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First Year Student Success Collection: Home

Through the generosity of Jeff and Sally Fiddler, the First Year Student collection provides resources to help students develop the skills necessary to be academically and professionally successful. Sally Fiddler is a 1961 graduate of UWSP and the donation was made in honor of Dean Warren Jenkins. Click here for a full list

The UWSP Libraries welcome gifts and donations to support library collections and services. Your gift will support both current and future students, faculty staff, and researchers as well as Central Wisconsin's educational and cultural community. Give the gift of knowledge today!

 

 

Featured Books

The College Bucket List

MAKE INCREDIBLE MEMORIES! GRADUATE WITHOUT REGRETS! Are you ready to experience the best four years of your life? Take a shot at half of the exciting ideas in The College Bucket List, and your first years of freedom will be absolutely legendary. * Go on an epic road trip * Throw an ugly sweater party * Organize a student protest * Buy your professor a drink * Kiss someone you just met * Audit a cool class just for fun * Find the best late night taco truck * Do a summer internship * Visit friends at other colleges

The Freshman Survival Guide

A completely revised and updated values-based guide to navigating the first year of college that speaks to college students in their own language and offers practical tools that readers need to keep from drinking, sleeping, or skipping their way out of college. In the four years since its initial publication, THE FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE has helped thousands of first year students make a successful transition to college life. However, much has changed on campuses. The explosion of technology, ubiquity of social media, and culture changes have all added new layers of complexity to the leap from high school to college. THE FRESHMAN SURVIVAL GUIDE's updated edition features new research and advice on issues such as mental health, sexual assault, and finding balance. It also features expanded sections on dating, money management, and an increased focus on how the over 1.5 million incoming freshman can prepare themselves for the biggest change they've encountered in their lives: heading off to college.

U Thrive

From the professors who teach NYU's most popular elective class, "Science of Happiness," a fun, comprehensive guide to surviving and thriving in college and beyond. Every year, almost 4,000,000 students begin their freshman year at colleges and universities nationwide. Most of them will sleep less and stress out a whole lot more. By the end of the year, 30% of those freshmen will have dropped out. For many, the unforeseen demands of college life are so overwhelming that "the best four years of your life" can start to feel like the worst. Enter Daniel Lerner and Dr. Alan Schlechter, ready to teach students how to not only survive college, but flourish in it. Filled with fascinating science, real-life stories, and tips for building positive lifelong habits, U Thrive addresses the opportunities and challenges every undergrad will face -- from finding a passion to dealing with nightmarish roommates and surviving finals week. Engaging and hilarious, U Thrive will help students grow into the happy, successful alums they all deserve to be.

Goodnight Dorm Room

A BITTERSWEET AND HUMOROUS GUIDE TO COLLEGE LIFE FEATURING PRACTICAL TIPS COMBINED WITH FUNNY, FULL COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS You're off to college--it's gonna be life-changing! Follow this book's advice to make it amazing! * What to pack, what to leave behind * Which classes to pick * How TAs can save your brain * Why flip flops are a must * How often to change your sheets * Where to make new friends * How to balance class and fun * And more!!!

I'm off to College

According to the US Census Bureau, more than 500,000 high school seniors leave their homes for college each year. The freshman year of college is an initiation into independent living, but it can be incredibly stressful. It is estimated that almost 150,000 students will dropout before their second year. Everything from the cost of living on your own to the stress of trying to balance a job, school, and a completely new kind of social life will weigh heavily on any new college student. This book arms students with everything they need to survive that initial year of independence. This book has it all, from organized scheduling to time management to weight gain. The average student gains ten to fifteen pounds in the first year of college âe" this book contains practical advice on how to balance a slim budget with a healthy lifestyle. Many hours of interviews have helped to compile a comprehensive list of studying and living habits that will keep you locked in and on target throughout your college career. You will learn how to juggle homework with your social life as well as the dreaded major change. If you want to ace your first semester, be the life of the party, and maintain a sharp focus, then this book is for you.

Study Skills

Academic Writing

Pocket Study Skills

LB3051 .B37 2018

14 Days to Exam Success LB3051 .B37 2018

This practical, supportive guide steers students through a 14-day revision programme, showing them how to make the most of the time available to them to maximise results. Based on tried and tested revision techniques, it shows students how to tackle common revision and exam challenges through worked examples and practical exercises. Chapters are packed with top tips on key aspects of exam preparation and contain checklists to keep students on track. Concise and engaging, this is an essential companion for all students preparing for exams, on degree and pre-degree courses.

