Notesale: Turn your study into money

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THE TEACHING AND LEARNING UNIT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN

Study Skills
For International Students

Study Skills for International Students

written by
Thomas Harboe &
Rikke von Müllen
The Teaching and Learning Unit of Social Sciences
Published 2007

This guide is distributed free of charge to students and lecturers at
the Faculty of Social Sciences, the University of Copenhagen
...


DEAR STUDENT

4

ASSESS YOUR STUDY CONDITIONS

5

1: MOTIVATION AND CONCENTRATION

7

CONCENTRATE ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING
FIND OUT WHERE YOU WORK MOST EFFICIENTLY

8
8

2: PLANNING

10

BEGIN EVERY SEMESTER BY PREPARING A STUDY PLAN
PLANNING REQUIRES OVERVIEW
BREAK YOUR TASKS DOWN INTO SMALLER PARTS
EXCERPT OF STUDY CALENDAR
PLAN YOUR BREAKS FROM THE STUDIES AS WELL

10
11
12
14
15

3: ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN TEACHING

16

LEARN TO SPEAK UP AT THE RIGHT TIME
THE ROLE OF THE DANISH UNIVERSITY LECTURER

16
18

4: READING TECHNIQUE

19

BEFORE YOU READ THE BOOK
ENTERING THE READING PROCESS
SELECT READING TECHNIQUE ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF

20
22

READING
DIVIDE THE READING INTO PHASES

24
26

5: NOTE-TAKING TECHNIQUE

27

CLASS NOTES

27
2

READING NOTES
MIND MAPS
BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR NOTES
USE YOUR NOTES AGAIN AND AGAIN

29
31
33
33

6: REQUIREMENTS FOR ESSAYS AND RESEARCH PAPERS
34
EXAM CHEATING
SOURCE REFERENCING
QUOTATIONS
THE USE OF FOOTNOTES
THE USE OF APPENDIXES
READ SAMPLE PAPERS

35
35
37
38
39
39

7: WRITING TECHNIQUE

40

WRITE BEFORE YOU READ
SPEED-WRITING
WRITE ON A DAILY BASIS DURING YOUR STUDIES

40
40
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8: STUDY GROUPS

43

NIP UNPRODUCTIVE CONFLICTS IN THE BUD
ACADEMIC DISAGREEMENT IN THE GROUP IS PRODUCTIVE

45
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9: HERE YOU MAY TURN FOR HELP

48

10 PIECES OF GOOD ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS

49

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

51

3

Dear Student
Welcome to the University of Copenhagen
...

Worldwide students are facing many of the same challenges
...
They are expected to study
efficiently and take useful notes
...

International students who are placed in a foreign culture are
challenged even more
...

We wish to present our best advice on how to efficiently manage your
studies at the University of Copenhagen, and at the same time, we try
to pass on our experiences with issues and situations which may seem
foreign to international students
...

Furthermore, many international students experience uncertainty
concerning referencing, ownership and plagiarism because it is
difficult to figure out formal rules, or they obtain unusually bad grades
for their papers because the evaluation criteria are not always explicit
...
In the bibliography at the back, suggestions
for further reading material are found
...
The
aim of the exercise is to show you where/ how to intervene, if you
want to improve your learning conditions
...
Then you will be able to see whether you have
succeeded in improving your study conditions
...


1

2

3

4

5

I study when I am rested

1

2

3

4

5

I am good at taking breaks when needed

1

2

3

4

5

I am good at avoiding interruptions

1

2

3

4

5

I am good at concentrating

1

2

3

4

5

I get work done when I study

1

2

3

4

5

Learning efficiency

5

My experience with group work is positive

1

2

3

4

5

I think that it is important to work with other
students

1

2

3

4

5

I do not suffer from writer’s block

1

2

3

4

5

I write – often and a lot

1

2

3

4

5

I take useful notes during classes

1

2

3

4

5

I am good at highlighting central points in my
sources – neither too much nor too little

