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For 10 years, Dr. Michael Rifenburg has worked with student-athletes to improve their writing by having them tap into the skills they use to improve in their sport.

An associate English professor at the University of North Georgia (ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½), Rifenburg explained student-athletes watch game film to "reflect" on the plays that did or didn't work. He said this concept can help in writing because a student-athlete can ask "why did I write this sentence? And how can I do that different or better?"

ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ basketball player Ephraim Tshimanga said it works.

"He was able to show me the similarities in learning what I could do, which is basketball, and connecting it to writing," the sophomore biology major from Kennesaw, Georgia said.

Rifenburg's use of reflective assignments with student-athletes recently hit the airways during "The Academic Minute" broadcast Sept. 12 on . The regional public radio network serves parts of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

Hosted by , president of the , "The Academic Minute" features a different professor each day, drawing experts from top colleges and universities from across the country. can be heard or read on .