Post Module Assignments
Post-module Assignments (PMA – also sometimes referred to as Post module work, PMW) is
designed as an educational extension to a particular module that you attended. During the module
the targets are concerned with the familiarisation and the understanding of a coherent body of
knowledge and the techniques of its application pertaining to some facet of manufacturing or
engineering industry; the post-module assignment is to enable the student to build-up confidence in
the techniques of application of this knowledge and to indicate to the tutors whether the module
targets have been achieved.
A second function of the post-module assignment is its use for the continuous assessment of the
course work which is credited towards the fulfilment of the requirements for the MSc.
1. Post Module Assignment Guidelines
The following are recommendations to help you in the submission of satisfactory quality postmodule work:
The post-module work should demonstrate to the module tutor that:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
You have correctly interpreted the assignment;
You have become reasonably familiar with the body of knowledge covered in the module;
You have mastered the application of this knowledge;
You can reasonably communicate this application;
You can critically assess the constraints and limitations of the application of this body of
knowledge and discuss them in a coherent manner.
The work submitted should be in a neat and presentable form. The latter entails that:
a)
b)
c)
d)
The post-module work be written, printed or typed on one side of A4 paper;
The pages be numbered and there should be an index;
It be enclosed in the standard departmental cover provided;
The printed post-module assignment sheet must be included at the front of the work.
It is suggested that to satisfactorily complete most assignments the effort put into the post-module
assignment should be equivalent to that required for a final year written examination, that is 80 120 hours (for a 15 credit module). However, remember that it is primarily the quality of the work
that is the important feature. As a nominal guide a post-module assignment for a 15 credit module
would normally be in the order of 6000-8000 words, although individual module tutors may set
other word limits. Assignments which grossly exceed this amount may be penalised.
Post-module assignments are expected to be received by the Course Secretary within six or eight
weeks of completion of the particular module to which the assignment belongs (depending on the
programme); the exact deadline will be communicated with the assignment. Post module work that
is late will be penalised. Extensions will only be granted under very exceptional circumstances such
as illness (in which case proof must be provided in the form of a Doctor's certificate etc.) or similar
serious circumstances. Attendance on other modules, holiday periods etc. are not considered valid
causes for extension by the University.
The post-module work that you submit is kept on file for the examining board and it is not returned
so you should keep a copy. Within a reasonable time after the submission deadline (usually 6 - 8
weeks) you will receive an assessment sheet that provides your mark and also the module tutor's
comments.
2. Electronic Submission of Assignments
The tutor will pass assignments through the TurnitinUk Source Matching software to check for
copied material.
Please also be aware that in the case of multiple submissions it is the first one received that will be
processed, neither can changes or additions be accepted once an assignment has been received, so
please ensure that you print and check your submission before submitting it!
Document formatting
It is strongly recommended that submissions are in Adobe pdf format, however Microsoft Word
document (.doc, .docx or .rtf ) are also acceptable but NOT .docm.
The assignment task, which should have been issued to you at the end of the module must be used
as the front-end of your assignment. The declaration does not need a scanned signature, your name
can be written as normal word-processing text.
The complete assignment, including the assignment task and any diagrams, must be submitted as a
single file. If incorporating any significant sized graphics, say total file size over 500K, then it is
recommended that images are saved at lower resolution - photographic quality is not required
where pictures are included. Use of gif images in place of bitmaps is preferable. To prevent problems
we recommend an absolute maximum file size of no more than 2 Mbytes.
The use of drawing objects in Word can be problematic. It is recommended that use is made of
Word Pictures, rather than inserting drawing items directly onto the page. In that way the complete
image should stay together as a single entity.
To avoid possible font replacement problems, fonts should be restricted to basic system fonts (Arial
& Times New Roman). For symbol type fonts both MS outlook and wingdings should work
satisfactorily. Should anything apart from the fonts listed be used, then the font should be saved
with the document. (In Word 2000 this can be done by: Tools, Options, Save, Embed True Type
Fonts, Embed characters in use only).