1

2

3

4

5

I take useful notes when I study

1

2

3

4

5

I always try to get a general idea of a text
before I read it in detail

1

2

3

4

5

I am good at adjusting my reading technique to
the purpose of my reading

1

2

3

4

5

I am good at separating the relevant from the
irrelevant when I study

1

2

3

4

5

6

1: Motivation and Concentration
Motivation, determination and self-discipline are indispensable tools
and core premises for completing a university programme
...
When
studying at the University, you are in charge of your own course of
study
...
It is
your own responsibility to learn something, and it is a heavy
responsibility to face alone
...

At the University of Copenhagen, regular tests are generally not
carried out as compulsory parts of a course
...
Therefore, it is
extraordinarily important for students to keep themselves studying in
the course of the semester
...
Even if you grow tired of the text with which you are
currently struggling, try to remember that it is a means to an end
...
It is also important to do things the right way
...
For
example, a strong self-discipline is not worth much if you forget to
revise your knowledge and consequently forget half of the syllabus
before your exam
...


7

Concentrate on what you are doing

First and foremost, concentration is about avoiding thinking about
other things when you study
...

Furthermore, concentration is about keeping noise and unnecessary
interruptions at a minimum
...

If you are sitting at your pc, do not open the web browser or mailbox
...
All in all, phones, the television, the Internet,
magazines, etc
...

Concentration may fail for many reasons
...
However, more indirect and hidden sources are also
present
...
Or perhaps you
are worried about financial problems
...
Consequently, figure out what works for you and stick to
it
...

Maybe this location is not your room
...
However, the departments’ libraries have a limited amount of
work stations for students
...
However, in lack of a better location, they may prove useful
...

However, it can be a problem that these libraries close at 19
...

Please contact the Student Counsellor’s Office at your department for
information about additional locations where you may study in peace
...

A well-organised study plan offers you an overview of your tasks and
makes it possible for you to spread your tasks across the semester and
prepare early for everything; thus ensuring that you are not
overwhelmed by unwritten essays and unread texts at the end of the
semester
...
The important thing is to divide and prioritise
your daily tasks, thus ensuring that there is enough time for all of them
– both your study related tasks and your other chores
...
However, the time you
spend on planning is quickly made up for by the prioritisation and
determination you achieve in your performance
...
Perhaps you are used to attending 5-6 subjects in the course of a
semester
...
A subject may very well be
demanding and strenuous even though it does not have that many
weekly lectures, and experience shows that many international
students underestimate how much independent studying a subject
requires
...


10

Begin your planning in the following manner:
• take a comprehensive view of your expected tasks;
• take a comprehensive view of your engagements and activities
outside your studies;
• prioritise the tasks to separate the very important tasks from the
less important tasks;
• set deadlines for the various tasks and parts of tasks; and
• establish fixed working hours
...
When you start
working on a task, you will discover that your subconsciousness starts
to work for you
...

On a general level, you are able to read about the types and aims of
the individual courses in the curriculum or the course description of
which the most recently updated versions are always available on the
Internet
...
It states the
specific focus area of the individual lectures and moreover, the
material which you are expected to read and prepare for each
individual class
...


11

In the course plan you are able to see how your lecturer prioritises the
subjects of the course
...

Furthermore, you are given a list of the syllabus and a bibliography
which enables you to see the subjects you will cover as part of the
course
...
Often the
bibliography indicates secondary reading material within the scope of
the subject
...
However, this only serves as a
guideline, and when you study a subject it is never enough just to read
all pages of the literature (please see the chapter about reading
technique)
...

Begin by assessing the long-term plans, establishing a general
impression of the semester ahead of you
...


Break your tasks down into smaller parts

After preparing the long-term study plan for the semester, the
individual tasks may be broken down into smaller parts
...


