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Division of Learning Enhancement, Access and Partnership

Study Skills and You:
tips for success on your
Foundation Degree

www
...
ac
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gre
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uk/f4s

Table of Contents
Why do I need Study Skills?

3- 4

Time Management

5

Reading Skills

6 - 10

Note-Making

11 - 16

Critical Thinking

17 – 20

Essay Writing

21 - 33

Referencing

34 - 37

Proofreading

38

Getting Feedback

39 - 40

Examinations

41 - 52

2

Why do I need study skills?
Study skills are often seen as something remedial;
remedial skills that need to be picked up to remedy a lack
of innate skills that any ‘normal’ person should already
have
...
When we come to university
we are here to learn and study skills like all else have to be learned
...
All of these
things require experience and a good student will actively acquire these
skills with not just studying in mind, but with an eye on their
transferability to the adult world of work and life
...

1
...
The university is
a little world of its own and has its own customs and values
...
This means that learning is the student’s responsibility –
you will not be told what to think or know as you might have been at
school
...
See the online worksheet for becoming and
active student for tips
...
You need to learn how and when to study
...
Time is
made available for you independent study – in fact the vast majority of
what you do will be independent study
...
You will also need
to break tasks such as essay writing into its component tasks and to
prioritise them
...

3
...
You may even be asked to set your own questions on
occasions! You will need to be able to gather your own evidence and
3

use it to support your judgements
...
You will need to be
able to decide if the source/evidence is relevant and if it is of the right
academic level and quality
...
The online
sections on Critical Thinking and Research Skills and Citation of
Sources will help you
...
You will also need to manage your research and form it into an
argument to support your conclusions in a well structured essay, report,
project or dissertation
...
We also have lots of links
and resources in the English for Study for students who have English
for a second language or just want to brush their grammar and
punctuation skills up
...
You are not alone! The Study Skills centres on all the campuses off a
range of services from lectures/seminars on study skills topics such as
note-making, essay writing, critical thinking, presentations, English for
study, mathematics and exam techniques
...

Look at the website www
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ac
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ac
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4

Time Management
As you begin your studies you need to think carefully
about the following things:
 Managing your time, which involves:
- finding time by planning your week
- using time effectively by doing work of different types in the
appropriate time slot
 Defining tasks for yourself, then:
- allocating time to them and
- monitoring your progress as you attempt to complete them
 Setting up a place to study
 Equipping yourself (A4 paper, pens, ruler etc
...
There are different types of
reading, and you need to prepare yourself
accordingly in order to get the most out of reading for your studies
...

 Don't use the same type of reading all the time
...



Rapid Survey or Previewing

 Check what you are reading - a rapid glance is all that's
necessary
...



Sampling








Explore the contents in a little more detail
...

Skim read a page or two in various chapters
...


Skim Reading

 Make a rapid survey of the subject
...

6

 Glance through the book quickly and pick up the main
points
...

 This is a very useful skill which becomes easier with regular
practice
...

Go straight to the contents, the index, or locate the page
...

Put the book back - and move on without browsing
...
Only one part is
important for what you need
...

 Don't be distracted into browsing over more than you need
...



Detailed Study Reading

 This is reading to understand the content
...

 You should concentrate whilst reading
...

 You might also be taking notes whilst reading
...

 You might also need to read a book more than once to
grasp the point
...


7

SQ3R - A Reading/ Study System
SURVEY - gather the information
necessary to focus and formulate goals
...
Read the title - help your mind prepare to receive the subject at hand
...
Read the introduction and/or summary - orient yourself to how this chapter fits the author's
purposes, and focus on the author's statement of most important points
...
Notice each boldface heading and subheading - organise your mind before you begin to read - build
a structure for the thoughts and details to come
...
Notice any graphics - charts, maps, diagrams, etc
...

5
...


QUESTION - help your mind engage and concentrate
...
The better the questions, the better your comprehension is
likely to be
...
When your mind is
actively searching for answers to questions it becomes engaged in learning
...

Read each section (one at a time) with your questions in mind
...


RECALL - retrain your mind to concentrate and learn as
it reads
...
If not, look back again (as often as necessary) but don't go on to the next section
until you can recite
...

Once you've finished the entire chapter using the preceding steps, go back over all the
questions from all the headings
...
If not, look back and
refresh your memory, then continue
...
IF YOU JUST "DO IT" WITHOUT
LEARNING SOMETHING, YOU'RE WASTING A LOT OF
TIME
...

A dictionary!
The book or passage you want to read!
 And take that phone off the hook!

Now, you are reading to get started!
Overview – start with getting a general impression of the book you
are about to read
 Read the back cover – this may give you an idea of the
scope of the work
 Read the inside cover – this may give you information on the
author
 Look at the contents – this will reveal how the material is
presented and how much emphasis the author has placed on
certain topics by showing how many pages has been devoted
to each
 Look at the preface, introduction or forward – these may
give an idea of why the piece was written
 Look at the index – look for keywords
 Publication details – these are generally overlooked
...
e
...
)
 Volume number (if applicable)
 Issue number (if applicable)
 Date of publication
 Page numbers
Newspaper, and Magazine Articles on the Web
 Author(s) – in the order they appear
 Title of article
 Name of periodical/journal
 Volume number (if applicable)
 Issue number (if applicable)
 Date of publication
 Page numbers (if applicable)
 Web address/URL
 Date you accessed the article (PDF documents can be treated as normal article
documents)
Websites
 Author
 Title of website
 Organisation responsible for content
 Date (may be when the website was last updated)
 Date you accesssed the website
 Web address (URL)

11

Taking Notes in Lectures
I
...