To minimise pagination issues, paper size should be restricted to A4, all margins should be set to at
least 1 inch / 25.4 mm with headers, footers and page numbers contained within those margins.
Where a page break is specifically required then this should be inserted in the form of a hard page
break (ctrl/return in Word) in place of relying on a series of 'returns'.
Some tutors will review your submission electronically, but most will request a printed version for
the course administration. Assignments will be printed on a monochrome (NOT colour) printer, so
you should format your work accordingly, ensuring that no meaning is lost in the monochrome
printing.
Where your submission includes documents or images imported from other applications, please
ensure that the included data is pasted in rather than linked and is also fully visible, rather than
being saved as an icon. In that way data from virtually any other application can be incorporated.
Where anything has been incorporated from another application, then your final print and check
before emailing it through is essential.
Quality Control
Because of file version compatibility problems, pagination issues etc., it is impossible to guarantee
that what is printed is what was intended. Therefore the following quality control measures are in
place:


When you receive back the PMA feedback if you believe that you have been penalised
because of printing errors, then contact should be made with the Programme Manager to
discuss the matter.
The Module Tutor will be aware that the submission was electronic, and any issues in the
printed document arising out of that should therefore not be penalised.
It must however be stressed that it is your responsibility to ensure that the University receives an
adequate piece of work on-time, and you should print what would be an acceptable copy before
submitting it, ensuring that the file you print is exactly the same as that which you submit.
If submitting a document in Adobe pdf format then the layout of the converted file should be
checked before submission. Incorrect use of Word features can result in layout changes during
conversion to pdf format.
If submitting a document in Microsoft Word, then the following procedure is strongly
recommended:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Save and close the document
Reopen the document, print and check the document.
If the document is satisfactory then close the file without resaving it and submit that version
If changes are required then update the document and restart at 1.
3. Deadlines for Submission of Assignments
Post Module Work for assessment should be handed in by the date and time shown on the Post
Module Work fly sheet.
Note: once an assignment has been submitted, it cannot be “retrieved” for modification – so make
sure what you submit is the final version!
Students should keep a copy of their assessed work, as the submitted copy will not be returned to
them.
Students should note that the Department exacts severe penalties for late submission and cheating.
4. Penalties for Late Submission
If assessed work is submitted late, the following penalties will be incurred:

3 percentage points per working day will be deducted for late submission, for up to the work
being two calendar weeks (14 days) late, after which no credit will be awarded (i.e. a fail).
Note - submission after the deadline time on the submission day will count as 1 day late.
If you believe you have grounds for the late penalties to be waived, you should put those reasons in
writing; submit them to the Programme Manager, who will forward them to the Board of Examiners
for consideration after your course is finished.
5. Cheating
Actions which weaken the educative process (such as shameless copying in the laboratory, drawing
office or on computing tasks) or dishonest actions (such as quoting in essays or reports from books,
hand-outs or the work of other students without explicitly stating that this is being done) are firmly
discouraged in the School of Engineering.
Senate
has
formulated
a
Regulation
11
about
suspected
cheating
(see
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/calendar/section2/regulations/cheating). Its section (B)
concerns work not done under examination conditions, i.e. course work. "Cheating" means an
attempt to benefit oneself, or another, by deceit or fraud. This shall include deliberately
reproducing the work of another person or persons without acknowledgement.
WMG applies the full formal procedures of Regulation 11(B) to post module assignments and project
dissertations.
Where a module or project assessor identifies a case of suspected cheating, the following steps are
taken:
1) The assessor reports the case (with evidence) to the Academic Director of Graduate Studies,
who reviews the case, and if agrees with the finding will convene an Investigation
Committee.
2) The student will be warned and given an opportunity to make representation on his/her own
behalf.
3) The Chairman of the Investigation Committee may exact a penalty of up to zero for the item
of assessed work to which the offence relates; this penalty is reported to the Board of
Examiners.
4) The student may accept the finding or seek the jurisdiction of a University investigating
committee, under which circumstances the case is referred to the University's Academic
Registrar, who may, in appropriate cases, impose a more severe penalty.
