Academic Integrity and APA for BBA Students

Today's   workshop slideshow

BBA Academic Integrity Workshop

Answer to the referencing question

Citation:

( Dodds, 2012, p.61-62)

Reference:

Dodds, R. (2012). Sustainable tourism: A hope or a necessity? The case of Tofino, British Columbia,       
       Canada. Journal of Sustainable Development, 5(5), 54-64.    
       doi: 10.5539/jsd.v5n5p54 



Getting a citation 








Paraphrasing is really the second part of this Academic Integrity workshop.    Watch for an upcoming Paraphrasing workshop.   In the meantime,   this blog post provides some key information and tips.

VIU English Language Support

Goal setting and planning ... for success

"Vision without action is a daydream. Action with without vision is a nightmare.” —Japanese proverb

We all make goals,  big goals and little goals,  short-term and long-term goals.   They are what motivate many of us,  what drive us.   For many people these goals are only in their head, almost unconscious. Others write them down.     But without goals,  we don't really know where we are going.  We can't control what we don't know.   Achieving the goals one sets requires planning.   Planning is like figuring out how you will get where you want to go.





In the most simple example,  when you leave home in the morning to go to school or work, getting to your destination is your goal.   Most of the time you are successful.     Deciding how you will  get there is the planning part.   You must choose your time,  your route,  your mode of transport.

The most successful people in the world regularly do goal setting and planning.   And for most of them it is very explicit.   They think seriously about and write down their goals and planning.   They revisit these goals regularly and revise when appropriate.

Goals can be about any part of your life.  Education.  Family.  Social.
Professional.  Financial.

As another example,  if your goal is to make a million dollars by the time you are 30,  then certainly you will have to make plans.    You may even set sub-goals,  such as to make $200, 000 in the first 3 years,  and so on.

At university,  it is simpler.   Your goal setting will revolve around each semester,  each school year, and the duration of your academic program.    Of course,  your primary goal is to pass all your courses,  but you might want to get high grades,  to please your parents,  or to get a scholarship or a good job.   You might actually want to learn something.    What is it that you want to accomplish?   This is/these are your goals.  

SMART goals     

Effective goals are SMART.

Specific --  a goal needs enough detail and clarity;  it should not be vague or too                 general
Measureable --  if you cannot measure your goal,  how can you know if you                      accomplish it?  Succ measureability may be simple yes/no or it may                   involve degrees (i.e. 70% done)
Attainable -- it should be possible for you to accomplish this goal in the time                      you establish
Relevant -- the goal should be important and relevant to your life and your                        situation
Timely -- there has to be a time element in which you will complete the goal                      (i.e. 1 week, 1 year, etc.)

Example (Part 1):

Recently,   my pants have been wearing too tight and I don't have the energy and stamina I need.  I want to be fitter.   After doing some thinking about this, I have decided that I want to lose ten pounds by Christmas.   This is highly specific,  it is certainly measurable.   Is it attainable?   Maybe 5 or 7 pounds is more realistic, but I will aim high.   This goal is relevant and highly timely.   Once the  goal is made and written down, the next step is planning how to achieve it.   They are many paths.

The 5 Steps of SMART Goal Setting

Planning -- Strategies and Tactics

“You've got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” —Alvin Toffler

Most of the time accomplishing a goal needs a plan.  Effective planning requires serious thought about strategies/methods/actions, and timing/time management.  

Strategies enable us to achieve our goals in the best way and in the best time.   A strategy is like a method for achieving a goal.  Having good strategies is important.   This means strategies that are right for you, and that work.  Let's say my big goal is to improve my academic performance this semester.  I have decided that micro goal supporting my macro goal for achieving this is to regularly arrive at my classes ten minutes  before they begin.  This might also be considered a strategy.   I then must think of tactics to support this goal. The actions one takes  are often called tactics.    They support your strategy. For morning classes,  choosing to leave home for school before 8 a.m. to beat the traffic and so find a good parking space is an important tactic.  This will require numerous supporting actions such as waking up earlier than usual.    It looks like this:

Example (Part 2):

How can I lose ten pounds by Christmas?    That is three months away, which means about 3 pounds per month.     I did a little research on the Internet (an important component of planning) and learned that someone can lose 1 pound per week by burning or cutting out 3500 calories from their diet.    I will do this by a combination of diet and exercise.     My research also showed me that the first several pounds are the easiest to lose, therefore the early part of my plan will be easier than the later part.   

