SSAA Blog

Rise and shine, it's assessment time!

By Dani Brown

Public Relations / Psychology student at Lilydale

I woke up on the final day of the mid-semester break in an amazing state of tranquillity.  As I gradually eased into this amazing day I figured it was probably about time to see when my next major assignment was due.  Carefully I removed the artefacts of my social life that had been strategically balanced on top of my unit guides, and flipped to the assessment page… “2 WEEKS!!!”  

This, my friends, was the end of the calm before the storm.

So let’s get up and get on with some of these assessment tasks. We’ll examine how to both prepare for them and get them done.

PREPARATION

Like any storm, those who have taken time to prepare seem to come out better off.

Preparation starts with simply knowing what assignments are due and when. Map out the dates that your assignments are due and know exactly what time you have to work on them. Literally look forward into the next couple of weeks and block out time in your diary specifically for these assignments (and social time to keep sane!).

Work smarter, not harder. Think outside the square and carefully consider all the resources that you have around you. Utilise your tutors and lecturers to clarify what the assignment is asking of you. Think about the people you know that are either in your unit or have done the unit in the past. Ask them for some tips, direction and information sources.

DO NOT PLAGIARISE!  If you are unfamiliar with the rules of plagiarism than use this as a reminder that it is your responsibility to know the rules and avoid it.

Take advantage of all the resources that the University environment offers you and use them to your advantage.

For example, did you know that the library website can automate the reference details for the resources you use? In many cases you can even have the references generated for you in different referencing styles. I know right! So how do you learn to do this sort of stuff?? Try the library workshops!

GETTING IT DONE

Let’s take this process step by step and try to break up your study.

Try breaking it down into manageable bite sized chunks and also think about possible changes in scenery when you study.  Allocate your time to have PLENTY of breaks and try switching venues every couple of study sessions. One night study in the library, on another occasion stay home or maybe even try a café. Obviously it’s what works best for you but maybe try mixing it up a bit to make the experience a little bit more enjoyable.

Finally, make sure your assignments are proof read and referenced correctly. This doesn’t sound like rocket science but people tend to neglect this part of their assignment because they’re pushing it for time. The marker of your assignment will immediately begin to question the level of your work if they can instantly see that you haven’t referenced or proof read correctly. There are plenty of on campus student services to help you to increase you academic skills. This includes proof reading services, so use them!

CELEBRATE!

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS

Make an appointment with an SSAA Academic Advisor and Student Advocate:

TIPS AND BITS

Motivational References:

Coelho, P 1993, The Alchemist, HarperCollins, New York, USA.

Not the sharpest knife in the drawer?

By Dani Brown

Public Relations / Psychology student at Lilydale.

Ask one of my high school teachers what I was like as a student and they would probably have described me as ‘not the sharpest knife in the draw’. So how, you may I ask, did I sharpen up to become a HD student at University? Well I’m going to tell you but you’re going to have to work for it!

This blog offers sharp steps to deal with your results and improve next semester. Drum roll please…….

The 4 Step Sharp Plan.

After a few setbacks academically or even personally it’s easy to start believing that you weren’t cut out for success. This is exactly what happened to me and so I stopped trying. The first step of the Sharp Plan…

Step One: Get Over It!

Okay, so your results weren’t quite what you were expecting. You might have even failed a unit or two. Maybe instead of studying you went on a massive bender, but you want to do better next semester. What do you do? Cry? Shrug? Religiously recite ‘I don’t care’? No, learn from it, get over it and move on. What’s done is done. Make peace with this idea and I will guide you to the next step.

Step Two: I know I can improve!

A major part of improving is overcoming habits and perceptions that you, yourself carry. You have control and can improve if you really want to. So I ask you, do you really want to do better next semester? I can’t hear you… say it louder!.. Seriously, I can’t hear you but if you said Yes that’s AWESOME!

I think we need some inspiration!

Step Three: “Fail to plan you plan to fail”.

It’s time to make a plan. Generate some ideas to help take you from where you are now to where you want to be. Write down all the things you could possibly do and start thinking about your goals. There are hundreds of free online resources such as Mind Tools to help you but sometimes you need to delve a little deeper. Therefore I can give you resource ideas and point you in the right direction but ultimately you are in control of shaping the path you take. Like Mr Miyagi, I will give you the Bonsai but you’re gonna have to do the work!

So how can you start using a goal setting strategy that actually works? Well, by transforming your ideas.

Step Four: Take Action!

‘An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied’ - Arnold Glasow

Taking action on your ideas might include:

Goal setting:

Use the free University workshops to discover how to make a plan that actually works. Without planned goals success is like trying to find a light switch in the dark.

Reassessment of student work:

Studies have shown that most lecturers (believe it or not) are human and can therefore make mistakes. Luckily there is a simple process to have your grades reassessed. SSAA can help you work out your options for reassessment or to have your marks reviewed if you think there could be a mistake. Contact an SSAA Academic Advisor and they’ll take it from there. As a separate entity to the Uni they are there to represent YOU!

There are time limits to have your work reassessed, usually 10 days after you have received your work back or for exams, 10 days after you have received your results. However, you can still discuss your results with your lecturer and find out how you can improve your marks.

Managing a failed unit(s):

Revert to step one then meet me back here . Get back on the horse and re-enrol in the unit. You may need to speak to an SSAA Academic Advisor*. Ask your lecturer/tutor about areas for improvement and add these adjustments to your goal and study plans.

Improve:

Load yourself with better studying skills and use them! The University offers heaps of useful student services. Many students (including myself) just don’t get sharp and use them. So why do we avoid them like they were the plague? Probably because we feel self-conscious, we like to believe we don’t need help and have the perception that they’re a waste of time (although we wouldn’t know because we’ve never actually been).

