Off the starting block: academic skills development for international taught postgraduates

Anna Seabourne, Skills@Library

Dan Pullinger, Faculty Team Librarian

(Science & Engineering)

Student Education Conference

University of Leeds

Session 34

6 January 2012

journal |ˈjərnl|noun1 a newspaper or magazine that

deals with a particular subject or professional activity : medical journals | [in names ] the Wall Street Journal.

2 a daily record of news and events of a personal nature; a diary.• Nautical a logbook.• ( the Journals) a record of the

daily proceedings in the British Houses of Parliament.

• (in bookkeeping) a daily record of business transactions with a statement of the accounts to which each is to be debited and credited.

3 Mechanics the part of a shaft or axle that rests on bearings.

Yes, the writing system for academics

is very difference (sic). Like, we did our

assignments and reports by just editing

some information in the existing articles, informative sources.

But, here we are required to write

essays using own words. (India)

• Why did you choose to come to this session?

• What key concepts about study skills do we need to ensure our Masters level students understand?

Is studying at Masters level

different?

Completely, because in our country universities do not check for plagiarism or similarity in sentences they check if there is similarity between whole project with others (Overseas)

Little bit difference, in the method of searching for literature review where more focus is on the articles and journals other than webpages. And also the writing words have increased here. (Thailand)

Plagiarism was not followed by us and we never put references in our written work. (India)

Yes. Technical content was given more importance in previous study rather than getting a perfect structure without any technical content.(Overseas)

Yes, they are quit different. Because MSc writing is academic writing. (China)

Yes, it is. When I do BSc., I hardly wrote long essay in English. (Thailand)

No difference. With no specific teaching we were expected to (and manage (sic) quite well) to achieve at least at ‘this level’ ie ‘Masters level’ from even 1st year i.e aged 18 (UKstudent)

More critical + requires you to think more ‘outside of the box’.

(UK student)

Is it different?

Food Science & Nutrition: a case study

Masters students:

• Largely international

• Hold good, relevant science degrees

• IELTS 6.0

• Academic skills vary, e.g. info searching, critical thinking,

plagiarism, referencing

• Some have been taught not to question academics and

academic papers

Student background

• 108 students

• 24% of survey respondents have previously studied in UK

• 23% have English as first language

• Only 33% of respondents with English as second language said they had attended pre-session English course

Consultation and collaborationacademics

skills adviserlibrarian

All Faculty Team Librarians will be

able to deliver the full range of academic skills

• Embedded in the curriculum, developmental not remedial

• Blended learning; transition to academics• Collaborate with academics

The Skills Team will provide strategic

direction and a high level of support to

librarians and academic staff

• Online resources• Generic teaching resources• Liaise and work more closely with FTLs

SKILLS

CONTENT

A threshold concept can be considered as akin to a portal, opening up a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking about something. It represents a transformed way of understanding, or interpreting, or viewing something without which the learner cannot progress. As a consequence of comprehending a threshold concept there may thus be a transformed internal view of subject matter, subject landscape, or even world view.

…troublesome knowledge – knowledge that is ‘alien’, or counter-intuitive or even intellectually absurd at face value.

(Meyer & Land, 2003)11

Threshold concepts

Critical thinking

Academic integrity

(Best study practices)

Information searching

Managing information

Reading

Writing

Assessment

FOOD5405M: Professional Skills for Employment and Research

• Core module for all new MSc students• Module split into two strands

• Embedded into programme and linked to other modules• Blended learning approach

• Online resources hosted in VLE• Face-to-face workshops

• Assessed work to test their skills acquisition

Experimentation and data handling

Literature retrieval and evaluation

Information searching

Managing information

Reading

Writing

Assessment

Key concepts• Planning a search• Boolean logic• Truncation• Tracking citations• Academic journals• Peer review

Issues• New resources• Previous access to databases• Over-reliance on Google

What I do differently: I try my best to pick only articles and journals rather than webpages.

