through!

1.) Don't set the bar too low or too high.  Too low leads to procrastination and too high leads to discouragement and frustration.  Try to set attainable goals that are bit challenging.  Also, try not to pile on the goals all at once - try focusing on just a few at a time.

2.) Stay strong!  You spend a significant amount of time during the day resisting things you want, like a cookie or some time to enjoy the nice weather.  After a day of this, your brain is tired. Give yourself a break and find ways to avoid some of those temptations.  

3.) Don't do things to please others, do them for yourself.  Internal motivation leads to greater success.  Talk with a a friend or family member to help you reexamine why you're doing, whatever it may be or comprise.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

It's tough being a student and wanting to celebrate Valentine's Day, whether that means doing something with your sweety or celebrating being single!  For one, at least this year, most of us had class or something school related on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  That being said, actually celebrating the holiday the day before, the day of, or the day after is likely not happening because not only do we have class, but we have homework and exams to study for in the evening.  Then, there's the fact that going out to dinner, buying flowers, etc. can break the bank especially for a student's bank!  However, Valentine's Day can still be special.  Many of you may have done something to celebrate this past weekend, but you can set aside a night this coming weekend to be your V-day.  Forget the flowers and candy- make your sweetheart a nice home cooked dinner!  You will save some money and show your thoughtfulness as well.  Think outside the box and you'll come up with a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day!

Workshops

More workshop topics are added and the page (http://iit.edu/arc/workshops/) is modified to include PDF presentations for convenience. Feel free to suggest more topics.

Appointment Tutoring

Current IIT students can now make appointments with the ARC Scholars. You can view the appointment schedule and other information by using our online tutor management system (http://iit.edu/arc/tutortrac). Student appointments are available online through ARConnect and in-person at the ARC.

ARConnect: 

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is starting a new program to help you with tutoring and finding resources to improve your learning skills. Online tutoring is free for current IIT students similar to all services offered through the ARC. You can make an appointment by logging on tutortrac (iit.edu/arc/tutortrac) and viewing the availability ("search availability" link) for ARConnect (center). The ARConnect has limited hours and can be increased upon demand. For questions about ARConnect, please email arc@iit.edu (subject: Requesting information for ARConnect).   

 

Academic Resource Center offers the following free programs: 

Peer Tutoring 

Appointment Tutoring 

Group study space 

Exam Reviews 

Workshops 

Supplemental Instruction (only selected sections) 

Online Tutoring 

MAC & PC lab 

SMART room equipped with AppleTV & SMARTBoard

"stay healthy" tips

I hope you have taken some of the "stay healthy" tips into consideration.  To build off of that topic, I have a few more informative facts about dodging the flu.

1.) Being cold will make you sick. FALSE!  Going outside without a coat will not make you sick - it will just make you shiver.  You have to be exposed to a virus to come down with a cold or the flu.  

2.) Using an old toothbrush will make you sick.  FALSE again!  It is fine to use the same toothbrush you used while you were sick after you recover.  Your body becomes immune to the specific virus that made you sick.  Using someone else's toothbrush...that's a whole different story.

3.) Hotel rooms have germs.  TRUE!  According to research from University of Virginia School of Medicine, 1/3 of hotel room surfaces still had germs for almost an entire day after a sick person stayed overnight.  Something to keep in mind if you're traveling during cold and flu season.

4.) Kissing your sick boyfriend/girlfriend will make you sick.  FALSE (somewhat)! Thank goodness, right, especially with Valentine's Day around the corner.  Studies show that viral infections enter the body through the nose and eyes.  It is safer to kiss someone who is sick rather than shake his/her hand.  You are likely to take that hand (now infected with the virus) and rub you eyes or nose.  

healthy winter

Well it's that time of year again. Yep, you guessed it...flu season.  Here are some tips to help you say healthy this winter

1.) Wash your hands often.  Well duh! But, don't forget to wash between your fingers as well as the backs of your hands.  

2.) Get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.  Your body may produced too many cytokines, proteins that trigger cold symptoms when you're sick, when you are sleep-deprived.

3.) Eat food with lots of antioxidants.  Vegetables, fruits, red beans, and green tea.

4.) Invest in a humidifier that keeps the humidity between 40 - 60%.  The droplets in the air that contain the virus may shrink quickly in dryer environments, so they float around longer. If the air is moist, the droplets are more likely to fall to the floor faster.

5.) Skip the drinks.  Alcohol can impair white blood cells' ability to fight viruses for up to 24 hours after drinking a bit too much.  

 

(Adapted from Women's Health, Nov. 2011)

ARC Hosting International Center

ARC is currently hosting icenter for student registration. International students can now visit the arc space at Hermann Hall room 112 to complete the registration process. For more information please visit icenter site :http://www.iit.edu/~internat/

last final

Awww...such relief!  I always love that feeling after you turn in your last final. All of a sudden you feel like the stress has been lifted off your shoulders.  So, that leads me to the question- what do you do to relax?  Some people like to just lounge on the couch and watch movies.  Others get another wave of energy that carries them downtown to go shopping or out to eat.  Personally, I like to do nothing and maybe hang out with friends.  Then, that extra energy kicks in and I want to go do things that I never have time to do during the semester!  Unfortunately, I have work this week, but I did get to relax over the weekend and it was absolutely amazing (no exaggeration!). So, tell me what you do in your free time!

Exam Week

Well, exam week has arrived unfortunately. I absolutely hate taking exams- multiple choice, short answer, essay. I would much rather write a paper or do a presentation than take an exam. Some of you may share my dislike and it is likely because you have test anxiety. Then again, is anyone perfectly calm when they're about to take a test? Probably not too many. A few nerves are helpful because they get your adrenaline flowing, which helps you stay alert. A lot of nerves do just the opposite of helping you. You may notice your heart beating rapidly, heavy breathing, inability to focus, and continuous thoughts about whether you are answering questions correctly, the amount of time left, etc. Here are some tips to help conquer your test anxiety.


1.) Try to get to the room early and choose spot to sit where you feel most comfortable.


2.) Wait until after the exam to drink caffeinated beverages (it doesn't hurt to bring a water bottle, however).


3.) Try not to talk to others who have not prepared for the exam- their doubt and negativity will only increase your anxiety.


4.) Eat something before the exam.


5.) Make sure to get enough sleep the night before.


6.) Take deep breaths - count to 5.


7.) Imagine yourself taking the exam and feeling confident.


8.) Budget your time while taking the test.


9.) Focus on answering one question at a time rather than thinking about how many you still have left to get through.


10.) Don't panic if other students turn in their exams before you. It's not a race!


Good Luck!