United States
Connections Essentials
First Edition©2018 Paul Gore; Wade Leuwerke; A. J. Metz
ISBN:9781319068943
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ISBN:9781319030827
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In every chapter of Connections Essentials, you’ll learn proven strategies for succeeding in college, career, and life in general. You’ll learn how to celebrate your progress and figure out how to use setbacks as opportunities for growth. And you’ll see firsthand how the academic and life skills that you’re developing will drive your success.
Brief, affordable, and engaging, Connections Essentials will empower you to become an active, collaborative learner who thrives in school, on the job, and in your community.
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Learn MoreTable of Contents
1: Building a Foundation for Success
Why Go to College?
Education: Good for Society, Good for You
What It Means to Be in College
Learn about Yourself
Discover Your Values
Follow Your Interests
Embrace Your Strengths — and Learn from Your Weaknesses
Getting to Know You: ACES and Other Tools [[pop out article]]
Student Voices of Experience: Finding Your Purpose
Feel the Power of Positive Psychology
Build Self-Efficacy
Be Resilient
Keep Hope Alive
Take Personal Responsibility for Your Success
Recruit Help [[pop out article]]
College Success Leads to Career Success
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
2: Thinking Critically and Setting Goals
Build Your Critical Thinking Skills
The Higher-Level Thinking Skills behind Critical Thinking
How to Use Your Higher-Level Thinking Skills
Compare and Contrast: Critical vs. Creative Thinking [[pop out article]]
Use Bloom’s Taxonomy
Those Blooming Test Questions! [[pop out article]]
Think Critically to Set Goals
Step 1: Gather Information (about You)
Step 2: Set a SMART Goal
Step 3: Make an Action Plan
Got Goals? Theyre Your Path to Academic Success [[pop out article]]
Step 4: List Barriers and Solutions
Student Voices of Experience: Focusing on Solutions
Step 5: Act and Evaluate Outcomes
Create Your Personal Success Plan
The PSP in Action
Create Your First Personal Success Plan
Employers Value Goal Setting [[pop out article]]
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
3: Motivation, Decision Making, and Personal Responsibility
What Keeps You Motivated?
Self-Efficacy
Relevance
Attitude
Youre Good Enough and Youre Smart Enough [[pop out article]]
Tap into Your Internal Motivation
Student Voices of Experience: Staying Motivated in College
Make Good Decisions
Take Personal Responsibility for Your Education
Develop a Growth Mindset
Take an Active Approach to Your Learning
Navigate the Transition to College Life
Think about Thinking and Learning
Active Learning, Personal Responsibility, and Belief Lead to Success! [[pop out article]]
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
4: Understanding Learning
Learning That Works: What the Research Tells Us
Test Yourself
Space Out Your Studying
Change Up Your Material
Make Connections So Learning Lasts
Use Verbal and Visual Information
Your Brain Is Required for Learning! [[pop out article]]
Make Learning Personal
Use the Myers-Briggs Model
Use the VARK Model
Student Voices of Experience: Using Learning Strategies in College
Succeed in Different Learning Environments
Work in a Group
Make Sure Youre Multimodal
Seek Help for Learning Challenges [[pop out article]]
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
5: Organization and Time Management
Get Organized
Create a Clean Study Space
Organize Your Documents
What’s in a Name? How to Label Your Files and Folders [[pop out article]]
Take Control of Your Time
Step 1: Track Your Time
Step 2: Identify Your Priorities
Step 3: Build Your Schedule
Step 4: Use Tools to Track Progress on Your Projects
Student Voices of Experience Tools for Time Management
Manage Time When You Learn Online [[pop out article]]
Overcome Procrastination and Minimize Distractions
Beat Procrastination
Minimize Distractions
Find Your Flow [[pop out article]]
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
6: Reading for College Success
Embrace Reading!
