study orientation for international postgraduate taught students

Study Orientation for International Postgraduate Taught Students

Sue RigbyAssistant Principal

University of Edinburgh

Welcome to the University and to this Orientation day

Introduction contentMore welcomes

People running the programmeContext

The ChallengePlan for session

Who we are

Tony Lynch Language specialist

Jon Turner Institute for Academic Development

Sandra Morris Deputy Head, International Office

Johanna Holtran

Edinburgh University Students Association

Time Presentation Presenter

2.05 Welcome and Introduction Dr Sue Rigby

2.15 Active Learning Professor Tony Lynch

2.40 Time Management Dr Jon Turner

2.55 Writing and reading Effectively Professor Tony Lynch

3.20 Assessment and Feedback Dr Sue Rigby

3.50 Understanding Locals Professor Tony Lynch

4.15 Help, Advice and resources Johanna Holtan and Kim Pearson

4.30 Getting Out There! Sandra Morris

4.40 Questions All participants

4.50 Close Sue Rigby

5.00 Reception at Appleton Tower Foyer All participants

Programme context:Scotland and Edinburgh

“Edinburgh isn’t so much a city, more a way of life ... I doubt I’ll ever tire of exploring Edinburgh, on foot or in print.”

Ian Rankin, bestselling crime writer andalumnus of the University of Edinburgh

Voted Best place to live in the UK YouGov Poll of 10,000 UK residents, 2009

Top 10 best City in the World Voted by Wanderlust readers, 2008

Programme context:Edinburgh University

We are consistently ranked one of the top 50 universities in the world* * THES – QS Ranking

96% of our disciplines have research that is world leading*

* 2008 UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise

Sharing our Global Vision withChina.France.Germany.Australia.Switzerland.Norway.India.Belgium.Mexico.America.Africa.Japan.Austria.Fiji.Pakistan.

We are also part of the Russell Group which represents 20 of UK’s leading Universities.

It is similar to US’s Ivy League group of Universities and Australia’s Group of Eight.

Influencing the world since 1583

Our role in shaping the modern world

“One scientific epoch ended and another began with James Clerk Maxwell … the special theory of relativity owes its origins to Maxwell’s equations of the electromagnetic field.”

Albert Einstein, physicist and philosopher

Masters study in Edinburgh

Short timescaleHigh expectationsHigh aspirationsLarge investment

Lots to do, not just work

-How to succeed and make the most of your studies?

Your blueprint for success – assessment and feedback

Your expectations

Vocational or research masters?

Costly – should have value to you in future

Should give you specific and generic skills

PTES highlights challenges – confidence in new settings, transkills, career support – we

are working on these, so must you…..

Your School

Provides teaching, but you may also take courses from other Schools or Colleges

Provides advice and administrative support for your Programme

Sets and marks your examsThrough the Board of Examiners ratifies your

degree award

The academic year 2010/11Dates Events

19 September – 2 December

Teaching

5-21 December Revision and exams

Vacation

16 January – 6 April Teaching (ILW)

23 April – 25 May (Exams), first BOE

28 May – Dissertations

September Final Boards of Examiners

Taught component of masters

Two taught semestersMost courses assessed by course work and

examMust pass first time, you should check

your local progression rules to see if you can continue with the Masters if you

fail any elements of a course.

Common marking schemeMark What it means

> 70 % Excellent, really good work

60-69% A high level of achievement

50-59% Competent but not exceptional

40-49% A pass but not at Masters level – diploma standard

< 40% Fail

Feedback

How to do better next time – must be timely and forward looking

Comes from Programme Director,Lecturers, DemonstratorsMake sure they do this!

Can come from Peers

Audit yourself – how to do this….

Dissertation

Research dissertation over the SummerPrepare for this early

Talk to staff, use personal contactsMake sure you get on with your Supervisor

Make sure you are clear about what is required from you

Nag, bully, be persistent in getting the help you may need

Where next?

ACTIVE LEARNING

Tony LynchEnglish Language Teaching Centre

Expectations of PGs

LECTURES

What are lectures for?

• One local view:

“I don’t want just to hear my voice. What I really want is to hear students who are willing to question and challenge me, and take the debate forward”.

• An alternative view:

• “Being quiet in class, listening carefully and taking precise notes are regarded as traits of a good student”

Decisions in note-making

• What the lecturer has said

• What it means

• Whether it’s important enough to go into your notes

• How to note it down efficiently

Is a point important?

