Page 196 - Keys to College Success

student PROFILE

Corina Treviño

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

About Me: to organize the notes I take as I read. Then my notes are easier
After graduating with to study.
about 55 students at my In class, my notes can get a bit messy with professors talking
small town high school, joining over 50,000 classmates at one of fast and not always staying on one topic at a time. After class I
the largest universities in the country left me shell-shocked to say rewrite my notes neatly. This way I can organize all the information
the least. Adjusting to the fast pace of college was not easy, espe- and review it at the same time.
cially when it came to study habits. I never really had to study in When it is time to study for an exam, I have a clear and concise
high school and didn’t know how when I got to college. I struggled review of the material with my reading notes and my class notes
academically during my rocky freshman year and knew I had to together.
study more effectively.
What will help me in the workplace:
What I focus on: In the future, this skill of being able to break down large, dense
I learned that when reading from a textbook, the best way for materials into understandable parts will be essential. I am
me to absorb the information was to break down the material majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and hope to
into parts and take notes as I read. First, I look for a chapter sum- one day work in the healthcare field as an audiologist. The field
mary or goals of the reading to grasp the main points. Then I go is fast-paced and always advancing, and my reading skills will
through the chapter and figure out how the material is organized help me stay informed about the latest research and findings.
(main sections, heading, subheading, etc.) and use that outline

■ The Modern Language Association (MLA) format is generally used in the human-
ities, including history, literature, the arts, and philosophy.
■ The American Psychological Association (APA) style is the appropriate format
in psychology, sociology, business, economics, nursing, criminology, and social
work.
Consult a college-level writer’s handbook for an overview of these documentation
styles, or read about them online at www.mla.org and www.apa.org.
Your future success demands that you be able to read, understand, evaluate, and
write about information in school, on the job, and in life—your 401(k) retirement plan,
Reading, Research, and Writing
local and world news, the fine print in a cell phone contract. Develop the ability to read
and write with focus, purpose, and follow-through, and you will never stop enjoying
the benefits.

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