Learning is a process that can be difficult or easy, depending on two main variables; the student and the available resources. These resources determine the learning curve of the student. Even if the student is intelligent and the learning tools are not sufficient, things may become difficult. Students should be able to get help whenever a difficult situation arrives. Easy access to these tools is key component for the success of students. The most beneficial resources are detailed in this paper.
APA Information and Samples. The first and one of the most beneficial resources available is the APA Information and Samples section in the Center of Writing Excellence (Apollo Group Inc, 2008). The APA Sample Paper is an excellent guide for students who need information on how to format their paper. This sample paper can prove useful when students are in the process of writing their paper and want to find out how to format according to APA, how to use citations and how to provide references. The APA Reference and Citations document illustrates “in-text citations and references for books” (Apollo Group Inc, 2008) and other sources.
Citation examples are readily available for reference. Before starting a paper, students are encouraged to use the ‘APA Title Page Template’. The template is properly formatted and students can get started immediately. All these APA resources can prove to be very helpful. Center for Writing Excellence A large variety of tools are provided to students in order to improve their writing skills. Some of these tools are new features that are designed to be used repeatedly. ‘My Papers’ is a place where reviewed papers are stored for students.
The following four resources are the primary features of ‘Center of Writing Excellence’. WritePointSM. WritePoint is a tool that finds grammar mistakes and provides feedback by “inserting comments into the text of a paper” (Apollo Group Inc, 2008) where required. This greatly reduces the chances of committing grammatical errors. This tool is very easy to use and has very short return time. Students can submit multiple drafts until they are satisfied with the result. Tutor Review.
Tutor review is a much more comprehensive tool that is used to obtain feedback on “format, grammar, organization, punctuation, and usage” (Apollo Group Inc, 2008) of the submitted paper. This service has a longer return time and is used near the start or middle of the study week. Students can use this feature to improve their writing. Plagiarism Checker is by far the most important tool in eliminating ‘Accidental Plagiarism’. It points out necessary adjustments to “citations and quotation marks using APA format or rewrite their papers using original material” (Apollo Group Inc, 2008).
Students should use this tool at least once before submitting the paper. Tutorials and Guides. “The Tutorials and Guides section is designed to help students improve grammar and writing skills” (Apollo Group Inc, 2008). The main resources include tutorials for Grammar, Plagiarism and English Language Learners (Apollo Group Inc, 2008). The use of these resources in combination with WritePoint and Tutor review helps students obtain greater insight on writing at graduate level. Students should use these resources whenever they get a chance.
University Library Meritus University has excellent resources under the library section. The search tool provided is powerful and when used correctly, it can give large number of hits. It provides the convenience of doing research from the comfort of own study room. eBooks The eBooks section contains a wide range of textbooks that students can access anytime for reference. These eBooks can prove to be helpful for students who need to roam outside the course material to find what they are looking for.
Classroom. All the information required for the course is under the materials tab. The Main folder under the discussion tab is important for sharing ideas, working together and feedback from the instructor. The whole classroom experience is very interactive. Conclusion The above mentioned resources are designed to make the learning process easier. Students would use these resources whenever they require quick help without going to the instructor or classmates. With sufficient practice these tools can prove to be very useful.
References
Apollo Group Inc. (2008). Grammar and Writing Guides. Retrieved August 2, 2009,
from https://mycampus.meritusu.ca/staticfiles/aapd/grammar2/tutsandguides1.aspx Meritus University. (2009). Center for Writing Excellences. Retrieved August 2, 2009,
from https://mycampus.meritusu.ca/classroom/ic/cwe/home.aspx Meritus University. (2009). University Library Home Page. Retrieved August 2, 2009,
from http://www.apollolibrary.com/LibraryNew/library.aspx
Meritus University. (2009). eBook Collection. Retrieved August 2, 2009,
from https://mycampus.meritusu.ca/content/eBookLibrary2/content/home.aspx Meritus University. (2009). Integrated Classroom. Retrieved August 2, 2009,
from https://mycampus.meritusu.ca/classroom/ic/classroom.aspx