Coming from College

• Remote Learning Skills for Success with Eloise from the ELS
• Academic Writing Skills with Rosa from the ELS
• Referencing and Citation Skills with Lisa from ELS
• Get to know the LRC
• How to use the Library – online guide

• Assessment Methods at QMU with Bryan Cruden

• The Academic Administration – Choosing your Options with Susan and Morag

• Digital Experience Festival, 13^th -24^th September

PALS Seminar - Remote Learning: Skills for Success

PALS Seminar – Introducing the Essay Question

PALS Seminar: Assignment Briefs and Marking Criteria

PALS Seminar – Critical Reading

PALS Seminar - Academic Writing

PALS Seminar – General Study Skills

PALS Seminar – Receiving Feedback and What To Do With It

• College Life vs Uni Life – what you need to know to succeed.
• PALS – who we are, what we do and why you need to know. 
• Remote Learning. 
• IT at QMU. 
• Teaching & Learning Methods, part 1. 
• Lectures and Seminars. 
• Understanding the Marking Criteria.
• Answering the Question.
• Critical Reading and Research Skills.
• Library Resources. 
• Academic Writing. 
• Study Skills and Support for Learning. 
• Teaching and Learning Methods, part 2. 
• Having a PAT (Personal Academic Tutor).
• The Student Union.
• Submitting your Work.
• Student Services at QMU.
• Making the Most of Your Time at QMU.
• Using the HUB.

Formative Essay

We are basing some of the activities in the Coming from College induction on a “Formative Essay” task.  This means that you are being given a chance to submit a formative essay in advance of starting your Degree studies.

This formative essay is voluntary, but it is designed to give you practice and experience which should help you to do well in your future assignments at the University. The formative essay will give you experience of:

• working towards a series of academic outcomes
• dealing with an assignment brief
• delimiting the scope of a topic
• planning an essay
• searching for suitable sources using a wide range of search media
• writing and submitting a (short) essay.

On submission, your essay will be read by an academic member of staff and you will receive feedback on how to build on your essay writing skills. This is a unique opportunity to try out essay writing at university before the grade counts!

Please read the assignment brief and marking criteria carefully and follow the submission instructions to make sure your essay gets to the right people and can be marked and returned in a timely fashion.

Assignment Brief

Coming from College induction formative essay

 Task:

To what extent do colleges prepare their students for transition to university? Discuss in regard to academic norms. 

The given essay question is open to interpretation so that it can be answered by students from various divisions. Students should ensure that their essay addresses the question and that the focus of their essay is made clear in the introduction.

The essays will, necessarily, not be anonymously marked as formative feedback will be given.

The following should be adhered to:

• Word count: 500 – 700 words (reference list is not included in the word count).
• Presentation:
  • Cover page with name, matriculation number, programme and year of study
  • Arial font, size 11 or Times New Roman font, size 12
  • 5 line spacing. Left-justified
  • No tables, diagrams or appendices
• Citation and referencing: a minimum of 4 academic sources to be cited. Follow the QMU referencing format (Cite them Right will be used from the new academic year).

Marking Criteria:

The Essay demonstrates effective command of the key features detailed in the following marking criteria:

Submission details

Essays should be submitted by Tuesday 14^th September 2021 at 4pm. All essays will then be marked and you will be contacted to receive feedback in week beginning 20^th September.

If you wish to submit earlier, you can and we will endeavour to provide feedback as soon as possible (even before 20^th September).

PALS Leaders will provide you with guidance on how to submit your essay using the HUB.  If you have any difficulty submitting it via the HUB, please send it as a word document in an attachment in an email to PALS@qmu.ac.uk.

Please make the subject of the email: DE formative essay

Please use the following email template, where necessary removing the example details (given in underlined italics), inserting your own details, and choosing how you would like to receive your feedback:

Hello,

Please find attached my formative essay which was given as part of the Coming from College induction.

I am studying Film and Media and am in Level 2. My student number is 19009090.

I would like to receive my feedback via email/in person/on MS Teams.

Best regards

Susan

Division of Business, Events and Management (BEaM): Suggested Readings

Division of Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences: Suggested Readings

Division of Media, Communication and Performing Arts: Suggested Readings

Division of Psychology, Sociology and Education: Suggested Readings

Please click on the link below to find a short video on the vital work that the Effective Learning Service team do and how they can assist you with your learning experience at QMU.

Introduction to PALS video