Midterm Slumps

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Every semester about this time, I see it happen: the midterm slump. Half the semester has passed by, and students begin to realize that college is a time-consuming, all-encompassing beast. Instructors all have assignments due, seemingly stacked upon one another. Tests are looming overhead and as you try to keep things together, you feel yourself being pulled into the comfortable silence of a much-needed break.

Yes, it’s tempting to let your mind go the week prior to a campus-wide holiday week. Yes, you want to give up, because you need more time in your life to accomplish all these things that are coming up.

On top of all this, you have demands of family, friends, and work. It seems that every part of your life is coming to a head, and you aren’t sure you’ll be able to survive.

Let me tell you: You WILL survive. You are strong enough and capable enough to handle all this. You are everything you need to complete these projects, handle this stress, and to come out stronger.

I mention all this because I see it on the faces of my students during this week, especially. Spring break is almost here (but hasn’t started yet). You review your calendar of upcoming assignments to realize that you have ONE. MORE. THING. to do. Every class. Yeah, it’s frustrating. But it’s important to persist.

Keep in mind that as you go into your spring break that you still have 5.5 weeks left in the course. With those weeks, you also have 450 points available to you, not including the bonus opportunity.

I have faith in each of my students to pull out of the midterm slump. If you need a little encouragement, come talk to me. If you need to get a reality check, I’m happy to offer one. But don’t give up. Not yet. Not when there’s so much left to demonstrate of your abilities!

Keeping UP with Projects and Life

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About this time of the semester, the standard perspectives start rearing their ugly heads. Students believe that every instructor views his or her own class as the only class a student is taking; they further believe that we have set up a conspiracy to schedule all projects to be due at the same time.

Nothing could be further from the truth. First and foremost, I like to remind students that each instructor on this campus in the general education program has earned their degree, which means they had to take classes at some point in their history. For most of us, we had to do so while dealing with “life’s little challenges.” Many of my colleagues had children before they went to college. Most of us worked at least a part time job or two during our degree programs. I personally worked between 2 and 3 jobs each semester after my first two years; the only reason I was able to delay work for that long was because my family was adamant that school was my priority.

Second, your instructors don’t contact each other regarding schedules–at least not outside of a department. We plan exams, tests, and projects to be due at particular intervals for a variety of reasons. For example, I often schedule due dates in Introduction to Oral Communication to help students have a better opportunity to earn points earlier in the term. This allows students to have a much better idea how they are progressing through the course overall. Further, I try to balance the types of assessments (tests versus project assignments) so that a student who is not good at one type of assignment can balance their grade out.

Finally, please take a moment to remember at this time that your instructors want you to do good in the course! We rejoice when you excel and are sad (or frustrated) when you don’t. If you struggle with a concept, come see us! If you don’t understand something we cover, ask a question. If you have prepared effectively, most of the midterm assignments and exams are fairly straight-forward at this point. You know how we test, how we grade, and what we expect.

All this to say: I have faith in you! Keep your head up and work hard to learn this material this week! You can excel in the course if you try!

Midterm Guide

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Once again, while I do not provide my students with a topic-by-topic study guide, I am happy to help you narrow down your focus. Please remember that if it is in the book or covered in lecture, the content is technically fair game for me to ask on any test or exam. That said, I am providing the following list that may help you understand where the bulk of your information will be coming from for the midterm exam.

An asterisk (*) indicates that a large number of exam questions are likely to derive from this section of material; therefore, you should prioritize this section of material

Chapter 1

1.1       The Importance of Studying Human Communication
1.2       Components of Human Communication*
1.3       A Model of Human Communication*
1.4       Communication Ethics
1.5       Putting It All Together: Communicating Competently

Chapter 2

Introduction to the chapter
2.1       Contemporary Approaches to Studying Human Communication*
In-class lecture over this material will also play a role in your exam*

Chapter 3

3.1       The Importance of Identity
3.2       What is Identity?
3.3       Individual and Identity*
3.4       Individual, Identity, and Society
3.5       Ethics and Identity

Chapter 4

4.1       Importance of Perception
4.2       What is Perception?*
4.4       The Individual, Perception, and Society

Chapter 5

5.2       What is Verbal Communication? Functions and Components of Language*
5.3       Individual and Verbal Communication: Influences
5.4       Individual, Verbal Communication, and Society: Language, Perception, & Power
Box Did You Know? On page 99, regarding Prescriptive & Descriptive Approaches

Chapter 6

6.3       Nonverbal Communication and the Individual*
6.4       The Individual, Nonverbal Communication, and Society
6.6       Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills
Box Did You Know? On page 124, regarding contribution of nonverbal to meaning
Box Did You Know? On page 30, regarding Expectancy Violations*

Chapter 7

7.3       Listening and the Individual: Influences and Barriers*
7.6       Improving your Listening Skills

Assignment Packet

Review the course big questions