Guide to Academic Success

1. Read the Syllabus

Read the course syllabus the first week of the semester—and refer to it throughout the term. It explains what is expected of you in a course and contains important information on readings, assignments, and how grades are determined.

2. Ask Your Professor

If you have questions about an assignment, your professor is the only person who can provide reliable information. Your classmates are not reliable sources of information!

3. Cite, Cite, Cite!

Learn the rules of citation, including the proper use of quotation marks. Your academic discipline may have its own citation expectations. This skill will benefit your scholarship. Ignorance is not an excuse.

4. Do It Yourself

Complete your assignments without the help of classmates or friends—unless your professor has clearly indicated that collaboration on the specific assignment is allowed.

5. Ask For Help

Ask for help when you need it. Whether it is to learn to write more clearly, to better understand the degree requirements of your academic program, or to gain insights into your and others’ behavior, there are people on campus who can answer your questions. Selected resources are listed on the reverse side of this card.

6. Plan Ahead

Allow time to think about what you’ve written, to revise, and to edit before you submit the final product.

7. Breathe

Take time to enjoy the Ohio State campus. Visit the Wexner Center for the Arts, work out at the RPAC, go to a concert, attend a lecture in a field other than your own, get an ice cream cone, sit on the Oval and people watch, put away your cell phone and talk to a stranger. It’s amazing what you’ll learn!