University of Wisconsin Stout | Wisconsin's Polytechnic University

Don’t Procrastinate

• Start work well in advance of the due date
• Prioritize what work needs to be finished first
• Don't make excuses
• Use free time wisely
• Eliminate distractions
  (e.g. music with vocals, phone, laptop, TV)

Help Your Cohort

• Complete assignments in groups
• Give advice if others don't understand
• Set up time where you can study together

Plan Your Semester Wisely

• Create a schedule that outlines all the major assignments
  
• Set start and end dates for assignments and projects
• Break larger projects into smaller deadlines
  
• Allow enough time to complete everything
  

Ask for Help

• Know where you are at with your studies
• Know what you have to work with
• Meet with professors during their office hours
• Ask questions during class
• Talk to your classmates

Be Original

• Interpret everything you've read
• Use your own words
• Cite any unoriginal ideas
• Don't plagiarize

Do Your Homework/Assignments

• Complete your homework before class
• Use class material to complete assignments
• Schedule time everyday to work on your assignments
• Practice what you learn

Share Information

• Tell others about learning tools
  
• Post course research on discussion boards
  
• Send attachments relevant to discussions
  
• Cite sources
  

Support

• Ask for others' opinions
  
• Find out what you want
  
• Find out what others want
  
• Learn more about the person
  
• Try to understand where others are coming from (i.e. their point of view)
  
• Give encouragement and compliments
  

Teamwork

• Work towards a goal
  
• Find out everyone's expectations for the project
  
• Commit time and effort
  
• Coordinate a plan

Communication

• Talk to classmates or group members to make sure you understand concepts, theories, and ideas clearly
  
• Expect replies to emails during daytime hours
  
• Find out when people are available
  

Help Each Other

• Study in groups
• Ask questions
• Talk about what you’ve learned
• Critically evaluate every decision
• Don’t agree to minimize conflict
• Use individual creativity and uniqueness

Honesty

• Give people your opinion
• Don't be brutally honest to the point where you hurt another person's feelings, but still be assertive

Manners

• Be polite
• Don't use questionable or insulting language
• Be punctual
• Don’t interrupt others

Set Specific, Academic Expectations

• Set expectations for class and assignments
• Ask professors what they want you to get out of the class
• Have professors explain how the assignments are beneficial
• A clear and correct syllabus to outline what will be covered in the class
  

Professors Have Lives Too

• Don't expect a response to a question in the evening or most weekends
  
• Timely communication
  
• The best time for contact is during office hours

Feedback

• Track progress through feedback
• Use it to find out where to improve

Grades

• Make sure that a grading scale has been laid out
• Provide meaningful feedback at semester's end
  
• Find out how to progress/or maintain what you have learned