The Study Skills Handbook (Palgrave Study Skills)

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If you are unclear about the correct use of English, you can look at the appendix of this handbook. Alternatively, ask for help at the Study Advice Service.

Group and team activities Many modules include group and team activities in which you will work with a number of other students on a specific task. This is an important part of the learning process as it enables students to get to know each other, learn more about a particular topic, learn from each other and also develop their team working skills. The ability to work in teams is an important skill that everyone needs for working on projects and in organisations. give your work academic credibility • demonstrate how your work links into your subject area • prevent accusations of stealing other people’s ideas or words (plagiarism) Short report format This format is useful for relatively short pieces of work e.g. up to 3000 words long. and when it will be completed. Record this in your diary or wall planner. Always build in some flexibility to allow for the unexpected.How do I reference information from the Internet? The Internet is a source of two different kinds of information: firstly, it is used to distribute information that has previously been published in another source; and secondly, it is used to disseminate information that is only available on the Internet. It is very important that you take the trouble to find the proper reference for materials that have been obtained through the Internet. The first case, i.e. material that has been published elsewhere, is shown in the following two examples:

attendance at lectures and seminars • independent study • time for accessing resources and materials, for example, information The introduction should also provide a brief outline of the information and arguments that you are going to consider and why you have chosen that approach. However, be wary of being repetitive or simply providing a list of what your assignment contains and do make sure that the essay actually does contain what you say it will. Many pieces of work lose the marker’s interest within the first few sentences, so spend time making sure that your introduction is distinguished and captivating.

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Do you want an overview of the subject? • Do you want to record extremely detailed information? • Will you be sharing your notes with a friend? • Are you looking for a specific piece of information? This is important as it will affect how you make notes. There are different ways of making notes. You can Internet Economist – a tutorial on Internet information skills for economics students www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/tutorial/interneteconomist.

What if the source has no named author? Use the corporate author, if there is one – for example, BBC Newsnight, or the name of the newspaper or magazine where the article you are quoting from or citing is not signed. If the information comes from a government department and you cannot identify the individual author then give the name of the government department. If there is no corporate author given, consider whether this source is credible enough to be used in an academic assignment. Solid state physics Quantum theory Chemical bonds SCIENCE Physics Condensed Matter Física do estado sólido Mecânica quânticaMake decisions! The purpose of the meeting is normally to share information and ideas, and then to make decisions. Record these decisions. PART II: Academic skills: 6. Core Research Skills: Reading, Note-Making and Managing Information -- Armstrong, Gary and Kotler, Philip, (1999), Marketing: An Introduction, 5th edn, New Jersey, Prentice Hall. Finally, decide what the next step is. Decide who is going to do which part of the task (and keep a record). Arrange the date, time and location of the next meeting. When you think of your own situation you will need to be practical. One approach to planning your time is to start by keeping a time log for a week. This will enable you to identify exactly how you are spending your ‘spare’ time. It usually surprises students when they realise how much time they fritter away! You will then be able to identify how you can organise your time.

Conclusion The conclusion should provide a summary of the key ideas or issues, and your concluding thoughts that either answer or respond to the main question. Your conclusion should not include new ideas or evidence. Similar to the introduction, it helps if the conclusion is not repetitive but gives a reflective overview of the issues discussed and ends with a snappy sentence or two that maintains the marker’s interest to the very end. Time management is all about being in control of your life. It involves organising your time – both study and personal – into manageable sections that will allow you to complete your programme of study. It is worthwhile investing a small amount of time into thinking about time and how you prioritise and organise your study schedule. As you progress through your programme you may need to re-visit your approach to time and change the balance to take into account your changing circumstances. Report writing is a key skill that you need to develop; you are likely to be asked to write reports when you work in businesses or other organisations.

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These guides include practical activities and advice to help youdevelop the habits of effective, independent study. Making notes is a skill that will help you to manage the information content of your programme of study. Making notes is something that you will do in many different situations: lectures; seminars; tutorials; reading a book or journal; surfing the Internet; watching television or a video. It is a very important practical skill and your notes will help you to