MA and MSc:‘Culture Shock’: Transition from Under-graduate to Post-Graduate Study

This workshop will:

- Help you to understand the differences between the two levels of study

- Encourage you to consider the skills you need and how to achieve them

- Introduce key terminology for post-graduate learning- Offer tips on managing yourself as an independent learnerLouise Livesey

Academic Skills Adviser

Today’s plan

1.Mastery and higher learning

2.Glossary of terms

3.The role of tutors

4.Managing your learning

5.Skills required for post-graduate study

6.Assessment formats

1.Mastery and higher learning

You are a contributor to your specialist discipline

You will learn how to:• undertake research • write your dissertation.

What you work on could have unknown affects in the future

2.Glossary of terms

Term Definition

Action Research in employment setting

Case study In-depth with multiple data sources

Deductive Start from theory which is tested

Empirical ‘Real’ world data

Ethnography Observation from within

Grounded theory Qualitative data generates theory

Inductive Data to theory: local to general

Interpretive Interpreting reality through meaning

Mixed methods More than one method at once

Narrative Structure participants narratives

Qualitative methods Understanding using ‘soft’ data

Quantitative methods Patterns in ‘hard’ data

Scientific method Data collection and evaluation

Theoretical exploration Compare abstract theories

3.Roles of tutors

Teachers Facilitators and guides

Discussion and dialogue

Time at a premium

Tutorials: Always be punctual and attend Be prepared and have completed any tasks you

agreed to Be active and positive bringing ‘solutions not

problems’

4.Managing your learning

  9-11 11-1 2-4 4-6 7-9

Monday Paid employment

Paid employment

Lectures Independent study

Time off

Tuesday Independent study

Seminars Time off Independent study

Independent study

Wednesday Lectures Lectures Paid employment

Paid employment

Aquafit

Thursday Independent study

Lectures Independent study

Independent study

Time off

Friday Paid employment

Paid employment

Tutorial and lecture

Independent study

Time off

Saturday Shopping Independent study

Time off Time off Time off

Sunday Aquafit Chores Independent study

Time off Time off

4.Managing your learning

Events to put in your timetableTALKING POINT

5.Skills required for post-graduate studyCritical thinking involves:

• thinking carefully about what you read and why• questioning what you read • constructing your own arguments supported by a

range carefully considered viewpoints• being inquisitive and asking good questions • challenging ideas based on credible evidence• looking for gaps, and suggesting new or different

solutions• reading ‘between the lines’ and ‘below the surface’ • reflecting on and adapting your own professional

practice

5.Skills required for post-graduate study

Example:Boudicea’s red hair contributed to her fiery and defiant nature.

No causal link between the colour of Boudicea’s hair and its effect on her personality.

Research at the University of Livesey has revealed that post-graduate students who drink tend to have below average marks.

Nothing here to say when drinking takes place – does the drinking cause the poor grades or do the grades cause the drinking?

5.Skills required for post-graduate study

Examinations are a typical way of assessing what students have learnt and we are all familiar with the stress they can bring. How many of us have dreaded hearing those words ‘put your pens down’, signalling the end of the exam? If students had more time in examinations, they would finish their last questions with less hurry. This would bring them better marks. Students with disabilities can claim additional time so they have an unfair advantage during exams.

Reasons:1.If students had more time in exams, they would finish their last question with less hurry.2.If they finished in a less hurried way, they would get better marks.3.Students with disabilities can claim additional time.

Implicit assumption:Students with disabilities use additional time to complete their final question with less hurry. *Without this assumption, there is a gap in the argument.

Evidence lacking:Examples of students sitting in pain or dictating an answer to a scribe or translating in sign language are not cited or considered. It may be true that the additional time does not compensate sufficiently for some disabilities, much less confer an advantage – more evidence is needed to know whether any student would benefit unfairly from additional time.