Making yourself take notes forces you to listen carefully and test
your understanding of the material
...

Personal notes are usually easier to remember than the lecture text
...


II
...
Some of the more
common clues are:








Material written on the whiteboard
...

o Emphasis can be judged by the amount of time the instructor spends on
points and the number of examples he or she uses
...
g
...
" "The third reason is
...
" “Therefore…”)
Summaries given at the end of class
...


III
...

o Never use a sentence where you can use a phrase
...

o Use abbreviations and symbols, but be consistent
...
However, the following should be noted exactly:
o Formulas
o Definitions
o Specific facts
Use outline form and/or a numbering system
...

If you miss a statement, write key words, skip a few spaces, and get the information
later
...
Leave room for coordinating your notes
with the text after the lecture
...
)
Date your notes
...


12

SAVING TIME ON NOTE-MAKING
Here are some hints regarding making notes on lectures that can save time for almost any
student
...
To do so is
to use a double amount of time; once to take the original notes and a second to rewrite
them
...
Though
shorthand is a valuable tool for a secretary, it is almost worthless for a student doing
academic work
...
They
must first be transcribed
...
It is far better to have
taken the notes originally in regular writing and then spend the time after that in direct
study and recitation of the notes
...
The lecture on tape
precludes flexibility
...
Immediately after taking the notes
this person can study them in five minutes before the next class as s/he walks toward the
next building, as s/he drinks his/her coffee, or whatever
...
Whereas the
lecture on tape has to be listened to in its entirety including the worthwhile points as well
as the "garbage," handwritten notes may be studied selectively
...


NOTE-MAKING
Learning to make notes effectively will help you to improve your study and work habits and
to remember important information
...

This is wrong! Always write it down
...
The secret to developing this skill is practice
...
Strive to improve
...

Here are some hints on note-making
...
Don't write down everything that you read or hear
...
Concentrate on the "meat" of the subject and forget the trimmings
...
Notes should consist of key words or very short sentences
...

3
...
You should usually use your own words, but try not to change the
meaning
...


13

4
...
Don't take notes just
to be taking notes! Make sure you make notes that will be of real value to you when
you look over them at a later date
...
Have a uniform system of punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to you
...
Leave lots of white space for
later additions
...
Omit descriptions and full explanations
...

Condense your material so you can grasp it rapidly
...
Don't worry about missing a point
...
Don't keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper
...

9
...
Remember, we forget rapidly
...

10
...
This is the only way to achieve lasting memory
...
This
will help you to ensure that you keep up with the lecturer and that converting the points to
abbreviations and symbols you will also lodge them in your memory
...

therefore
because
÷ statement/answer is correct
x statement/answer is wrong
? question; is the statement correct?
/ or (this/that = this or that)
& or and/plus
+
- a dash (often used to join ideas and replace words or punctuation marks that have
been omitted)
" " ditto (means the same as the words immediately above the ditto marks)
does not equal, differs from, is the
≤
is equal to or smaller than
opposite of
≥
is equal to or larger than
=
is/are/have/has/equals
>
larger than
<
smaller than
Æ leads to/results in/causes
does not lead to/result in/cause

Abbreviations
Many of the common general abbreviations useful in note-making are found in an
appendix in a dictionary; however, some of these are listed below:
e
...

i
...

etc
...
f
...

c
...
)
N
...

C19
1920s
approx
...

i
...
1920-1929; similarly 1970s etc
...
(s)
excl
...

imp
...

info
...

ltd
max
...

1st
2nd
3rd
G
...

U
...

Eng
...

Q
...

no
...
/pp
...

prob
...

reref
...

s/t
s/o

department
difficult(y)(-ies)
excluding
government
important/importance
including
information
language
limited
maximum
minimum
first
second
third etc
...
, Jordan, R
...
(1991), Listening Comprehension and Note-Taking Skills, London:
Collins
...
’
(Edward Glaser)

‘A process the goal of which is to make reasonable
deductions about what to believe and what to do
...
We have out own
narrow prejudiced perspective on the world we meet
...
Among the main characteristics are the following:
Rationality
Critical thinking
 relies on reason rather than emotion,
 requires authoritative evidence, does not ignore known evidence, and follows evidence where it
leads
 is concerned with finding the best explanation
 analyses apparent confusion and asks questions
...

Honesty
We are thinking critically when we recognise emotional impulses, selfish motives, or other forms of selfdeception
...

Discipline
We are thinking critically when we
 are precise, meticulous, comprehensive, and exhaustive
 resist manipulation and illegitimate appeals
 avoid hasty judgments
...

 Critical thinkers are active
...

 Critical thinkers are not egocentric or ethnocentric
...
They are willing to challenge their beliefs and investigate competing evidence
...

Non-critical thinkers







Take a simplistic view of the world
...

They fail to recognise related elements
...

They take their own perspective as the only correct one
...
Interpretation
To non-critical readers, texts provide facts
...
This promotes a superficial level of learning
...
e
...
Critical readers thus recognize not only what a text says, but also how that text portrays the subject
matter
...

A non-critical reader might read a history book to learn the facts of the situation or to discover an accepted
interpretation of those events
...

What a Text Says, does, and means: Interpretation
o
o

Non-critical reading is satisfied with recognising what a text says and restating the key remarks
...

