One of the most universal truths of college is that the experience is hugely different from how school worked beforehand. The focus on independent learning means that the sooner you start preparing for college success, the less culture shock you’re likely to have. This includes an increased reliance on digital technology, especially when it comes to how you complete and turn in your work. For that reason, we’re going to look at the digital skills that you need to start working on, and how they can be so important to your college life from this point onwards.
Mastering Online Research
While your past schoolwork might have seen you Googling a few things to support your arguments and help you write essays, in college, research is significantly more important and more dependent. You need to learn how to evaluate sources for credibility, relevance, and bias. Finding sources that support your points isn’t enough; they need to be high-quality sources, or you need to be able to at least comment on their quality. You need to get more used to using scholarly databases, academic journals found in your college library, and trusted publications. The better you are able to research, the more your essays will stand up to scrutiny. It also makes essay writing much easier when you have pre-existing content to support your own.
Evaluating The Information You Read
Finding sources is all well and good, but, as mentioned, you need to be able to demonstrate that any information you find is valuable and valid. We live in an age of increasing misinformation, so know how to check your sources and scrutinize them. For instance, you should look for evidence of authorship and citations, as well as see where it was published. Being published in a reputable journal or publication doesn’t always guarantee a high-quality source, but it’s a good sign. Learn how to read the methodology of any studies that you read, as issues such as poor sample sizes or basing conclusions on otherwise shaky data can affect the points that you draw from them, as well.
Proper Source Citation
Typically, a non-negotiable for any college writing is that you’re able to cite your sources. It’s worth noting that different fields and colleges may have their own citation styles, such as APA< MLA, or Chicago. Hopefully, you should be taught the basics of this, but take the time to research and understand precisely how these citations are supposed to read, both in the text itself and in your bibliography at the end of your essay. It is very easy to take ideas or quotes from an existing source and continue to write without crediting. You might be in a flow state, making a great point that you don’t want to forget, but you should at least take the time to highlight any points that are going to require a citation, so you can go back and fill them in later.
Be Vigilant For Plagiarism
The above example of not citing a source is an easy way to end up accidentally plagiarizing. However, there are plenty of other ways you can do it, as well, such as accidentally paraphrasing something you read too closely. In an age where professors and schools are becoming increasingly wary of AI, it is exceedingly likely that some of your text might read as AI-generated or plagiarized even when it’s not. The detector tools are sometimes just plain wrong. You can use tools to remove plagiarism from thesis, ensuring that you’re not leaving any red flags that are going to attract the ire of your professor. Ensure you leave a little time before the deadline for this detection and correction process.
Communicating Professionally
Much of your communication with your professors may be through the internet. You should feel comfortable in addressing them if you have any questions on your coursework or need help with one thing or another. When you do, however, you should make sure that your communications are professional. This is not only important to help you show your dedication and seriousness towards your work, but it’s good practice for the professional world, as well. Writing clearly, using respectful language, and adapting your tone and format to your audience are key. Meanwhile, using overly casual or formal language can damage your credibility.
Using Digital Collaboration Tools
It’s very likely that, at some point, you’re going to be working on group projects with fellow classmates. While group huddles in the library are not uncommon by any means, much of this work is going to be done online. Using collaborative tools online, such as the Google suite of Cloud-based tools, allows you to make teamwork much easier, to check in progress, make notes, or quickly edit or add where you think it might be necessary. Learn how to use these tools, how to track changes so that you can address any that you might not agree with, and how to communicate in real time while you’re working together. A lot of group project troubles begin with not setting good standards for how you collaborate online.
Security And Privacy
Given that you’re going to be doing a lot more of your work online, it’s only right that you should protect yourself and your data, as well. Leaving accounts and devices unsecured can lead to not just having your data stolen, but also your work being made inaccessible or entirely erased. Take the time to learn the importance of proper password protection, two-factor authentication, identifying phishing attempts, and how to be careful with sharing your data online. Digital privacy isn’t just about your safety, either; it’s about protecting your academic and digital reputation. To that end, you should also be mindful of what’s appropriate to post on social media or in other online channels from now on.
The difference between studying and working in high school vs. college can be legitimately overwhelming. The sooner you get to grips with the concepts and tips above, however, the better you can adapt.