PG Update 7th – 11th January 2013
Your weekly update of news, events and opportunities from the Postgraduate
Student Centre.
PG Voice
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YOUR POSTGRADUATE CENTRE
@pgvoice1
pg.centre@qub.ac.
uk
Opening
Hours
The IPSC is open
Monday to Friday,
8am - 10pm.
The Postgraduate
Student Centre is
located on the first
floor.
Facilities


We hope alll our students enjoyed the festive period and wish
everyone a Happy New Year!
Silent Study
Space
The I&PSC is now open as normal. Monday - Friday, 08.00-
Group
22.00
Meeting
Space

Social Space

Skype
During the January exam period access to the I&PSC silent
study area will be closely monitored. You will need your
PG Update 7th – 11th January 2013
facilites



student card to access the area from Tuesday 8th January.
Chill-out
Room
Please do not hesitate to report noise or suspected use of the
Drinks and
computer suite by undergraduate students by contacting staff at
snacks
the Information Desk on Floor 1 or by emailing
PG Student
Information
pg.centre@qub.ac.uk
Desk
January is always a busy period in the centre and we wish it to
be as pleasant and stress free as possible!
MCCLAY LIBRARY OPENING HOURS - EXAM PERIOD
For a comprehensive list of the opening hours for the McClay
Library over the academic year, click here.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING
For a full weekly career events schedule for 7 - 11 January,
please click here:
EXAM AND ASSIGNMENT TIPS
1.
Look carefully
at the assessment
and marking criteria.
It is important to
remember to check
your assignment
against the criteria
several times, and particularly when you have produced a final
draft. This is important because even though you think you
know where your assignment is going, you might lose sight of
this while you are writing. So check at the end, and check off
each of the assessment criteria against your work. If there is
anything missing then add it in, and if there is anything in there
PG Update 7th – 11th January 2013
which does not help meet the criteria, then take it out.
2.
Structure the assignment carefully!
Most subject disciplines have particular traditions about the
writing and presentation of different types of assignments.
Whether your work is an essay, a lab report or a research
project there will be particular models and structures of
presentation which you should use. However, be aware that
these are only models, and the exact structure that you need to
use should be explained to you clearly in the instructions for the
assignment or in your course or unit handbook. Check what is
needed before you prepare your assignment, including simple
presentational issues – should the assignment have doublespaced lines, for example; how long should it be; what should
the title page or cover sheet be like?
3.
Use a suitable Bibliography and Referencing system.
Which bibliography system should you use? There are several
methods and all are academically acceptable. However, most
disciplines and most universities will be clear about what their
preferred method is, and will explain this in programme
handbooks. It will be best to use the method that is
recommended to you.
4.
Remember that the exam will be testing your thinking,
analytical skills and understanding and not just your knowledge.
So simply filling your answers with learned facts will not be
enough to succeed in a written exam at postgraduate level.
5.
Revise and learn ideas, with examples to illustrate them,
and with evidence for and against the idea (or model or theory).
6.
Make sure you know the main sources on each topic so
you can indicate where the ideas have come from and who the
main thinkers and researchers are in the field.
7.
Make sure you know exactly what each examination will
(and will not) cover. This should be clear in the course or unit
handbook, but tutors should be able to tell you if you are not
sure.
8.
Make sure you know exactly what each examination will
(and will not) cover. This should be clear in the course or unit
handbook, but tutors should be able to tell you if you are not
PG Update 7th – 11th January 2013
sure.
9.
Plan your revision to give yourself plenty of time to revise
before the written exams.
10.
Read the instructions on the written examination paper
very carefully so that you answer the right number of questions.
11.
Read each question several times to be sure you know
exactly what it is asking you to do.
12. Do not rely only on lecture/seminar notes on each topic.
Make sure you have read more widely and have included ideas
from this wider reading.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Enterprise SU is searching for exciting
business ideas.
The competition is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate
Queen’s students with up to £2,000 prize money to be won!
Applications are available here.
Closing date: Friday 19 April 2013
THE IRELAND FUNDS BUSINESS COMPETITION 2013
Have a great idea for a new product or service?
We want to hear from you!
As part of our Promising Ireland Campaign, The Ireland Funds
are committed to
supporting Ireland’s economic recovery. Now in its second year,
The Ireland Funds
Business Plan Competition aims to nurture creativity and hone
entrepreneurial
skills amongst recent graduates and post-graduate students –
PG Update 7th – 11th January 2013
the early stage
entrepreneurs who will play a crucial role in getting us back on
our feet.
Candidates will have an opportunity to develop their business
ideas and
compete for a chance to win cash prizes and other supports.
Applications are available here. Please contact the Postgraduate
Centre at pg.centre@qub.ac.uk to register your interest and
recieve more information.
SU MAGAZINE LAUNCH
After a two-year absence on campus, Queen’s Students’ Union
is proud to announce the launch of the tenth issue of The SU
Magazine. The complimentary magazine presents an exciting
new-look and is entirely student-led - run by students for
students. Previously edited by the elected Vice-President
Campaigns and Communications of the Students’ Union, this
year’s VP Connor Daly instead appointed a student Editor for
the first time. The Editorial team are a group of students from
various disciplines across campus.
The tenth issue sees coverage of this years’ QUB Apprentice
competition and a candid interview with Jedi Jim in the
Students’ Union. Readers will be able to take advantage of his
advice on ‘getting that dream job’ and the skills required to be a
successful entrepreneur in today’s competitive
marketplace. Also featured in the magazine is an interview with
Irish funny man and compere of our very own Students’ Union
Comedy Club, Colin Murphy and Mickey Harte talks about
family, faith and football. There are also sections on Current
Affairs, Health and Lifestyle and University Clubs and Societies.
Students from all disciplines and interests at the University are
encouraged to get involved. The magazine offers students with
an interest in writing, publishing, graphic design and advertising
sales the opportunity to gain some experience which may help
PG Update 7th – 11th January 2013
with future career plans.
Ahead of the launch, Connor Daly said, “It’s great to see The
SU Magazine back. The launch has provided an opportunity to
take the project in a new direction, to hand the project over to
students and provide them with experience of editing, designing
and publishing a magazine from concept to delivery. This will
add to their employability skills and CV when approaching
potential employers.”
The magazine is free and available to download at
www.qubsu.org/media.asp or pick up a free copy in the Students’
Union.
Media inquiries to Vice-President Campaigns and
Communications on 028 9097 1065 or
su.vpcampaigns@qub.ac.uk.
Notes:
The SU Magazine needs you! To get involved, contact
Secretary Aine McCambridge: secretary.sumag@qub.ac.uk.
EVENTS
Breakfast Club will return on Tuesday 8th January 10.30-11.30
and Happy Hour returns on Wednesday 9th January 15.0016.00.
FUNDING AVAILABLE
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, ROBERT PENN WARREN
CENTER GRADUATE STUDENT FELLOWSHIP
This is a great opportunity for students in the Humanities and
PG Update 7th – 11th January 2013
qualitative Social Sciences for whom 2013-14 will be the final
year of their PhD. For further details and an application form
please click here.
Closing date: Thursday 31 January 2013.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Student Centre, connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.