Exam Tips: Exam Guides and Coping with Stress

Support from the University on exam stress and exam guides. Stress is something that we all experience. The right amount of stress helps us achieve the things we want and allows us to fulfill whatever aims we have for ourselves. If we are facing too much challenge our stress levels can rise to a point where they begin to have negative effects on our performance and on how we feel.

During exams period, it is important for you to set realistic goals as you revise – reward yourself when you meet these targets and don’t stress about an unobtainable level of perfection. If you start to feel stressed, try to challenge those negative thoughts by focusing on positives and previous successes. If you find yourself beginning to panic at any point during revision time or even during an exam, there are various relaxation techniques that will help.

A short guide is published by the Student Counselling Service at the University of Edinburgh to give you some ideas about recognising when your stress levels are too high, and help you do something about it.

• The guide can be found here:
  http://www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/StudentCounselling/SCSbooklets/SCSstressbooklet.pdf

The Student Counselling Service has also published the Step by Step Guide to Exam Success to give you some ideas about how you can get the marks you want in your exams with the minimum of stress and panic!

• A copy of the guide can be found here:
  www.docs.sasg.ed.ac.uk/StudentCounselling/SCSbooklets/Step%20by%20step
  
• The Edinburgh University Students’ Association also published a exam checklist:
  https://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/pageassets/support_and_advice/the_advice_place/contact_and_about_us/advice_guides_and_resources/Exams-checklist.pdf

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Workshop: Speed Reading – 10 May 2018

(PGT) Speed Reading

•  10 May 2017 

In order for academic reading to be effective, it needs to be a combination of efficient (in terms of speed and retention), strategic (in terms of appropriately targeted) and critical.  This short workshop will give you a number of tools to help you to read more quickly, more strategically and more critically.

The workshop (and practice afterwards) will help you to increase your speed and effectiveness of reading.  The practical exercises during the session will show you how to measure your base read speed and comprehension level and then increase your reading speed and efficiency.

We will use practical exercises and tutor-led input to help refine and improve four key areas:

• Strategy – considering your reading strategy and learning some practical ways to improve information selection and absorption

• Speed  – Techniques to increase speed of reading, and applying these with more dense and difficult material

• Criticism – Acquiring methods and questions to improve your critical reading strategies

• Consistency – Discover how to build consistent reading habits that will improve your efficiency, retention and recall.

To find out more and to book a place, please click on the following link:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

Workshop: Critical Thinking and the Art of Asking Questions – 3rd May 2018

(PGT) Critical Thinking and the Art of Asking Questions

• Thursday 3rd May 2018 @ 13:30-16:30

Jonas Salk, the scientist whose team discovered one of the first successful polio vaccines, once said: “What people think of as the moment of discovery is really the discovery of the question.”

This advanced questioning skills masterclass will teach students a new approach to enquiry and critical thinking.

The method emphasises humility, finely tuned listening, empathy, and Eastern and Western perspectives on mindfulness. The format features short video clips of interviews conducted by today’s top TV reporters and hosts in the US, UK and Canada to reinforce principles and techniques.

Throughout the session, students will work in small groups on a short exercise and a case study designed to apply what they’ve learned to research pursuits. Students will learn the Seven Deadly Sins of Asking Questions, the principles of great questions, the fundamentals of developing a research/dissertation question, and the techniques to develop a compelling question path, including leading someone into the moment of the topic and discovering and exploring “change points”.

Students will emerge from the workshop with enhanced questioning skills and a new level of critical thinking.

To find out more and to book a place, please click on the following link:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

Online Workshop: Networking For Your Project – 2 and 9 May 2018

(PGT – Online) Networking For Your Project

• Two-part workshop 4 and 9 May 2018 @ 12:00 – 13:00

Great networking takes preparation and practice. These workshops will focus on practical strategies for good networking to help you with your project and beyond!

These workshops will include:

• Designing your networking words (whether email approach or face to face)
• Planning what you want to find out from people
• Planning what you want to tell people
• Practicing networking the room
• Post network follow up
• Good practice
• Strategies to try out

 

Please note this is a two-part workshop – please sign up for both days.

