| It takes a lot of responsibility, motivation and | | | | comprehension. The 3 three aspects that will allow |
| determination for people to “find | | | | me to develop or enhance my reading |
| themselves.” Some people go their entire lives | | | | comprehension skills are my motivation to learn |
| not ever figuring out how to study, manage their | | | | by reading newspaper articles, becoming more |
| time wisely or become effective note takers. In | | | | interested in events that are happening in my |
| this paper, I will not only discuss in detail what I | | | | career; my concentration skills by discussing ideas |
| have learned about my learning style and myself. | | | | and concerns that I maybe having with my |
| I will also share with you, new found insights I | | | | family, friends or classmates; and the utilizing a |
| have discovered that will allow me to become a | | | | efficient reading method, such as the Survey, |
| much well rounded person and better paralegal | | | | Question, Read, Recite, and Review (SQ3R), |
| student. | | | | which I will discuss in more detail throughout this |
| For years, I have thought of myself to be a | | | | paper. |
| visual learner but after completing my first two | | | | Take the entire note taking structure. Taking |
| courses at Kaplan University, I soon discovered | | | | good notes is the key to becoming an outstanding |
| that I am a kinesthetic learner, which means that | | | | student, doing well on exams and quizzes and |
| I need to perform something to believe it. For | | | | being able to retain important information that you |
| example, I was given spelling tests every week in | | | | have read or need to learn for school |
| grammar school to help develop my vocabulary | | | | assignments and on the job tasks. I have always |
| and comprehension skills. I can still remember | | | | thought that taking notes was mainly reading |
| myself having to write the words down to find if | | | | over a text, newspaper article or magazine and |
| they felt right, Even if I knew that my answer | | | | jotting down the statements that pop out to you |
| were correct, I would almost always second | | | | as being important. It took me until recently to |
| guess myself. Take the word conceive, for | | | | discover that my entire note taking structure or |
| instance, my eight grade English teacher gave me | | | | system needed much improvement. In fact, a |
| the perfect rule to apply to this word in order to | | | | good note taking method can give a student |
| remember how to spell it. She told me to always | | | | extra time to study for a test, instead of trying |
| use the ‘ i ‘ before ‘ e ‘, except | | | | to figure out the notes that might have been |
| after ‘ c ‘ rule and I would never misspell | | | | unclear or incomplete. Taking good notes would |
| the word again. Even now, reciting this rule to | | | | allow a student to become a better listener, a |
| myself before spelling the word conceive | | | | better thinker, do well on tests and to become a |
| doesn’t help a bit. Instead, I must still take a | | | | much more detailed-oriented and organized |
| scrap sheet of paper out and write the word | | | | student. There are 5 note-taking methods that a |
| down to see if it feels right before I write it down | | | | student can use while taking notes. With almost |
| as my final answer. Typically, a person who might | | | | other system, there are advantages and |
| be having a problem with programming a universal | | | | disadvantages to consider before choosing a |
| remote to a television set, would call the 800 | | | | method. The Cornell Method is a format for |
| number that is provided with the instructions and | | | | combining and organizing notes without re-writing |
| speak with a live person to navigate them | | | | everything down. After writing notes in the main |
| through the installation process, Not I, I will keep | | | | section of the paper, use the left margin to |
| trying to program the remote on the television or | | | | identify each idea or detail with a key word. The |
| try it on another television until I get it. These and | | | | advantages of the Cornell method is that it is |
| many other reasons have prevented me for | | | | helps a student to become organized while putting |
| returning to college and completing my degree. | | | | together the major ideas of an assignment, |
| Honestly, I think that being a kinesthetic learner is | | | | it’s simple and saves time. There are no |
| ideal for my high strung, aggressive personality | | | | disadvantages to the Cornell method and it can be |
| because having to over analyze things through | | | | applied to any assignment. The Outlining Method is |
| my learning style is allowing me to take that | | | | another method that can be used with either the |
| aggression out on an assignment, which in turn | | | | dash or indent to separate new ideas, this |
| allows me to always do my very best. | | | | method can be used for any assignment except |
| When I decided to return to college, a lot of | | | | some science or math readings. With the outline |
| thoughts ran through my mind. I thought I had | | | | method, the major points should be written in |
| waited to long to go back to college. I didn’t | | | | organized patterns based on the space indentions. |
| know how well I would do since I had been out of | | | | The major points should be placed farthest to the |
| college for over 12 years and didn’t know if I | | | | left of the paper, while the more specific points |
| would be able to compete with the younger | | | | are indented to the right. The distance away from |
| generation and didn’t think I had what it took | | | | the major points indicates the more important |
| to finally do well in college. There are necessary | | | | points. Unlike the Cornell method, there are some |
| skills that I believe a person should develop to | | | | disadvantages with using the outlining method |
| excel in college and it took me until recently to | | | | because it requires a lot of reading. It is |
| understand those skills. Being able to manage your | | | | suggested to use this method, only if the reading |
| stress is very important as to how well one | | | | is presented in an organized manner. These two |
| would do in college. There are many reasons and | | | | methods are by far the two of my choice. There |
| or situations in our lives that may occur that can | | | | are also the Mapping, Charting and the Sentence |
| cause us to stress. One of my biggest reasons or | | | | methods, which all speak for themselves. These |
| stressors for me was adjusting to having a new | | | | last three methods are suggested to be used |
| baby in the house. Even though she was not my | | | | only if the content or reading material is |
