International Student Welcome Programme

Top Tips for Undergraduate Students – How to Succeed in Your Studies

Exercise – where are you from?

Congratulations!

Keeping Your Studies on Track

All Resources For This Presentation

http://pd.nottingham.ac.uk/eng/Induction/International-Students2

Semesters and Terms

Autumn Semester26 September 2011 – 28 January 2012

Spring Semester30 January 2012 – 22 June 2012

Autumn term26 September – 16 December 2011

Spring term16 January -30 March 2012

Summer term30 April – 22 June 2012

Levels of learning

Level 0 – Foundation year. Preparatory year, designed to give you the basics in the subject.

Level 1 – Qualifying stage. Usually year 1. To help you develop basic knowledge and introduce fundamental concepts and techniques.

Level 2 – Principally second year. It builds next stage of students knowledge. You learn more advanced concepts.

Levels of learning

Level 3 – Wide range of study skills employed and developed, often with emphasis on student centred and student-initiated learning.

Level 4 – Principally for fourth year students (some programmes) and students already with a first degree in an appropriate subject.

Degree Structure - UG

Modules 10 or 20 credits 120 credits per year – (no more than 70

credits per semester) 360 in total http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-

manual/QAstructures/UNQF.htm Resources UG handbook / module handbooks Module enrolment – student responsibility –

open 26 Sept – 4 Oct. Use Module Entry Forms

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/timetable/html/ModuleEnrolment/Home.php

Marks - Undergraduate

I = 70% +    II-1 = 60% - 69%     II-2 = 50% - 59%     III = 40% - 49%    Pass = 40% +

QUIZ

Question

How different are you expecting studying at Nottingham to be from your previous experiences?

1→→→→ →→→ 5 →→→→→→→10

Not very different →→→ Very different

Top Tips For: Getting the Most Out of UK Teaching Methods

Lectureshttp://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studyskills/learning/learning.asp

Seminars Tutorials Practicalshttp://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studentlife/international/speaking.asp

Supervision

http://www.prepareforsuccess.org.uk/

Personal Tutoring

All Undergraduate students will be allocated a personal tutor

But not one each! Each School has own practice Check in Quality Manual for general

rules.

Independent Study

Learning to become an independent learner

http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studyskills/learning/independent.asp

Expectations of ‘rote learning’ Demonstrating independent thought

(backed-up by evidence)

Developing your Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of applying reasoned and disciplined thinking to your subject.

To do well in your studies you need to think critically about the things you have read, seen and heard.

Critical thinking is essential for high grades.

You can learn to become a critical thinker.

Developing your Critical Thinking

Take in the information

Understand the key

points and arguments

Compare similarities

and differences

between the ideas you are

taking in

Bring together the

different sources of

informationDevelop

arguments, and draw

conclusions,

Use the understanding you

have gained in assignments and

projects

Developing your Academic Writing

Academic writing is clearly defined by having a clear purpose, either an exam question to answer or a research project

to report on.  Most academic writing in English is linear.

It starts at the beginning and finishes at the end, with every part contributing to the main line of argument, without digression or repetition.

What ever kind of writing your are producing, you, the writer, is responsible for making your line of argument clear and presenting it in an orderly fashion so that the reader can follow.

Developing your Academic Writing

Understanding the QuestionIt is important to have a clear understanding of what you

are being asked to write: Analyse - Separate down into its component

parts and show how they interrelate with each other

Annotate - Put notes on (usually a diagram) Assess - Estimate the value of, looking at

both the positive and negative attributes Comment - To make critical or explanatory

notes/observations

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/library/skills/Advice/WhatQuest.pdf

Developing your Academic Writing

Academic writing is a difficult skill for all students to acquire…so…

Attend a workshop Talk with your lecturer Practice writing Write first, revise later Learn from good writers Talk about writing with other students Use your PC to improve your writing Learn from textbooks Learn new words Use new words

Developing your Academic Writing – citing and referencing

References should include the following

The author or editor Year of Publication (in round brackets) The title The edition if other than first The place of publication The publisher’s name

E.g. Kittel, C. (2005) Introduction to solid state physics. 8th ed. New York: Wiley

Developing your Academic Writing – Avoiding Plagiarism

2.2.1 It is an academic offence to present someone else’s work as being one’s own. (The University of Nottingham, Quality Manual)

It is important to understand that even though you may not mean to plagiarise, it would not be right that you are given credit for work that is not your own, even if it was done in error.

It is possible to be in violation of the university's rules on plagiarism becauseyou have been careless or inadequate in the way you have cited your sources.

To avoid the confusion of appearing to have plagiarised, it is better to make sure you have understood the conventions expected in citing thewords and work of other people.

Plagiarism Test

Good site to test your understanding

http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/plagiarism_test.html

Assessment – understanding feedback

Lecturer feedback will usually tell you,

How good the assignment was

Whether it achieved what the lecturer wanted.

What could have beenimproved

Assessment – Understanding feedback

“You have given an adequate introduction to this topic based on your reading.”

“You write in a clear, academic style, following the conventions in almost every respect”

“Your summary of the various sources is through. Ideally you would integrate these more, rather than referring to the various people one by one in each section.

Translation: The word adequate means good enough. The marker is saying that what you have written is finebut not great. The marker is also suggesting that you may not have read enough texts.

Translation: Academic style = University writing, in almost every respect = most of the time

Translation: You need to change your academic writingstyle a little and bring together summaries of sources otherwisethe assignment becomes too long winded.

General Advice

If you don’t understand – ask your tutor, lecturer, supervisor or Director of Studies

Expect to have to work hard to understand

and respond to new academic expectations

Use the on-line materials on the handout to get to grips with all aspects of your work