(Thailand)

Research extensively in order to make informed contribution towards the topic as well as update myself on issues pertaining to the topic (Ghana)

Key concepts

Information searching

Managing information

Reading

Writing

Assessment

Key concepts• Academic integrity• Accountability• Bibliographic data• Record keeping• Citing and referencing

Issues• “Cut and paste” as the norm• Plagiarism a new concept for many

What I do differently: The way that I search for my references and the way that I put my references into my work. EndNote proved to be very useful software.

(Portugal)

Information searching

Managing information

Reading

Writing

Assessment

Key concepts• Structure of an academic article• Purposes of reading• Criticality

Authority• Evidence

Issues• Permission to challenge the ‘sage on the stage’• Volume• Selection• Independence

What I do differently: Read it and analyse it well. Analyse it critically.

(India)

Key concepts

Information searching

Managing information

Reading

Writing

Assessment

Key concepts• Academic language• Certainty vs. probability (hedging)• Structure, signposting• Using other people’s research

Issues• Language• Grammar• Conventions

I can now better plan how to go about with the writing. To read and really understand any questions I am suppose to answer. To structure my writing. (South Africa)

Understanding what the question asked and give details (Brunei)

Of course, learning to write it the Uni’s way (India)

• Skills self-evaluation questionnaires and

250-word screening essay (10%)

• Literature review (30%)

Topic: “Salt reduction in foods: implications

for the food industry and consumers.”

• Lab report (30%)

• Dietary survey report (30%)

Information searching

Managing information

Reading

Writing

Assessment

Systematic reviews

Presentation skills

Information searching

Managing information

Reading

Writing

Assessment

Can you identify these features of academic writing in the article on Japanese HE?

• Hedging – circle = certainty/uncertainty • Signposting – [brackets]• Academic voice – wavy underline• Using other people’s research – underline

Have the students shown any improvement in their work?

21

They have definitely improved. Most noticeable is the use of Hedging and Signposting to structure their arguments.Their referencing skills have greatly improved, and I think, generally, they have realised that published work is there to be evaluated/criticised.

Dr Caroline Orfila, Module Leader

Is MSc writing different to your previous study?

Yes Not much No No response

6 64

0

34

4

12

9

UK educated Overseas

How useful were the sessions (overall)?

Very useful Useful Not useful Not relevant Absent No answer0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

UK educated Overseas

Post-course confidence in academic writing at Masters level

44%

56%

37%

59%

3%

No change

Positive change

Negative change

OverseasUK educated

Have the skills sessions changed how you write assignments?

Yes63%

No19%

No re-

sponse

19%

UK educated

Yes48%

No26%

No re-

sponse

26%

Overseas

What aspects have changed most for overseas students?

Info lit Academic writing

Criticality Other0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1213

4

9

Non-native speakers’ confidence re academic writing before the course

Very confident Confident Not very confident Worried0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Attended pre-session Did not attend pre-session

Non-native speakers’ confidence re academic writing after the course

Very confident Confident Not very confident Worried0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Attended pre-session Did not attend pre-session

Reflection

• Compulsory for non-native speakers

• Three-way collaboration• Academics in the

sessions – student buy-in• Using subject-specific

materials• Tied to assessment• Use of the VLE

• Compulsory for local graduates

• Cohort size – challenges for timetabling and teaching space

• Timing within semester• Language – listening skills

of some students behind writing skills

C D

Recommendations

• Schedule early in semester• Tie in with curriculum• Non-compulsory attendance for local students (student)• Assignments compulsory for all• IELTS 7.0 (student)• Attendance at pre-sessional English courses• Make expectations explicit• ‘Homework’

What experiences, ideas, insights or suggestions do you have to share?

How could this model work for you?

How would you provide context for your students?

Apply the model?

• Session resources available from Skills@Library

• Contact your Faculty Team Librarian about support for academic skills development

• Contact Skills@Library for general skills enquiries

Caroline Orfila

Victoria Burley

a.e.seabourne@leeds.ac.uk

d.j.pullinger@leeds.ac.uk

Thank you!

References

Academic Skills Strategy, 2010 Leeds University Library, Available from: http://library.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/AcademicSkillsStrategy.doc

Meyer, J. and R. Land. 2003. Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge: linkages to ways of thinking and practising within the disciplines. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh.