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Continuing Academic Success

Talena Sprouse
GEN/201
April 20, 2015
Marilyn West

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Continuing Academic Success
Academic success is a continuous unlimited learning process. The method consists of
determining the purpose of the journey, educational goals set for self, discovering one's learning
styles, and how academic success can enhance or determine career choice. For instance, one
educational goal at the forefront of this learner is to master the writing process, which is vital to
advancement in education and career choice. The University of Phoenix (UOP) provides
learners resources inside and outside that can be used to help students reach their learning and
career goals for successful outcomes. Learning to write efficiently and use critical thinking
skills will be challenging and rewarding. One important aspect of any educational journey and
job career is integrity. Integrity and ethics are interchangeable in words and writing, yet serves
the same purpose in a person's life outside and inside the classroom or workplace. It is this
learner's hope integrity, and ethics comes naturally and not something that a person has to
struggle to accomplish. This thesis highlights academic success and how the previous
statements learned throughout each passing week will impact this learners' present/future
education and career outcome.

Writing Process
Writingskillsarefundamentalforbothacademicandprofessionalenvironments.
Effectivewritingskillscansetstudentsaheadofothers,contributetoimprovegrades,expressa
professionalpostureandfacilitatelearning.AccordingtoBurright(2009),studentsthatimprove
theirabilitiesinformulatingarguments,researchingandanalyzingscholarlymaterialhavemore
successfulandlesschallengingexperiencesincollege.Writingskillscanincreaseastudents
capacitytoeffectivelygettheirpointsacross,aswellashavingclarityandfocusintheirwork.
Thisskillscanbeusedinaprofessionalenvironmentaswell.Forexample,whilewritingareport

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ordoingabusinessstrategyplan,itisessentialtokeepthewritingprofessional,concise,clear
andbesuretogetthemainpointsacross.Manyclassesrequireintensivewritingasawayto
preparestudentsfortheprofessionalworld.Thus,havingqualitywritingskillscanhelpnotonly
whileinanacademicenvironmentbutalsocontributeinthefutureprofessionalenvironment.

LearningStyle
Understandinglearningstylesallowstudentstolearnintheirownwayandeffectively.It
alsodiminishesfrustrationinthelearningprocessasstudentsareabletobetterunderstandthe
materialinclassanddobetterinexams.AccordingtoSurjorno(2015),havingknowledgeof
differentlearningstylesallowsstudentstomanagetheirtimewiselyandhaveselfdiscipline,
beingabletolearnmoreinlesstime.Inmycase,mylearningstyleisvisual.AfterIhavelearned
moreaboutmylearningstyle,Ihavestartedtousecopingmethodsinordertoeffectivelystudy
andusemytime,suchashighlightingmytextbookandusingvideosasareferenceguidefor
learning.MylearningdrasticallyimprovedafterIfoundouthowtobetterusemytime.Ican
nowconcentratelongerandbeabletounderstandthematerialeasier.Italsoimprovedmy
confidenceasastudent.Whenstudentsknowtheirlearningstyles,itbecomesaneasier
experienceoverall,withlessfrustrationsandmoreaccomplishments.

Ethical Lens Inventory

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Ethics can help with the decision-making process of critical thinking. Ethics are a personal
value that helps us choose between right and wrong. Our personal values will put us in a certain
ethical lens, which will help us determine what values are important and allow us to view different
ethical problems. According to University of Phoenix Ethics Game (2011), there are four different
types of ethical lens. First is referred to as the Right/Responsibilities Lens, which focuses on
principals that apply to everyone and are fully aware of their decisions and how it affects others.
Second would be the Results Lens. People in this lens focus on the right now decisions that will
help them achieve their goals, and make decisions based on their consequences. The third lens is
the Relationship Lens, which seeks fairness and justice in the community and believes everyone
should be treated the same. The final lens is the Reputation lens, which refers to people who
believe positions of responsibility should be held up to a certain standard and have a good
character for their own benefit.
My personal ethical lens is Rights/Responsibilities Lens. By knowing my personal lens, I
can solve problems ethically and have a better understanding of what process I should follow to
accomplish the decision-making process.
EducationalandCareerGoals
Studies have demonstrated that goal setting has positive effects on students, and are more
likely to succeed. Setting goals can help accomplish tasks easier. Having clear goals helps to keep
you focused and organized and directs your energy towards the more important goals. You can
reduce your stress levels and anxiety by setting clear goals (Morisano, Hirsh, Peterson, Pihl, &
Shore, 2010). As a student experiences successful goal attainment, self-efficacy increases; this in
turn enhances goal commitment and mobilizes the self-regulation of cognitive and motivational
resources to facilitate subsequent achievement (Morisano, Hirsh, Peterson, Pihl, & Shore, 2010,
para. 9).

