1. Getting prepared in the summer Student Services www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Get Ahead 2012 Angela Dierks

2. What advice would you give the student sitting next to you? Student Services www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck

3. Undertake a skills audit On a scale of 1(new skill)-5 (lots of practice) how confident do you feel about the following? Project planning including time management Knowledge retrieval and knowledge management Reviewing literature critically Analytical skills Evaluative thinking Creative thinking Writing: structuring and presenting papers Managing discussions www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Student Services

4. Look at the course outline Check what the skills are that you will need to complete assignments Familiarise yourself with the content of your course www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Student Services

5. Undertake a SWOT analysis of your current academic skills. Which skills do you feel more less confident of? Student Services www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck

6. Read, read, read Student Services www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Practice your critical reading skills Check your understanding Question what you read Evaluate what you are reading

7. Get your reading list Student Services www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Enthuse yourself and get a feel for the field by starting to do some reading for your course Ask your tutor which books make good introductory reading

8. Explore the library Familiarise yourself with the resources available to you –Books –Electronic databases –Ejournals –Past dissertations www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Student Services

9. Project planning including time management Start identifying free study slots throughout the week Identify tasks Learn to prioritise Talk to family members and friends now about having less time www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Student Services

10. Getting organised Set up systems for information retrieval, ie keeping lecture notes, in online or hard copy folders or on index cards www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Student Services

11. Pay attention to what keeps you motivated Dont overload; reward yourself Deal differently with set backs – from fixed to growth mind set www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck Student Services