A critical attitude:

- Analysing

- Evaluating

- Applying if relevant

Lecturing styles

• Reading (more formal language)

• Conversational (more informal)

• Multi-modal (speech, writing, image, and body language - SWIBL)

Active = Interactive

• Interaction inside your head: KELKNOWLEDGE EXPERIENCE LECTURER’S WORDS

• Interaction with other peopleLECTURER STUDENTS

Lecturers’ language

• Markers of importance

• Markers of topic change

DIGRESSION and RETURN

• Markers of summary / conclusion

• But relatively informal speech

(so conversation practice helps)

Markers of importance

• Central / key / core / vital

• Stress / underline / highlight

• What this boils down to is…

• The crux of the matter is…

• The $64,000 question is…

Markers of topic change

• Having looked at X, let’s turn to Y

• I’d like now to move on to …

• Incidentally / By the way / While I think of it… = DIGRESSION

• Anyway … / As I was saying …

= RETURN

Markers of summary / conclusion

• To sum up / In conclusion

• What does all this mean?

• At the end of the day…

• For my money…

• In a nutshell…

SEMINARS

What are they for?

The local view:

• Exploration

• Exchange

• Participation

An alternative view:

“We just talk”

What can go wrong?

• “It was a disaster. They hadn’t done the reading. Nobody wanted to say anything, so I thought we might as well finish early”

Stages in participation

• Understanding

• Processing

• Forming a response to the speaker’s point

• Producing that response

• Listening to the next speaker

• (Understanding, etc.)

Sources of difficulty

• Not understanding the previous speaker(s)

• Not having anything to say

• Having something to say, but not working out your response in time

Improving your understanding

• Listen to a range of accents

• Listen to discussions

• Listen in on others’ conversations

Improving your speaking

• For fluency - talk (to yourself, if necessary) in English

• For conciseness : the 4-3-2 technique

Asking questions

“Any questions?”

• Complex relationship

• Threat to ‘face’: - for the person asking

- for the person asked

Intercultural differences

An Indonesian example

TL: Any questions?

S: No questions.

TL: What about the others?

S: They have no questions, either.

TL: How do you know they don’t have any questions?

S: Because...

... you are a good teacher.

Replies to requests

• I’ll see what I can do

• I’ll do my best

• I’ll do what I can

• You’re not asking much, are you?

• Send me an email

Ask…

… the right question

… of the relevant person

… at the appropriate time

Time Management

What will be the two biggest time management challenges

that you face this year?

Please write them down

General advice• Understand yourself:

– How and when do you work best?– What are your bad habits?– Rewards and targets

• Maintain a healthy work/life balance:– Stay healthy– Don’t get over-tired– Pace yourself

On-course

• Managing your workload: Be prepared

• Quality of work: Compromise

• Task prioritisation: Assignments

• Using feedback

• You and your co-students are a brilliant resource for one another

Dissertation Projects: planning & management

• Have a plan! : the process is significantly aided by clear project design

• Research problemspecific questionsmethods and implementation

• Accept the need for flexibility• Set intermediate targets and short term goals

& deadlines• Discuss with supervisor(s)

Write down two examples of effective time management that

you will try to follow this year

www.ed.ac.uk/iad/postgraduates

Reading and Writing Reading and Writing EffectivelyEffectively

Tony LynchTony LynchEnglish Language Teaching CentreEnglish Language Teaching Centre

Reading effectivelyReading effectively

EconomicallyEconomically

StrategicallyStrategically

SelectivelySelectively

Everyone’s problemsEveryone’s problems

size of reading listssize of reading lists

making time to do the readingmaking time to do the reading

StrategiesStrategies

Look for clues on prioritiesLook for clues on priorities Decide your own prioritiesDecide your own priorities

Structure your readingStructure your reading

SQRRR (SQ3R)SQRRR (SQ3R)

SQRRRSQRRR

Survey (sample, skim)Survey (sample, skim) QuestionQuestion ReadRead RecallRecall ReviewReview

Advice on effective readingAdvice on effective reading

www.uefap.comwww.uefap.com

→→ Links Links

→ → Skills Skills

→ → Reading Reading

→ → Effective readingEffective reading

Writing EffectivelyWriting Effectively

Key elements in academic writing:Key elements in academic writing:

APPROPRIACY (STYLE)APPROPRIACY (STYLE)

ACCURACYACCURACY

CARE with REFERENCESCARE with REFERENCES

AppropriacyAppropriacy

‘‘Style’ = vocabulary > grammarStyle’ = vocabulary > grammar Use your reading to extend your Use your reading to extend your

stock of words and expressionsstock of words and expressions Make a note of those you find usefulMake a note of those you find useful Use them in your draftUse them in your draft If in doubt, If in doubt, googlegoogle for them for them

AccuracyAccuracy

Importance of writing “cycles”:Importance of writing “cycles”:

Rough planRough plan

Reading and note-makingReading and note-making

OutlineOutline

First draftFirst draft

RevisionRevision

Second draft etc…Second draft etc…

RevisionRevision

““The difference between successful The difference between successful and unsuccessful writers is that the and unsuccessful writers is that the successful ones successful ones revise more oftenrevise more often”.”.

