The following statements will help you get an idea of how, as you begin this course, you perceive yourself as a student. For each statement, select the number that feels right to you, from 1 for “not true at all for me” to 5 for “absolutely true for me.”

1. I see the connection between the effective study skills I learn today and my future academic, career, and life success.
2. I set effective short- and long-term study goals that will help me manage my workload.
3. I manage my time effectively and control any tendency to procrastinate.
4. I am aware of what causes me stress and I take steps to reduce it.
5. I am aware of my personal learning style, and I choose study strategies that take advantage of my strengths and minimize my weaknesses.
6. I understand the components of critical thinking and use critical-thinking skills to get the most from my work.
7. I take a systematic approach to reading and studying.
8. I am aware of various note-taking styles and techniques and use the ones that help me to best take down and retain information.
9. I use listening and memory techniques that work best for me.
10. I approach writing assignments with a plan and with enough time to carry it out.
11. I know and use the strategies that help me do my best on tests.
12. I understand and use a research strategy when doing library or Internet research.

Total your answers here: 36 • If your total ranges from 12 to 27, you consider your academic readiness/awareness to be low. • If your total ranges from 28 to 44, you consider your academic readiness/awareness to be average. • If your total ranges from 45 to 60, you consider your academic readiness/awareness to be strong.
These questions give you an overview of your starting point. Use your answers to target approaches and solutions in this book that will help you build on