| first born, the load of stress that I dealt with | | | | extremely heavy. |
| after her arrival was unbelievable. I couldn’t | | | | The strengths with respect to my studying skills |
| function half of the time and couldn’t focus | | | | would be that I retain information very quickly. |
| the other half. Another stressor for me was | | | | Especially if the topic that I am reading is very |
| deciding to attend school in an online environment | | | | interested, I tend to soak up the information like |
| versus a live classroom environment. The entire | | | | a sponge. Being able to remember my reading |
| thought of attending classes online stressed me | | | | materials is an attribute that I must continue to |
| out because it was a frightening new experience | | | | develop, if I plan to be a successful student and |
| for me; I hadn’t been in college since 1991 | | | | paralegal. The biggest challenge that individuals |
| and was afraid of the challenges that would hinder | | | | face is forgetting over 95% of what they have |
| me from completing my degree. If I was going to | | | | read, the minute the have finished reading it. My |
| succeed in college this time around, I knew that I | | | | weaknesses with respect to my studying skills is |
| couldn’t let my stressors take over my life. | | | | that I am a perfectionist and an over achiever. It |
| In order to maintain the level of stress in my life, | | | | bothers me when I don’t score perfect on |
| I had to learn the difference between important | | | | each and every assignment or test that I am |
| obligations and insignificant activities. Managing my | | | | responsible for completing and I sometimes let |
| day so that my most important tasks were | | | | that get in the way of what I have already |
| completed first was one way. I had to realize that | | | | achieved or am striving to achieve. I understand |
| my mind and body both work together to fight | | | | that no one is perfect and we all have |
| off stress. Basically, my mind and body had to | | | | imperfections but striving to be perfect in |
| work on their very best levels to deal with the | | | | everything that I do is what I aim for in my |
| challenges that I was going to face by returning | | | | personal life, my academic experience and my |
| to school. And, finally having the ability to be able | | | | career. Having great study habits is necessary if I |
| to relax when I felt stress coming on was the | | | | want to graduate and succeed as a paralegal. |
| key to dealing with stress. Because my life is so | | | | The paralegal field is not a very complex field but |
| busy, I almost never have time to relax; taking at | | | | it requires an individual to do a lot of reading, |
| least 45 minutes out of my busy schedule is | | | | writing, critical thinking, comprehending what you |
| mandatory and will improve on my physical being | | | | have read, wrote and thought and be able to |
| as well. Having good writing skills are essential if I | | | | communicate it by writing in the most |
| want to excel in college. | | | | understanding and logical manner possible. For |
| Not only should I be able to deal, tackle and | | | | example, one of a paralegal’s main functions |
| manage my stress level in order to succeed in | | | | is to interview clients and after the end of the |
| college and being able to write well will assist me | | | | interview, a statement of what the client has said, |
| in achieving that goal. Writing is a way that I can | | | | in legal terminology should be typed by the |
| communicate to my professors and classmates in | | | | paralegal. If I am not able to write and |
| written form. And, by my being in the paralegal | | | | communicate well, typing the statement out will |
| program at Kaplan University, it is extremely | | | | be a huge waste of time because it won’t be |
| necessary for me to be able to create | | | | clearly understood by the client, my supervising |
| well-written emails, letters and papers. By doing | | | | attorney or me. A paralegal’s main duty is to |
| so, I am making strong decisions about what to | | | | assist attorneys in all aspects of a case. |
| write and expressing my thoughts and ideas | | | | Depending on the size of the firm, a |
| more clearly, which will allow me to become an | | | | paralegal’s job can change daily. In a small law |
| outstanding student and receive better grades. | | | | firm, a paralegal task can convert from |
| The foundation to a writer’s ability to | | | | conducting client interviews, gathering any |
| perform well are simple as being able to make | | | | information from the client, that he/she might |
| decisions about what to say, which is the content, | | | | have witnessed or seen, to attending legal |
| how to say it, which is the language and how a | | | | proceedings, which can be done for a real estate |
| thought will flow from one to the next, which is | | | | closing, administrative hearings and trials. Working |
| the structure of a paper and if a student | | | | as a paralegal can be rewarding if you develop the |
| doesn’t learn anything else about writing a | | | | necessary skills in order to excel. Good |
| good paper but making sure it has good content, | | | | communication, reading, speaking, listening, writing, |
| language and structure, he/she has learned a very | | | | computer and lastly organizational skills are crucial |
| important lesson for setting the foundation of | | | | while working in the legal field. Because as a |
| writing a good paper, each and every time they | | | | paralegal, I am not only representing the client, I |
| have a writing assignment. | | | | am representing the entire legal field. |
| Reading comprehension and writing work hand in | | | | Communication skills are essential because I must |
| hand to create a strong foundation and | | | | be able to communicate with clients, judges, |
| enhancement of writing, thinking, comprehension | | | | witnesses and even the opposing attorneys and |
| and communication skills. I must be able to read | | | | not having good communication skills can damage |
| better, in order to write better because reading is | | | | cases; harm the firm and the entire legal |
| primary. One cannot write without being able to | | | | profession. Reading skills are very important |
| read first and vice versa. And, I must be able to | | | | because it goes deeper than just being able to |
| write before I can understand how the language | | | | interpret the meaning of legal terminology and |
| works, in order to communicate my thoughts. As | | | | letters, by being able to understand many |
| I read my lessons for this course, I began to | | | | different types of legal writings, such as statues |
| understand the fundaments of being able to read | | | | and a judge’s decision. |
| and write well and how to improve my reading | | | | |