Final revisionFinal revisionEditingEditing

SpellcheckingSpellchecking

ProofreadingProofreading

Acknowledging your sourcesAcknowledging your sources

The five Cs:The five Cs:

CareCare

ConsistencyConsistency

CompletenessCompleteness

CorrectnessCorrectness

eConomyeConomy

CareCare

If you note down all the details of your If you note down all the details of your sources when you do your reading, sources when you do your reading, this takes care of itself.this takes care of itself.

It also means you save time when you It also means you save time when you are finalising your essay.are finalising your essay.

ConsistencyConsistency

Ask your Programme Director if there Ask your Programme Director if there is a programme ‘stylesheet’ for the is a programme ‘stylesheet’ for the presentation of References.presentation of References.

If not, analyse and follow the system If not, analyse and follow the system used in one of the journals you are used in one of the journals you are recommended to read.recommended to read.

CompletenessCompleteness

ALL the sourcesALL the sources you have used you have used

ALL the details required ALL the details required for the types for the types of source you are using: of source you are using:

bookbook

journal articlejournal article

chapter in an edited collection, etc.chapter in an edited collection, etc.

CorrectnessCorrectness

Make sure you get right:Make sure you get right:

Spelling of Spelling of authors’ names authors’ names andand technical terms technical terms in your fieldin your field

SurnameSurname versus first name versus first name Order of presentation Order of presentation in yourin your

References (alphabetical order, References (alphabetical order, chronological order, etc.) chronological order, etc.)

eConomyeConomy

BrownBrown,, G. G. ((20092009) “) “The value of the The value of the semi-colon in academic writingsemi-colon in academic writing””. . Journal of PedantryJournal of Pedantry, volume, volume 56, 56, issueissue 33, pages, pages 200-214.200-214.

Brown G. 2009. The value of the semi-Brown G. 2009. The value of the semi-colon in academic writing. colon in academic writing. Journal of Journal of PedantryPedantry 56/3: 200-214. 56/3: 200-214.

Guidance on academic writingGuidance on academic writing

www.uefap.comwww.uefap.com

→→ Links Links

→ → Skills Skills

→ → WritingWriting

Your blueprint for success – assessment and feedback

Your expectations

Vocational or research masters?

Costly – should have value to you in future

Should give you specific and generic skills

PTES highlights challenges – confidence in new settings, transkills, career support – we

are working on these, so must you…..

Your School

Provides teaching, but you may also take courses from other Schools or Colleges

Provides advice and administrative support for your Programme

Sets and marks your examsThrough the Board of Examiners ratifies your

degree award

The academic year 2010/11Dates Events

19 September – 2 December

Teaching

5-21 December Revision and exams

Vacation

16 January – 6 April Teaching (ILW)

23 April – 25 May (Exams), first BOE

28 May – Dissertations

September Final Boards of Examiners

Taught component of masters

Two taught semestersMost courses assessed by course work and

examMust pass first time, you should check

your local progression rules to see if you can continue with the Masters if you

fail any elements of a course.

Common marking schemeMark What it means

> 70 % Excellent, really good work

60-69% A high level of achievement

50-59% Competent but not exceptional

40-49% A pass but not at Masters level – diploma standard

< 40% Fail

Feedback

How to do better next time – must be timely and forward looking

Comes from Programme Director,Lecturers, DemonstratorsMake sure they do this!

Can come from Peers

Audit yourself – how to do this….

Dissertation

Research dissertation over the SummerPrepare for this early

Talk to staff, use personal contactsMake sure you get on with your Supervisor

Make sure you are clear about what is required from you

Nag, bully, be persistent in getting the help you may need

Where next?

UNDERSTANDING LOCALS and UNDERSTANDING LOCALS and MAKING YOURSELF MAKING YOURSELF

UNDERSTOODUNDERSTOOD

Tony LynchTony Lynch

English Language Teaching English Language Teaching CentreCentre

(Video clip)

ComprehensionComprehension

isis activeactive

exploits linguistic exploits linguistic inputinput, , contextcontext, and the , and the listener’s listener’s background knowledgebackground knowledge

involves looking for involves looking for reasonable reasonable interpretationsinterpretations of input of input

Extract from a radio Extract from a radio interviewinterview

sex bender six bender sick spender suspender sex spender

Six-bender?Six-bender?

Ballyregan Bob

Input: British accentsInput: British accents

(1955)(1955)

What ear jar ye?What ear jar ye?

High yoldar ye? High yoldar ye?