12

For every part, you must establish a detailed short-term study plan and
keep this plan up-to-date on a running basis as regards actual plans for
reading and writing in the course of the coming weeks and days
...
Next to this kind of plan, you may prepare a
more detailed week plan on which you record your tasks here and
now
...

Excerpt of study plan
Extraordinary study tasks in the spring

Deadline

February

Written exercise subject 3

5 March

March

Group presentation subject 1 24 March

April

Writing exercise subject 3

30 April

May

Individual presentation
subject 2

6 May

Screening examination
subject 1

12 May

Exam subject 2

3 June

Exam subject 1

18 June

June

13

Excerpt of study calendar
March
10

11

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Morning
Work

Afternoon

Sat
...
Subject 1
Subject 3
Tue
...
Study at the library
Thurs
...
Study at the library
Sat
...

home
10 Mon
...
Subject 2
Study
12 Weds
...
Study group Subject 3
14 Fri
...
Work

April 1
2
3
4
5
6
15 7
8

9 Weds
...

12

13

17 Mon
...
Subject 2

Subject 3
Study
Meeting
conc
...
Study
presentation
20 Thurs
...
Prepare presentation
17
22 Sat
...

23 Sun
...

Subject 3
Subject 1
25 Tue
...
Study at the library
27 Thurs
...
Study at the library
29 Sat
...

31 Mon
...
Subject 2
Study
Weds
...
Study group Subject 3
Fri
...
exercise
Sat
...

Write
Mon
...
Study and write

10 Thurs
...
Summer house
12 Sat
...
Easter party
14 Mon
...
Subject 2
Study
Writing
16 Weds
...
Study group Subject 3
18 Fri
...


20 Sun
...
Subject 1
22 Tue
...
Write

Study

24 Thurs
...
Work
27 Sun
...
Subject 1
29 Tue
...
Submit
May 1 Thurs
...


= No studying

14

Revise

Subject 3
Print, etc
...

Before you leave, it is wise to:
• tidy your work table
• make an appraisal of how far you have come in your studies; and
• write a list of the tasks which you must work on immediately
upon return
...
Furthermore, you are able to
enjoy your break more, as you are on top of the planning of the course
of study
...
In that respect, Danish students are trained to
take responsibility for their own education
...
e
...
Students
need to work with the material for themselves, need to have
discussions, analyse, calculate and use the academic material in order
to memorise it and be able put it into use outside the classroom
...
No theorist is such an authority that it is useless to question
whether his theories may be flawed, or if it is possible to further
substantiate or concretise the theory
...

This type of critical analysis is rewarded in the Danish educational
system
...


Learn to speak up at the right time

In other words, it is important not to be afraid of speaking up in class
...
The trick is to be active in an
academic and constructive way
...

If you are not ready for this, it may be rewarding to take some time to
learn how to prepare a productive introduction to a debate
...
However, try to
make yourself heard in class at a relatively early stage (the sooner you
voice yourself, the more natural it will be to yourself and the rest of
the students that you make yourself heard)
...

Of course the fact that the courses are not necessarily taught in your
native language does not make it easier for you to participate in the
discussions during class
...
The important thing is that you take the chance to
formulate your questions and thoughts, which allows you to practice
putting the material into use and reflect on it actively
...

Most tenured lecturers at the University are scholars who have other
duties besides teaching
...

However, even though the lecturers possess an academic expertise,
they are not to be perceived as authorities who should not be
contradicted in an academic and constructive way
...

It is true that to a high degree, conventional lectures for large groups
of students are still found at the University
...

This way, the teaching becomes more fun and educational for the
students as well as the lecturer
...

Furthermore, several Danish study programmes are characterised by a
limited amount of lectures and a comprehensive independent study
programme
...
Since rote learning is not very applicable to most
programmes either, it is not enough just to read a large quantity of
material thoroughly or a sufficient number of times
...

Nevertheless, students tend to focus on the amount of material which
have been read or more accurately, on the amount of unread material
which accumulates on the desk and is the cause of a guilty conscience
...
Or that the syllabuses are too ambitious and impossible to get
through
...