Where a student has been penalised for cheating by WMG, subsequent instances will be reported to
the Academic Registrar. In addition, where cheating or copying has been identified in a piece of
work, WMG reserve the right to re-examine earlier submitted assignments for similar infringements
and apply suitable penalties, retrospectively if necessary.
To avoid being accused of Cheating, students should note the following points of Departmental
practice:

Acknowledgement of quoted work should take the form of a properly stated reference
(author, work, date, page number), and the quoted part should be clearly denoted by
suitable paragraphing, quotation marks, etc. (see below)
Work Previously Written by yourself: Submitting work that you have done previously (as
part of this course or an earlier one) should be treated like any other reference source – just
because you wrote it yourself doesn’t mean that it is acceptable to “re-use” it without
acknowledgement. This would be termed auto-plagiarism..
Working together: WMG expects all Post Module Assignments to be individual pieces of
work, except where the module tutor explicitly calls for and accepts a joint group report on a
particular task. Whilst it is appropriate to discuss your ideas with colleagues in preparing for
your assignments, the structure, content, and particularly "Discussion" and "Conclusion"
sections should always be under sole authorship. Common working used by more than one
student engaged on writing up the same task in a report (PMA/Project) submitted for credit
should be acknowledged by a short note explaining the joint authorship. Within reason, this
practice, if acknowledged, will not be discouraged or penalised, but joint authorship should
be agreed in advance with the module tutor or Academic Supervisor.


ALL MODULE ASSIGNMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED IN ELECTRONIC FORM; TUTORS
WILL THEN PASS THE WORK THROUGH AN AUTOMATIC SOURCE MATCHING SERVICE IN ORDER TO
CHECK THE ORIGINALITY OF THE WORK AGAINST PUBLISHED MATERIAL, INCLUDING WWW
SOURCES AND WORK SUBMITTED PREVIOUSLY BY WMG STUDENTS. STRICT PENALTIES WILL BE
APPLIED WHERE SUCH COPYING IS IDENTIFIED.
You should note the advice provided by the University on how to avoid plagiarism and student
information related to the use of a source matching system provided on the Plagiarism section of the
University Web site. Specifically you should note that the processing of your work is necessary for
the legitimate interests noted above and is justified under Ground 6 of Schedule 2 of the Data
Protection Act 1998.
6. Assessment Categories
Module Tutors will provide guidance as to their expectations regarding completed assignments
during the module. In general, though, the assignments will be marked to the following categories:


Comprehension
Effort & Presentation
Comprehension
This section would normally carry approximately 70% of the overall marks, although this may vary
from assignment to assignment. The relative importance between factual content and critical
analysis will also vary, depending on the nature of the subject being covered.





Interpretation of question set - We would expect there to be an introduction which shows a
good grasp of the question and provides a clear outline of the scope of the report. We
would not expect you to launch straight in with no attempt to introduce and define the
topic. The question set is the one to which we expect an answer, not the one that you think
it should have been.
Subject relevance - All the material included should be relevant to the report. You should
not include irrelevant or repetitive material or that which is tangential to the subject matter.
Factual content - The factual material that you include should be correct and of sufficient
quantity for the subject covered.
Insight & originality - We are looking for clear evidence of your own insight, imagination and
innovative thought. Whilst we expect you to use various sources, you should not place too
much dependence on material paraphrased from books. Indeed material which is copied
directly from books or other sources will be severely penalised (see section 2 of your
handbook).
Constructive critical analysis - We are looking for a piece of work which is well argued with
all the main issues explored and evaluated and the conclusions justified. In this category we
would expect more than just descriptive work where there is little analysis or criticism.
Effort and Presentation
This section would normally carry 30 % of the overall marks.
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






Use of actual examples - We would expect answers to incorporate good, relevant use of
(own or other) company/industrial examples to illustrate any theoretical points.
Use and presentation of references - We would be looking for evidence of a critical and
wide-ranging use of relevant literature. Any references should be properly cited and listed
and you should appreciate and demonstrate the difference between references and
bibliography.
