Students
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Calendaring
In the first days of the semester, enter all assignment due dates and homework tasks into your phone’s calendar and make sure to enable automatic reminders.
- A three-credit course involves three hours of classroom instruction weekly, so you should plan for an extra six hours of study time, totaling nine hours each week.
- Therefore, add to your personal calendar a weekly plan to invest at least two hours of study—such as reading, writing, and reviewing—for each hour you spend in class.
- Taking four courses effectively mirrors the commitment of a full-time job.
- I do not recommend students enroll in more than four classes per semester.
Allocating Time for Assignments
Pay close attention to how you distribute time for reading and writing tasks. Certain weeks may have heavier reading loads than others, so plan your schedule accordingly.
Building a Support System
Consider sharing your calendar with a classmate. This mutual sharing can be a great way to stay accountable to your study objectives. Additionally, I expect every student to use the writing center, irrespective of their current writing skill level.
Writing Tips
- Step 1: Plan. Begin by thoroughly reviewing the assignment. Use this understanding to organize your reading schedule for the week.
- Step 2: Reflect. During your reading, note the main points made by the authors and differentiate these from your thoughts. Before writing, brainstorm or create a mind map of the key ideas you want to highlight. Think about the primary and secondary arguments you wish to present.
- Step 3: Outline. Formulate a central thesis and link it to the sources you plan to use. Strengthen your arguments by citing credible sources, adding validity to each point you discuss.
- Step 4: Draft. Compose your initial draft. Read it out loud to yourself, or use text-to-speech software on your computer for a different perspective. Reflect on whether your writing effectively communicates your ideas and if your points are reinforced with appropriate supporting material.
- Step 5: Revise. Look for and correct typos and eliminate unnecessary wording to enhance clarity and conciseness.
- Step 6: Submit. Once satisfied with your draft, submit it by the specified due date and time.
- Step 7: Incorporate. I will provide feedback using the Track Changes feature. Use this guidance to refine and improve your final submission.
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Free Writing Assistance at the Learning Center
The Rutgers-Camden Learning Center (RCLC) provides free writing support for students enrolled in non-English Department courses that require written assignments across the curriculum. You may make an appointment with an RCLC Writing Assistant by visiting the online scheduler at learn.camden.rutgers.edu/writing-assistance.
Recommended Copyediting Service
I highly recommend that all students purchase the premium plan with Grammarly. It will help you identify typos and grammar errors. It will suggest corrections to transform the passive voice to the active voice. See video.
If you want additional support, I recommend purchasing credits with Wordy.com, which provides 24/7 copyediting support. Two days before your assignment is due, upload your draft memo in MSWord, and the copyeditor will use track changes to help you fix your typos and give you feedback about your essay. Accept or reject those proposed changes and revise your essay based on the copyeditor’s comments.
Rutgers-Camden Learning Center
The Rutgers-Camden Learning Center is dedicated to the academic assistance of the Rutgers University student population. The center offers a wide range of services, including One-on-One Tutoring, peer-led review sessions, academic coaching and learning assistance, writing assistance, academic support, and organizational and study skill workshops. The center is located at 231 Armitage Hall. To schedule a tutoring appointment, visit learn.camden.rutgers.edu.
Paul Robeson Library
Paul Robeson Library, located in the heart of the Rutgers–Camden campus, serves as an exceptional learning and study environment and a center for research at all levels. Through the Robeson Library, the Rutgers–Camden community can access the global resources of the Rutgers University Library System, as well as a host of online services.
Rutgers-Camden Law Library
Rutgers-Camden Law Library is one of New Jersey’s most prominent law libraries and offers excellent research facilities for students, legal practitioners, and the general public. The Law Library houses 440,000 bibliographic units in book and microform, and the collection is comprehensive in its holdings of American, English, Canadian, and foreign legal periodicals. A selective federal depository, the Rutgers Law Library hosts numerous online collections of public documents related to federal and New Jersey courts.
Division of Student Affairs
The Division of Student Affairs works to improve the quality of student life on and off campus. It is an excellent resource if you need help with concerns that are wider than comprehension of the material in this class. For example, it can help with academic advising, health concerns, stress management, new or transfer student issues, international student concerns, etc. For more information regarding their resources, contact the Division of Student Affairs at (856) 225-6050 or visit studentaffairs.camden.rutgers.edu.
Office of Disability Services
Suppose you need academic support for this course. In that case, accommodations can be provided once you share your accommodations indicated in a Letter of Accommodation issued by the Office of Disability Services (ODS). If you have already registered with ODS and have your letter of accommodations, please share this with me early in the course. If you have not registered with ODS and you have or think you have a disability (learning, sensory, physical, chronic health, mental health, or attentional), please get in touch with ODS by first visiting their website success.camden.rutgers.edu/disability-services. The website will further direct you to who to contact and how to contact them, depending on the free, confidential services you need. Please Note: Accommodations will be provided only for students with a Letter of Accommodation from ODS. Accommodation letters only provide information about the accommodation, not the disability or diagnosis.
Support for Students with Disabilities
Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University’s educational programs. To receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation: ods.rutgers.edu/students/documentation-guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodation. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them on the first day of class. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS website at ods.rutgers.edu/students/registering-for-services.
Basic Needs Security
If you have difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, lack a safe and stable place to live, and do not have regular access to technology and believe this may affect your performance in the course, you are urged to contact the Dean of Students for support. You can utilize the Rutgers University-Camden Food Pantry.
Dean of Students Office. You can learn more about the free services by calling 856-225-6050, emailing deanofstudents@camden.rutgers.edu, or visiting the website at camden.rutgers.edu
Rutgers-Camden Food Pantry. You can learn more about this free service by calling 856-225-6005, emailing scarlet-raptor-foodpantry@camden.rutgers.edu, or visiting the website at camden.rutgers.edu/ru-camden-raptor-pantry
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Dear Colleague,
Thank you for inviting me to serve as a reference. To ensure I can write the most impactful letter, please provide me with the following information:
Three Weeks Before the Due Date:
- Letter Template: Please download, fill out, and email me a Microsoft Word document providing details on how to address the letter. It is important to direct the letter to a real person in a position of authority. The document should include details about you, the program you’re applying for, and a paragraph summarizing our previous collaborations or courses, highlighting specific projects or assignments. Ensure all information included is factual.
- Admissions Essay or Cover Letter. Share your personal statement or cover letter that articulates your motivation;
- Resume or CV. Attach your resume or CV, summarizing your academic achievements, work experience, and volunteer activities;
- Academic Transcript. Provide a copy of your unofficial academic transcript;
- Online Presence. Include links to all your online profiles (e.g., your website, LinkedIn, or other related social media accounts); and
- Submission Instructions. Include clear instructions on the submission process for the recommendation letter, including how, where, and when it should be sent.
One Week Before the Due Date:
- Please send me a reminder email. If you haven’t received confirmation from me 48 hours before the due date, please call my cell phone, as listed in my email signature, to ensure I can fulfill your request.
I only submit letters for students who have waived their right to view the recommendation letters.
Thank you for including me in this formative time of your life. I am honored to support your academic and professional aspirations.
Cheers,
NateDr. Nathan C. Walker
Lecturer II & Honors College Faculty Fellow
Department of Philosophy and Religion
College of Arts and Science
Rutgers University, Camden
429 Cooper Street
Camden, NJ 08102