Many students think that they are slow readers
...

First and foremost, the problem is that students read in the wrong way
...
Instinctively, they read the books
linearly from beginning to end
...

This chapter outlines a useful study strategy - a strategy which you
may apply regardless of the type of book that you are reading
...


Before you read the book

It is possible to read a text several times without understanding any of
the content or its purpose
...
Consequently,
you should start by posing two questions: what type of text is this?
What is the aim of the text?
Question 1: what type of text is this?

In order to be prepared for the new text, it is a good idea to draw
parallels to other texts you have read
...
How are they usually
structured? Which elements are typically included in the texts? It is
important that you become aware of the different types of material
(genres) you are reading, and are aware that the structure and content
of the different genres differ to a great extent
...
Textbooks very rarely discuss anything,
and it is therefore important that you remain critical of the content
...
Consequently, you may read the individual chapters
in random order and still appreciate the overall meaning
...
In these, analyses, discussions and the
evaluation of the research results count
...
Therefore reports are
20

sometimes difficult to read
...
Moreover, the structure of research
reports is usually less flexible than the equivalent in textbooks
...

As seen above, the different types of text you come across in the
course of your study differ to a large degree, which makes it necessary
for you to read them in different ways
...
You have to crawl before you learn to
walk, and it is not unusual that the underlying relevance of a book
becomes apparent a long time after you have finished reading it
...

You always possess relevant knowledge and references which you
may use to assess new texts
...

You should insist on placing yourself in the centre of things
...
In other
words, do not allow yourself to be controlled or impressed by the
books and their authors
...
g
...

Naturally, an exam or a specific written assignment makes it easy to
establish the relevance of individual texts
...
However, it is rare that all texts form part of a research
paper or exam in the exact same way or at the exact same level, and
consequently, you have to carefully consider which type of problem

21

you are about to solve
...
If you read slavishly from page 1 and onward, you risk
losing the broader perspective
...

Every time you receive a new syllabus book of 200-300 pages, it is a
good idea to earmark as much as one hour to familiarise yourself with
it
...

Four efficient ways of familiarising yourself with a new text are:
Read those parts which offer the most comprehensive view of the text

Most texts have a number of “keys” which may be used to identify the
structure of the text as well as its core points
...
Other texts are less informative in terms of aiding
the reader in getting a quick overview
...
Often,
every new chapter starts by offering the reader an overview of the
central points of the chapter as well as the chapter’s connection to the
other chapters
...

Read the introduction and the conclusion

As for research reports, the introduction and the conclusion offer a
comprehensive overview of the text
...
The conclusion offers a short summary of the key questions of
the text and tries to answer these on the basis of the analyses which
have been carried out
...
This also applies to the initial reading phase
during which you combine the overview reading with other activities
which allows you to see the broader perspective
...
f
...

• Write a short piece on your first impression of the book
...

• Ask your lecturer what the overall themes of the book are, and
which chapters are connected
...
You would never read a crime
novel in the way that you read a syllabus book
...
However, syllabus books are read because
they contain important information which form part of your long-term
study process
...
Your choice of reading technique depends
on the purpose of reading
...
In the course of your programme, you are
bound to use all five techniques of reading
...
Reading to
create an overview is applicable e
...

when you are about to read a new
syllabus book or search for
references

You make a quick scan of the text
without paying attention to details
by skimming the pages and only
focusing on keywords and important
sections
...
Skimming
is applicable e
...
when you need an
overview of the content of a text or
need to read many pages fast

You read the entire text to
understand the meaning of the text
...
Normal reading is usually
applied for e
...
the reading of the
introductory literature of the subject

You read the text word by word,
while simultanously taking notes
and making comments in the
margin
...
Intensive
reading is applicable e
...
when there
is a demand for exact active
knowledge

You read the text with a particular
point of focus, perspective or with
respect to a particular issue
...
Selective reading
is useful e
...
when you are working
on a paper

25

Divide the reading into phases

As mentioned above, it is generally a bad idea to just read
...
If, for example, you are about
to read an important book which does not immediately make sense or
offer a general idea about the subject, you may prepare a schedule of
how you are going to read it by putting the different reading
techniques into use
...
g
...

