Instructor Contact Information
E-mail Judith.Luckett@.ucf.edu
Office phone 407-823-2426
Home phone 407-679-9644 Please leave (1) a detailed message about why you called (no detailed message,
Office
no return call), (2) your phone numbers, and (3) the best times to reach you.
Education Building, Suite 123, Office B (take hall to left of elevator, follow it around the corner until you see Suite 123)
Office hours T/R 12:00-1:30, 4:15-4:45, and by appointment
Peer Mentors Regina Gonzales regina.gonzales@knights.ucf.edu (1:30 class)
Juliany Brito britojuliany@knights.ucf.edu (3:00 class)
Textbook
Strategies for Success , Edited by Joe Ritchie, Pearson Custom Publishing (2011-2012)
This text is REQUIRED. Do NOT buy used copies.
The textbook contains exercises that must be completed and turned in as assignments. The bookstore does NOT buy it back.
Course Description
This course is designed to address the “Development of life-skills necessary for the contemporary student to appropriately adjust to college requirements that lead to self-mastery and the total concept of lifetime wellness ('11-'12 U.C.F. Undergraduate Catalog).
The course curriculum encourages students to establish supportive relationships with peers and faculty; helps them become part of the academic community; and provides them with essential information about academic demands and university policies, procedures, and resources. SLS
1501 focuses on retaining first-year students and helping them make a successful transition to the university through development of academic, social, and personal skills that contribute to college success and lifelong learning.
Course Objectives
To enable and encourage students to:
*Maximize their opportunity for a successful university experience.
*Develop confidence and strengthen their purpose for attending college.
*Build a supportive community of peers who will assist them in their transition to college.
*Develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies to become independent, active learners.

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Topics for Class Meetings (Order of topics may vary)
--Textbook reading
--Note Taking
--Time Management
--University resources for students
--Getting Involved in Campus Activities
--Understanding Diversity
--Test-Taking Strategies
--Taking Online Courses
--Memory Strategies
--Use of Library Databases
--Understanding Your Degree Audit
--Making the Best Use of Freshman Advising
--Communication Skills
--Critical Thinking and Information Literacy
--Using Syllabi --Financial Management
--Academic Regulations & Procedures --Problem Solving
--Health and Wellness Issues --Dealing with Roommates
--Using E-community, the UCF website, and MYUCF
Objectives for the listed topics include providing you with:
* tools, resources, and strategies for academic success
* additional skills for establishing healthy relationships with peers, faculty, and
academic advisors
* incentives to get involved in campus activities
* opportunities to work in different learning situations--individual, pairs, and teams
in class and outside of class
Class Format
Videos, transparencies, PowerPoint presentations, Internet websites, demonstrations, supplementary materials, visits to campus sites, and guest speakers may be used alternately or in combination to support lectures and activities. Class activities will be based upon and will reinforce out-of-class assignments; these activities include discussion, a variety of large and small group activities, exams/quizzes, and oral presentations.
It is essential that scheduled reading and writing assignments be prepared carefully BEFORE class. Some textbook topics will NOT be covered in class unless students have questions about them; nevertheless, you are responsible for, and may be tested on, ALL reading material assigned.
An assignment schedule will be provided. Some additional assignments may be made by the instructor during class meetings or through the Ecommunity listserv. The instructor reserves the right to add, delete, or modify assignments at any time.
All students enrolled in this course MUST use their free knights email address and post it in their myucf account as their PRIMARY email address (http://my.ucf.edu) .
Students must also be able to use the class listserv at ecommunity.ucf.edu
Instructions will be provided.
Important deadlines, reminders, additional assignments, changed or deleted assignments, helpful campus information, occasional test/quiz hints, and university announcements will be
FREQUENTLY sent to your knights email address through the Ecommunity listserv.

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Ecommunity will automatically pick up your knights address after you post it in your MYUCF account). You are responsible for checking your e-mail DAILY. Contact the Computer Help
Desk for easy instructions or problem solutions (407-823-5117).
Class participation is a vitally important part of the learning process and an important obligation for each student in every class meeting. You will be called upon in class to ask and answer questions and to join in structured communication activities within groups and in individual and/or team presentations. Not participating in class activities can result in a loss of attendance points. Members of the class will assist in making decisions about classroom routines and procedures, will perform some classroom management functions, and will sometimes assist the instructor in presentation of selected textbook material.
Course Requirements
1. Course notebook, an ORGANIZED three-ring binder for ALL materials related to SLS and
ALL class notes, projects, homework, etc.
2. A one-on-one meeting with Instructor (usually a private conversation before or after class)
3. Research skills unit, including a Library Database Orientation; a Library quiz; the library
self-guided tour; online tutorials on research skills, website evaluation, and plagiarism
avoidance; research on a UCF major; and other assignments
4. A poster session presentation Three poster sessions are planned for this semester. Each
student will present at only ONE of these sessions. Presentations topics will be restricted to
UCF student services, UCF student organizations, UCF majors and programs, UCF volunteer
and campus employment opportunities. Instructions and a list of topics will be supplied.
5. Documented attendance at three all-campus events related to academics
6. Daily quizzes and a COMPREHENSIVE final exam
7.
Daily reading and/or writing assignments that are described in an Assignment Schedule.
Policies Concerning Exams and Quizzes
*** Review materials specifically for exams will NOT be provided.
*** A successful college student regularly approaches reading assignments and class discussions/presentations in a participatory way by taking notes, summarizing, outlining, discussing course material with study partners, or otherwise actively processing the course material in order to understand the concepts presented. The products of your own active processing become a vital part of your exam review material. A certain amount of your own processed material can be used during ALL exams and

