Study in the UK

Students are often expected to work independently, studying and researching on their own for significant periods of time.

Students are expected to develop critical judgement, which means an ability to assess whether an argument is coherent and well supported by evidence.

Unlike some cultures, students are able to put forward critical arguments that differ from that of their teachers- intellectual debate is actively encouraged.

Learning large amounts of factual data is important in some subject areas, but in many cases a critical approach is considered more important.

It is not permitted to just copy down the opinions of others in your work- you must develop your own thoughts and list (reference) books and other resources that you use to do this.

However, remember you won’t be on your own in learning new ways to learn as many UK students will also be adjusting to a more independent way of learning too. Remember that the University’s Student Development and Study Skills Service is also there to help you.

You may be new to attending lectures and taking your own notes.  Use the tips below to help you and you should find that your note taking improves as you go along: 

• You don’t need to write down everything the lecturer says, concentrate on the main points and important details.
• Most lecturers use asides (stories to illustrate a point), examples and even jokes. You don’t need to write all of these down.
• Abbreviations and symbols for common words and terms can help you write faster, but use ones that you will understand later.
• If there is something you don’t understand, make a note to ask after the lecture or in a tutorial.
• Keep your notes in order in a file. Most students "write up" their notes neatly after a lecture.
• Don’t just file the notes away until your exams. Read through them regularly as this will help with revision and making sure you are well prepared to write your assignments.
• If you want to record a lecture on tape, ask the lecturer’s permission first.

You should get a reading list either in your course handbook or direct from your tutor. Reading lists often contain books or articles that are: 

• Essential, basic reading or reference material for the course.
• An overview of the subject.
• Background information.
• Useful information for a specific topic or piece of work.

Check with your tutor which books are essential for you to read.  As there will be many students who want to borrow those essential texts from the library, you may find you have to buy some of your books; in this case it may be possible to reduce the cost by: 

• Buying second hand editions (from students in later stages of the course, or from a second hand bookshop) – but make sure you buy an up-to-date version.
• Forming a group with other students on the course, each buying some of the books and sharing them.

It is important that you plan your work and use your time to effectively fulfil the course requirements. Often you will have several pieces of work due in around the same time (end of the academic term for example). In order to help you plan your study time it will help if you find out:

• What type of assignment will you have (e.g. essays, reports or presentations)?
• When writing an essay or assignment, how long in words should it be?
• Is a piece of work assessed, or is it for "practice"?
• What proportion of your marks does a piece of work or examination represent?
• How much work will you have to do, and at what stage in the course?
• Will you be working independently or in a group?

Seminars often form part of the teaching schedule in University settings.  This is where the tutor brings together small groups for active discussions where everyone is expected to contribute.  Make sure you read up on the subject before the seminar so you will be more confident in following and contributing to the discussion.