Quality Focus

Emphasizing precision and quality in your work; Avoiding mistakes and errors

It’s very easy to adopt a “just get it done” approach to your work. We don’t always see how one assignment, project, or test connects to what’s next. But in college, this is often the case. Not just getting a good grade, but learning is vital to not the classes you’re in now, but future semesters.

Have high standards for your work. You're a good student and you want your work to reflect that. There are ways to do this at each point of an assignment, project, or exam. Make sure you know what’s expected when you start (e.g., read the directions!), try to maintain your focus throughout, and - perhaps most importantly - when you’re done, go back and check your work. If you can build this habit now, it’s something that will help you throughout your college career and beyond.

Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.

Henry Ford

How can I improve my Quality Focus?

Strategies to Use

For any assignment you have, make sure you know what’s expected. Read and re-read the directions. If you’re unsure, ask your instructor for more information.
As you work on something, continue to go back to those expectations and ask yourself, “is this meeting this assignment?”
When you’re done, double check your work. This can be tough. After putting in a lot of effort, you might feel compelled to just “get it done” and submit the work. But sometimes, we get so focused, we miss a critical mistake. Try to take a breath and do one last review.
To that end, if it’s allowed, have someone else take a read-through.

Resources at JMU

For resources to help with online learning, visit Online Learning Tips from the Library.
The Learning Centers offer free tutoring by trained faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
Learning Success Strategies provides individualized, student-centered, academic coaching designed to increase student success. Schedule a personalized coaching appointment to enhance your success and well-being through fostering self-regulated learning and building academic and personal self-efficacy.
The Office of Disability Services can provide test-taking and note-taking accommodations, as well as other learning strategies.
Check out these Note-taking Tips from Valley Scholar's, as well as some specific guidance for studying in math courses.

Online Resources

Consider using a proofing tool, such as Grammarly, to help review your work.