All About Literary Analysis Papers
To analyze literature, you need to look at all of the elements of the work, including plot, theme, imagery, setting, characters, tone, and point of view. Analyzing literature will help you develop critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. Attend this workshop to learn what to do when your professor assigns a literary analysis paper so that you can write with confidence.
Amazing Resumes and Cover Letters
Are you applying for a job or internship and need a resume? If so, you need to understand how changes in technology have changed the content, format, and design of resumes. Attend this workshop to learn how to prepare an up-to-date modern resume that will help you get an interview. You’ll also learn what information to include in an effective cover letter.
“Backwards Reading” for Better Comprehension
Have you ever felt lost or confused as you tried to complete a reading assignment? This workshop will help you improve your reading comprehension and utilize your textbooks and other reading materials more effectively. The good news is that the special skills required for academic reading can be mastered with practice. The better news is that this workshop will help you do that!
Be a Better Writer
Some students really enjoy writing for their classes, while others feel intimidated by the whole process. Everyone, from experienced writers to novices, can become better at writing. We will discuss writing practices for every stage of the writing process, tips for how to deal with writer’s block, and advice to help you communicate more effectively in your writing.
Bouncing Back from Trouble—Resilience and Grit
Resilience, or the ability to keep going after experiencing setbacks, helps people succeed in all areas of life. It is also a characteristic that you can build and strengthen. In this workshop, we will identify skills that contribute to resilience. You will learn concrete tools and strategies that you can use to improve your responses to problems that you might encounter.
Building Your Academic Self-Confidence
For many students, attending community college is both a privilege and a challenge. While we may be glad to be here, there are times when doubts creep in about our ability to succeed and to reach our goals. This is normal, but we shouldn’t let those feelings get in our way! In this workshop, we’ll start out with a discussion about some of the things that can make us feel unsure. We’ll also spend some time thinking through the strengths that we have and some of the best ways to build the self-confidence we need to see our dreams through!
Chill Out! Dealing with Academic Stress
Do you feel like you don’t have enough time? Are you dealing with personal issues that impact your academics? Do you work too hard or not hard enough? Many factors can contribute to stress for college students; work or family obligations and other issues only add to the stress. This workshop will help you ease some of that stress by identifying its sources and providing a variety of tools to manage your stressors. We can’t fix everything, but we can connect you with time management tools and support systems to help you get through this tough time.
Citations 101
Whether writing papers, speeches, or discussion board posts, as a student you need to understand how and when to cite sources accurately. This new Citations 101 workshop will review the basics of citing in MLA and APA formats. We will talk about some best practices to help you avoid unintentional plagiarism. Finally, you will leave with additional resources for times when you need citation help.
Compelling College Application and Transfer Essays
Do you have a college application deadline hanging over your head? Are you struggling to write a personal statement? These important essays can be difficult because you need to highlight what sets YOU apart from other applicants. Participate in this workshop to learn tips for telling your story in a convincing way that persuades to reader to select YOU. You’ll also hear from a NOVA transfer counselor about the transfer process.
Critical Thinking: What It Is and How to Do It
Critical thinking – the ability to analyze and make decisions about information and arguments – is one of the most important skills you can learn. It’s also a skill that can help you succeed in your college classes. This workshop will improve your understanding of critical thinking and provide you with a guide for cultivating your critical thinking skills.
Do It Now! No More Procrastinating
Do you often find yourself rushing to complete assignments on time, even though you had time to do them earlier? Are you concerned about the amount of work required for college classes? Come to this workshop to learn about why people procrastinate, and get tips and strategies for avoiding procrastination and maintaining focus on the things that are important to you.
Everybody Can Be a Math Person! Study Skills for College Mathematics
At its core, mathematics is the study of patterns, and everyone can learn patterns. However, studying math at the college level requires a different approach than other classes, which is rarely discussed. In this workshop, we will go over some of the obstacles that students face in quantitative based courses, such as math anxiety and the dizzying arrays of formulas and symbols. We will then discuss how to build the confidence and skills needed to succeed in these technical classes.
Get the Job! Interview Skills for Job Seekers
Nothing can make or break your chances of securing employment like an interview. In this workshop, we focus on how to prepare for, complete, and follow-up a successful interview. We’ll talk about answering tough questions, dressing appropriately, avoiding common mistakes, and more! No matter your major or career goals, the skills we examine will help you navigate an interview.
Getting More Out of Lectures
One worry that we often hear from students is that they’re going to miss something important during a lecture. Although it’s good to recognize how important lectures and other class activities are, this kind of worry can be counter-productive. In this workshop, we will put your mind at ease by providing you with some tools and strategies that you can use to improve your listening comprehension and get more out of your class lectures.
Grammar and Proofreading for College Writing
Do you make grammar mistakes such as run-on sentences or sentence fragments? This new workshop will provide a quick grammar refresher to explain how to avoid common grammar mistakes. We’ll also share strategies for proofreading, the final stage of the writing process, which checks for grammar errors, misspellings, and typos. Participating in this workshop will build your writing skills and confidence!
How a Growth Mindset Can Help You Achieve Your Goals
We hear a lot about “natural” talent—and that is a real thing—but it’s not the whole story. Growth Mindset is the recognition that practice and dedication are the keys to increasing talent, ability, and even intelligence. Join us to learn more about Growth Mindset, how to foster this mindset in yourself, and how to use it to bolster your confidence and help you reach your goals.
How to Use Popular Sources in Academic Writing
Have you recently been assigned a paper that asks you to include popular sources? Popular sources like news articles, magazines, and websites can be easier to read and understand than academic (peer-reviewed) sources, but students also need to understand how to evaluate and interpret these sources. Attend this workshop and be introduced to some of the most common types of popular sources and learn how to use them in your paper as well as how to assess the bias and credibility of news outlets.
