Student Handbook - The School of Language, Linguistics and Film

Taking notes
Learning to take clear notes is a valuable skill. You should aim to take down key ideas,
rather than attempt to write down everything that is said. Listen for clues as to when a key
point is being made or when a lecturer is moving on to the next heading. Use a spidergraph
system, or write your notes as headings or sub-headings and leave plenty of space to fill in
other details later. It is better to keep listening rather than frantically write. If you absorb what
you hear, your headings will act as memory joggers and you can write further notes in your
own words later. Go through your notes as soon as possible after the class and try to fill in
any details and clarify any abbreviated bits.
Make sure that you label your notes, and any handouts, with the date and name of module
and teacher. This will enable you to make use of the information when you are preparing to
write essays.
The English Language and Study Skills section of the Language Centre (Room 1.24 on the
first floor of the Bancroft Building) offers a number of free courses in study skills where you
can learn strategies for taking good notes, and other ways to get the most out of your
studies.
Feedback
Questions and discussion in class, the essays you write, etc, and your teachers’ comments
on them all stimulate and help you clarify your ideas, and also show the effectiveness of the
teaching/learning process. You are encouraged to discuss your essays individually with your
teachers, who will usually set aside times to do this when any work is returned. You should
discuss your general progress with your Adviser each semester.
Coursework will be returned and feedback offered within four term-time weeks of the
submission date.
Deadlines
Deadlines for handing in coursework will be put in writing in a module handout, on QMPlus,
and sometimes also on the noticeboards. They must be treated as absolute, and it is your
responsibility to make sure you know what the deadline is for each piece of coursework, as
you will be penalised if you miss it. Do note that a deadline is only the last date on which a
piece of work can be submitted, not the first, and you would be well-advised not to leave
work to the last minute. If you have extenuating circumstances, you may be able to ask for
an extension to the deadline (see § 4 DEALING WITH PROBLEMS). Late work handed in
up to two weeks after the deadline without an agreed extension will receive a maximum
mark of a bare pass (40%). Work handed in more than two weeks late without an agreed
extension will receive a mark of zero. Failure to submit coursework may also lead to deregistration
from a module.
Time management
To be sure of meeting deadlines, it is vital that you plan ahead. The freedom of choice you
have under the modular system makes it impossible for Module Organisers to prevent
deadlines for different modules from coinciding. Stagger your essay writing and get some
essays out of the way well before the common deadline so you have time to think properly
about the later ones. Remember too that a lot of students will be looking for the same library
books at the same time. Poor time management is NOT considered an extenuating
circumstance, and it can seriously jeopardise your final mark.
There are some things that you can do to lessen the panic of running out of time for
assignments.
• Use a year planner to highlight the actual dates of your deadlines in each semester.
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