1. Introduction to Study Practices
Feel free to change department title for Welsh language, or add it as a collaborative work
Session 1: Learning Strategies and Learning Support
Student Learning Support & International English Centre

2. Why am I here? Degree Critical thinking Learning
Professional skills and employability
Making friends
Degree: overarching objective and final outcome of all following processes
Critical thinking: look into logical relationships and go into depth on specialist issues; challenge yourself and others to justify opinions and ideas; argue a point with rational and focused support
Learning: development of academic and personal learning strategies
Professional skills and employability: connecting your studies with future interests
Making friends: finding a balance between studies, work and life

3. Who are we and what do we offer?
Help with study skills, including academic writing, presentation skills, referencing, etc.
Free weekly seminars
UG modules – writing skills
One to one sessions with a professional writer (RLF)
One to one sessions for language support (IEC)
Online study skills materials and advice though AberSkills
Provided by Student Learning Support / International English Centre
For English, Students can take all non-modular programmes in any combination in Semester 1 and Semester 2
Confirm arrangements for Welsh
Carries credits
Blackboard Study Skills top right corner

4. Planning your studies

5. Short term planning Have a routine Fill gaps constructively
Break up study into tasks
Balance work with your social life
Add or elicit information on further issues and relevance for discussion: ”how do you manage these things?”, etc.
Consider, student societies, sports, domestic things, study tours, social obligations

6. Manage your workload Know your deadlines well in advance
Familiarise yourself with module information and assessments
Break up tasks into long, medium and short term
Allow for unexpected events and conflicting schedules (illness, social events, etc.)
Check departmental extensions policy
Knowing deadlines: are students familiar with university policy on late submission and/or extensions?
Module information guide coming in following slides, including how to predict content and assessments (from this students can also identify gaps where they need to ask questions)
What kind of tasks fall into the long, medium and short term categories: elicit ideas on essays/reports, presentations, preparing for seminars, etc. Look at marking schemes/criteria where applicable and work out how valuable a task may be and how much planning needs to go into that as a result.
Not possible to predict all future activities, even where plans are clear. 6 or more modules for an academic year. Manage overlapping submission schedules and workloads.
Make sure you read extensions policy: not granted for social or work related issues (zero tolerance on late subs, extensions for genuine circumstances, must be requested at least three days before deadline). In emergency, inside three days, talk to department and/or tutor.

7. Know your degree Study schemes http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/study-schemes/
Modules information
Past exam papers
Open university home page
Study with us (top line)  Current Students
Useful Study Info block:
Study schemes
Modules
Past exam papers

8. Study schemes and modules
Identify your study scheme
Title
Code
Module identifiers: all modules have a unique code, which is known as the module identifier, e.g.
MM10210: Marketing Principles
First two letters = degree scheme or department.
First number = year of study
Final two numbers = number of credits (mostly 20, but could also be 10, 30 or 40)

9. Identify the following for each of your modules (inc. examples)
Identifier
Type of delivery
Lectures, seminars, etc.
Type of assessment
Essays, reports, presentations, exams, dissertations, etc.
Words/length
Deadline (need to refer to module handbooks for dates) 
Supplementary assessment (what happens if you need to resit)
IP12420
Lectures/ seminars
Critical review
Essay
Article review
1,500
2,000
1,000 ?
Repeat failed assessment
MM10120
Coursework/ seminar participation
2 hr unseen exam
FM10620
10 x lecture/seminar
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
3,000
Supplementary assessments are held in late July – September, essays will have a time range; exams will have specific dates

10. Create a summary for each semester
Number of
Word count/length
Essays
Reports
Exams
Presentations
Other
Total number of assignments
Total word count (essays, reports)
Total time (exams, presentations)
Volume of Assessment recommendations form AQRO (Academic Office)
Year 1, 10 credit modules, minimum 1500 words, 20 credit modules minimum 3000 words
Year 2 & 3, 10 credit modules, minimum 2500 words, 20 credit modules minimum 5000 words
1 semester = 60 credits = 9000 words (or equivalent) minimum
1 year = 120 credits = words (or equivalent) minimum

11. Full document for “Know your degree”
Blackboard:
AberSkills Tab on top line OR
AberSkills:
Learning Strategies:
Learning strategies link goes directly to the page.

12. Wednesdays 16th Oct – 4th Dec 14:00 – 15:00: Writing and Study Skills
Free Undergraduate course in Academic Writing and Information Skills
Hugh Owen D5
Interpreting essay questions
Clarity and focus
Planning and writing introductions
Paraphrasing and citation
Quotation and citation
Essay structures: the nature of argument
Drawing conclusions and writing conclusions
Revision and exam skills
These topics may not necessarily appear in this order
Example of actual course: For more details see links in next slide

13. Courses and services for Learning Support
Student Learning Support / International English Centre
Free Undergraduate course in Academic Writing and Information Skills
Undergraduate modules
One to one writing support (RLF) or request appointment via
One to one language support or request appointment via
AberSkills: online study resources (Blackboard or web)
Update for Welsh language

14. Inclusive learning and productivity
For students with specific learning differences, such as dyslexia, or for students with long standing health conditions, contact Student Support:
Student Support
Tel:
If you start to struggle after starting studies, get in touch as some students are not aware of specific learning issues through the way things were processed at school.
Mentors, drop-ins and screening available.
Also check weekly bulletin (this from 21st September)
Surviving Student Life Drop In
The first few weeks in university can be tough, maybe it’s the first time you’ve lived away from home.  If you are finding it hard to settle in to university life, why not come along to one of our drop in sessions held at The Student Welcome Centre. 28th/30th Sept: 2-4pm / 5th Oct: 11-1pm

15. Questions Thank you for attending Any questions?
The next session will be on Good Academic Practice
Wednesday 9th October 14:00 – 15:00 and 15:00 – 16:00