Length - The length of the assignment should be appropriate; that is neither too long so that
irrelevant material is included nor too brief so as to be unable to cover the necessary
material.
Logical structure - The structure of each answer should be such that it enables you to
develop a logical argument and marshal your ideas clearly. You should not fail to adopt a
clear theme or line of argument
Grammar & syntax - You should use acceptable standards of grammar and syntax. Whilst
some errors of sentence construction, punctuation and/or misuse of words might be
acceptable, it is essential that the marker is able to understand your meaning.
Spelling - Should be correct. This is especially so where a word processor is used - as most
have a spell-check capability. If there are a large number of spelling mistakes this would
indicate a serious problem.
Legibility - It is not a requirement that all assignments be typed or word-processed. They
should, however be legible.
Content sheet - Each assignment should contain a content sheet which includes all the subsections of all questions, with relevant page numbers.


Page numbering - All pages should be clearly and correctly numbered.
Question sheet - the questions sheet provided by the module tutor should be bound in the
folder provided at the front of your answer and after the fly-sheet.
7. Marks
Marks for assessed work are awarded on a percentage scale. The following table shows the
relationship between marks awarded and the type of work expected for those marks.
Mark Level
80+
Outstanding
Comprehension & Analysis
Showing total mastery of the subject matter, complete
conceptual understanding and an extremely high level
of technical competence shown by fully appropriate
selection and correct application of tools/ techniques/
methodologies. The work demonstrates creativity and
originality of thought and is of publishable quality
with no more than minor revisions. Shows a
sophisticated and critical manipulation and analysis of
concepts and theoretical perspectives and capacity for
independent thought. The work is extremely well
argued; all the main issues are explored and evaluated
and the conclusions are fully justified and supported
by the evidence presented. Recommendations for
improvement (where applicable) are practical and
convincing.
Effort & Coverage
All objectives are fully covered.
Extensive coverage of as much
relevant material as could
reasonably be expected.
Extremely high level of effort
demonstrated by the wide range of
appropriate references and actual
company/industrial examples
used.
Presentation
Professionally produced showing
exceptional written communication
skills with faultless grammar and
spelling. Well-structured with
excellent use of headings and subsections that show the development of
a logical argument. Diagrams where
used are appropriately titled and
referenced in the text. The contents
sheet includes all the sub-sections and
relevant page numbers. All pages are
correctly and clearly numbered. All
references are properly cited and listed
and references and bibliography are
distinct.
Mark Level
70+
Distinction
Comprehension & Analysis
Showing a high degree of mastery of the subject
matter, near complete conceptual understanding and a
high level of technical competence with only
insignificant errors. Clearly demonstrates
understanding and appropriate application of relevant
tools/ techniques/ methodologies. Shows very highly
developed ability to analyse, synthesise and apply
knowledge and concepts. There is evidence of highly
developed critical abilities and some use of original
ideas. The work is very well argued; all the main
issues are explored and evaluated and the reasons for
the conclusions are clearly indicated. Depth of analysis
and outcomes exceed what would normally be
achieved by a masters level candidate.
Recommendations for improvement (where
applicable) are practical and convincing.
Effort & Coverage
All major objectives are covered.
Very good coverage of most of
the relevant material that could be
expected. Very high level of effort
demonstrated by the use of
appropriate references and actual
company/industrial examples.
Presentation
Well produced, showing a high level
of written communication skills with
few or no grammatical and spelling
errors. Well-structured with good use
of headings and sub-sections that show
the development of a logical
argument. Diagrams, contents sheet,
page numbering, references and
bibliography are presented correctly
with few or no errors.
Mark Level
60-69
Good Pass
Comprehension & Analysis
Showing a sound and thorough grasp of the subject
matter though possibly lacking in the breadth and
depth required for a distinction: good conceptual
understanding and a good level of technical
competence although there may be a few gaps leading
to some minor errors. A good attempt at analysis,
synthesis and application of knowledge and concepts.
There is evidence of critical abilities and some attempt
at original thought. There is appreciation of the main
issues and the ability to make critical points and
substantiate them. The main analysis and outcomes
were beyond question, but may be more limited in
scope than that required for a distinction.