Reading and Making Notes

This practical, pocket-sized guide takes students through the dos and don'ts of making notes and helps them to develop effective reading and note-making strategies. It breaks down the process into clear stages, from understanding assignment titles and fine-tuning sources to using different note-making formats and software. Packed with tips and examples, it will help students to gain confidence in reading for academic purposes and achieve the best marks they can for their work. Its succinct and accessible style makes it an ideal resource for undergraduates and postgraduates of all disciplines. It would also be a valuable text for mature students who are returning to academic study and looking to brush up on their reading and note-making skills.

Managing Stress

This friendly and concise guide will help students to understand what stress is, why they experience it and how they can manage it. Based on up-to-date research, the book teaches students how to identify their stress and anxiety triggers, and how to recognise the difference between healthy and unhealthy stress. It equips students with coping strategies to help them manage the ups and downs of university life, and provides guidance on the sources of help and support available to students. This is a must-have resource for any student who would like to manage their studies more effectively and deal with challenges in a more resourceful way.

Doing Research

This concise and easy-to-use guide provides students with the skills needed for planning and doing research well, whatever their course of study. Short, succinct chapters take students through the process one step at a time, from planning their project and doing the groundwork through to conducting fieldwork, analysing data and writing up their research. It features practical advice and examples from various subject areas throughout, alongside checklists to keep students on track. This is an ideal resource for students of all disciplines, especially undergraduates undertaking a research project for the very first time.

Posters and Presentations

This practical pocket guide provides valuable advice on how to communicate ideas through effective posters and presentations. Following a clear, four-stage approach, the book encourages students to think, plan, do and reflect and brings the advice to life through lively illustrations and diagrams. It also contains guidance on how to apply these skills to contexts beyond academia, such as conferences and job applications. This is an ideal resource for students of all disciplines and levels, who are required to create posters and deliver presentations as part of their course.

Planning Your Essay

With essays, the key to success is in the planning. This handy guide takes students through the complete essay writing process, from planning the task and analysing the question to structuring, drafting and editing their work. It provides clear and concise guidance on how to reference, approach different types of essay and make the most of tutors' feedback. The book also includes useful models for different types of essays from a range of disciplines and a new chapter on adding a critical dimension to written assignments. This is an essential resource for students of all disciplines and levels who are assessed on the basis of their ability to write essays.

Where's Your Argument?

From first steps to final submission, this accessible guide takes students through each stage of the assignment-writing process and equips them with the skills they need to construct and develop convincing academic arguments. Concise and compact, it offers practical advice on forming ideas, structuring arguments and finding your academic voice. The authors, both of whom are experienced in working directly with students, also provide valuable guidance on a number of important subtleties in academic writing, including expressing reservations or enthusiasm in academic writing and using evidence to convey different viewpoints. Applicable to different types of assignment, this is an essential resource for all undergraduates and postgraduates who are looking to communicate their arguments effectively and improve the quality of their academic writing.

Writing for University

This indispensable guide shows students what successful academic writing involves and gives them the tools they will need to write successfully themselves. It separates fact from fiction and takes students through the five essential elements of academic writing: writing critically, using sources, developing your own voice, having a clear structure and style and editing drafts. This book is an essential resource for students making the transition to university-level study and a valuable reference point for all students doing academic study in English. It is suitable for students of all disciplines, from education and business through to social work and psychology.

Report Writing

Practical and concise, this is the essential guide to writing effective reports. It shows students how to tailor report structures and conventions to different audiences and purposes and how to manage changes in format and requirements, so that they have the tools and understanding to write reports with confidence. It includes real-life examples of student reports to illustrate the features of good report writing, and a comprehensive checklist to keep students on track. This is an invaluable resource for students of all levels who are required to write reports as part of their course.

Referencing and Understanding Plagiarism

This concise and user-friendly guide explains why referencing is an essential part of good writing and shows students how to reference correctly. It also develops students' understanding of what plagiarism is and how they can avoid it in their work. Featuring clear explanations and examples throughout, this book will help students to draw on the work of others in their field in a responsible and ethical way. This is an indispensable resource for all students that need to get to grips with referencing.