1
...

o Is it offering relevant examples?
o Is it arguing logically?
o Is it making legitimate or illegitimate appeals?
o Does it present a balanced argument?
2
...


These three steps or modes of analysis are reflected in three types of reading and discussion:




What a text says – restatement – talks about the same topic as the original text
What a text does – description – discusses aspects of the discussion itself
What a text means – interpretation — analyses the text and asserts a meaning for the text as a
whole

Goals of Critical Reading
 to recognize an author’s purpose
 to understand tone and persuasive elements
 to recognize bias
Each requires inferences from evidence within the text:
 Recognising purpose involves inferring a basis for choices of content and language
 Recognising tone and persuasive elements involves classifying the nature of language choices
 Recognising bias involves classifying the nature of patterns of choice of content and language
Critical reading is not simply close and careful reading
...

The Tools of Analysis and Inference
What to look for (analysis)
involves recognizing those aspects of a discussion that control the meaning
...

Critical reading involves an examination of the choices that all authors must make when framing a
perspective: choices of content, language, and structure
...

19

Critical Thinking v
...

Critical reading is a skill for discovering information and ideas within a text
...
Critical thinking allows us to monitor our
understanding as we read
...

The Usefulness of the Distinction
The usefulness of the distinction lies in its reminder that we must read each text on its own merits,
not imposing our prior knowledge or views on it
...

Reading Critically: How Well Does The Text Do What It Does
We can think of a writer as having taken on a job
...
However, as an undergraduate it is necessary to read with
other purposes
...
We must decide what to accept as true and useful
...

o To evaluate a conclusion, we must evaluate the evidence upon which that conclusion is
based
...

o To assess the validity of remarks within a text, we must go outside a text and consider
outside knowledge and standards
...
We examine features running throughout
the text to see how the discussion shapes our perception of reality
...

Repeating v
...
They are reluctant to trade
the safety of repeating an author's remarks for responsibility for their own assertions
...

But they will hesitate to go beyond what they take a text to "say" on its own
...
Others are so attuned to accepting the written word that
they fail to see the text as a viable topic of conversation
...

20

Essay Writing
The Golden Rules of Essay Writing
Below are some useful tips to consider when you are writing your essays
...

1
...
Avoid use of the words ‘I’, ‘me’
and ‘you’
...

2
...
You must always the
present evidence!
3
...
Use double line spacing
...


Essays should be in continuous prose

Avoid sub-headings and bullet points (lists)
...


Structure

The essay should have a definite introduction and conclusion of about one paragraph
each with the main body paragraphs in between
...
gre
...
uk/study_skills
6
...
When you change topic (you move on to another point) start a new
paragraph too
7
...
A definite opinion or ‘verdict’ can sometimes (though not always) be
delivered, but you must always show that you have adopted a critical approach
...
e
...
In other words you make the
points by stating the point, including referenced evidence and examples from
referenced sources and by evaluating that evidence
8
...
Use them sparingly and only
when they really illustrate a point well
...
As with ‘cutting and pasting’ do not let the quotations do the talking for
you
...

9
...
Write these in full
...


Academic style

Write formally and avoid colloquialisms, slang and ‘exciting’ journalistic styles of
language
...
Leave time to calm down in between each major task!

1
...
Use the instruction word sheet as a guide
...

Underline and note keywords
...

Possibly rewrite the title in your own words to aid understanding
...
Gather material






Use keywords for your literature search (library database, net etc
...

Make notes of useful evidence and examples and quotations
...
Use a card system if it helps
...


3
...
Look at the essay
structure handout for more guidance
...
e
...
This should be about one paragraph
 Main body/development: make your main points/argument and include supporting
evidence and examples in a sensible order
...

 Conclusion: make a summary of argument so far and/or a clear statement of
conclusion if required
...

4
...
It might be best to concentrate on the main body first
...
Check the line of argument and read it aloud to see if it flows…
…then add the Conclusion (a summary of what of your main points and how they
answer the question)
...
Add the Introduction (what you
intend to cover in the essay – what the essay is about) and make sure it signposts
what you have been talking about in the main body
...
Check these too!
6
...
If possible, get someone else to proof read it too
...
Don’t loose marks because of silly
mistakes and poor readability!
Relevant tips and sheets available at www
...
ac
...
This
is a list of words and what they mean…

Analyse: Read between the lines or look beneath the argument
...

Contrast: Look for similarities and differences as with Compare but you may wish to deal
with each issue or argument separately first and then point out the differences in another
following paragraph
...

Discuss: Explain then give the pro’s and con’s and outline the further implications of an
argument or idea or statement
...


Distinguish/Differentiate: List the ideas and arguments, etc and then say how they
differ
...

Evaluate: Discuss the arguments that other people have put forward for and against
...


Illustrate/Interpret: Make an issue, argument or theory, clear using evidence and
examples
...


Outline: Give the main features and ideas of a topic but don’t go into too much detail
...

State: Present clearly and briefly
...

Trace: Follow the development of a topic from its beginning
...
Part
of the problem is that most students are at first unaware of what to aim at, what
constitutes a good essay
...
For this purpose we have
selected an essay written in response to this question:
“Do you agree that capitalism is to be preferred to capitalism?”
The essay produced by an anonymous adult is given below
...