Prepare to Read
Preview the Material
Make a Plan for Your Reading [[pop out article]]
Identify Purposeful Reading Questions
Read with Focus
Mark Up Your Reading Material
Think Critically about What You Read
Student Voices of Experience: Gaining Confidence in Reading
Clarify Confusing Material
Reading: It’s Good for You! [[pop out article]]
Boost Your Reading Efficiency
Review What You’ve Read
Recite
Summarize
Review and Study
Read Different Types of Materials
Read for Math and Science Classes
Read Journal Articles
Ask for Help with Reading Challenges [[pop out article]]
Read Online Course Materials
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
7: Taking Effective Notes
Supercharge Your Note Taking with a Four-Step Strategy
Step 1: Prepare to Take Notes
Step 2: Actively Listen, Watch, Read, and Participate
Step 3: Record Information
Taking Notes? Grab a Pen and Paper [[pop out article]]
Step 4: Review Your Notes
Experiment with Note-Taking Methods
Outlining
Student Voices of Experience Outlining and Other Note-Taking Strategies
Charting
Cornell System
Mapping
Note-Taking Tips for Math, Science, and Online Classes
Taking Notes in Math and Science Classes
Taking Notes in Online Classes
Take Notes Like a Professional [[pop out article]]
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
8: Memory, Studying, and Test Taking
Learn How Your Memory Works
Sensory Memory
Short-Term/Working Memory
Long-Term Memory
Putting It All Together
Why You Forget [[pop out article]]
Study Basics: Set Yourself Up for Success
Manage Your Time Wisely
Join a Study Group
Make Connections
Create Your Own Study Tools
Remember Material with Mnemonics [[pop out article]]
Study for Math and Science Classes
Study for Online Classes
Prepare for Tests
Know the Exam Format
Review Previous Exams
Stay Healthy
Talk with Your Instructor
Manage Test Anxiety
Think Good Thoughts [[pop out article]]
Student Voices of Experience Preparing for Tests
Learn Test-Taking Strategies
Start Smart
Answer Common Question Types
Take Math and Science Tests
Take Tests Online
Youve Got Integrity [[pop out article]]
Follow Up after Tests
Evaluate Your Approach: Did Your Prep Work Pay Off?
Get Hard Evidence
Learn from Your Mistakes
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
9: Information Literacy and Communication
Develop Information Literacy
Find the Information You Need
Evaluate the Information Youve Found
Wikipedia: Friend or Foe? [[pop out article]]
Communicate Information through Writing
Prepare to Write
Write Your First Draft
Revise and Polish Your Paper
Student Voices of Experience Getting Feedback on Your Writing
Avoid Plaigiarism [[pop out article]]
Write in Online Classes
Present in Class with Confidence
Know Your Purpose—and Your Audience
Craft Your Presentation
Practice Your Presentation [[pop out article]]
Present Like a Pro
Harness the Power of Technology: Present Online
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
10: Connecting with Others
Enhance Your Communication Skills
Become a Better Listener
Become a Better Speaker
Build Emotional Intelligence
Recognize Emotions
Understand Emotions
Manage Emotions
The Dangers of Suppressing Your Emotions [[pop out article]]
Resolve Conflict
Be Assertive
Dont Be a Doormat [[pop out article]]
Use “I” Statements
Use All Your Skills to Resolve Conflicts
Grow and Sustain Healthy Relationships
Connect with Classmates
Connect with Instructors
Connect with Your Campus Community
Theres More to College than the Classroom [[pop out article]]
Connect with Others Online
Stay Connected with Friends and Family
Student Voices of Experience: Maintaining Relationships
Embrace Diversity
Recognize Differences
Respect Differences
Think Critically about Differences
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
11: Personal and Financial Health
Stress Less, Feel Better
Physical and Mental Health
Eat Right
Stay Active
Don’t Skimp on the Z’s
Healthy Behavior Is Good for Your Grades [[pop out article]]
Student Voices of Experience: Staying Healthy and Coping with Stress
Take Care of Your Mental Health
Don’t Abuse Alcohol and Drugs
Sexual Health
Avoid Sexually Transmitted Infections
Practice Birth Control
Financial Health
Create a Budget
Reduce Your Spending
Get a Job to Boost Your Income
Navigate Financial Aid
Ive Got Financial Aid—Now How Do I Keep It? [[pop out article]]
Control Your Credit Cards — So They Don’t Control You
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
12: Academic and Career Planning
Know Yourself
Explore Your Interests
Explore Your Values
Explore Your Skills
Understand Yourself through Campus Engagement [[pop out article]]
Develop an Academic Plan
Choose a Degree or Certificate
Choose a College Major
Choose Your Courses
Get Help from an Academic Adviser or a Counselor
Student Voices of Experience: Selecting a Major and Choosing Classes
Know Your Milestones [[pop out article]]
Investigate Career Options
Get to Know the O*NET
Talk with Experts
Get Experience
LaunchYour Job Search
Write a Résumé
Find Job Opportunities
