ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS Supporting Access, Fostering Success - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS Supporting Access, Fostering Success VUReady 2 PROGRAM

NAME

Department of Academic Support and Development

Congratulations!

You’ve made it to University. You’re smart. You’re motivated. But is this enough?

Success at Uni

• Uni is different
• New skills are required
• It’s supposed to be challenging!
• Seek help early

VUReady2: 2015 program

• Independent learning
• Lectures & tutorials
• Reading & research
• Assessment:

– Essays / reports – Academic language – Referencing – Exams

INDEPENDENT LEARNING

Discuss

• How will Uni differ from previous study?
• What are your lecturers’/tutors’ roles?
• What are your responsibilities as a student?

Independent learning

Academic expectations: Time management

Independent learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= QmuK508gsyI

Strategies for time and task management

• Prioritise your study
• Prepare for classes
• Practice the reading strategies we’ll discuss soon
• Create a study planner

Independent learning

Tips for time and task management

• Complete small tasks straight away
• Break difficult or 'boring' work into sections.
• Never try writing an assignment in one go.
• Write through 'writer's block.’
• If you find yourself overwhelmed or losing

direction, stop and think about why you’re at uni.

• Remembering your goals can put everything into

perspective.

Independent learning

Study goals

Independent learning

I am doing this course because…

…in the future I want to… This semester I will…

Help from peers…

Independent learning

University services…

Independent learning

Book online or Call 9919 4744

Independent learning

VU YouTube Channel

• https://www.youtube.com/user/snapvu/feat

ured

Independent learning

Help yourself!

A binge worker? A snack worker? Are you…

(Murray, 2006)

What are the benefits? disadvantages? A procrastinator? A perfectionist?

Independent learning

Einstein says…

Once we accept

• ur limits, we go

beyond them

Independent learning http://einstein.biz/quotes.php

Independent learning

 Take responsibility for your own learning  Plan for study time  Do the reading, prepare for classes.  Participate in tutorials  Reflect on your learning  Set goals  Seek help, if necessary Practice BEFORE DURING AFTER study strategies

Independent learning

LECTURES & TUTORIALS

Lectures

What happens in lectures?

Lectures & tutorials

• Lecturers talk and

show slides or other info

• Students listen &

take notes

Ways to prepare for lectures

• Look at the unit guide
• Do the reading
• Lecture slides are gold!!

Lectures & tutorials

Note taking: Cornell notes

Lectures & tutorials

BEFORE

Note taking: Cornell notes

Lectures & tutorials

DURING

Note taking: Cornell notes

Lectures & tutorials

AFTER AFTER

Einstein says

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough

Lectures & tutorials http://einstein.biz/quotes.php

Lecture FAQs

• Do I need to prepare for lectures? YES!!
• Do I have to attend every lecture? YES!!!
• Even if the notes are online? YES!!!!

Lectures & tutorials

Lectures

Listen! Take notes If lecturer’s notes are published

• nline,

Use them!!! Use Before During After strategies

Lectures & tutorials

Tutorials workshops labs seminars…

• What are tutorials?
• What am I expected to do?
• What does the tutor do?

Lectures & tutorials

Tutorials workshops labs seminars…

Lectures & tutorials

Your participation is important. When asking questions help your tutors to help you:

• Be on topic
• Refer to the readings
• Be as specific as you can

Tutorials workshops labs seminars…

• Come prepared!
• Do the reading
• Participate in

activities

• Ask questions
• Start a coffee club

Lectures & tutorials

READING & RESEARCH

Einstein says

I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. The

important thing is to never stop questioning.

Reading & research http://einstein.biz/quotes.php

Reading at university

BEFORE DURING AFTER

• Scan
• Skim
• Read for gist
• Write what you know

about the topic already

• Highlight
• Note the reference
• Make notes
• Sticky notes, margins
• Question
• Paraphrase
• Discuss
• Explain
• Summarise
• Sum up
• Concept map
• Link

Reading & research

Reading at university

Reading & research

Image:Malya<http://nightclubsecurityconsulting.wordpress.com/category/paperwork/>

Critical reading

• Reading involves considering other people’s ideas
• Most academic writing begins with a claim or thesis that

the writer will try to convince you of

• The claim and the reasoning used to support it is called an
• argument. A good writer will make their argument clear

and provide valid academic evidence

• But, not all academics are good writers and not all claims

are easy to understand

• Sometimes you’ll need more background knowledge, or

more technical terms

• Sometimes the writing will sound very authoritative or

persuasive, but on examination the evidence isn’t convincing

Reading & research

Challenge your readings!

• You must evaluate an author’s argument

based on their evidence and analysis

• You must always question your readings

Reading & research

Critical reading

The value of a college education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks

Reading & research http://einstein.biz/quotes.php

Academic validity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPwZLV1gc Rw

Reading & research

Rate the academic credibility of these sources

1 = very credible…………………5 = not very credible

Adapted from University of South Australia

• The Age article on global business
• The Herald Sun article on cancer research
• A chapter from a published book (Knox, B. 2005,

Globalisation, Oxford University Press, Oxford)

• An article in Policy Studies (a refereed journal)
• Oxford University website
• A Current Affair story on government corruption
• An Australian Government report on indigenous

health

“Original thought”

• Your assignments should present your point of

view and not simply restate your readings.