To find out more and to book a place, please follow the following link:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

To check the time zone – please click the following link:

https://eu1.bbcollab.com/site/external/isoTimeZoneConverter

This session will take place via blackboard collaborate (virtual classroom). Booking is required in order to receive the workshop link and further information about how to join the session.

 

Online Workshop: Top 10 Tips for getting Published – 02 May 2018

 Top 10 Tips for Getting Published (Online)

• Wednesday 2nd  May 2018 @ 13:30-16:30

Whether we like it or not, in modern academia we are judged by how much we publish and where it is published. Thus, all academics strive to get their work accepted in the highest impact journals. However, this takes work and often requires persistence. In this online presentation, Allan Gaw, who has been an academic for over 30 years and who has published extensively, will give you his top tips for success.

After the presentation, the attendees will:

• be aware of the importance of choosing the right journal

• understand the need to follow the instructions to authors

• know how to structure an academic paper

• appreciate the peer review process

• know how to respond to, and when to challenge, a review

To find out more and to book a place, please click the following link:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

 

Workshop: Dissertations for Publication – 1 May 2018

(PGT) Dissertations for Publication

• Tuesday 1st May 2017 @ 13:30-15:30

More than a dissertation? Think about publication!

Your dissertation requires a substantial amount of time and effort from you, so how can you get more from it? One way to make your dissertation work for you is to publish it. Many dissertations represent significant additions and advancements to their field. Publishing is a way to get your work noticed and can lead to surprising opportunities. Plus, your supervisor will be pleased because they won’t have to do it!

This session will not cover: Referencing and formatting, subject or discipline specifics, proof-reading or editing.

To find out more and to book a place, please click on the following link:
http://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

Exam Tips – Past Exam Papers

Past exam papers are available for students of the University of Edinburgh and they may be used as a study aid for exam revision.

Exam Papers Online is a service hosted by the University library, to provide access for staff and students to the collected degree examination papers of the University from 1996 onwards. Students can access the Exam Papers Online on and off-campus but will be prompted for your EASE username and password.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/exam-papers

Exams diets

• Exams diets link: http://www.ed.ac.uk/student-administration/exams/exam-diets
• It is important to make sure you have the correct date, time and location of your exams. You can search this information here: http://www.scripts.sasg.ed.ac.uk/registry/examinations/

Online Workshop – Managing Your Exams: Strategies and Tips -18th April 2018

(PGT – Online) Managing Your Exams: Strategies and Tips

• Wednesday 18th April 2018@ 17:00-18:00 (UK Time)

This on-line workshop will be an hour session focusing on how to manage your exams by improving your exam technique.

The pre-course work prompts will be used within the class.  The class may cover exam preparation and participation; i.e. how to cope with stress, practising your exam technique and a review of exam strategies.

This session will take place via blackboard collaborate (virtual classroom). Booking is required in order to receive the workshop link and further information about how to join the session.

To find out more and to book a place, please click the following link:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

PGT Newsletter (April 2018)

The Institute for Academic Development PGT Newsletter (April 2018) is now live. You can download it from  http://edin.ac/16wZUnc

The newsletter provides further information about:

• What does the Institute for Academic Development (IAD) do?
• All workshops available in April 2018
• Events and courses information
• Study Skills Consultation information
• Managing Your Digital Footprint
• Resources
• Masters Blog and Twitter
• IAD Cancellation Policy

Resources

• Institute for Academic Development  – Postgraduate pages

Online Workshop: Getting started with writing your dissertation – 16th April 2018

Getting Started with Your Dissertation (online session)

• Monday 16th April 2018 @ 19:00-20:00 (GMT Time)

A dissertation is a serious investment of time and energy. It is the defining feature of a Masters so it is worth thinking about what it is you really want to do with it and what you really want to get out of it.

This online interactive session will give you strategies to start thinking about the subject and focus of your dissertation as well as practical tips for project managing it. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and raise issues.

To find out more and to book a place, please click the following link:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/courses-events/open-workshops

This session will take place via blackboard collaborate (virtual classroom). Booking is required in order to receive the workshop link and further information about how to join the session.