Phase reading of larger texts
Read introduction, etc
...


You risk growing tired of it all, if you just read the book without
distinguishing between different reading techniques and study
activities
...
The important thing is that you get to view your studying
as a process of various types of activities of which every single part
contributes to your collected academic knowledge
...
Many lecturers expect that students take notes
...
Other lecturers write on the blackboard, expecting that what is
written on the blackboard is written down by the students in one way
or another
...

Some notes are primarily used to save/remember important
information, e
...
the notes you take down during class
...
A third type of notes act as a kind of brainstorming technique
which may be used to come up with new arguments, structures for or
aspects of a research paper
...


Class notes

Most students take notes frequently during class, however, many
students are not satisfied with their notes
...
Furthermore, many students find it
difficult to concentrate on that which is being taught while trying to
take down usefull notes
...
After a while, you will discover that your
note-taking results in you having more time on your hands and a
broader idea of the subject, making it possible for you to focus your
attention on the teaching
...

Second, note-taking maintains your concentration and makes sure that
your thoughts aren’t led astray
...
You must master the art of note-taking while never losing the
thread of the teaching
...

Content and language in your class notes

First and foremost, focus on quality rather than quantity when you
take down notes: the object is not to take down as many notes as
possible, but, on the contrary, to write only things you understand – or
don’t understand and, therefore, should remember to examine in depth
after class
...
You will also learn more by phrasing the core points of the
teaching yourself
...
Replace long phrases with abbreviations and other
symbols
...

Otherwise, you may have trouble benefitting from your notes later on
...


for definition

Ref
...


for author

Pub
...
First, the
notes help you structure and, therefore, understand the information in
the text
...

However, notes have an adverse tendency of becoming an
unintegrated and very comprehensive reproduction of what is written
in the book
...
In other words, be careful when it comes to writing your notes in
your own wording
...

In order to avoid writing too many notes, you should begin by
considering what you are looking for before you start taking down
notes
...
In general, avoid taking down notes of the
29

entire book, but stick to the sections which are relevant to you here
and now!
Margin notes and highlighted text are also types of reading notes – the
difference being that margin notes are recorded directly into the texts,
books, photocopies and the like
...
Use different
colours and size of highlighters to highlight different types of
information and different degrees of importance
...


?

Question mark against large sections which are
vague/difficult to understand
...


!

Vertical line or exclamation mark in the margin against
important sections
...


However, you should be aware that you will only be able to single out
core points of the material that you are reading when you understand
it
...

A disadvantage of highlighting is that it is not your own wording, and
you might fool yourself into believing that you have understood the
text, just because you have highlighted it
...
First,
this means that you get to process the text instead of just assuming the

30

wording of the author
...
Thus, you create a general
perspective of the text and facilitate the task of re-reading/revising the
text
...
The aim is to grant a graphic
image of how different concepts and different pieces of information
are related to a core concept or keyword
...
Begin by writing down the central keyword in the middle
of a blank piece of paper
...

The rest is up to you:
• Write on the lines
• Add symbols or graphs
• Use a lot of colour!
• Use short concise words
• Divide the mind map into fields
• Link different fields by means of arrows
The above is only meant to act as an example
...
You may either
collect all your thoughts on a single large mind map (on A3-paper) or
organise the ideas on several mind maps
...


31

Finally, you will end up with a sheet of paper with a structured image
of the knowledge and the thoughts you have on the given concept or
keyword, i
...
a map of your knowledge
...
Mind maps are very useful creative tools and
allow you to find new connections and get an idea of the broader
perspective
...
Furthermore, an increasing
number of lecturers use mind maps as lecture notes – and hand them
out during class
...