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Havingeducationalandcareergoalsisagreatwaytokeepstudentsmotivatedand
focused.Besides,settingupspecificlongandshorttermgoalscanhelpmaintainingaconcise
schedule.Shorttermgoalscanbeplanningtodowellinatest,forexample.Inordertodothat,a
studentneedstohaveastudyscheduleanduseuniversityresources.Longtermgoalscanbeto
earnadegreeandhaveasuccessfulcareer.Othergoalscanbeachievinggreatwritingskillsand
keepingacademichonesty.AccordingtoPetty(2014),itcanbedifficultforstudentstostay
motivated,especiallyforfirstgenerationstudents.Inmycase,Iplantohaveadegreeinorderto
beabletoopenmysoulfoodchainrestaurant,whichismylongtermgoal.Myshorttermgoals
includedoingwellinmycurrentclassesandimprovingmywritingskills.Inordertoachievemy
goals,Ikeepanorganizedschedulewhichincludeswritingpracticeandstudysessions.By
followingmygoalsandscheduleIwillbeabletobeasuccessfulstudentandachieveadegree.

University Resources
Universitieshaveseveraltoolsavailableforstudentsinordertofacilitatetheircontinued
academicsuccess.AccordingtoPetty(2014),universitiesareabletomotivatestudentstoremain
incollegebyhavingdiversetoolstofacilitatelearning.UniversityofPhoenixoffersseveral
optionsforstudentstocontinuetheiracademicsuccess.Usingthecareerservices,studentsare
abletoaccessemployersandincreasetheirskillsonhowtoprepareforaninterviewandbuilda
strongrsum.Besides,thecampusoffersaCenterforWritingExcellence,whichoffersseveral
toolsforstudentstoimprovetheirwritingskills,suchaslearninghowtoorganize,formatand
citepapers.TheUniversityalsooffersanappthatallowsstudentstoaccessseveraltoolsonthe
go,whichmakeslearningconvenient.Anotherusefultoolistheabilitytoconnectwithother

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studentsandalumnitogetadvice,discusscareergoalsandmakenewconnections.Ipersonally
usetheUniversitycalendartokeepmyscheduleupdatedandorganizemystudytimes.
Conclusion
T

hus,inordertoachievecontinuedacademicsuccess,studentscansetacademicand

professionalgoals,whichwillhelpthembuildorganizedschedulesandkeepmotivated.Besides,
studentscancomprehendtheirlearningstyletoincreasetheirconfidenceandmoreeffectively
usetheirtime.Qualitywritingskillscanincreasestudentperformanceandgivethemanedge
comparedtootherstudentsandprofessionals.Theuniversityoffersseveraldifferentresources
thatcanhelpstudentsachievethosequalitywritingskills,aswellaskeepinganorganized
scheduletoachievetheirgoalsandmakeconnectionsthatwillhelpthemsucceed.Finally,in
ordertoachievecontinuedacademicsuccess,itisfundamentaltokeepacademicintegrityand
honesty.Withthesedifferentsetsofskills,thedifficultchallengeofachievingadegreecanbe
easierandbecomeajoyfulgrowingexperienceforstudents.

References
Al-Sawalha, A.M.S., & Chow, T.V.F. (2012, Sept). The Effects of Proficiency on the Writing
Process of Jordanian EFL University Students. Academic Research International, 3(2),
379-388
Hemming, H. E. (2000, Spring). Encouraging Critical Thinking: "But... What Does That
Mean?". McGill Journal of Education , 35(2), 173-186
Morisano, D., Hirsh, J. B., Peterson, J. B., Pihl, R. O., & Shore, B. M. (2010, October). Setting,
Elaborating, and Reflecting on Personal Goals Improves Academic Performance. Journal
of Applied Psychology, 95(2), 255-264
University of Phoenix. (2011). Ethics Game. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, GEN201
http://www.ethicsgame.com/Exec/Console/ELI%20Anaylsis.pdf
University of Phoenix. (2007-2010). Evaluating Internet Sources. Retrieved from University of
Phoenix, GEN201 website
University of Phoenix. (2014). Writing Process [Multimedia]. Retrieved from University of
Phoenix, GEN201 website