Challenging Assignments

Write to Learn

The trend in CUNY—and across the U.S.—is toward something called "writing across the curriculum." That expression reflects a specific approach toward teaching and learning: the idea that writing is a method of learning. In other words, students "write to learn."

Many of your classes will ask you to write journals or reports on a weekly basis. In addition, there may be short essays that your professors will use to measure how much of the material you have grasped to date.

While quizzes, exams, and lectures will never disappear, the philosophy of writing intensive courses is here to stay. And, as you may have guessed, "across the curriculum" means that writing intensive courses are not limited to journalism or English majors. They'll be a regular feature of your schedule no matter what your major may be.

Although everyone's experience is different, it's fair to say that you can expect that your college teachers will demand more work than you are accustomed to in high school. However, difficult work need not be seen as a burden; rather, you can view this work as an opportunity to challenge yourself and grow intellectually.

What to Expect

Following are two hypothetical—but very possible—examples of what you might encounter in a first-year college course.

Example 1:
Requirements for an American Literature course

read seven novels in one semester (that's one book every two weeks)
write a short essay about each novel
write a longer, final essay which brings together common threads in your reading and which reflects the knowledge you have acquired
make oral presentations
take mid-term and final examinations

Example 2:
Requirements for a General Psychology course

read 50-100 pages per week (The material will be dense and difficult; you'll need to read it two or sometimes three times, taking notes on what seem to be the most important sections)
take weekly quizzes
keep a journal
report on field work and interviews
write explanations of case studies
research and write a final term paper
take mid-term and final examinations

Mastering the Work: Strategies

Covering course material is a shared responsibility: professors work via lectures, class discussion, handouts, and reading assignments; as a student, you too, contribute toward constructing knowledge.

Here are a few key strategies:

Develop habits of critical reading and re-reading. Clearly, reading assigned material before class will give you a leg up. But how you read counts too. Critical reading is active reading. It means holding a pencil in your hand and physically engaging with the words. Underline or mark important or difficult material. Read it again if you have to. Summarize a passage in the margins.

All of this takes longer, but it will make a big difference in your ability to understand the upcoming lecture or even the next assignment. And don't forget to jot down questions as they arise; you can ask about them later.
Take good lecture notes. When taking lecture notes, don't try to write full sentences or to transcribe everything. (Although it is a good idea to note examples, further references, and memorable quotes.) There will be three or four main points in the lecture. These should be your major headings.

Your notes are only as good as the way you use them. Within 24 hours, try to read through your notes and write up the lecture in a useful way: as a summary, study sheet, or diagram—whatever is most useful to you.
Use BlackBoard (or something like it). Many instructors now depend upon online tools as part of their teaching. BlackBoard, an "online learning environment" widely used at CUNY and at other colleges, is one such tool. Setting up a BlackBoard account allows you to e-mail faculty and classmates, participate in threaded discussions, and chat (both in real and virtual time). Your instructor might also use BlackBoard to post handouts or other course materials.

Active participation in BlackBoard may be required in a particular class, but even if it isn't, it's a good idea to learn how to use the technology. It's a way to put your head together with others to really get to the heart of a topic or explore its implications. It provides a forum where you can ask questions and further your understanding.
Learn to manage your time. College is serious business. Prepare yourself to complete your degree program within four academic years. Unfortunately, you may have to sacrifice time usually devoted to leisure or "hanging out." It isn't easy, but here are some tips:
- Start assignments well in advance of when they are due.
- Write and review journal responses to substantive issues of each class.
- Form study groups with friends and classmates.
- Make up a weekly timetable with blocks for every waking hour. Make sure the blocks are filled with purposeful activity which should include recreation and fun!