Organizing Your Time

Effectively
Academic Learning Centre
201 Tier
480-1481
 First: The Term Schedule
• Life events
–Birthdays, weddings,
parties, etc.
• School events
–Papers, tests, exams
• Other
–Work, trips, volunteering
2
 INTRODUCTION TO UNIVERSITY ARTS 1110W
SECTION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS (L07)
THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA: FALL, 2006
Instructor: Tim Podolsky Class Time: Tues and Thurs, 10:00 to 11:15 am. (Slot 5)
[email protected] Classroom: 129 St. John’s College
474-6806 Writing Workshop: Mon. or Wed, 3:30 to 4:20 pm. (Slot 12)
403 Education Workshop: 125 St. John’s College
Course Web Address: www.umanitoba.ca/webct Office Hours: 8:30-11:30 am. Wednesdays
(see reverse for login information) (or by appointment)

Calendar Description
A seminar course designed to help students make the Written Assignments
transition from high school to university by imparting the This course fulfils a writing requirement (W), and thus, most
knowledge, skills, and attitudes requisite for success in assignments will focus on writing. Students are required to
university study. complete ALL assignments. In order to assist students with
their writing, this course includes a fourth hour per week for an
Course Objectives academic writing workshop. This hour will focus on the writing
1. To assist first-year students in making the transition to the needs of current students.
Canadian university community, and specifically to The
University of Manitoba. Exams
2. To provide an orientation of the nature, the functions, and The mid-term test will include short answer and long answer
the resources of the University. questions. The final exam will include short definition
3. To provide training in study and learning skills needed for questions, applied questions, and a critical thinking essay. Test
success in university studies. items will be based on lectures, texts, and class discussions.
4. To help develop attitudes and habits needed to succeed in The date of the final exam is determined by the Student
a university setting. Records Office. Do not make any travel arrangements for this
5. To provide a foundation for life-long learning and career time period until this date is finalized.
success.
6. To help students define goals more clearly and give them Late Assignments
tools that can help them achieve their goals. Late assignments will not be accepted unless (a) approval is
obtained 24 hours in advance of the deadline, or (b) last-minute
Required texts sickness or an emergency prevented completion, in which case
a doctor’s note is required. If you think that you may not be
McWhorter, K.T. (2006). Study and Critical Thinking able to complete work on time, please see me as early as
Skills in College (6th ed.). Toronto, Ontario: Pearson possible. Further information concerning assignments may be
Longman. found on the back of this page.
Lester, J. D., & Lester, Jr., J. D. (2002). The essential guide
to writing research papers (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Academic Integrity
Longman. You are encouraged to refer to Section 7.1, page 27 and Section
4.2.8, page 26 of the 2005-2006 General Calendar of The
Required journal reading University of Manitoba for policies on plagiarism, cheating,
and exam personations.
Wang, Y., Martin, M., & Martin, S.H. (2002).
Understanding Asian Graduate Students’ English Value of Assignments
Literacy Problems. College Teaching, 50(3), 97-101. Journal summary and critique (2 copies)* 15
Mid-term Test * 10
Grey, M. (2002). Drawing with Difference: challenges faced Oral Presentation * 10 3
by international students in an undergraduate business Research Paper (2 copies) 20
degree. Teaching in Higher Education, 7(2), 153-166. Writing Workshop 10
Library Assignment 5
 2.0 C 60-65 Adequate are to be done on-line through your WebCT course. Please see
1.0 D 50-59 Marginal me before September 25th, if you are unable to access the course.
0 F < 50 Failure
WebCT Journal #1 2
Final Grade Research Paper – Thesis and Outline 4
Senate Policy #1307 requires a “post-examination of final WebCT Journal #2 2
grades in multi-sectioned courses that will ensure an equitable Research Paper – Rough Draft 2
correspondence between grades and level of performance in
all sections”. Accordingly, the final grade distribution for this Final Exam: The Student Records office schedules the final
course may be raised or lowered to achieve such equity and, exam for December 8-21, 2006. The exact day will be
therefore, your final grade may change. announced in November. Do not make any travel arrangements
until this date has been finalized. Because this is a seminar class,
Details of Assignments it is important for you to attend all classes in order to do well on
the exam.
Mid-term Test: This in class test will take place on October
24, 2006. The test will consist of defining key terms from the
text and lectures and of short and long answer explanations of WebCT:
topics discussed in the text and in class.
This course outline and other information about your section
Journal Summary and Critique: You will be expected to of 99.111 can be found in WebCT. In addition to some course
summarize an article. You may choose between materials, your marks will also be posted to your WebCT
“Understanding Asian Graduate Students’ English account. As well, some assignments will be run through
Literacy Problems” and “Drawing with Difference: WebCT, in particular the journal assignments. To access your
challenges faced by international students in and account, you must first claim your id at:
undergraduate business degree”. After having read one the (https://pasweb.cc.umanitoba.ca/webapp/gu/claimid/).
articles, you will summarize it and analyze its contents. Your Once you have done so, you may access the course at
1000 word summary and critique should be handed in on www.umanitoba.ca/webct. Your login will be the same as
October 19th. your ccu account user id. You will also receive a password,
once you claim your id.
Oral Presentation: You are required to give a 10-15 minute
presentation on an academic journal article relevant to your ex: [email protected] (ccu account)
research paper topic. Your presentation should summarize the ex: podolsk0 (WebCT userid)
article, critique the article, and then conclude with a discussion ex: r3g7k6 (password)
of the value (or lack of value) of the research. The
presentations will be given from October 26th to November Once again, you can access your WebCT courses at
9th (5 per class). www.umanitoba.ca/webct, but you must claim your ccu
account before being able to do so.
Research Paper: You are required to write a 2500 word paper
on one of the following topics: (1) the goal of a university
education, (2) plagiarism and intellectual property rights at the
university, (3) equity and accessibility at universities, (4)
student health issues on campus, or (5) academic study
strategies. These are very broad topics and it is your
responsibility to narrow down the topic that you choose. In
order to complete your paper on time, most of your reading
should be done by the end of September. A one-page outline
4
of the paper including a clear thesis statement must be handed
in on October 10th, 2006. A rough draft of the paper must be
 September 2009

