Independent Learning

In-class learning, lectures, tutorials or labs, only amounts to part of the learning that you will do at university. You will need to do lots more independent study including note taking, reading, completing assessments and preparing for exams.  

Independent study can include:

• Any tasks and reading ahead of your next class or lecture 
• Reviewing what you have heard in lectures and making sure that you have clear notes 
• Working on individual or group assignments outside of class times

What to expect

Your first academic challenge will likely be your first assignment. You may have expectations about your abilities and what grade you will likely achieve. It is likely that you won't achieve what you expect and this may cause you to doubt your abilities and understanding. This is a normal part of the learning process and an opportunity for growth and development.

Being proactive soon after a possible disappointment is important to ensure that you are actively tackling any issues and not letting them build up into something that becomes harder to fix. You will always be supported to reach your potential but you also need to reach out for that support too.

Academic Support

Communication

You will also be expected to participate and engage in the materials that are being shared. This might involve discussing key topics with other students, preparing presentations or simply asking questions. These are opportunities to improve and practice your communication skills.

Most courses will also involve working on a project within a group. This type of learning brings people together with different skills. knowledge and experience and allows multiple viewpoints to address an issue/question. 

Note-taking

It will not be possible to write down everything from a teaching activity. It is good to start building the skill of summarising your understanding of a lecture, highlighting key concepts and information (main points and names of any sources) and noting things that you don’t understand to research later.  

Making notes in class

Reading

You will be expected to do core reading in between classes and how much will depend on your subject. Each reading will be relevant to your subject, but it is good for you to focus on why you are reading that piece; is it to learn about something specific, develop writing skills or for interest?

Reading features a large part of university work and each of your courses will have its own reading list.  

The reading list may only be made available once you start your studies but will include the key books and journal articles that are appropriate for that subject. It is a good starting point, and you will be expected to read as broadly as possible on certain topics to build up evidence to be able to write your assignments. It is a skill to find appropriate academic sources (and to reference them). 

Finding resources in the Library 

Critical thinking

You will be expected to master the skill of questioning a wide variety of sources of information and evidence relating to your discipline by the end of your degree.  Thinking critically is a skill that is essential to develop to succeed at university and beyond.

You will be expected to show your academics that you have not only done the reading but have also evaluated these readings, positively and negatively and how they do or don’t support your understanding and argument.  

Academic writing

You will become familiar with the styles of writing that are required for your subject. It will usually be quite formal and will require you to stick within a word-count and approved format. You will likely hone your skills in writing by learning to write well, rewrite, edit, and proofread.  

Academic writing also involves planning, drafting and reviewing what you are going to say and can take a lot longer to do than you originally set out. It is a good idea to allow yourself plenty of time when tasked with writing. 

Reflection

You will need to practice the act of thoughtfully revisiting things to ‘make sense’ of them. For example: you may be asked to write reflective pieces on your experiences of completing an assignment of being part of group-work; considering what worked well and where improvements can be made. You may also not understand ideas or theories straight away and need to give yourself time and opportunity to work these out.

You may also come across processes and phrases that you are unfamiliar with or is different to what you have experienced before. 

Academic Terminology