Essay 1
IS CAPITALISM BETTER THAN SOCIALISM?
One of my uncles told me when I was a little boy that socialism, like measles, is best got over when you are
young
...
I can remember wondering what the symptoms
might be: did one suddenly sprout long white hair and develop a compulsive desire to address unwary
groups of people in a ranting style of speech? I’ll never know
...
This worried me a great deal as I considered lack of either qualities to be pretty disastrous,
but to preserve one’s beliefs in the space of two decades always seemed to me to be a tall order
...
So political ideas for me have always been closely connected
with physical states of health; being a hypochondriac
...

Not such a bad guideline to rule your life when you think bout it
...
The real “ism” I am opposed to is “extremism”,
or any belief which arrogates to itself the right to decide whether people should live or die
...
In Germany
six million Jews died as a direct consequence of Nazism and almost as many Germans died in their vain
attempt to impose it on the world
...

In our system of government we have been successful in avoiding such unseemly displays of political
commitment
...
Very sensibly politics
is a subject frowned upon in most educated households
...
Politics, along with that other dangerous subject,
religion, is banned from the after-dinner conversation agenda
...
This apathy is not born of ignorance or indifference (although I admit they
may play a part) but good old British commonsense
...
Even a cursory investigation of the iconic protagonists of socialism and
capitalism illustrates the good sense of this maxim
...
As far as I’m
concerned this was the only “right” thing about her
...
She
spoke like a modern day equivalent of Dicken’s Mr Gradgrind and seemed to have the moral sense of a
Dalek
...
Those large glassy eyes reminded me of a fish, swimming around
in the strange aquarium of the Marxist left
...
Which do I prefer? I strongly prefer neither
...
Make a list of both the good and bad points in this essay before reading the
following discussion
...


The question was not answered either directly or thoroughly
...
The essay – if such a short and unsatisfactory piece of writing can be so described – dealt
more with the evils of extremism than the relative merits of capitalism and socialism
...


The essay had no coherent shape or structure – it rambled amiably from one anecdote to another
and made no attempt to go through the subject matter systematically
...


The style, whilst lively, assured and readable, was prone to clichés (e
...
the “measles” analogy)
and whilst the chatty, personalised humour might appeal to some, it would certainly irritate those
looking for a serious discussion of political ideas
...


4
...
g
...
What evidence was presented to show that this possibly
outdated assumption was still valid?

5
...
It would seem
that the content has been drawn haphazardly from prejudices aired in the pub rather than gleaned
from any painstakingly from
up-to-date books in a library
...
It is easier to see faults
in other peoples work than in your own, but if the defects are so obvious to you, then you must also be
aware of the elements which make a good essay
...

Make up a list of the qualities that that constitute a good essay
...


Essay marking
The appropriate order should be as follows:
1
...

3
...

5
...

7
...


answer the question
clear structure
style
evidence of wide reading
clarity of thought
well supported argument (referenced evidence)
presentation
originality

But… see the comment below
27

This is more difficult as each tutor will have his or her own judgement but we think that most would agree
that answering the question is the prime requirement in any essay: we give it 20%
...
So nearly half your marks are taken up by just these two! However, you need to score well
on the other criteria because, as you will have no doubt realised by now, they are all interrelated (except,
possibly, presentation)
...
This is an unreal exercise in many ways
...
In practice someone marking a truly original approach or analysis which
succeeds, might well give it a “first” (70% plus) despite its structural or other weaknesses
...


Now read the second essay which also addresses the same question and mark it accordingly to
the criteria given above
...
These two modern doctrines are secular,
but have semi-religious overtones which make definite judgements upon their respective merits, elusive or
even illusory
...
This essay
will attempt to weigh up the pros and cons of both systems in order to make a judgement on which system
should be favoured above the other
...
If the enterprise is well run and efficient, its products will be bought by the public, its owners will
prosper and its workers will receive wages and secure employment
...
Its principal tenet is that workers should own and
control the means of production and that the community should benefit from the fruits of their labours
...
These two schools of socialist
thought have been called respectively, “communism” and “social democracy”
...

Socialists argue that the economic system should serve the interests of all rather than those of the small
group of entrepreneurs who own and control capitalist enterprises
...
In other words
they believe that capitalism distorts and perverts the innate tendencies in human beings to be
compassionate and loving toward their fellows
...
Economic planning will ensure steady growth and abolish the absurdities of a
market economy which, in the thirties, led farmers to burn crops whilst people starved
...

The problem with socialism is that nowhere has it achieved these lofty objectives
...
On the contrary, political freedoms were severely repressed and grey
uniformity of thought was imposed throughout
...
Social
democracy on the other hand, has been successful economically in Germany, Austria and the Nordic
countries, but critics often claim that these countries are only thinly disguised capitalisms
...
The result was that British workers earned only
half of their equivalents in America, France or Japan and that only a near revolution in political thinking in the
28

Labour party has enabled it to come back into power (after eighteen years of the Conservatives) with much
more recognisable capitalist policies
...
They claim that the provision of universal services encourages complacency:
why should people help themselves when the state will do it for them? The individual’s sense of initiative, it
is argued, is sapped and his sense of responsibility for his actions is eroded by a philosophy which assures
that “society” rather than the individual is to blame for his/her problems
...
Instead of being given the opportunity to earn their own living, the argument runs,
citizens have to queue, cap in hand, for their welfare benefits, explaining and justifying themselves to
doubting officials
...
Additional bureaucracies were established to control
industrial activity, thereby applying a straightjacket to economic growth and distorting the forces of the
market
...
Friedman argues that if able and energetic people perceive a
demand, risk their own money, are allowed to establish a successful business and make a handsome profit,
then economic activity will grow apace
...
Those who fail to compete go out of business but these are the rules of a game where the
consumer always wins
...
Friedman
compared the material prosperity of his own country and Japan with the slow growth record of the
communist bloc countries and others, like the UK and India which have had a history of government
intervention in their economies
...

