Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success : A Self-management Approach

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A GUIDE FOR COMPLETING A SELF-MANAGEMENT STUDY 287

could benefit your academic performance or (b) behaviors that you

always engage in that have a detrimental effect on your performance.

Once you identify these problems, you will need to select one prob-

lem for your study that you need and want to solve. Notice that the

terms need and want are included in this statement. Changing behav-

ior is a difficult thing to do. It requires you to invest a significant

amount of time and effort in the four-step self-management process.

Therefore, it is important for you to take the time to select a prob-

lem that you need and want to change so that you will be commit-

ted to solving it (Martin & Pear, 1988; Watson & Tharpe, 1992).

Table A.2 provides examples of academic problems by chapter that

you may wish to consider for your study.

TABLE A.2

EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC PROBLEMS

Self-Management

Components

Academic Problems Chapter

“I have a problem because I never, or only

sometimes.. .” (Insert response [a]) or

“I have a problem because I usally.. .”

(Insert response [b])

Motivation [a] choose to complete academic tasks

[a] put forth the effort needed to do well on

certain academic tasks

2

3

[a] persist when tasks are difficult, boring, or

unchallenging

[b] worry or experience anxiety as I study,

attend class, or take exams

3

5

Methods of

Learning

[a] take notes in class

[b] experience difficulty with lecture material

[a] read my textbooks or articles

[a] prepare for quizzes and exams

[a] remember the information I studied

[b] have difficulty taking exams

9

9

8

10

2

11

Use of Time [a] have time to do the things I value

[a] have time to complete my academic tasks

as well as I would like

6

6

[a] have time to review my work before

handing it in

[a] have time to test myself before quizzes and

6

6

exams

[b] miss important events such as classes,

review sessions, appointments,

meetings

[b] escape from academic events and

tasks

6

3, 5, 6

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