The timing of my plan is to go by months

Month 1 --  lose 4 pounds (a pound a week)

Month 2 --  lose 3 pounds

Month 3 --  lose 3 pounds

With timing established,   I now must consider strategies and actions to help me accomplish this.     As I noted, my strategy to accomplish this will be a combination of diet and exercise to shave 3500 calories weekly from my lifestyle.  

Tactic 1:    Cut 250 calories daily from my diet 
Tactic 2:    Burn 250 extra calories through exercise

Action 1:  Cut portion sizes and drink more water
Action 2:  Eat more fruit and vegetables.  Reduce bread and rice.
Action 3:  Always eat breakfast.
Action 4:  Drink coffee and tea without sugar or cream.


Action 4:  Walk rapidly  or swim for 30 minutes.

At the end of the week,  I will check my weight and see if it has gone down.

Academic Scenario

Imagine you have a 4000 word research paper due at the end of the semester for one of your courses and it is worth 40% of your grade.    This is an example of something that needs some goal setting and planning for you to be successful.    You should first decide on the mark you want to receive because this will determine how much effort you spend on this.   (Of course,  you also need to know your own knowledge and ability.)

Big Goal: get 75% grade on the research paper

Planning 

This is mid-September and the paper is due at the end of November, which means you have 2-1/2 months, or 11 weeks to complete it.

Timing, Tactics,  & Actions

•  try to finish one week before it is due
•  first two weeks :    read about the topic,  do initial research,  make outline discuss with a classmate,  ask teacher any questions 
• October -- do more research -- finish research,  start writing body of essay
•  November -- first two weeks finish draft 1 and have a friend peer-edit it- third week,  do draft 2,  also have a friend peer edit it

When pursuing goals,  it is important to establish priorities.  You cannot do everything all at once.   What is most important now?    You may choose only to focus on one or two goals at a time.     

Remember to regularly measure your progress and to revise any part of the goal or plan as appropriate.    You may find talking to other people helpful.

Also,   you should reward yourself as you progress on the way to realizing your goal.   This helps to keep you motivated.

If your goal is really important to you and you have decided on some effective strategies,   then you have created a solid foundation for success.   

And don't forget to celebrate when your goal is achieved.

Collaboration and Microsoft Office

They are getting it now.   Effective work and effective studying-learning involves collaboration.   This is the future of the world founded on globalization.     A doctor helping a patient with a mysterious disease can now collaborate with thousands of doctors around the world to find a solution. Students working on a project as a team can share their ideas in a wiki or by video conference, not only face to face in a room.     If you are studying and learning alone,  your studying and learning is limited.

Here is an interesting Bloomberg video interview with Microsoft about their new Office software designed to support and enable greater collaboration.   It's worth a watch and a listen.

Microsoft Office 2016 Adds Google, Skype Features

English Language Support this week

A busy week three of the semester is in store.    We hope the first two weeks went well and that you are into the groove.   You should have established positive contact with your teachers,   created some  study groups or study partners,  and made a (time and to do) plan for the semester.  If you haven't done any of this yet,  this is the week to get going on it.    The Crank It Up conference on Friday can provide you will some terrific strategies to make your learning (more) successful.

Crank It Up -- Learning Workshops for VIU Students

Next Friday at VIU you will have a chance to improve your learning and academic success by attending Crank It Up.

Home | Crank it up


Here is the schedule of workshops.  (Click the image to enlarge it)

Do you like soccer (aka football)?

Drop-in Soccer on Thursdays 8:30 to 10:30 at Pleasant Valley School.

This is a great opportunity to get exercise,  have fun,  and meet other people/students.

English Language Support for week 2

We hope you had a great first week of classes.   That was the time to get to know your teachers and classmates, and to create a study plan for this semester.    English Language Support can help you remedy weaknesses in your English and build upon your strengths.   Here is our schedule for the second week.

Our slideshow from tomorrow's Hospitality Management Mini-Conference presentation-workshop

English Language Support for Week 1

Welcome to VIU and welcome back.     English Language Support is here to help for another semester.      You can find Bruce and Les in the library, in our offices in building 255, or just networking across campus.     Have a terrific semester and don't be afraid to ask for support.    