Write down general information about course, subject, date, number
of pages, etc
...
Thereby, you make sure that
notes from different courses are not mixed
...
Furthermore, you may
benefit from writing down notes on A4-paper, since this paper format
fits into ordinary ring binders and makes it possible to store the notes
together with other texts of A4-format, e
...
photocopies which have
been handed out during class
...
They may be read again
and again
...

It can be expedient to make a fair copy of selected notes immediately
after class and save them in a file on your computer, if the subject is
particularly important or is of special interest to you (or if the teaching
notes have become too mixed-up)
...

At other times, it is enough to re-read the notes a couple of times
before the exam
...
When you
write down notes, you revise the material both while you are taking
the notes down and later on, when you read through them
...
Within this
area as well, the Danish educational system awards independence
above rote learning
...
The papers we will consider in the following are
those where students themselves may influence the choice of subject
...
The
requirements for essays and research papers on the other hand vary a
lot and tend to be more culturally conditioned
...
Furthermore, it is a common
requirement for research papers that students must show that they are
able to use core concepts and methods of the subject independently by
applying them to a “piece of real life” or by putting concepts into new
contexts or drawing new lines between theories
...
e
...

Once more, there is no reward in learning the scientific texts by heart
and, thereby, become able to render them elaborately
...

Research papers must be well documented
...


Exam cheating

If you do not indicate all sources when using them, it is considered to
be exam cheating
...

Take the time to familiarise yourself with your study’s formal
requirements for source references, etc
...

At some exams, there may be requirements for teamwork with fellow
students
...

Cheating is a very serious matter from the University’s point of view,
and it is severely punished
...


Source referencing

When you write the main body and conclusions of your research
paper, it is important that you make frequent use of source references
...


35

Furthermore, research papers in which source referencing is
frequently used present themselves as being honest
...

If you make use of the same source over and over again, there is of
course no need to reference this source after each sentence; however,
better make one reference too many than one too few, and 2-5 source
references per page is not uncommon
...

It is also a good idea to reference sources, while writing the research
paper
...

Standards for source references

In the paper you have to refer to the author(s) of the works and the
year in which the works were published, either in brackets or in
footnotes: “(Johnson, 1999)”
...

You need to bring the full reference in the list of references
...
If you refer to a
basic concept which is dealt with in the work in its entirety, then you
must make a reference to the title of the work in its entirety; however,
if you use a concept from a certain chapter or page, then you must
indicate the chapter and/or the page number as well: “(Johnson, 1999,
p
...

If you refer to the same work several times, and perhaps even the
same section of this work, you need only to refer to a previous
reference
...
cit
...
cit
...

Source references must be unambiguous and follow one standard
...

The list of references

The list of references should solely list the works which have been
referenced in the research paper
...

The references are listed alphabetically according to the authors’
surnames
...

The order in which the authors are mentioned is not random
...

There are several standards for referencing in use but you should
always include the name of the authors, the title of the book or article
and in the latter case the name of the journal, the publisher and the
year of publishing
...
ifla
...
Quoting is another
kind of documentation
...
Use of quotations that are not clearly marked as such, is
considered exam cheating
...
Quotations grants a specific
wording a certain authority, however, if the text is filled with quotes,
the analysis is weakened and the reverse effect is achieved
...

Furthermore, it is obvious that your quotations must reflect the initial
intention of the quoted
...

The use of footnotes

Footnotes are primarily made up of source references
...
Such content-filled
footnotes are only aimed at readers who read the research paper in a
very thorough manner
...
Footnotes should only be included
in the text where the writer wants to give the reader important
supplemental information which is impossible to incorporate in the
main body without disrupting the information flow
...
They belong in the main body
...
Examples are
historical overviews, legislation or empirical results, or other material
which might act as a supplement for the reader
...
It should form part of the
main body
...
At your department library, several fine examples of how
other students have gone about writing research papers are found (also
in English)
...
If you are unable to find sample
papers which reflect the paper you are about to write, you may ask
your lecturer if he/she has copies of sample papers that you may
borrow
...