Freidman, however, makes a tacit assumption that happiness is directly proportionate to the achievement of
riches
...
Under capitalism large groups of poor people suffer
the indignity of selling their labour to a small group of the rich
...
The rest have to accept low paid, low status, uninteresting occupations
...
During recessions, the rich survive with scant
discomfort whilst the poor suffer failing living standards and unemployment
...
By
developing their activities abroad, big enterprises – often multinationals controlled by western countries –
take over poorer economically countries and initiate even more un-pleasant forms of capitalism: for example
tobacco companies that face growing advertising restrictions in western countries, have been successful in
recouping their losses by developing smoking markets in third world counties
...
Socialism offers a shining mirror image to capitalisms defects but its
bureaucratic machinery and autocratic government has proved to stultify economic growth and the pursuit of
equality has threatened freedom
...

However, socialism’s hopeful naiveté about human nature seems preferable to capitalism’s heartless
exploitation of man’s aggression and selfishness
...
The
social democracy of Sweden and Austria have seemed to draw upon the productive efficiency of private
enterprise whilst distributing its benefits and safeguarding against its disadvantages along socialist lines
...


29

What did you think of it?
What mark did you give? Quite clearly this is a better essay but how good is it?
We asked a lecturer at Manchester University to look at it and give his reaction asking him to
assume that it had been given to him as an undergraduate piece of work
...
It answers the questions in an admirably balanced
fashion and is clearly the product of considerable reading and thinking
...
The style is calm, measured, highly literate and
grammatically accurate but, for my taste, is perhaps a little dense and solemn – it requires
a bit more life
...
Presentation, of course, is
excellent
...
”
We agree with this assessment although we would like to emphasise the need for referencing
which, in our opinion, the essay would have required to achieve an upper second
...
Also, when good ideas are put into writing in an academic essay it is
part of the process to share the sources used so that the reader has the opportunity to expand
their reading too
...
I would have also been nicer
had the essay been a little more up to date and talked about socialism and capitalism with
reference to more modern day examples
...

One other minor point was that the introduction could have been a little tighter in setting out the
scope of the essay and that some of the background comments would have been better in the
opening paragraphs of the main body
...
Logical appeals,
however, are the backbone of any strong argument
...
The major claim of an argumentative essay is the
thesis statement
...


Claim: this is a statement of point or opinion about a certain subject
...

Examples:
A
...
”
B
...
S
...
3 The industry has an interest in strong patent protections,
which limit generic competition and therefore protect its market share and profits
...
4 In 2003, the industry gave $29,371,406, with $21,719,527 of that
money going to Republicans
...
S
...

4 ‘The Other Drug War: Big Pharma’s 625 Washington Lobbyists’, Public Citizen, 2001
...
opensecrets
...


Taken from Robbing the Poor to Pay the Rich? How the United States keeps medicines from the world’s
poorest, Oxfam Briefing Paper, November 2003, www
...
org
...
There are four general kinds of
evidence:
1
...

3
...


Facts
Statistics
Expert Authority
Personal Experience

Facts are agreed upon and accepted truths that cannot be disputed
...

For example
...

 All bachelors are unmarried
...

However, facts can be manipulated by being used incorrectly or incompletely
...
Note, personal opinions are not facts (they are unsubstantiated
claims)
...

 The government has improved
...

 All women drivers are dangerous
...
They help support claims because they are
presented as logical and factual
...
The resident population of Greenwich
31



was 214,403, of which 48 per cent were male and 52 per cent were female
...
statistics
...
uk
accessed 27
...
04)
Within Woolwich Common, 12 per cent of those unemployed were aged 50 and over, 17 per cent
had never worked and 32 per cent were long term unemployed
...
ons
...
uk)



Thierry Henry is a leading goal scorer in the Premier League

Statistics, however, must be used in context, come from a reliable source, and represent an accurate
depiction of reality
...

 8 out of 10 undergraduates surveyed preferred rice to potatoes (which students? Where? when?
 90% of undergraduates spend three quarters of their time not studying – (are they working to earn
money? looking after family? Doing voluntary work?)

63% of learners at school x pass no GCSE’S, whereas 100% of learners at school y pass 5 or more
GCSEs
...
Expert
authorities help show that a claim is logical and accepted by those who are educated and considered
knowledgeable in that specialism
...
Howard Smith notes that mothers who are found to engage in Munchausen’s Syndrome by
Proxy conform to a specific personality profile
...

But like other forms of evidence, expert authority can be misused and misrepresented
...
(Probably not experts
...
(Biased sources?)
 Dr
...
(Doctor of what?)

Personal Experience shows the writer's own experience with the topic
...

This type of evidence is often required to be included in assignments for schools where vocational
placements are included in the undergraduates’ education
...
g
...





Having considered Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences, I can see how his recommendations
on kinaesthetic intelligence can be applied in practice to my role in teaching history to Key stage 3
learners
...
I can now see how critically appraising practice can lead to
improvements in care for my patients
...

The laws on trespass need to be reconsidered
...


For personal experience to be valid support, however, it must be relevant, present credible knowledge, show
a common or general situation, and be related to the claim
...

Having met one of the lecturers from Greenwich University, I can see that they are all unstable and
vicious
...
I know this because I live with
one
...
These words link one point to
another and act as verbal signposts to the reader
...