Write a Cover Letter
Interview Effectively
Be Ready for Behavioral Interview Questions [[pop out article]]
End-of-Term Reflection: Assess Your ACES Progress
My Personal Success Plan
CHAPTER SUMMARY
CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
Paul A. Gore
Paul A. Gore
Paul’s efforts to promote college and career readiness, high school and college student persistence, and academic success are informed by more than twenty-five years of research, program development, implementation, evaluation, consulting, and teaching. Paul currently serves as the vice president of academic affairs and provost at Bellarmine University in Kentucky. Paul earned his Ph.D. in counseling psychology, with an emphasis in student career development, academic success, and transition, from Loyola University–Chicago. He has held academic and administrative responsibilities at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, Southern Illinois University–Carbondale, ACT, Inc., the University of Utah, and Xavier University.
Paul’s work focuses on noncognitive and motivational determinants of academic and career success. In particular, he is interested in how secondary and postsecondary institutions use data describing the noncognitive strengths and weaknesses of their students to promote transition, engagement, student success, and retention. He regularly consults with secondary and postsecondary institutions in the United States and abroad on developing and evaluating student academic and career success programs.
Paul has authored more than fifty peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He is the past chair of the Society for Vocational Psychology and served as an advisory board member and journal editor for the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and was the recipient of a 2013–2014 American Council on Education Emerging Leadership fellowship.
Wade Leuwerke
Dr. Wade C. Leuwerke
Wade is a professor of counseling at Drake University. He earned his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Southern Illinois University–Carbondale. Wade has authored more than ninety journal articles and book chapters, as well as national and international conference presentations. One of his areas of research is the assessment and development of student and employee social and emotional skills. He has co-created several social and emotional assessment tools, including the Academic and Career Excellence System (ACES), that help secondary and postsecondary students to identify and build their skills. He works with faculty and advisers at the college level and school counselors at the high school level to integrate social and emotional data into their work with students.
Wade has experience examining school counselors’ roles and working with professional school counselors to positively impact students’ academic development, career and college exploration, and the acquisition of personal and social skills that will prepare them for college and life beyond. He has worked with dozens of secondary and postsecondary institutions on a range of factors related to student success and persistence, including evaluating institutional practices, using data to drive student interventions, creating individualized student success plans, training, strategic planning, allocating resources, and collaborating to promote student success.
A. J. Metz
Dr. A.J. Metz
A.J. is a tenured faculty member and serves as associate chair of the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah. She directs the master’s program in school counseling and the Positive Psychology Certificate Program. She also coordinates the Strategies for College Success courses in which ACES and the Connections textbook are used.
A.J. earned an M.Ed. in vocational rehabilitation counseling and a Ph.D. in urban education (specialization in counseling psychology) from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She studies the cognitive and noncognitive factors related to academic success, career readiness, and retention in underrepresented and underserved student populations such as first-generation college students, women in STEM, college student athletes, and college student veterans.
A.J. has extensive teaching, counseling, and career advising experience in high schools, community colleges, and four-year public and private institutions of higher education. Her passion for teaching motivates her to experiment with innovative teaching methods and to develop new and engaging activities and instructional materials. She has received the University of Utah’s Early Career Teaching Award, the College of Education Teaching Award, and the Celebrate U – Showcase of Extraordinary Faculty Achievement award. She is the past president of the Utah Psychological Association and serves on multiple state-level task forces and advisory councils promoting school based mental health services, college access and equity, and career readiness.
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