CL350 Egyptology: Chronology and Sources 15 Credits INTRODUCTORY STUDY SKILLS

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CL350 EgyptologyChronology and Sources (15
Credits)INTRODUCTORY STUDY SKILLS

• Shaun Theobald
• Student Learning Advisor
• The Student Learning Advisory Service

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Agenda

• Icebreaker/working together
• Course Documents
• Obtaining Information
• Effective reading
• Learning from lectures
• Presenting information
• Academic writing
• Essays

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Icebreaker/working together

• Icebreaker In 2s/3s What interests you about
  this module? Why did you chose CL350? (5
  mins.)
• Working together
• Share ideas
• Share resources
• Group e-mail?
• Discussion spaces Templeman Library Eliot
  Dining Hall
• (Avoid collaboration)

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Course Documents

• Faculty Handbook for Stage 1
• Module Guide

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Effective reading

• Use reading lists selectively effectively
• Band A Essential 40-50
• Band B Important 30-25
• Band C Specialised but relevant 30-25
• Start with something basic?
• Raise preliminary questions
• Survey your texts

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Effective reading

• Read sequentially
• Skim
• Key ideas general context
• A map of the terrain
• Scan
• Read for detail brief notes
• Brief selective (not summative) notes
• Plagiarism-proof notes
• Notes template?

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Learning from lectures

• Anticipate lectures
• Set in context module aims module outline
• Prepare allocate time for this
• In a lecture sequence, briefly re-visit the
  lecture before then prepare forthcoming lecture

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Learning from lectures

• Stay active/alert during lectures!
• Listen for cues
• Introductions junctions conclusions
• Watch NVC
• Listen to tone/register
• Take efficient notes

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Learning from lectures

• Effective notes-
• Dont crowd the page
• Indents/layout
• Discrimination between major minor points
• Headings subheadings
• Abbreviations

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Learning from lectures

• Effective notes continued
• Symbols
• Colour
• Flow charts
• Concept trees
• Brain maps

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The aims of academic writing

• To demonstrate knowledge
• To demonstrate applied knowledge
• To demonstrate an understanding of theories and
  concepts
• To demonstrate an ability to apply theories and
  concepts

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The aims of academic writing

• To evaluate evidence and ideas
• To express an individual informed opinion
• To share ideas
• To develop and explain ideas
• To clarify your knowledge

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The characteristics of academic writing

• Academic writing-
• Persuades largely by argument, not emotive
  language
• Is always evidenced by sources/material
• Always allows the reader to check sources and
  references
• Is always logical
• Always makes informed judgements

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Effective essays

• Effective essays always-
• Show focus on the question
• Have a clear structure
• Contain evidence
• Evaluate the evidence, but
• Express independent evaluation
• Avoid plagiarism!

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Five stages in writing Essays

• 1. Preparing
• 2. Planning
• 3. Drafting
• 4. Editing
• Post-essay writing
• 5. Learning from the experience
• Reflect on feed-back!

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Selecting your title

• Try and enjoy your essays!
• Marks may increase if you are motivated and
  interested in the topic
• Selecting topics because they seem easy doesnt
  always increase marks
• Try and avoid repeating topics

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Analyse the question

• What is the subject?
• What are the key verb(s)?
• What are the key aspect(s)?
• Any other other significant words?
• Ask questions about the question

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Reading for an essay

• Define reading by question analysis
• Draw up a reading plan/list
• Set up a schedule
• Start with priority reading (core texts)
• Read an appropriate and sensible amount
• Read actively
• Prepare references in advance

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Avoiding plagiarism

• Give citations for everything you use
• Edit carefully, checking citations
• Understand the conventions for citations and
  references
• Harvard system http//www.lmu.ac.uk/lskills/open/s
  fl/content/harvard/index.html
• (From Academic Integrity web pages)

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Avoiding plagiarism

• Use source material carefully
• Especially when taking notes
• Always identify quotations from source material
• Think about a notes template

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Planning

• Produce an overall plan
• From this, detailed plans for each section
• Draft topic sentences in advance?
• See Paragraphing (II)
• Put topic sentences in bold on your screen?

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Paragraphing (I)

• Paragraphs structure thoughts and help the reader
  
• Each paragraph should contain these elements
• The topic introduced, defined and developed
• Supporting evidence
• Evaluation of supporting evidence
• Concluding point linking to next paragraph

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Paragraphing (II)

• For every paragraph, ask
• Is there one main idea here?Topic sentence
• Is it explained clearly?Supporting sentences

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Paragraphing (II)

• Is it properly supported with evidence?Evidence
• Have I commented on the evidence?Evaluation
• Does it link with the previous paragraph and
  anticipate the next?Links

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A paragraph structuremnemonic

• S Supporting sentences
• T Topic sentence
• E Evidence
• E Evaluation
• L Links

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Sign-posting

• Sign-posting words, phrases and paragraphs
• Explain what you are about to discuss
• Connect what you have said with what you are
  going to say
• Help your reader to follow the structure of your
  argument
• Show your reader what you are going to do and why

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What are sign-posts?

• Examples
• Words -
• however
• but
• Similarly
• Phrases -
• Lets consider some examples.
• This idea suggests that .
• Having examined x, this paper will consider .
• An alternative view is .
• This paper will briefly outline . and then
  consider

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Introductions

• State clearly
• How you are going to answer the question
• What you are going to cover scope
• Address the question, the key idea
• Define key terms

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Introductions

• Define evidence and methodology
• It may help to write the introduction last
• It should be c10 of the word count

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Conclusions

• Pull the essay together
• Show where you stand in the debate (judgement)
• Draw conclusions or extract general principles
  (factual)
• May indicate an area for further study
• Link back to the question / essay title
• c10 of the word count

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Successful editing

• Leave a gap between writing your first draft and
  your final draft
• Re-check department style sheets
• Be systematic
• Dont try to edit too much at once

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Successful editing

• Divide editing into different layers
• Citations
• Sentence structure
• Paragraphs
• Spelling
• Print out text edit manually

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Advice and guidance on study skills?

• www.kent.ac.uk/learning/uelt
• Good luck for CL350, and for all your studies!