However
On the other hand
Yet

indicate a contrast between points, facts,
arguments, or items of evidence

For example
That is

illustration of a point, argument or issue

Similarly
Moreover
Furthermore
In addition

extension of an argument with more data

Therefore
Consequently
As a result
Thus

conclusion of a topic, point, issue or the overall
essay

Then
After
Ultimately

to move on to the next step

33

Referencing
A brief guide to the Harvard System
The University of Greenwich, as with all universities, requires that
students give credit to the authors of the evidence they use to support the arguments within their
essays and other assignments
...
This is a guide to that system giving some useful examples
to which you can refer when referencing yourself
...

It indicates that you have considered appropriate authorities and evidence in your work
It acknowledges the work of others in contributing to your work
...

Note – you ought to follow the convention of referencing dictated by your school or tutor, normally the
Harvard system
...
Firstly there is the in-text reference
...
) there is an entry that includes
the author’s family name and the year of the publication (source) that the information comes from
...

This works in conjunction with the second element which is known as a reference list (sometimes known as
a Bibliography)
...
The in-text reference
to the author’s last name can be looked up in this list and the full detail found
...

Examples of how to do both elements are shown below
...

Not referencing = Plagiarism
Plagiarism = a fancy word for stealing

Citations in the text should give the author’s name with the year of publication, then all references should be
listed in alphabetical order at the end of the paper/dissertation as laid out below
...

In a study (Seedhouse, 1997) treatment compliance was examined …
...

Beattie (2000a) argued that public health issues were ignored…
34

Two authors:
In the book by Kearney and Rainwater (2001) …
...

If more than one citation is referred to within a sentence, list them all in the following form, by date and then
alphabetically:
There are indications that childhood poverty is a strong predictor of later morbidity (Wybourn and Hudson,
2002; Acheson, 1998; Lewis 1998)
Online sources:
When referencing a web page in your text it should be the Author and Year that you put in brackets and not
the web page address or URL
...


Harvard method of quoting in the text:
Use quotation marks and acknowledge the author’s name, year of publication and page number of the quote
in brackets
...
19)
...
17)
Secondary referencing
Where one author is referring to the work of another and the primary source is not available
...



Secondary referencing should be avoided where possible
...


35

The Reference List – the Harvard method of listing references at the end
of the text







List in alphabetical order by author’s name and then by date (earliest first),
If more than one item has been published during a specific year by letter (1995a, 1995b etc
...

Include the elements and punctuation given in the examples below
...

The title of the publication should either be in italics or underlined
...
Oxford, Oxford University Press
...

London, Wybourn
...
(1995) Health care in a multiracial society
...
London, Nursing and Midwifery Council
...
(ed) (1999) The self in Social Psychology: Key readings in social psychology, Hove,
Taylor and Francis
...
(1997) The self and self awareness
...
Burns et al
...

London, Stanley Thornes
...

An article in a journal:
Valkimaki, A
...
British Journal of Nursing, 13(1), 43-5
...
Guardian, Monday October 26 , 2003, p
...

If no author name is given then the publisher should be used instead
...
Guardian, Friday October 24 , p11
...

Available from http://www
...
gov
...

A television programme
Julie through the looking glass
...
BBC 2, 4 July 1992
Alzheimer’s Society (2002)
A video
Yesterday, today, tomorrow: providing quality
dementia care
...
York: Alzheimer’s Society

CD ROMS
Institute of Cancer Research (2000) A breath of fresh air: an interactive guide to managing
breathlessness in patients with lung cancer
...
Sutton:
Institute of Cancer Research
36

Government publications
 White Papers contain statements of Government policy
 Green Papers put forward proposals for consideration and public discussion
...

A White paper
Department for Education and Skills (2002) 14-19 next steps: the future
...
3390
...
Cm 3854
...

An Act of Parliament
Great Britain (2002) Education Act 2002
...
London, HMSO
...
lmu
...
uk/lss/ls/docs/harvfron
...
shef
...
uk/library/libdocs/hsl-dvc1
...
surrey
...
uk/library/dilis/harvard
...
gre
...
uk/lib/guides/bibcitns
...
It is a shame to loose marks through silly mistakes or lack
of readability if the good ideas are all there and a well written and presented piece
of writing (what ever it is) always conveys its authority that much better!
Hints for successful proofreading:
 If there are types of errors you know you tend to make, double check your work for these
 Read your final draft out loud
...

 Slow down your reading concentrating on each word
...
This will help you to what is actually on the page, rather than what you thought you wrote
...

 …proofread more than once
...

 Proofread from paper rather than the screen – nobody seems to know why, but it is easier to
proofread from the printed copy and you’ll miss fewer mistakes

How we make mistakes
We tend to make mistake without thinking
...
Habit
...

2
...
We can often be excited about what we are writing and our pen may move
faster than our thoughts
...

Making these unconscious mistakes often makes them difficult to spot
...
Re-reading slowly with a clear brain will help to spot these errors
...
We are also affected by what we think should come next or what we thought
we originally wrote
...
A little bit of
mental rest will also work wonders
...
Remember that it is twice as hard to detect mistakes in your own work
as it is in someone else's so if you can work with a study buddy then do so
...
It is worth persevering
...
However, if you make
no effort you will risk loosing meaning and making your work hard to read
...
Proofreading also shows that you take pride in your work and that
you take what you write seriously, After all, you are taking apart in the big debate if nothing else
and people will only take you seriously if it appears you do yourself!
38

Getting Feedback on your work
Getting good marks for an essay or other assignment is an important
motivational driving force for most students
...


