How to Succeed At University--International Edition. Danton O'Day
addition to travelling to high schools on behalf of their university, the liaison officers also organize tours of their university campus. Remember, the liaison officer is there to get your body into their institution so make sure you don’t fall prey to good salesmanship. Ask questions and be critical to ensure you make the right choice.
The Library: Your Resource Centre
The library is the most valuable aid for your education. Nevertheless, most students drastically underuse it. Don’t be one of them. If you intend to succeed at university, it is imperative that you use the library to the fullest. But to use it to the fullest you must know what facilities are available and you must learn how to use the place to your advantage.
Did You Know?
The library is often an overlooked resource, especially among international students. A survey of international students from three United States universities found that these students frequently use the library to access computers and for quiet study. However, international students tend not to take full advantage of the resources the library offers. What steps could be taken to encourage more thorough library use among this part of the student population? Some possibilities include increased availability of materials in non-English languages and library websites aimed at international students.9
All university librarians want you to use the facility that they have striven to perfect. As a result they continually work towards educating the library user. There is a lot more to using the library than simply looking up a book or author in the catalogue and then going to the shelves (or stacks, as they are called) and picking out the book.
University libraries purchase journals as well as books. Journals will be invaluable to you in the preparation of essays, book reports and laboratory write-ups. The more familiar you become with journals the easier your research for a paper will become. Another source of data will be clipping files. Relevant articles from certain newspapers are clipped out and filed under their respective topics. For some disciplines there will also be indexes that divide books and journals into subject areas. These will greatly aid you in finding relevant material rapidly. Some libraries even supply lists of basic library resources for certain disciplines, so the main sources of information for the student are clearly laid out.
Depending on your university’s financial resources, most of the major journals (which you will use increasingly in your later years) and some books will be available online. This is great because you can search for articles and then download them for use in reports, essays and talks, among other things. Online catalogues can also save time in searching for materials. Some university libraries also oversee training in the use of specific software for writing, analyzing data or presenting talks.
There are so many other sources of information that the library provides (e.g., video and audio media) that it is impossible to describe them all. We can guarantee that your library will have regular, detailed tours of its facilities. You must attend one if you intend to get good grades. If you miss the tours, then have one of the librarians show you the facilities. We haven’t met a librarian yet who wasn’t interested in showing off his or her domain.
Did You Know?
As more technologies become available, they are adopted by universities worldwide as new ways of providing learning resources. A recent study examined the resources used by students and instructors at a university in Iran. Although the use of electronic media was widespread, printed resources were still used most frequently. One of the main factors that prevented students' use of learning resources was the lack of access to research facilities. That is, many universities don't have the funds to implement new technologies at a scale large enough to fulfil all students' needs.10
Others in Your Academic World
Each major division of your university will have a dean. The dean is a professor (usually) who administers (tells others what to do, decides where the money will be spent, etc.). If you run into any academic hassles, the dean will be able to help you sort them out. The student is well protected from any misevaluation or other academic mistreatment, as will be discussed in Chapter 12. There is usually confidential help for any physical or psychological problems at your university’s health centre and often even a clinic to help you overcome exam anxiety (see Chapter 8). Many universities also have a dedicated career centre, which provides resources that can help you find a job or volunteer work both before and after graduation. Here you can check job postings, get help with resume or cover letter writing and obtain guidance about your career path.
There are lots of other people at the university so try to learn about them. Then someday when they run out of paper towels in the lavatory you’ll know to whom to complain!
Chapter 2 Summary
1.Take time to look over available universities and select one that is recognized for its specialization in your area of interest.
2.The most useful sources of information on universities are university calendars, websites, brochures and university student recruitment nights held by some high schools.
3.The university calendar is your academic bible and complete information guide—use it!
4.Select your subjects wisely to produce a balanced programme that provides the proper credits at the proper time for your degree requirements. Extension courses can be used to make up deficiencies.
5.Admission to university depends mainly on your grades, whether in high school or on standardized tests; however, other criteria may also be evaluated.
6.Lectures are the most common form of communicating information at university, but they can vary greatly in format.
7.The university has facilities where you can find out everything you need to know about your academic programme. The services and information provided include counselling, details about courses, admission requirements and registration procedures, job possibilities and job placement opportunities, scholarships and awards and much, much more.
8.Learn how to use the library. It will be invaluable to you in your quest for good grades.
9.The university is a complex institution. It does more than just teach. Learn something about its organization—it may come in handy.
Chapter 2 Endnotes
1Eric Hoover, “$2.85-Million Settlement Proposed in Lawsuit Over SAT-Scoring Errors”, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 24 Aug. 2007, 28 May 2012 <http://chronicle.com/article/285-Million-Settlement/39443/>.
2Saul Geiser and Maria Veronica Santelices, “Validity of High-School Grades in Predicting Student Success Beyond the Freshman Year: High-School Record vs. Standardized Tests as Indicators of Four-Year College Outcomes”, University of California, Berkeley: Center for Studies in Higher Education, Research and Occasional Paper Series, 18 June 2007, 1 May 2012 <http://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/docs/ROPS.GEISER._SAT_6.13.07.pdf>.
3Rebecca Zwick and Jeffrey C. Sklar, “Predicting College Grades and Degree Completion Using High School Grades and SAT Scores: The Role of Student Ethnicity and First Language”, American Education Research Journal 42.3 (2005): 460.