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Labour Classes
Day
13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Geo Outline
Quiz
27 28 29 30

5
 Second: The Weekly
Schedule
• Put in all the required activities
– Job Time
– Class time
– Study time
– Assignments/projects (that are
due)
– Travel time
– Children
– Other
6
 CLASS CLASS CLASS

CLASS CLASS CLASS WORK

CLASS CLASS WORK

LUNCH WORK
WORK
WORK
WORK
STUDY WORK

WORK WORK

WORK DOCTOR WORK

WORK GYM GYM WORK

WORK
WORK WORK WORK

WORK STUDY WORK WORK

WORK WORK

WORK WORK

WORK WORK

7
Distributed Practice
• Space studying time over
several short time periods

• Schedule regular breaks to

maintain peak efficiency

8
Time Evaluation Strategy
• 168 hour in a week
– How many hours do you
sleep?
– How much time traveling?
– Job?
– Kids?
– Class time?
– Other obligations?
• How much time do you have left
for studying?
9
 168 Hour Week
Sleep 8
______ 56
x 7= _______
Hygiene ______
1 x 7= _______
7
Eating ______
1.5 x 7= _______
10.5
Commute ______
1.5 x 5= _______
7.5
Work ______ x 7= _______
26
Sports ______ 4
x 7= _______
Leisure ______
1 x 7= _______
7
Classes ______ x 7= _______
15
Other ______
1 x 7= _______
7
TOTAL 168 hrs
_______
- 140 hrs
________
How many hours are left? _______
28 hrs

10
 PRIORITIES

Something that is given prior

or special attention or
considered more important
(Barber, 2001).

11
 Daily to-do lists
• What do you have to do
tomorrow?
• Set your priorities – “first things
first”
• Break down large assignments
• Add additional life tasks (see
doctor, mail letter, pay bill etc.)
• Make sure you check and re-
evaluate your list every day
12
 Covey’s to-do-list

Important
1 2

Not Important
2
3 4

Urgent Not Urgent

13
 Procrastination

• Perfectionist
• Postponer
• Politician

© Walker, L. J. S. & Schönwetter, D. J. (2003). Success

Secrets of University Students. Toronto: Prentice Hall.
14
 How to Stop
• Know yourself
• Take control of your time
– Follow “to do” lists
– Create a schedule
– Reward yourself for meeting your
goals
– Learn to say “no”
• Find a place to study without
distractions that works for you
• Break large assignments into
manageable tasks 15
 Time Wasters
• television
• worrying
• long commutes
• day-dreaming
• partying
• Internet
• socializing

16
 References
Covey, S. R., Merrill, R. A. & Merrill, R. R.
(1994). First Things First: To Live, To Love,
To Learn, To Leave a Legacy. New York, NY:
Fireside.
Fry, Ron (2000). How to Get Organized (2nd
Ed.). Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press.
Longman, D. G. & Atkinson, R. H. (1993).
College Learning and Study Skills (3rd ed.). St
Paul, MN: West Paul Publishing.
Pausch, R. (2007, November). Time-
Management Lecture. Retrieved March 23,
2009, from
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-
5784740380335567758
Walker, L. J. S. & Schönwetter, D. J. (2003).
Success Secrets of University Students.
Toronto: Prentice Hall. 17