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Preparing for Masters Study: Top tips. Dr Aisha Holloway Programme Director, MSc ANP, Nursing Studies, The University of Edinburgh. Starting point: necessary assumptions. Deserved achievement Philosophy of postgraduate study Partnership approach Responsibility Positive attitude
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Preparing for Masters Study: Top tips Dr Aisha Holloway Programme Director, MSc ANP, Nursing Studies, The University of Edinburgh
Starting point: necessary assumptions • Deserved achievement • Philosophy of postgraduate study • Partnership approach • Responsibility • Positive attitude • Not just academic development but personal, professional and career
Managing the academic element • Personal Tutor • Librarian • Terminology • Writing Skills • Reading Skills • Regulations • Personal organisation and planning
Personal Tutor • Allocated when you start the chosen programme • You will direct and lead – They will then respond accordingly • Meet regularly • Build a relationship • Maintain communication • Team effort • Vested interest in you! • You will get out what you put in
Librarian • Essential to your studies • Your new best friend! • Searching literature • Electronic databases • Forget wikipedia! • Referencing
Terminology • Don’t panic! • Critical analysis • Empirical evidence • Synthesis and evaluation • Evidence base • Literature Review • Research
Writing skills • Practice makes perfect • Expect to write at least 2 drafts of an assignment • Plan & structure • Send outlines and drafts to academic staff for comment • Mind map • Proof read and edit ALL work • Utilise study skills training available at your chosen institution
Reading skills • You can never read enough! • What should I be reading? • How should I read? • What do I do once I have read a journal article/book chapter? • Read smart • Organise your work • Reference Manager or Endnote Software • Utilise study skills available at your chosen institution
Regulations • Read the relevant Programme Handbook • Guidance on • Submissions • Extensions • Marking process • Plagiarism • Pass marks • Progression
Personal organisation and planning • From Day 1 it begins • Understand how you work • 5 P’s Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance • Work/study balance • A semester at a time