Best Practices for the Online Student

How to Get the Most Out of Your CSU Global Student Experience

As I begin the final class of my Master of Science in Project Management degree at CSU Global, I wanted to pass on some of the wisdom I’ve gained and best practices I’ve found helpful since starting classes in January 2020. In fact, my CSU Global master’s is my second overall; I earned an MBA from the University of Maryland University College (now University of Maryland Global Campus) in 2004. 

As for the advice I have for you today: None of these points are shortcuts or tricks. You’ll have to do the work and make it a priority. Yoda famously said, “Do or do not. There is no try.” And Hunter S. Thompson wrote, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” If you don’t take my advice, take it from the ultimate experts in the Force and Gonzo journalism. 

Read on for my recommended best practices; steal what makes sense to you and edit what isn’t a perfect fit for your journey.

Get Familiar with APA Style

APA style is not difficult and you should not be scared of it. The CSU Global Writing Center is a one-stop-shop for your writing needs. APA style points are a component of every graded assignment you’ll complete. Do yourself a favor and become fluent in it. If you do, scoring those APA style points will be easy.

Review Your Grades Weekly

Do a weekly review of the points available each Sunday. If you have a 25-point discussion and a 90-point critical thinking assignment due in the upcoming week, these points should drive your priorities. Let the points guide your efforts; knock out your discussion post(s) early and get to work on your critical thinking. Prioritize your time and effort accordingly. 

Also, see if there is common ground between the discussion and critical thinking assignment options. Can you research one theme and satisfy both requirements? Further, work smart by keeping the Week 8 portfolio assignment in mind, especially if your weekly papers help contribute to it. 

Stick to a Schedule 

Discipline is your ticket to success. If you lack discipline, an online degree will be a challenge for you. The good news is that discipline is like a muscle–holding yourself accountable to the schedule you create will create a habit of self-discipline. If you build a schedule and stick to it, you will find that online learning provides all of the fulfillment of a traditional classroom, multiplied exponentially by the convenience and flexibility of choosing your own location and cadence for discovery. Here is a schedule sample that served me well:

• Sunday: Review the discussion topic, read the online module, start the reading assignments, start the discussion, and review the critical thinking assignment. That sounds like a lot, but nowhere in Sunday’s schedule are the words “complete” or “finish” mentioned. Just get started and get a grip on what’s coming for the week.
• Monday: Finish the required reading for the week, then write and post your discussion entry. Start your critical thinking draft, even if it’s no more than the title page and Level One headers. You should make a template in Word, Pages (I am a Mac user), or Google Docs that you use for every critical thinking and discussion. Review the week’s assignment requirements, turn them into Level One headers, and leave the formatting alone. You already have a good start on the paper itself and a solid outline created by requirements.
• Tuesday & Wednesday: Work on the critical thinking assignment or paper.
• Thursday: Set aside your critical thinking assignment and reply to two discussion posts. Your discussion requirements for the week are now complete!
• Friday: Don’t touch your schoolwork. Take a well-deserved break.
• Saturday: Finish your critical thinking draft, edit it carefully, and submit it.

Use Appropriate, High-Quality Sources

Peer-reviewed sources are the only ones worthy of graduate-level work. Start with the CSU Global Library and you’ll be in great shape. For example, if you are studying Accounting, find a solid accounting database and stick to it. Set your search filters to capture current, peer-reviewed articles. Not having luck finding what you need? Reach out to the Librarian, who will be happy to help out.  

Learn Your Instructor’s Expectations

Get to know your instructor’s expectations. If they advocate working ahead a little bit, take them up on it and do so when the opportunity arises. If they don’t allow it, make sure you prioritize accordingly and stick to their schedule. If your effort is not earning points toward assignment requirements, you are wasting time. 

Focus on the Assignment Requirements

Train yourself to focus on the assignment requirements. Here is an example of what I mean by that: Say your initial discussion post needs to be 200 words with two sources. Write your 200 words with your two sources, review your writing, post it. Move on to your critical thinking. Distill the requirements; if part one requires you to explain or analyze or compare or develop, narrow your focus on that. Nothing more, nothing less. Develop your idea, cite your sources, and move on to elements two, three, and so on. 

Don’t drown your papers in extraneous information. You’ll likely miss the salient issues and frankly, your instructor doesn’t want to read page after page of you taking the scenic route. In a short period of time, you will notice that you naturally start to ignore the scenery as you develop a sharp focus on the activities that glean the most pertinent information and will earn you points.

Enjoy the Ride! 

Take satisfaction in learning and crafting well-executed assignments. Push yourself to get better each week and in each class. Good luck!