5.Skills required for post-graduate studyActivity 3: Students Skills audit

• Read through the list below • Tick in the far right hand box if you need help in

this area

Problems or concerns?Talk to your tutor or visit Academic Skills Advice

5.Skills required for post-graduate studyReflection and reflective practice

learn from experience to understand and develop your practice

• Allocate time• Analyse the past• Identify components, causes and effects• Find where to find support

5.Skills required for post-graduate studySynthesis

something new from existing entities or concepts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2XhhuM9GZo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBLgEx6svA

5.Skills required for post-graduate studyApplying knowledge in an ‘abstract’ way

• Taking knowledge and applying it to theoretical/hypothetical situations

OR• Taking disparate knowledge and synthesising it to create a new way of looking at something

Example: A terrorist attack and its impact using a case study methodology. Show how this might explain or inform understanding ofe.g., the aftermath of a natural disaster, such as a tsunami.

Could consider: − environmental issues− the effect on people emotionally, physically and culturally− political change.

5.Skills required for post-graduate study

Skills for structured questionnaires

• Wording questions appropriately• Setting the right number of questions and layout

of questionnaire so subjects will participate• Data collection• Interpreting data results into findings,

recommendations and conclusions

Research Method Skills Required

Laboratory experiment Observation Data collection Team work Laboratory know-how Experiment design Interpretation of observation Note-taking

Focus group Communication Managing a group Time management Being able to take notes and listen simultaneously/ able to transcribe

recorded conversations

Use of statistical data Mathematical reasoning Finding, manipulating, managing, and interpreting data Possible requirement to work with text and images, as well as numbers Eye for detail

Activity 3: Research skills

5.Skills required for post-graduate study

References

Academic Exchange Journal. (2014) [online] Available at: http://rapidintellect.com/AEQweb/spurn4.htm [Accessed 4.8.2014]

Aguilera, F. (2014) Men in Black. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBLgEx6svA [Accessed 16.9.2014]

Bennett, S., and O’Neale, K. (1998) Skills Development and Practical Work in Chemistry. University Chemistry Education. Vol. 2 (No. 2) pp.58-62 [online] Available at: http://www.rsc.org/pdf/uchemed/papers/1998/22_bennett.pdf [Accessed 4.8.2014]

Cottrell, S. (2003) Skills for Success. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

Cottrell, S. (2005) Critical Thinking Skills. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

Foskett, N. and Foskett, R. (2006) Postgraduate Study in the UK. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

References

Harris, J. (2012) Data is Useless without the Skills to Analyze It. Harvard Business Review. Boston: Harvard Business Publishing. [online] Available at: http://blogs.hbr.org/2012/09/data-is-useless-without-the-skills/ [Accessed 4.8.2014]

Hyde, M. (2012) The International Student’s Guide to UK Education. Abingdon: Routledge.

The Institute for Academic Development. (2012) Critical Thinking. Edinburgh: The University of Edinburgh. [online] Available at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/institute-academic-development/postgraduate/taught/learning-resources/critical [Accessed 1.8.2014]

Lowes, R., Peters, H. and Turner, M. (2004) The International Student’s Guide. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Rushen, P. (2008) Forget Me Nots. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2XhhuM9GZo [Accessed 16.9.2014]

Science Made Simple, Inc. (2014) The Scientific Method. Voorhees: Science Made Simple, Inc. [online] Available at: http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/scientific_method.html [Accessed 4.9.2014]

Wallace, M. and Wray, A. (2011) Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Wisker, G. (2008) The Postgraduate Research Handbook. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

References

Academic Skills Advice Service

• Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23• What do we do? Support undergraduate students with

their study skills by running clinics and workshops, having bookable appointment slots, and enabling students to drop-in for Instant Advice.

• Who are we? Michael and Helen specialise in Maths Support; Lucy and Russell advise students on study skills; and I (Louise) deliver the workshops

• When can you come for help? Everyday both face to face and on-line

• How do I get in touch? Email: academic-skills@brad.ac.uk or website www.brad.ac.uk/academic-skills

Any questions?