• But, your point of view must be based on valid

academic evidence – not just your opinion.

Reading & research

ASSESSMENT

Assessment

• Essays
• Reports
• Exams
• Presentations
• Other…

Assessment

Text types- Different writing for different purposes

• DISCIPLINES sciences, law, education, arts
• FORMATS

reports, essays, literature reviews

• KEY WORDS discuss, compare, reflect, analyse
• CONVENTIONS referencing, voice, vocabulary

Assessment

Different language for different purposes

According to Piaget (1958, p. 34), your behaviour can be classified as a classic case of passive aggression. Passive aggression is a phenomenon whereby …

Assessment

What if you’re not sure of the requirements?

• How am I being asked to do this assignment ?

(format, directive, style, word limit)

• What am I being asked to write about?

Assessment

Firstly, Don’t panic! Assignments are supposed to be challenging Break the assignment down into ‘the How & the What’

What if the question is hard or difficult to understand? The How…

• Argue how we should move forward with

reconciliation between Indigenous and non- Indigenous Australians

• Discuss how we should move forward with

reconciliation between Indigenous and non- Indigenous Australians

Assessment

“Argue how we should move forward with reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians ?”

Assessment

The What…

• Break the question down, define terms, define limits

What if the question is hard or difficult to understand?

Break the question down– HOW and WHAT Include what you already know Look for gaps List what you need to find out (new knowledge or evidence for your point of view) Get researching! If you are still unsure…Get help!

Assessment

Academic writing: common features

Assessment Topic sentence Paraphrase Referencing

General features of academic writing

Formal language

• Uses discipline-specific vocabulary (‘literacy levels’ vs ‘read well’)
• Avoids colloquialisms (arvo) and Clichés (‘in this day and age’)
• Avoids contractions (can’t, won’t)
• Avoids sarcasm (anyone with any intelligence would know…)

Objective style

• Makes claims based on evidence/research
• Avoids generalizations
• Persuasion happens through logical arguments

Precise and clear

• Avoids vague words
• Avoids wordiness
• Refers to specific information + uses referencing or citations

Assessment

What is it with all this referencing?

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHAAchfx

JYo

Assessment

You do not need to reference

• ‘Common knowledge’

– Undisputed facts, dates... In general, information that could be obtained from an encyclopaedia or dictionary

• Your own work, unless it has been published.

Note: Common knowledge does not include

• Statistics
• Tables and graphs
• Images

Assessment

Einstein says

The wonderful things you learn in schools are the work of many generations, produced by enthusiastic effort and infinite labour in every country of the

• world. All this is put into

your hands as your inheritance…

Assessment http://einstein.biz/quotes.php

Referencing

Assessment

Referencing: in-text & list*

Assessment

How to have a good assignment

Read the question carefully Be clear about your purpose & develop a research plan Be clear about the point you are arguing, develop an essay/report plan. Remember! There is no ‘Truth’, only considered arguments supported by quality evidence (with references) based on your reading and research

Assessment

The writing process

Adapted from http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/essay/1b.html

Assessment

Writing

Before During After

Read Think Form questions Brainstorm Mapping Research plan Take notes Summarise Paraphrase Essay plan Write! Rewrite Edit Proofread

Assessment

Essay structure

• Intro

describes what you are about to tell them

• Body

defines your main arguments

• Conclusion

summarises your arguments

Body paragraphs = one main idea per paragraph

• T

Topic sentence

• E

Evidence

• E

Examples/Explanation

• L

Link to main argument/Logical step to next para

Assessment

Report structure

• Introduction – background, rationale, other research
• Methods – steps taken, tools used
• Results – what you discovered, likely accuracy
• Discussion – implications of findings, effectiveness of

method

• Conclusion – summary, suggestions for further research

Assessment

Assignments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNH3IGI_kG Y

Assessment

Success with assessment

 Prepare for lectures and tutorials  Ask questions in tutorials  Plan your work & organise your time appropriately  Always write down the source of your notes and cite references using a Referencing Guide on the library website  Talk to other students about the topic  Critique what is read, don’t just accept it as ‘Truth’  If you require help, book online for 1:1 consultation with Academic Support

• r call 9919 4744

Assessment

Exams

Assessment

Cramming? Getting organised? Nerves? Remembering detail? Understanding the question? Writing under pressure? What would you do differently?

Exams- now is the time for good resolutions!

• Steady study throughout

semester

• Revise regularly
• Try doing a past exam

paper

• Life balance during exams is

extremely important

• Read exam questions

carefully & don’t panic but attempt to answer all questions, as required!

Assessment

Contact the Student Learning Unit on

9919 4744

and have a great degree!

Academic Support and Development