Below are some tips on getting and receiving feedback
...
Other students doing the same essay can give you feedback and
the exchange of ideas can be good; but be careful, as your ideas can be
stolen
...
Also be cautious when showing your work to partners and try not to
make them feel insecure now that you’ve become a clever academic!
 Think about the sort of feedback you require and ask for it
...
Lecturers go to some considerable effort to
write the comments on your returned essays and they are often important
in telling you what you are doing well and what can be improved
...
Check them with your tutor or study skills tutor if you are
unsure
...
Hopefully your feedback will not
be entirely negative and will recognise the effort you have put into your
work, even you haven’t achieved what you and your tutor wanted
...
Remember, ‘a calm sea does not
a good sailor make!’ You need to learn from mistakes and challenges
...

 Don’t place too much emphasis on any grades you are given
...
What you can do is make the most of the chance to do
something about it for your assignments that follow
...
However, don’t overly challenge the feedback or
give the donator a hard time, especially partners, friends and fellow
39

students but also lecturers too
...
may not be so
forthcoming in the future
...

 When it seems that your feedback is saying that you can’t do anything
right, don’t be afraid to seek help
...
Contact studyskills@gre
...
uk or visit www
...
ac
...

 Accept that there will be peaks and troughs!
 Make an action plan of things to improve – then let the marked
assignment go, forget the grade but hang on to the learning experience
...


The Purpose of Exams
 The most important point of exams is for lecturers to confirm that you have
understood the material covered by the course and that the coursework (your
assignments) that demonstrates this is your own
...


The Advantages of Exams
 In an exam, you will not be expected to write very long or especially detailed
answers
...
Therefore, the amount of research and in-depth reading is less
than you would experience if another assignment had been set
...

 You don’t have to write out references and a bibliography!
 Examiners will, on the whole, be more sympathetic to presentation, grammatical
and spelling errors and forgotten details than they would for an item of
coursework
...
If you have two questions to answer in the exam, then in
an ideal world you would revise in four areas … but at least have one
spare!
☺ In the exam, run through the questions quickly to find the ones that are
in the areas you have revised for
...

☺ Think about which question to answer first! Some prefer to do their
best option first in case they run out of time
...
Brainstorm, make notes on what the
keywords mean and what the question is asking and incorporate these
into your plan to ensure nothing is left out
...

☺ Spend some time on your plan! Like all essays, your answers should
have an introduction, a main body and a conclusion
...
Writing a plan first may help to warm you up and will
act as a guide to keep you on track
...
It won’t get you the best of marks
as if you hadn’t run out of time, but you might get some credit for them!
☺ Do your best to write legibly! Clearly mark your answer with its
question number and score through the plan or any notes that you don’t
intend to include in the answer
...


Preparation





Timetable your study
Reorganise and recall
Revision – SQ3R (see http://ils-web
...
ac
...

BE POSITIVE – think about when is the best time for you to study
...

REMEMBER – 30 minutes good study is far more beneficial than 2 hours
spent pretending
...
So that it
becomes a fixed routine
...
So it is really wasting precious
time
...
Remember Active Learning is the most effective
...
This seems like a monumental task –
BUT IT IS WORTH IT! – it really is time well spent
...

43

Revision
SQ3R: Read-Recall-Review
(see http://ils-web
...
ac
...
Literally this means “to see again”
...
Often we need to “see it
again” many times and from a variety of angles before we can really absorb
its full meaning and implications
...

You can never begin your revision too early
...

As you are presented with new facts and ideas you should be looking back at
previous information in order to test and refresh your memory and “see them
again” in the light of your more recent experience
...


You would never be able to revise everything you have learned on your
course, if you leave it to the last minute
...


Early revision will make it easier to learn later material as you will
already have a firm understanding of what precedes it – the more you
have learned the easier it is to learn more
...


If you have just reorganised your materials information and data will be
fresh in your mind
...
This will also help you to feel that you are in control – the examination
is not likely to catch you out or trick you
...


Try to obtain a copy of the syllabus:
What topics are prescribed?

44

2
...


How long is the exam?
How much time can I spend writing each answer?
How much time can I spend planning each answer?

EXAMINATION DAY
DO NOT PANIC!!!

You have worked as hard as you can so you have nothing to fear
...

Remember the exam is not designed to catch you out, ruin your future or
psychologically destroy you
...

Take your time reading the examination paper – do not rush into answering
a question merely because you recognise the topic
...


45

Look at the following words and ensure that understand EXACTLY what is
expected of you:
Analyse
Assess
Comment
Compare
Contrast
Criticise
Comment
Define
Describe
Discuss
Evaluate
Explain
Enumerate

Illustrate
Interpret
Justify
List
Outline
Prove
Reconcile
Relate
Review
State
Summarise
Trace

Note these words carefully!
If you “describe” when you are asked to “define” you will fail to answer the
question
...
Examination day is not a time for
guessing
...


46

Coping successfully with exams

PLAN + PREPARE + PRACTICE = PASS
The day before the exam


Get your equipment ready: buy pens, get pencils, calculator, ruler, etc
...




Buy some petrol if travelling by car; if you use a weekly bus pass, make sure it is current; if you pay
your fare, check your money; similarly, check childcare arrangements
...




Develop a strategy for the exam which allows you to keep an eye on the time in relation to the number
of questions you have to answer
...


Questions to ask


How much time is there?



