Students said…

Sarah on reading and taking notes If you get into good habits of reading and taking notes this develops your interest in the subject and enables you to contribute in discussions which also builds your confidence. It also improves your vocabulary and your writing skills. [download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Pamela on reading critically Don’t just accept what someone says in an article, or journal, or book. Remember it is only their opinion and they may be biased. It depends on what it is they are trying to tell you and it depends what they are asking you to believe or accept. So don’t be afraid to have an opinion. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Scott on developing effective reading skills I found reading at the start of my course to be very difficult, as there was so much material. The best way I found to find relevant material was to look at an article and look at the abstract and conclusion. If it was relevant to me I'd keep it and if not I'd discard it. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Niki on skimming and scanning When I'm reading for essays I find it much easier and faster to skim the pages to find relevant information, rather than reading the whole book. Using the index to find what you want is also very effective. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Claire on effective reading Your lecturer might give you a list of like four or five books to buy - but it could be a good idea to ask your lecturer which one or two books are the most essential for you and maybe even ask which chapters would be useful, as you can be easily overwhelmed by a list of loads of books, when in fact you might just be wasting time with irrelevant information. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Pamela on critical reading and writing When you read be critical.  That doesn't mean the same as criticise. It's not negative, it's just being more inquisitive, so you can gain more depth and more insight into what it is you are reading.  This can be reflected in your critical writing, which should show that you truly have a grasp of the subject or topic you're discussing. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Michael on developing note making skills It's hard to take notes down as quickly as people talk. Try to be accurate and remember, when you go back to read your notes, you have to understand what you have written. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Emily on developing note making skills Note-making is one of the many skills you develop at University. The most important thing is that it makes sense to you and as long as you can understand the main points in your notes, that's all that matters. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Sarah on different ways of note making Obviously in lectures you need to take notes, but a lot of lecturers now give out handouts, so quite often I just annotate, write things at the side. Sometimes lecturers put their notes on the website, and what I would do then is write down the number of each slide or whatever that's being shown and take extra notes, then print it out at a later date and add those notes in, rather than trying to scribble everything down, so you can also listen to what's going on. Some people like using a Dictaphone and writing up their notes later. They just like taking things in and listening to the lecturer. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Roberta on note making Personally, I find it helpful to print off lecture notes and read them before the lectures if you have the time, so that when the lecture is going on, you can go along with the lecturer, and make your own notes and comments by the side. That way, if he's giving examples, it's easy for you to explain in your notes, so when you come to revising you're not just looking at bullet points. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Sarah on using photocopies for notes When you are taking notes for general studying, you can either take notes directly from the journal, or the books that you're using, or I quite enjoy taking photocopies of the texts. It can be an expensive way of doing it, but then you can highlight different sections, and write ideas at the side as well. I find that very useful. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Sarah on developing a shorthand for notes I find that over time you can try and develop a shorthand for key words, terminology, concepts, which speeds up your note-taking. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Deborah on using mindmaps for time management I often start with a mindmap to see how the syllabus fits together and from there I can break it down into manageable chunks. It actually helps to focus you on an area at any one time. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

John on mindmapping for note making and revision I use mind-mapping all the time to help with note-taking and to help with exam revision.  I use very rough mind maps for note-taking, then condense them down for exam revision.  I use different colours and shapes to help me remember. [download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Ria on keeping up when note making Most lecturers do expect you to keep up when making notes, but if you can't, ask. They will get notes to you beforehand or post them to WebCT for general access. To make revision easier, use colour in the notes to highlight key words and phrases. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Lynda on information skills The library is a great resource for finding information; also using MyAthens for journals, and even Google. Remember that anyone can make a website, and that not all the information is credible. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Roberta on finding information For most of my modules, I need information and resources that are not available in books, but I can get them from other Universities, or from professional bodies through the Athens website. I also have access to Emerald and lots more. Edinburgh Napier University gives me access to lots of information databases. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Pamela on the importance of critical thinking Why is critical thinking important? Well, it's important because it helps you to develop your thoughts and ideas, as well as your ability to question what you are being told, rather than just accepting it because someone says so.  [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Pamela on developing a critical argument Keep looking at the question and ask yourself: What is it this person trying to say? What is it they want me to believe or accept, and why? Is it based on fact? [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Carey on referencing It's really important to familiarise yourself with the Harvard reference system. Get this right from the start. Compile your bibliography as you go so you don't lose any of your references and remember that you can copy and paste journal articles, titles and websites straight onto your reference list. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]

 

 

 

Lynda on referencing Referencing can be hard at first, but with practice it becomes easier.  Be guided by NULIS online guides and faculty versions and also speak to your tutors for help. [ download MP3 ] [ back ]