Recommendations for improvement (where
applicable) are practical although they may not
consider the wider issues and implications but with
some additional work could be convincing and acted
upon.
Effort & Coverage
Most major objectives are
covered. Comprehensive coverage
of primary sources and relevant
material. High level of effort
demonstrated by the use of mostly
appropriate references and actual
company/industrial examples.
Evidence of extra reading and
research beyond the basic
requirements.
Presentation
Effective presentation, showing
generally good written communication
skills with good spelling and grammar.
A well thought through overall
structure and the length is appropriate.
Diagrams, contents sheet, page
numbering, references and
bibliography are generally well
presented with only minor errors of
indexing, proof-reading or
photocopying.
Mark Level
50-59
Pass
40-49
Fail
Comprehension & Analysis
Showing a grasp of the subject matter with possibly
some confusion or gaps but none that is major, and a
fair understanding of the concepts. The work may
contain some significant errors but it is technically
competent at a routine level. The attempt at analysis,
synthesis and application of knowledge and concepts
is competent but lacks depth. The evidence of critical
abilities is weak. There is a heavy reliance on course
materials and little evidence of original thought. There
is sensible comment on the evidence and materials
used although some of the conclusions drawn may be
unsubstantiated. The general outcomes were sound,
but there may be some incorrect deductions from the
data. Recommendations for improvement (where
applicable) are generally correct but are stated at too
high a level to be convincing.
Showing some familiarity with the subject matter, but
with major gaps and serious misconceptions. A low
level of technical competence with many errors. An
incomplete and/or partially correct answer. There is
some evidence that concepts and theory is understood
and there is a modest attempt to analyse them. There is
a tendency towards uncritical description and no
evidence of original ideas. There is little discussion on
the application of knowledge few, if any, conclusions
drawn and recommendations for improvement are
either missing or unsubstantiated.
Effort & Coverage
The basic requirements of the
work are covered. Limited
coverage of primary sources and
relevant material. Satisfactory
level of effort demonstrated by the
generally appropriate use of
references and actual
company/industrial examples
although some areas may have
benefited from additional support,
or more equal balance of
academic references and
company/industrial examples.
Presentation
A competent presentation within a
satisfactory overall structure that may
lack balance in certain areas or fails to
fully integrate all of the material. It is
generally well written with adequate
spelling and grammar. Diagrams,
contents sheet, page numbering,
references and bibliography may
contain errors or show inconsistency
Some of the basic requirements of
the work have not been covered.
Limited coverage of relevant
material with over-reliance on
secondary sources. Few, if any,
examples used. Few references
cited. Little evidence that any
reading around the subject has
been carried out.
Less than optimal presentation,
lacking in logical structure, making it
difficult to read. Ideas are poorly
expressed, often with mistakes. There
are errors in grammar and/or spelling.
Diagrams, contents sheet, page
numbering, references and
bibliography may be poorly presented
or some missing.
Mark Level
<40
Poor
Comprehension & Analysis
Showing serious gaps in knowledge of the subject
matter and many areas of confusion. Technical
competence is poor with many serious errors and there
is an inability to apply knowledge. Does not
demonstrate understanding of the issue and
information/data used may be irrelevant. Overall not a
document that the company/university would wish to
have its name on. Little or no evidence that concepts
and theory have been understood and little or no
attempt at sustained analysis. There is a lack of critical
appreciation and often the question has been ignored
or badly misunderstood. Does not demonstrate the
ability to appropriately apply tools/techniques/
methodologies.
Effort & Coverage
Few or none of the basic
requirements of the work have
been achieved.
Inadequate/superficial coverage of
relevant material and little use of
even course material. Little or no
indication of the participant’s own
efforts and contribution. No
examples or references used.
Presentation
Poor or muddled presentation and
structuring of arguments. The level of
expression is inadequate, often being
unclear or confused. Poor grammar
and/or spelling. Diagrams, contents
sheet, page numbering, references and
bibliography poorly presented or
missing.
Any assessment mark awarded prior to the Board of Examiners' meeting is subject to approval by that Board and hence potentially liable for revision.