Write before you read

When you prepare to write an essay or research paper, it is a good idea
to start to write on the basis of the knowledge that you already
possess, instead of starting by reading material in order to add new
information
...

The first pages of a text are often the ones which are the most difficult
to write, and you achieve a positive psychological effect by writing
down your thoughts and ideas in the beginning of the process
...

Based on your immediate knowledge of the subject, begin to write
down everything you may come up with, and subsequently, use this
text to choose exactly which books and chapters are relevant to your
research paper
...
The result may be that the paper
becomes less focused as well as boring to read
...
The
method is particularly efficient when you are about to commence
40

writing an essay or research paper
...

Speed-writing means writing anything about a specific subject or on
the basis of a question, without stopping
...
Write everything that pops up in your
head without worrying about spelling and typing errors
...
If you are writing on a
PC, turn off the screen so you are unable to see the text
...
Instead of changing the text you
have written, write something else – something new
...

Decide in advance on a time interval, e
...
7, 10 or 15 minutes, and
keep writing until this time has passed
...

The advantage of speed-writing is that it gives you an opportunity to
part from your self-criticism and use only your creative and
productive resources
...

It is interesting to notice that speed-writing often results in
surprisingly coherent sentences and paragraphs
...
Speed-writing often produces sections
you may use, almost without adding any corrections, in your draft
...
Speed-writing is
written in your own words and is not influenced by the formulations
of the syllabus books
...
Speed-writing results in an
unstructured piece of text
...
consider whether you may use words or sections more or less
unchanged in the final text;
2
...
perhaps continue by doing a new speed-writing or preparing a
mind map of the highlighted/underlined words/sections
...
Based on speed-writing, you are able to establish what you
already know, and you may be able to spot gaps in your knowledge
that need to be filled or questions that you need to have answered
...

Writing also helps you focus on your studies
...
Use the writing process to get a broader
perspective of your own areas of interest, and the areas that need
further attention
...

Danish students are used to participate in study groups in various
connections
...
It differs how committed
the members have to be to participate in various kinds of groups
...
A
discussion group might meet with the sole purpose of discussing texts
read, and none of the group members are subsequently tied to
attitudes, questions or methods which originated during the meeting of
the group
...

It applies to all groups that the better organised a group is, the more
the group is able to accomplish
...
Do not
assume that all group members share your expectations
...

Group size

The ideal number of members in a group is four to five individuals
...

If the group is made up by more than five individuals, it becomes
necessary to hold disciplined meetings where a chairman is elected
...

Location

Consider where the group should meet when you work
...
Avoid canteens or cafés,
where the noise level is usually high
...

Preparations on an individual basis

It is almost always necessary for the group members to prepare
individually for joint discussions in the group
...

In discussion groups, it is a given that all members have read the texts
or calculated the arithmetical problems; however, it may prove
beneficial to make an agreement regarding distribution of work to
ensure that at least one person has assumed responsibility for the
review of a certain text or theme which is to be taken up for
discussion
...

In a project group, distribution of work is a necessity, and you should
end each meeting by agreeing on what each member of the group must
prepare for the next meeting
...
This group member must handle all general
coordination of the work to ensure that tasks are distributed between
the group members
...


44

Nip unproductive conflicts in the bud

Conflicts are tiresome and often cost a lot of time unnecessarily
...
Conflicts
may also arise as a consequence of the fact that several group
members assume identical roles, e
...
as chairman
...
By following six simple
rules, you are able to prevent a long series of unproductive conflicts:
Rule no
...
It is necessary to have a (more or less) joint level of
ambition in order for the group to function
...
And once again,
you must address the subject verbally, even if it is tabooed
...