-4- quizzes. A 3x5, 4x6, or 5x8 note card or piece of paper (handwritten, both sides) can be used for any quiz or exam. When a guest lecturer visits, notes you have taken on notebook paper in class may also be used on the end-of-visit quiz.
There will be NO make-up exams . The final exam must be taken at the officially scheduled time. Quizzes will be given frequently; though some may be unannounced , most are listed in the assignment schedule. There will be NO make-up quizzes . Missed quizzes will be recorded as
"0." In the case of an appropriately documented, unforeseen emergency that causes an absence later excused by the instructor, the missed quiz will be excused and will not be used in final quiz grade calculation.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend ALL class meetings. Class discussion, group activities, and presenting to or being an audience for fellow classmates are vital components of this course, so everyone's attendance is important. Quizzes will be given frequently, if not at every class meeting. Fifty (50) points are earned for class attendance and in-class activities at each class meeting. Attendance points cannot be made up; you must be present to earn them. Fifteen to twenty points are deducted for late arrival to class, for lack of participation in class activities, and/or for not bringing required materials to class. PLEASE REMEMBER: Attendance and participation count as 15% of your final grade in this course. Since quizzes count 15% of your final grade also, (and quizzes missed because of UNEXCUSED absence cannot be made up) your final grade is strongly affected by your attendance. 15% + 15% = 30%.
The infrequent instance of a compelling reason for absence must be discussed with the instructor.
Proof of that compelling reason for absence will be requested. The number of class absences will be reported with final grades for each student who receives a "C" or less (one absence for each hour of class missed). If you have to miss a class, it is expected that you will contact a fellow student or the instructor before the next class by Ecommunity, by telephone, or in person so that you know about any changes and will be able to return to class with assignments already prepared.
Cell Phone/Laptop Computer Policy
Cell phones will be turned off and stored completely out of sight in book bags, purses, briefcases, etc. (not pockets). Whispering , texting, and twittering are not appropriate in college classrooms. Laptop computers, if use is instructor-approved, must be positioned so instructor or guest speaker can see the screen at all times. Each instance of non-compliance with this policy results in the loss of half the day’s attendance points.

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Final Grade Calculation
***SLS 1501 is a three-semester-hour CREDIT COURSE earning grades from “A” to “F.”***
This means that your final grade in SLS is worth as much to your Grade Point Average as any three-hour course at any level. In accordance with the instructor grading choices in the system approved by the Provost, plus and minus grades will be awarded. The percentages needed for each letter grade may be different in other courses because percentage/letter grade equivalents are always an instructor decision. Percentage/letter grade equivalents for THIS section of SLS are:
A 94-100
A- 90-93
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69 F 0-59
C 73-76 D 63-66
C- 70-72 D- 60-62
SLS notebook and a one-on-one meeting with instructor ………………………………. 05 %
Poster presentation……………………………………………………………………….. 10%
Quizzes.................................................................................................................................. 15 %
Research skills unit….…...…………………………………………………………….…. 15%
Attendance and class participation……………………………………………………….. 15 %
Reading and writing assignments not included in research unit……....………………….. 20 %
Final exam............................................................................................................................. 20 %
***NOTE 1: A grade of "Incomplete" will not be given except in cases of unforeseen, extreme, and compelling hardship. Poor planning on your part, failure to read syllabus instructions, excessive absence, or failure to submit assignments, for example, do not meet this standard.
When an "I" grade IS given, it has first been discussed and agreed upon in a timely manner, and a
"Contract for an 'Incomplete Grade'" has been signed by you and your SLS instructor.
When an "I" grade is requested and many assignments are outstanding, students must request direct assistance from Ms. Juanita Sembrano at acadserv@ucf.edu
to find out if they qualify for a late withdrawal (full refund) from all classes during or within six (6) months of the close of the semester in which the problems occurred. Unexpected, compelling circumstances are a requirement for such a request. Documentation is always requested. The Academic Services office is located in Millican Hall, Rm. 210. The website is http://www.academicservices.ucf.edu
Students with Special Needs
The Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) can provide a variety of services to support your academic career at UCF if you are a student with an appropriately diagnosed and documented disability. The services of SDS are free and confidential. Call 823-2371 or go to Ferrell Commons
7F 185. Email at sds@ucf.edu If you are registered with SDS and need appropriate course accommodation or instructional modifications for this course, please make an appointment with
Dr. Luckett to discuss your need(s) as soon as possible, but no later than the class meeting after
ADD/DROP. Dr. Luckett can be contacted before or after any class, by email or by phone (see first page of this syllabus).

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Extra Credit Policy
No extra credit opportunities are planned. Please put forth your best effort on all assigned reading and writing, class activities, tests, quizzes, and daily assignments.
Supplies
* 3-ring binder to use as your SLS notebook
* tabbed, labeled 3-ring separators for notebook (labeling instructions in WIKI “Misc.”)
* 3-ring notebook paper ( Remove ragged edges before submitting assignments on notebook paper.
Crumpled papers and papers that are torn or have ragged edges will cause a point deduction
in your assignment grade.)
* Tan Scantron sheets for exams and quizzes
* 3 x 5, 4 x 6, OR 5 x 8 cards or lined paper (if you want to use your notes from reading assignments
on quizzes and exams)
* Purchase or have access to a 3-hole punch and a stapler (both of which can be purchased in
miniature form very inexpensively at discount outlets and office supply stores) Single
assignments with UNSTAPLED multiple pages will have 2 points deducted from the
assignment’s grade. Do NOT staple different assignments together.
NOTE 2: An assignment turned in LATE can earn ONLY up to HALF the points available for
the assignment.
NOTE 3:
The final exam for the
1:30
of this course is on TUES., April 24 at 1:00
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The final exam for the
3:00
of this course is on THURS., April 26 at 1:00