Aim sevenAim seven

AccentsAccents

There is no Scottish accentThere is no Scottish accent

There are There are lotslots of Scottish accents! of Scottish accents!

Main ones are: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Main ones are: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Borders, Galloway, Dundee, Aberdeen, Borders, Galloway, Dundee, Aberdeen, Highland, Western Isles, Orkney, and Highland, Western Isles, Orkney, and Shetland Shetland

Good news Good news about Scottish accentsabout Scottish accents

partpart pathpath

S England S England /p/pααt/t/ /p/pααФФ/ / N EnglandN England /pat//pat/ /pæ/pæФФ//

ScotlandScotland /pa/paRRt/t/ /pæ/pæФФ//

Practical tipsPractical tips

Listen to Listen to Radio Scotland news:Radio Scotland news:

1.1. Newsreader (written English, slight accent)Newsreader (written English, slight accent)

2.2. Reporters (spoken from notes, stronger Reporters (spoken from notes, stronger accent)accent)

3.3. Interviewees (spontaneous, Interviewees (spontaneous, accent/dialectaccent/dialect))

Dialect wordsDialect words

Listen out for:Listen out for: -nae-nae instead of instead of –n’t (“cannae”, “didnae”)–n’t (“cannae”, “didnae”) ““wee” wee” forfor small small ““stay” stay” forfor live (“where do you stay?”) live (“where do you stay?”) ““will” will” forfor shall shall ““that’s me” that’s me” == I’ve finished I’ve finished

Tips for speaking Tips for speaking practicepractice

TANDEM (EUSA)TANDEM (EUSA)

Talk to shop assistants, lab technicians, Talk to shop assistants, lab technicians, servitors servitors

Listen out for feedback from people Listen out for feedback from people listening to youlistening to you

PROFILE PROFILE (book)(book)

Principles, Resources and Options for the Principles, Resources and Options for the Independent Learner of EnglishIndependent Learner of English

Kenneth Anderson & Tony LynchKenneth Anderson & Tony Lynch

Available for £5 from: Available for £5 from:

English Language Teaching CentreEnglish Language Teaching Centre

21 Hill Place21 Hill Place

That’s meThat’s me


Help

Advice

and

Resources

Kim Pearson and Johanna Holtan


Ongoing visa and immigration advice and services with trained advisors

Police registration


Information Events

Working after Studies

Preparing to go home


University Sources of Help

Careers Service

Counselling Service

Student Disability Service

University Health Centre


Other Resources

Online Study Skills Support at the IAD - http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development

Also: courses offered by

English Language Teaching Centre

Institute for Academic Development

EUSA

Edinburgh University Students’ Association

The Advice Place


Best resource?

University staff and other Students…………..


16th September 2011

Sandra Morris, International Office

Johanna Holtan, EUSA


Student Life

Freshers’ Week

Clubs and Societies

Sports Facilities

Volunteering

Events Programme

Go Global

PG Representation

Tandem Language Exchange


The International Student Centre (ISC)

The ISC is run by students for students.

Trips

Social events

Coffee evenings

Pub Nights

Facebook: “International Student Centre Edinburgh”

Web:www.isced.blogspot.com


The International Student Centre (ISC)

Friday 16th September @ 13.00 and 16.00Historical Tour of EdinburghMeet outside Teviot Debating Hall

Saturday 17th SeptemberAll day – trip to St AndrewsTickets: £8.00


Some examples of events last year

Trip to StirlingTrip to Culzean CastleTrip to LindisfarneTrip to Bamburgh CastleTrip to Loch KatrineTrip to Whisky Distillery

Web:www.isced.blogspot.com


The University’s Hospitality Scheme

All new international and EU students can apply.

Hosts include staff of the university, alumni, friends of the university, students.

Applications for the Hospitality Scheme for 2011 academic year will open shortly.


Some useful websites and places to gotheOracle.co.uk

( Google “free things to do in Edinburgh”)

Edinburgh.Gumtree.com

For furniture, electrical items, accommodation

Charity Shops

For clothes

5 Things you MUST do while you are in Edinburgh!!!

You must climb Arthur’s Seat

You must attend at least one ceilidh

You must eat haggis (at least once!)

You must visit a castle

You must visit another part of Scotland

(for instance catch a train to North Berwick)



All good people agree, And all good people say,All nice people, like us, are WeAnd everyone else is They:But if you cross over the sea,Instead of over the way,You may end by looking on WeAs only a sort of They!

From We and They“, Rudyard Kipling


Enjoy your Studies! Enjoy Edinburgh!

study orientation for international postgraduate taught students

Documents

success assessment

study orientation

research masters

uk residents

australias group

russell group

best city

edinburgh universitywe