APA style and citations for dummies - Joe Giampalmi 2021

Studying in small groups: literacy and socializing
Achieving your personal best: student improvement plan
Earning applause: APA writing for the academic audience

Have you struggled solving a problem, asked for help, and received — not the solution — but an idea you developed into the solution? Collaboration to problem solve represents the advantage of working in small groups. Any group of you is smarter than any one of you. Working in study groups offers more brain power while providing much-valued socialization. Learning is a participation sport, and socializing is a fun and effective strategy for learning.

Advantages of study-group learning include the following:

· Academic and social support

· Reminders of course communications

· Content explanations in the language of your peers

· Student models of course requirements

· Nonjudgmental feedback

Small study groups (ideally four to six students) offer opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom. This style of learning is research-supported and commonly practiced in higher education. Its popularity and effectiveness have resulted in dedicated small-group rooms being included in college construction plans. These rooms include functional furniture and technology necessary for group study.

Small-group study is ideal for literacy-rich courses and also math and science courses that may not be as reading- and writing-concentrated as humanity courses. If you’re using this book to write an APA-formatted paper for a math or science course, then you have a professor familiar with current learning theory.

A study group needs a leader. (Thank you for volunteering.) Study groups are most effective with students from the same class, but they can also work with students from the same course. Early in the semester, ask two or three students in your class if they’re interested in forming a study group to meet once a week or once every two weeks. Explain that your purpose for meeting is to provide feedback on reading and writing assignments. Choose a day and time that is convenient to the group. Then, each of you ask another two or three students, telling them the day and time you plan to meet.

Your first meeting will require logistical planning, but a workable 60-minute timeline includes the following:

· 5 minutes socializing

· 45 minutes discussing content

· 5 minutes asking questions and clarifying

· 5 minutes summarizing

Focus the discussion on critical thinking questions that are related to reading and writing to learn. As the group leader, take notes and send summaries with reminders each time you’re meeting.

Your parents probably told you that a successful life results from successful choices. None of those choices are more important to you at this time than … improving your literacy skills. It’s a life-altering decision. Remember that the future you will be the product of the words you read and write today.