Perhaps English is not your first language, there is help for you too. Swinburne International run free language advice and teaching for international students.

‘A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing’ - George Bernard Shaw

With that in mind I pledge to attend at least one workshop or seminar this semester. Then, in my next blog, I will tell you my EXACT and HONEST opinion about the workshop so you can decide if you’d like to go. Look out Student Services were going on a test drive! Really Uni isn’t about being the sharpest knife in the draw. It’s about working towards getting as sharp as you can be and staying that way!

Tips and Bits

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Quick Goal Planning Tips: Use the SMART goals method available on the mindtools website. Start with large scale goals (i.e. in 5 years I want to be a Dr.), then break these large goals down into smaller milestones or targets (i.e. to pass all my units at Uni). Break your goals down until you have a direct path starting from the day to day picture and ending in your ultimate goal.

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Song of the blog: The Aston Shuffle - Start Again

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Motivational References:

BIG READ: Leary-Joyce, J 2009, The Psychology of Success – Secrets of serial Achievement, Pearson Education Limited, Edinburgh Gate, Harlow.

Quick little story: Johnson, S 1988, Who Moved My Cheese? Vermillion, Reading, Berkshire.

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* if you’ve been sent a letter regarding progress review or a ‘show cause’ letter please contact an SSAA Academic Advisor

Show Cause

Swinburne University will send you a letter advising you that your results in your course have triggered a review of your enrolment by the Progress Review Committee. You need to respond by the specified deadline.

If you do not reply to the University’s notice within the specified time frame the University will assume that you no longer wish to study at Swinburne and exclude you from your program of study. It is therefore essential that you reply as soon as possible.

Presenting your case well in writing can make your job significantly easier when it comes to a meeting with your Progress Review Committee. Indeed, if your case is sufficiently strong it might even mean that you don’t need to meet with the committee at all.

THE BASICS

The letter must include:

• The date
• Your name and student number
• A contact telephone number and email address (All communication from Swinburne will be to your Swinburne student email account)
• A current contact mailing address and ensure that it is updated on Swinlink

Explain why you think your results have not met University standards and why you think that your performance will improve in the future.

Ensure you structure your letter properly with the address of the person you are sending it to and the date at the top. Make sure you sign and print your name at the bottom.

The address to send your reply to is listed in your show cause notification letter, however you may also hand the reply in person to your faculty administration office.

Once you have completed your letter it is a good idea to show it to either a Student

Academic Advisor at the Swinburne Student Amenities Association (SSAA) or someone you trust to make sure it is clear and comprehensive. SSAA may also be able to make some suggestions about things to add.

THE IMPORTANT STUFF

Provide an explanation for your performance

It is important that you give the committee a sense of why your performance has been poor. It may be that you have experienced illness, a relationship breakdown, family problems, difficult work commitments, financial problems, difficulties with English, taken some time adjusting to University life or simply spent to much time partying – you wouldn’t be the first student who got distracted by a social life. Go into as much detail as necessary to make your situation clear to the committee, remembering not to ramble. Make sure it is clear and concise.

Try and draw a link between any issues you have been dealing with and your academic performance. If you have had family problems did you find it difficult to study at home? If you had problems with childcare did you miss lectures as a result?

It is also important to detail any support or assistance you have sought over the last semester. Did you apply for special consideration? Talked to your lecturers? Saw a counsellor? This demonstrates you have been actively trying to change your situation and will help your case. When you write your reply be polite and avoid blaming anyone else for your situation. If it is someone else’s problem it’ll be hard to show what you can do to change that!

Be realistic with yourself about your circumstances and use the opportunity to think hard about where you want to be in the future, including whether Swinburne is the best option for you. The main value in talking about your circumstances is that it gives both you and the university an opportunity to consider some ways to help you minimise or avoid any problems you otherwise may experience in the future, so it’s important to be honest.

Say what you have done, or will do, to improve your performance

If your problems have already been resolved and you are confident that they will not recur then say so. For example, if you were in hospital during the semester but are now better the problem has been resolved and you can get on with your studies. Alternatively, if you’ve been having problems keeping up with a job outside of university you may have now reduced your hours or shifts.

If your circumstances have not yet changed you need to explain what you are planning to do to change things in the future. For example, you might plan to see a counsellor or may be taking some study skills workshops. In some cases you may need to manage your situation better and agree to receive more support. It is important that you actively make decisions to change your situation and that you intend to do what you say.

Take some time to think about your needs and what services are available at Swinburne and in the community. Consider things such as counselling, study skills training, stress management sessions, housing advice, financial advice and disability support services (for students with disabilities, medical or mental health conditions).

FINAL HINTS

If you can supply evidence to support any of your claims then do so. For example you may include medical certificates or a letter form your employer.

Keep a copy of your letter and any supporting documentation. We recommend that you attach photocopies (they must be certified copies) to your reply and bring originals with you if you are asked to attend a Progress Review meeting.

Start now, don’t wait. Make sure you are clear about deadlines.

Continue attending classes and handing in any paperwork required of you including assignments and reenrolment forms at least until your case is finalised.

SSAA employs independent Student Academic Advisors to assist you to write your reply and help you with your case. They can also attend with you if you are asked to meet the Progress Review Committee.

Regardless of how confident you feel about your case, in our experience students always do better if they seek support.

Hawthorn – 9214 5445

Prahran – 9214 6570

Lilydale – 9215 7176

Croydon – 9726 1542

Wantirna – 9210 1169

ssaa@swin.edu.au

www.myssaa.com.au