How many questions to answer?




Will you answer your best questions first -when you are fresh; or your second best first so that you
know you still have a good answer in reserve?
How much time will you allocate to planning your answer?



Will you plan them all at once; one by one; or, will you plan one, write one and then plan all the rest
before writing any more? These are for you to decide - there is no right way - there is only the way that
works for you!



Buy some sweets or chocolate to eat in the exam room: you need to maintain a high blood sugar
level (diabetics, please ignore this) to function at optimum efficiency
...
It will probably come back on the day
...




Set your alarm to give you plenty of time to get to the exam - allowing for traffic jams, disruptions to
public transport etc - so that you stay relaxed
...

Avoid the crowds of students at the exam door If this will make you anxious
...

47



Find you place
...
Unwrap sweets, break chocolate bars before the exam
starts
...
Have a sweet now
...
e
...




If you feel anxious and upset - write this on the exam booklet - it can help release the tension (but
remember to score it out later)
...
*



Ignore everyone else: those furiously scribbling away are panicking
...
Put a tick against all the 'possibles'
...
Eat a sweet
...
Whichever
one it is start planning, noting keywords, listing info, (single words, brief phrases), re-reading the
question, planning the answer, numbering your points in the order in which you will write about them
...
Eat another sweet
...




In an essay style of exam answer your opening paragraph could cover key word definitions and
concepts
...
A brief recap of your main points can be
effective as a conclusion - don't let your argument die feebly! Reward yourself with another sweet
...




Continue with the other questions (either planning all, then writing; or planning as you go, then
writing)
...
Eat between every question written
...




Do forget about the exam - give yourself a chance to relax before getting in gear for the next one
...
Make an appointment to see the
dentist (after all those sweets!)
...
Keep a record by filling in the below
...
Some anxiety before an exam is normal and,
indeed, useful
...
Look at your own anxieties
around assessment and reflect on the techniques that can be used to help you overcome
nervousness and make your anxiety work for you
...
Can you see your examiner as an audience who is critical but ready
to applaud your outstanding performance!
However, many students also feel overwhelmed by anxiety and this bears no relation to their ability
...
Generally students fall
into three groups who each need different strategies to cope with anxiety
...
Write down as many
things as you want to about revision and exams which make you feel anxious
...


Those who have too little adrenaline, are so relaxed that they do too little preparation
...
For all students adrenaline turns familiarity with
the material into an improved performance
...


Those students who tend to be anxious people, who do better in less important assessments and
worse in important ones
...
Here, fear will abate somewhat when you begin to feel
a grasp of the material; techniques for managing anxiety are useful here too
...


Students whose anxiety is specifically linked to assessment
...


Now choose one of your stress factors from above and answer these questions:
These questions will make you more aware of your stress
...
Common feelings are:




discomfort in the stomach
headache or tight jaw
knots in the back and neck

This is important because you can then take direct steps to deal with the results of stress
...

Most of the following techniques can be used in everyday life in the preparation for the
exam or they can be used in the exam
...

1
...


What has led to my having these feelings?
49

3
...


Is there anything I am doing which contributes to this situation?

5
...


What specifically can I do over the next week to help the situation?

7
...
If you learn techniques and then can practice (15-20 minutes per day) then you will gain in
confidence that you can control your anxiety, both generally and during an assessment, whether it is an oral
test or an exam or a presentation
...
The following are techniques which can be used on your own or in an exam
...

THE EMERGENCY STOP:

As you begin to feel tense say, very loudly, to yourself: ‘STOP’
...




Repeat, first with your eyes and forehead, then with your neck and shoulders
...




Notice how you feel now - go back to work
...





Relax and drop your shoulders with a (quiet) sigh
...
Stay with that
for a moment or two
...


There is a close relation between muscle tension and emotional states and the skills in recognising and
releasing unnecessary muscle tension helps in avoiding excess fatigue and in protecting the body against
the effects of anxiety and stress
...


Before Visualisation

After Visualisation

Relax, take a few slow deep breaths, inhaling for a count of five, hold for five, and exhaling for a count of
five
...
This may take some time and some patience
...
Write it at the top of the right hand box
...
Try each one, one at a time, until you can picture
yourself doing all of the tasks confidently
...
Don't worry if you
can’t transfer all your items - use this in conjunction with another technique (e
...
relaxation) and see if that is
more effective for you
...
Stand in front of the mirror and smile - keep practising! Some exaggeration of the
more unhelpful fears can emphasise how unrealistic they are and humour can defuse them and help reduce
your anxiety about them
...
Get support from friends and family for testing and confirming what you
do know
...
This can remind you that you are a competent person and that you can transfer some of
that competence onto your revision and exam experience
...
What is the colour of your anxiety? With every exhale, breathe
out the colour of your anxiety, and see it becoming paler and weaker
...
work on your plan for the next one
...

Go to the loo
...

Take a complete rest for three minutes, daydream, relax
...




Do one of the relaxation techniques mentioned earlier
...




Look after yourself!

Sources: ’How to Succeed in Exams’, P
...
Why not come along to see the University’s Study Skills team and attend one of the range
of sessions on offer!?
Visit www
...
ac
...
If you have any
questions, you may contact a study skills tutor by email: study-skills@gre
...
uk,
Also, you can get in touch with the Foundation for Success Project Team for further advice on how
to get support during you Foundation Degree studies, email: f4s@gre
...
uk or visit:
www
...
ac
...


Foundation for Success Project
www
...
ac

---