Become familiar with resources on campus.
SLU has many resources available to support you, and you should use them! Become familiar with the Writing Center, the Library, and other services available to international or ESL students.
Read popular science articles to get familiar with important issues and special terms used in STEM.
There are many newspapers and magazines that cover topics in STEM fields, and they are usually written in clear, easy-to-understand language. Reading them will keep you aware of current issues and trends, and expose you to the special vocabulary used in STEM fields.
Use reference books.
SLU has many encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference books that are meant to give you an overview of or background information on various topics. You will find some of them highlighted on the "Dictionaries & Handbooks" tab of this guide.
Learn to use databases.
Some of the most frequently-used STEM databases have options that let you change the interface language to make searching a little easier. Remember that if you want help searching a database, you are always encouraged to contact a librarian.
There are many resources available on campus to support international students and ESL learners.