StudyWell

The Student Learning Service (SLS) works with all students to enhance their academic skills. Please note that we cannot work on continuous assessments.

EASTER BREAK UPDATE: The Student Learning Service will be closed during the week of Mon 5 - Fri 9 April.

NEW! Have a look at our 'Achieve: Developing Online Learning Skills' section for Undergraduates and 'Achieve+: Developing Online Learning Skills' section for Postgraduates.

Our current workshop schedule is now available. Information about the sessions which are open to all students can be found by logging into the course booking system. You can also have a look at the discipline-specific Maths workshops this semester.

NEW! Want to improve your written communication skills? Have a look at our new Improving Your Writing Guide. It can be accessed here in Achieve (Undergraduates) and Achieve+ (Taught Postgraduates).

1-2-1 online appointments available to help you manage your time whilst getting to grips with online learning.

Due to the Covid -19 outbreak any sessions will be held virtually.

• Appointments for 'The Writing Room', Maths Support and Study Skills Advice can be requested by filling in the study advice request form.
• Appointments for Dyslexia and other Specific Learning Differences can be requested by filling in the specialist advice request form.

When thinking about using your time sensibly, spend some time considering how to study at your best. 

Everyone is different: some people work better early in the morning; whilst others in the evening. A little background noise, for example some music, can be beneficial for some, whilst for others it serves as a distraction. 

Think about your study environment and any distractions you have. Try to set manageable goals for yourself and break down tasks into achievable chunks which you can then tackle. It is often best to be more ‘active’ in your learning. For example, when it comes to studying, try a mixture of approaches. 

• As well as familiarising yourself with past exam papers and revising the possible questions, you could: 
• Make a ‘study plan’ with several small achievable goals (daily or weekly) 
• Mind map key information or create a diagram/chart to represent different topics 
• Record or video yourself explaining various topics and speaking about how you would approach different questions. 
• Use revision cards or flashcards to condense information into key points 

Useful Resources for Studying more Effectively: 

• 30 Top Study Tips 
• Mind Maps 
• BeWell Stress and Studying Podcast

The University is currently delivering a blended model for teaching. This means that some of our teaching will be online and some will be on campus.  This will be new for some of us, but we are working hard to take advantage of this new approach to enhance our teaching. We are confident that we will provide you with a high-quality experience. More details will become available through your School. 

Books can be very expensive, so before you buy, why not try:

1. Visit the Library or search their online database.
2. Bookends is AUSA's second hand charity book shop, based in the Students' Union Building on Elphinstone Road.
3. Blackwell's is at 99 High Street (Old Aberdeen), stocking new and second hand copies of core reading list texts.
4. Check your course or departmental noticeboard as students often post adverts selling their old text books cheaply.

Or you could try these websites:

• Amazon
• eBay
• Sell Student Stuff
• Abe Books

The University's Graduate Attributes are a wide-ranging set of qualities, which you will develop during your time as a student in preparation for future employment, further study, and citizenship.

You will have many opportunities to develop and achieve these attributes. These will include learning experiences on credit-bearing courses and co-curricular activities such as work placements, study abroad, and volunteering.

It may seem obvious, but sleep is hugely important when you’re studying. Getting a good night’s sleep (of between 7-9 hours) will help you to learn at your best, improve your state of mind and hopefully feel happier!

How do I find staff email addresses?

Email addresses of University staff and research students, if available, are published through the Staff Directory. Email addresses are subject to Data Protection and therefore some staff may have chosen to opt out of this publicly available directory.

Access the University's Student Hub

From here you can view, check and update your personal details, course enrolments, class timetable, exam timetables and results, and more.

• Login to the portal at www.abdn.ac.uk/studenthub

Virtual Learning Environments

The University’s virtual learning environments are MyAberdeen, MyMBChB, MyBDS.

• Find out more information here: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/it/student/get-started/portal.php

Accessibility of Digital Learning Materials

The University is committed to making its digital learning materials fully accessible as part of its inclusive approach to teaching and learning.  It aims to provide students with accessible digital content, the ability to generate alternative formats for course files and with captions for videos.

• For full details of our commitments to digital learning materials accessibility please visit the eLearning section of the website.

It’s important to put enough time and effort into your studies so that you can achieve the grades you want. It is, however, equally important that you take time for yourself and enjoy the social, sporting and cultural aspects of being a student. A good study life balance is essential to avoid burnout and maximise your full academic ability. 

• Try to schedule at least 30mins a day for selfcare. This could simply be turning off your phone, reading a book, doing a jigsaw, listening to music or going for walk.  
• It doesn’t matter what you do as a long it’s something for you and not about your studies or coursework.  
• It’s easy to get caught up but slowing down and taking time for yourself each day will help you to be at your optimum and build resilience.  
• Remember to keep in touch with family, friends, classmates and the academic community. 
   

Useful Resources for Improving Your Study Life Balance  

• Listen to our Study-Life-Balance Podcast.
• For more was to support your wellbeing visit our Wellbeing Toolkit page. 

Studying at University... 

Independent learning tends to be one of the biggest changes for students. Depending on your course, your actual contact hours may be few. 

You are expected to take ownership for your learning in terms of reading and studying. This could involve preparation for tutorials / seminars (or laboratory work), presentations, assignments and exam revision. It is up to you to manage your time effectively! 

Staff will not always be available to remind you of what you have to do.  

• Familiarise yourself with the University’s online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which is called MyAberdeen. Check it regularly for your: course information and details; course guide; reading lists and any required preparation for tutorials/seminars (or laboratory work); assessment information and deadlines. 
• Remember to check your University of Aberdeen email account regularly: always use this if you are emailing a member of staff. 

For more advice on Independent Learning, you can read this guide to Effective Independent Learning. 

Common Grading Scale 

The Common Grading Scale (CGS) provides a common, alpha-numeric marking scale which is used across the University. This enables you to compare your performance in different disciplines and courses and ensures consistency in assessment.  

For information on the Common Grading Scale (CGS) and how your work will be graded, click here. 

TurnitinUK is an online service which compares student assignments with online sources including web pages, databases of reference material, and work previously submitted by other students  across the UK. It matches sections of the text that have been found in other sources. This assists the marker with checking  whether resources have been appropriately referenced and  whether plagiarism has occurred. Find out how to avoid plagiarism here.

The Student Instructions for TurnitinUK show you how to submit an assignment to TurnitinUK through MyAberdeen.

Adequate referencing is a vital part of academic writing. 

The University defines plagiarism as: 

the use, without adequate acknowledgement, of the intellectual work of another person in work submitted for assessment. This definition includes the unattributed use of course materials. A student cannot be found to have committed plagiarism where it can be shown that the student has taken all reasonable care to avoid representing the work of others as his or her own.

- University of Aberdeen (2019). Code of Practice on Student Discipline (Academic) –Resolution No 294 of 2019, Section 3.2.  

Your School will provide you with further details and information on their preferred referencing style (some Schools may allow use of multiple referencing styles). This short video will provide you with an overview of what plagiarism is, and how to avoid it.  

Plagiarism video Module 9: Study Well - Referencing and Plagiarism | Rise 360 (articulate.com) 

Understanding referencing if very important. We would recommend that you seek help early on if you are unsure about it. 

Useful Resources:

• Checklist for avoiding plagiarism and information on the University’s (2019) policy on plagiarism 
• Click here for the Library information on Referencing and Citing, including a range of guides on the different styles 
• Click here for information on Refworks and other reference management software.