Rule no
...
Of course this is impossible to say
precisely in hours or minutes; however, if one group member is
simultaneously attending several courses or is planning to travel two
months during the semester, it is fairly certain that this individual is
unable to earmark the same amount of time as a full-time student who
does not have any other obligations
...
If you are part of a project
group, it is also important to establish provisional deadlines
...
3: keep appointments

Agree in advance to keep appointments or deadlines
...
Therefore, make sure that all of you comply
with appointments and deadlines
...
4: concentrate on academic matters

You spend a lot of time together in the group, so it is important that
you get along well
...
If you have already
established a friendship, it may be difficult to disregard this and make
demands of each other’s work and performance
...
5: communicate in a proper manner

Disagreements are usually caused by failure to communicate
...
Make sure that the others have understood
you correctly, perhaps ask the others how and if they have understood
that which you have said or written
...
”
instead of “one might think…” or “everyone is able to see that…”
...
If a disagreement is conceived to
be personal or if the discussion turns sour in any way, it may create
unproductive conflicts
...
6: make ongoing evaluations – stop conflicts before they start

Make ongoing evaluations of the group’s way of functioning
...


46

Academic disagreement in the group is productive

But when are we talking about a conflict? It is obvious that personal
conflicts must be avoided; however, academic disagreement is not a
problem in itself
...
And study groups are formed with
the purpose of having academic discussions and often academic or
methodical disagreement result in a good discussion
...
Remember that there is a large
difference between personal conflicts and academic discussions
...
As mentioned in the chapter about active
participation in teaching, it is important to ask relevant questions, see
things from different perspectives and reflect
...
The
group does not necessarily have to come to an agreement, and if the
discussion dies down after five minutes, not all issues will have been
thoroughly discussed
...
Texts written by groups which have
stubbornly kept up a discussion are better
...

The Student Counsellor’s Office

Each of the departments have a Student Counsellor’s Office
...
They
are able to help you with both official rules relating to exams, class
registration, credit, etc
...
If the student counsellors are unable to answer your questions,
you may rest assured that they know who will be able to answer them
...
See what we can do for you at
www
...
ku
...

Both courses in the Danish language and courses in academic writing
and academic English are offered by the University free of costs
...


48

10 Pieces of Good Advice for International
Students
1
...
Read books about study
skills
...

2
...
Perhaps the best study location is not where you
live, but e
...
the department library
...
Plan the upcoming semester
...

4
...
The sense of chaos is
natural in the beginning, and it often takes some time before
things really begin to fall into place at your new University
...
Claim responsibility for your learning process
...
Pose questions and approach subjects from a
critical point of view
...
Work determinedly with your reading habits
...
Learn to distinguish
important parts of the texts from unimportant parts
...
Remember that you never start from scratch
...
It is important that you recognise your
“pre-knowledge” and render it visible when you attend a new
course and/or read new texts
...
Acquaint yourself with the local guidelines for studying, research
papers and exams
...

9
...
Remember to reference
sources carefully and thoroughly
...
Become part of a study group
...


50

Additional references
•

Björk, Lennart; Räisänen, Christine: Academic Writing
...
Lund, Studentlitteratur, 1996
...
; Gregory G Colomb; Joseph M
...
The University of Chicago & London
...


•

Buzan, Tony: Harnessing the Parabrain
...
1991
...
David Fulton
Publishers Ltd
...


•

Fairbairn, Garvin J
...
: Reading at University
- A Guide for Students
...
2001
...
Buckingham
...
2
...
1996
...
al
...
Samfundslitteratur
...


•

Rowntree, Derek: Learn How to Study: A Guide for Students of
All Ages
...
4
...
1998

•

van den Brink-Budgen, Roy: Critical Thinking for Students: Learn
the Skills of Critical Assessment and Effective Argument
...
3
...
2000
...
peterussell
...
html
http://freemind
...
net/wiki/index
...
1
...
K

www
...
ku
...
ku

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