8. Concern over Awarded Marks
Once marks have been awarded and issued, they cannot be changed without the approval of the
Examination Board.
In circumstances where you are unhappy over an assignment mark that has been awarded, the
following procedure should be followed:
1) You should make an appointment with the Module Tutor or write/email to the module tutor
(care of the Programme Manager); the tutor should be willing to discuss the work and
amplify the explanatory comments. However, you should have specific concerns, not just a
desire for a higher mark, thus when you submit your request for clarification/an
appointment, you should be specific as to your concerns.
2) If you are still not satisfied and you are registered for a Warwick degree, then you can bring
the case to the attention of the Examination Board (in writing); write (letter/email) to your
Programme Manager, for onward transmission to the Secretary to the appropriate Board of
Examiners.
3) If the Module Tutor agrees that you have a case, you should still write to the Examination
Board as in (2) above, but in this case the appeal should be supported (in writing) by the
Module Tutor. However, unless an administrative or clerical error can be demonstrated, no
mark will be adjusted before the Examination Board has considered the case.
Should you fail one or more of your assignments and you are registered for a degree, you may be
able to apply for permission to undertake a new assignment. Any resubmission will be governed by
the regulations on Resubmission of Work for the degree course you are studying.
You cannot resubmit assignments until you are registered for a degree.
9. Techniques of Study
[The following was written for new undergraduate students, but much of what is said still applies to
students following postgraduate programmes]
By John Nisbet, Professor of Education, University of Aberdeen
At university, you take over responsibility for your own study. In school, assignments of work were
short‑term ‑ for a week ahead at most ‑ and in this way teachers paced you through your courses,
helping you to distribute your time appropriately. In university, most assignments are long‑term:
there is a certain amount of work to be done in a year or in a term, and it is largely up to you to
make sure that you cover it.
University terms are shorter than school terms, and you will discover that there is a lot of work to be
done in a rather short time. So any inefficiencies in your techniques of studying will soon begin to
tell. It is not enough just to put in regular hours of study: you must make sure that these hours are
not wasted and that you use your time to the best advantage.
Organising your study




Do you start promptly? Avoid the trap of wasting time at the start by doing trivial jobs.
Examine sceptically any "reasons" you invent for postponing the difficult part of an evening's
work. If you follow a fairly regular routine for study, it is usually easier to get through the
work (see 12 for example). Routine fits some temperaments more than others. But it is
unwise to work only when you feel inclined, and you should set aside some regular times for
study. For it is important to learn to be able to work effectively even when you do not feel
in the mood for it. Don't neglect aspects which you find tedious or difficult. Making a start
is often the step which requires the greatest effort.
How much of your study time is genuinely productive? Ask yourself whether you are really
learning or thinking ‑ or are you merely frittering away your time? You waste time if you
merely write out lists to be learned on some later occasion, or if you copy out notes (or,
worse, type them) without thinking about what you write. Beware of satisfying your
conscience by doing undemanding tasks which save you the effort of thinking.
Review your work (for a day, week or term) to ensure that you allot an appropriate amount
of time to each of your subjects and to each part of each subject. Give important or difficult
tasks priority: arrange your study so that the work which needs careful thought or special
attention is done while you are fresh. Identify the fixed commitments where there is a time
limit. Assess the amount of work and the timing of it. Divide and plan the work ‑ and allow
time for recreation.
Can you recognise the appropriate time to stop for a break? Studying when you are tired
may be uneconomical: five minutes' rest may get you through the next hour's work in three
‑quarters of the time. Or is your weakness the opposite ‑ you stop too readily? Rests
relieve fatigue, not boredom. A tedious task may be even more tedious after a break.
Learning, understanding and remembering



Understanding is the key to learning and remembering. If you understand a principle, it is
easy to remember it. If you do not understand a topic, look it up in a textbook (use the
index), or discuss it with another member of the class. Don't be afraid to approach your
tutor or lecturer on any points which do not seem clear. Periodic revision of previous work
often helps in understanding. Don't assume that, just because you have read a book or have
looked over your notes on a piece of work, this aspect is "done" and finished with.