Academic Language Coaching Available

For International students in degree, diploma, or certificate programs,

Are you interested in gaining more insight into how to keep improving your skills as a language learner and as a second-language academic student? If so, read below for more information about a potential opportunity to receive free language coaching this semester. 
VIU is offering academic language coaching for international students in degree, diploma, and certificate programs this Fall 2015 semester.  There are many spots available.

What is Language Coaching? 

Athletes have coaches to help them improve their game or increase their performance.  Language coaching is similar – it is coaching to help you become a better language learner and get the powerful results you are looking for while studying at VIU .

Features of language coaching:

• Meet five times with a language coach in the semester, 25 minutes each time every two weeks
• Explore ways to excel as a language learner and as a second–language academic student
• Focus on goals and solutions in your language learning experience
• Learn about available resources and opportunities that are in place to assist you in your learning journey
• Discuss any problems and concerns you may have in your studies in a solution-oriented way 
• Discover ways to navigate through the Canadian university experience with greater joy and ease.

Note: language coaching is NOT tutoring. We will not be working on specific assignments, but rather will be looking at ways to improve your effectiveness as a language learner.

Coaching will occur on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and afternoons beginning September 15th and ending in November.


 Interested?    Send us an email at:   englishsupport@viu.ca

September Top Tips for Students

Whether you are new to university or returning,   there are certain things you do and ways to do them that can improve your chances of success (or conversely, if ignored or contravened, improve your chance of failure).  For international students for whom English is not your first language, there are additional challenges to do with language and culture.  

Here are our top ten tips to make your university experience this year more successful and enjoyable.   (We have included links to previous blog posts.)

1. Don't assume that learning at university in Canada is the same as in your own country.  The  expectations of teachers may be very different.   The way students learn may be very different.  For example,   students are expected to be very active in class rather than just sit and take  notes.   It can take time to become comfortable with these news ways of learning and studying.
2. Connect with other students,  either Canadian or international students who speak a different  language from you.   Form study groups with classmates.   Join a club.   For example, English  Language Support has a Global Round-table Discussion group that meets weekly.  Or go for coffee with a classmate.
3. Get digital.   Master D2L as almost all teachers at VIU use it for teaching.  Learn to manage your email effectively.  Explore VIU's Learning Matters website.     Read an ebook.
4. Connect with your teachers.   Find out what they like and don't like from students. Make sure they know who you are and let them know about any difficulties you are having.  Meet with them once in their office so they remember you.   This can sometimes make the difference between passing and failing a course.
5. Know about and use the resources available at VIU for students including international students. The Writing Centre is a good place to start.    There are language coaches and peer coaches. There is a campus career centre.     And don’t forget about  English Language Support -- we offer drop-in three days a week in the library and can also be found in our office  (Room 211) in building 255.
6. Know yourself.   What are your strengths and weaknesses?   For example,   what is your vocabulary knowledge?  What is your reading speed?    Use your strengths,  develop your weaknesses.   
7. Read effectively.   University requires a great deal of reading and because this is in English,  it will take English as a second language learners much longer to read and there will be many words you  won’t know.   Therefore,  you need to have strategies to compensate for this.
8.  Manage your time well.   This is one of the biggest problems faced by university students.  You need to provide yourself enough time for sleep and recreation, so this means making good use of study time.   Be an efficient learner.      Have a schedule and follow it.   Don’t procrastinate. 
9. Stay healthy.    If you are sick,  you will not be a very successful student.   Staying healthy requires eating and sleeping well,  which many students do not do.    You also need to provide time for some fun.  Exercise is also critical.    1 hour of exercise can give you an extra two hours because you have more energy.     Balance is the key word.
10. Make a plan.    Get a free planning diary from the VIU Student Union.   Write out daily, weekly and monthly to do lists.   Establish some goals for the semester and the school year.  Without some direction,  it is easy to get lost or wander without getting anywhere.

There is certainly more you could do, but this would be a good start.  Don't think you can master all these good practices at once.   Progress takes time.     But every great journey begins with a single footstep.

Have a successful semester and school year.

A great day planned for tomorrow -- Welcome back to VIU

English Language Support (Bruce and Les) will be there to welcome new and returning international students.   Come by our table at the information fair and say hello.     We are planning a draw for students, so there will be a prize.    Hope to see you there.

New Student Orientation | Vancouver Island University (VIU)