How to Write an Argument Essay
Knowing how to develop a convincing argument essay is an important college skill. In this workshop we’ll review how to take a position on a debatable issue and support your claims with persuasive evidence. We’ll also explain how to use ethical, logical, and emotional appeals in your writing. Finally, we’ll show you how to present a counterargument and refute it effectively.
Impress Your Audience: Presentation Skills for Students
Have you been assigned a class presentation? Are you nervous about public speaking? Maybe you’re just not sure about what’s expected of you. Come to this workshop for some great ideas about planning and creating presentations that will engage your audience. We’ll also discuss some strategies for overcoming anxieties about public speaking, as well as tools and software such as Powerpoint and Prezi.
Improving Concentration and Memory
Many students struggle to concentrate while reading, during lectures, and in exams, which makes it difficult to remember the content of their classes. Come to this workshop to learn about strategies that can help improve your focus and your memory. You will hear about how to minimize distractions, stay on task longer, and maximize your memory recall.
Jump-Start Your Semester
One of the things that the most successful students do is plan out their semester from the beginning. Don’t have experience with that type of planning? Don’t worry! This workshop will walk you through the process of mapping out your semester and anticipating your workload. Bring your syllabi and schedules for papers, assignments, and exams; you will leave with a plan of action that will help you start and finish the semester strong.
Learn to Write Effective Thesis Statements
What makes an effective thesis statement? A strong thesis statement is the heart of your essay, yet students often struggle to write them. This workshop will cover how to write a focused thesis statement and how to structure your paper to support that thesis. We’ll also review sample thesis statements for different kinds of essays.
Organize ALL the Things!
Buried under an avalanche of papers, assignments, deadlines, books, and appointments that you, as a college student, need to keep track of? Then this workshop is for you! We’ll discuss strategies for organizing your time, organizing your coursework, and fitting school–with all its demands–into the rest of your life. We will also have specific organization tools for you to pick up and look at, so you can decide if they will help you stay organized.
Organizing for Finals
The last few weeks of the semester are the key to keeping up the momentum in classes where you’re doing well or turning things around in those that have been a challenge. At the same time, you may feel tired and overwhelmed by the number of assignments and exams yet to come. In this workshop, we’ll help you get organized, prioritize, and make a plan for finishing strong.
Professional Writing: Communication Rules for Students and Early Professionals
An email for your professor, a memorandum for your boss, a thank-you letter for a reference – these are just a few common examples of business writing. In this workshop, we will explore the business writing skills expected for you to succeed as an early professional. Know how to format a document in business block style? Reference an enclosure? Not sure what that means, or why it’s important? We will discuss these questions and more to help you prosper in a competitive business world.
Set Yourself Up for Success by Building a Great Class Schedule
As you prepare for next semester, there are a few things you can do to improve your opportunities for success. You should first meet with your advisor to plan your program, so that you know which classes you need to complete, and in which order. Once you have that list, though, how should you select your professors and specific schedules? In this workshop, we’ll provide a list of questions you can use to evaluate individual class offerings and semester schedules. We’ll also help you set priorities, so that you can pick the best schedule for yourself.
Strategies for Successful Online Learning
Online classes are perfect for many students who might otherwise have difficulty making it to campus several days a week. However, these classes can also be challenging in different ways. Online students have to be prepared to work independently, manage their time, and troubleshoot technology issues in order to get the most out of online classes. In this workshop, we will discuss some of the expectations for students and faculty, and we’ll give students some proven strategies for success in online learning environments.
Study Hacks
Have you ever spent a lot of time studying for an exam, only to find that you still weren’t prepared? Stop wasting time with ineffective study strategies! When it comes to studying, it’s best to choose activities that are targeted toward the learning objectives of the course or exam. In this workshop, we will help you learn to identify learning objectives and then pick appropriate study activities. We will help you choose strategies that both play to your innate strengths and also challenge you to grow as a student.
The ABCs of Reading Academic Articles and Other Scholarly Sources
Do you need to read a scholarly article for an assignment, but are uncertain where to start? Many professors require students to incorporate outside sources into their class assignments, but academic journal articles and other scholarly sources can be challenging to read. Learn how to evaluate academic sources along with simple, concrete strategies to help you read and understand academic writing.
Time Management for Busy Students
Time management is one of the most challenging aspects of college. Multiple classes, assignments, and deadlines can easily become overwhelming. (Not to mention work, family, and other obligations!) This workshop will offer strategies and tools for prioritizing tasks, working more efficiently, and keeping track of everything, while still making time for the things that relax and recharge you.
Top Test-Taking Tips
Do you get anxious about taking exams? Well, you are not alone! While there’s no quick fix for dealing with test anxiety, this workshop will offer concrete tools and strategies that you can use to prepare for your upcoming exams. We will discuss what you can do before, during, and after your exams to help you put in your best performance.
Unlocking the Secrets of the Research Paper
Many college classes require a research paper, and sometimes students find themselves struggling to write them. How long should you spend doing your research? How do you know which sources are the right ones? What should the writing and revising process look like? This workshop will answer those questions and more, setting you up for success with your next research paper!
Write That Down! Super-Effective Notes
Would it surprise you to learn that writing down everything from a lecture is actually not the best way to take notes? In this workshop, we will talk about when and how to take notes, drawing from several proven note-taking methods that help students to categorize and analyze the information from their classes. These strategies can improve your comprehension and make study time super-effective!
For more information contact Gwen McCrea at gmccrea@nvcc.edu / 703-575-4708.
All workshops can be customized and brought into classes or student groups.