Be sure you use the correct strategy in your study. Sometimes study is ineffective because
students misunderstand what is required. In every subject there are facts or techniques or
skills or knowledge which you have to master: other parts of the subject require you to
review and interpret evidence or take a point of view and justify it. These two different
tasks can be described as 'surface‑level' and 'deep‑level' processing. Surface‑level
processing is mastery of detail: in deep‑level processing you try to get through to
fundamental principles. Both are necessary, and it is important to know which strategy is the
appropriate one.
Learn principles by thinking out examples and relating the examples to the theory. When a
lecturer says he is going to outline three theories, some students interpret this as meaning
that they have to guess (or reason out) which is the 'correct' one. This is an immature level
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of thinking, but it is just as false to think that all interpretations are relative and it is merely a
matter of opinion. The mature thinker is able to link the interpretation with the evidence,
and to appreciate that it is appropriate to use different interpretations in different contexts.
Learn details by fitting them into some principle or logical system. Material which is
organised in some structure is much easier to recall. In memorising details, do you put the
book aside from time to time to test yourself? This helps you to identify the points which
are hardest to recall. Give these points special attention: mnemonics may help. Just reading
the details over and over again is wasteful of time and effort.
Leave plenty of space when you take notes, so that afterwards you can add your own
annotations and summaries. Use space intelligently, so as to bring out the relative
importance of the various items and their logical structure. Notes should not be written like
paragraphs in a book. Write lists vertically, not horizontal along the line. Use underlining
and capitals (especially to ensure the correct spelling of names and technical terms).
Do not try to write down everything that is said in a lecture. Distinguish key points from
detail. Some of the detail may be readily available in a text‑book, and some detail may be
quoted only for illustration. Apply your intelligence to the selection of points to note.
Taking notes involves following the lecturer's thought and argument, and summarising
points so that you can recall and revise the material. Think about what is being said and
identify the overall structure of the lecture, starting a new section in your notes for each
new point. Note‑taking is not a substitute for thinking.
In taking lecture notes on complex aspects of a subject, do you find that you are missing
important points while you are busy writing down unimportant details? If so, you are
probably trying to write too much. Concentrate on the main points, summarising them as
briefly as possible. Leave large spaces. (If you think you have missed a point, leave a gap and
fill it in later). Go over your notes as soon as possible afterwards and fill in details or
examples (with reference to textbooks) to amplify the general points.
Do you read over all your lecture notes fairly soon after each lecture, marking important
points and making summaries? Even if you spend only a few minutes on this, it will help
your memory and improve your understanding. This is a good way to get started promptly
in an evening's work. "Writing up your notes" means working over them in this way,
thinking about them, checking points, annotating and tidying them ‑ not just copying them
out neatly. But do not rely on lecture notes: you must also read for yourself and make
notes on your reading.
Before starting to read a book or a chapter, do you glance quickly through it? This gives you
a general idea of the subject matter and will lend direction to your study.
Make short notes and summaries while you read. This does not mean copying out passages
from the text, but rather jotting down the main ideas and principles. In reading, stop
periodically and review in your mind the main points in what you have read so far. When
you have read the chapter through, look back over the text with reference to your notes for
quick revision. Read with a pencil in your hand if you want to remember what you read.
Can you adjust your speed of reading to suit the level of difficulty? You should be able to
read rapidly but you should also recognise the rough, uphill, twisting section when you must
change into low gear. When you come to a difficult or important part in a book, tackle it
systematically. Do not just read it over several times in the hope that somehow it will come
clear. Note the theme of each paragraph: the paragraph is the unit of thought and should
have one main theme. Pick out the key sentence or key phrase which sums up the
paragraph: it is often the first sentence or the last in the paragraph.
Not all these suggestions are necessarily right for you. Each person must develop the techniques of
study which suit him or her best. But it is important that you should consider from time to time
whether your study methods are the most efficient. Developing an efficient technique of work and
study during your student years provides you with a skill which will be valuable throughout your
professional life.