A rule of thumb is that you get what you put into learning a course.

To ensure successful accomplishment of the learning objectives set for this course, you need to

1. Learn to be an active seeker rather than a passive receiver of knowledge;

2. Learn to motivate yourself and to keep the momentum (set a goal > take actions to achieve your goal > self-assess > adjust your actions or goal);

3. Learn to learn effectively (learn about your learning style and habits and consciously change/improve them);

4. Learn to calm down, concentrate, and spend time to digest and absorb the content of each class;

5. Learn to make connections between the knowledge and skills acquired in the class and your future professional practices (teaching, writing, editing, speaking, etc.)

6. Learn to ask for help when you feel struggling to keep up with the flow of the course.

Specifically, putting effort to complete the to-do list for each class will lead you to success:

1. read the assigned textbook sections before each class;

2. attend each class and engage in the in-class discussions;

3. complete the unit quizzes to assess your mastery of each topic;

4. complete the homework assignments to consolidate your grammatical analysis skills;

5. seek help from the instructor and fellow classmates when it is needed.