8 How to Be a Successful Studenti WOnDeR...
Where can I get the best information for my research paper?
• Study with a group or partner. This should work ef-
fectively for you as long as it’s a lively exchange where
all members listen, respond, and initiate speech.
• Go into a quiet room alone and recite out loud your
notes, key terms, and concepts.
• Use a voice recorder in class to record lectures. Make
sure it has a timestamp feature and denote the loca-
tion of difficult or confusing concepts to revisit later.
tips for Kinesthetic learners
This type of student finds it easiest to learn by doing. If you
are a kinesthetic learner, you love to figure out problems
by working with your hands and
your brain. New information is
easier to commit to memory if you
have some sort of physical move-
ment going on at the same time.
You enjoy in-class activities, field trips, and labs the most.
Try out these tips to help improve your learning beyond
structured hands-on activities:
• Try to find ways to incorporate physical movement
while learning. Taking notes with a pen or pencil will
be much more efficient for you than taking notes
with a computer. When you are listening to a lecture,
try small, quiet movements such as tapping your foot,
squeezing a stress ball, or chewing gum.
• Walking back and forth while reading or reviewing
notes and flashcards can help you stay focused.
• Think about ways you can make the subject more
tangible. For example, instead of just reading about
historical events and ancient cultures, go to a local
museum of natural history to bring the text to life.
You will be able to better commit to memory anything
you can physically touch, feel, and play around with.kinesthetic
learner Someone
who learns through
physical activity.- What benefits could you gain from knowing
what type of learner you are? - What is your least effective study habit? What
works best for you? - specifically, how can the components of this
book help you improve your study habits?
W
here do you get your facts? Today, there are a wide range
of options for obtaining almost any kind of information
you may be looking for. Of course, you want the most credible
literature resources out there for your research paper, but where
do you get them?
If you want the best information, you must dive directly
into peer-reviewed journal articles (PRJAs). Most college
students have full access to these
valuable resources through their
school’s library. Many universities
even allow registered students
to gain access to their electronic
journal databases online from home.
With such easy access for students,
PRJAs should be the number-one
choice for all your academic research
papers.
A peer-reviewed journal is a collection of scholarly articles
written about a very specific topic within a subject area. PRJAs
are written by experts and reviewed by an independent panel of
their peers before being published. In order for this type of arti-
cle to be published, a majority of the reviewing panel of experts
must believe the research is accurate, unique, and of high quali-
ty. Since the person or team who actually carried out the study
writes a PRJA, this type of resource is called primary literature.
These are the purest form of research results and conclusions
available to the public because they have not been diluted or
reinterpreted by an outside author.
You will know that you are reading a PRJA by looking for a
few key characteristics. Always ask yourself these questions:
Is the format and language very formal? Are there multiple
citations within the paper and in the bibliography? Is there little
to no advertising? Are the graphics limited to mostly black-and-
white statistical illustrations? Are the primary authors scholars
and researchers from reputable institutions? Is the publishing
company or organization trustworthy? If you answered yes to
most, if not all, of these questions then you have a peer-reviewed
journal in your hands!peer-reviewed
journal articles
(PRJAs) Articles that
are printed in journals
only after being
reviewed by other
practicing scientists in
the field.✓✓THE PLAnnEr