| Life at Central Greenwich College |
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Types of lesson and assessment
Lectures
The lecturer will give a general overview of topic. You will need to take notes. There is usually little opportunity to ask questions during lectures.
Seminars
The tutor will notify students of the topic in advance, and often a group of students will prepare a short presentation for discussion.
The aim is for students to analyse the topic through debate. Reasoned argument is encouraged; do not be afraid to speak out, to challenge others (including the tutor!) and contribute your ideas.
Tutorials
These are meetings between a tutor and an individual student, or sometimes a small group of students. This is an opportunity for you to discuss the progress of your work, and to tell the tutor about any problems you are having with a topic or with study methods.
Practical Work
On many courses you will have practical workshops or vocational study. This is intended to give you practical experience of the theories you have learnt.
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Independent study
On any course you will be expected to do some independent study. This may be unfamiliar to you, but it is an integral part of UK academic culture. It will help you to develop key skills such as critical analysis and problem solving, to develop your research skills, and to develop your own ideas.
Written work
This may include essays, a project or a dissertation, and assignment questions.
Assessments
There are many different forms of assessment, and these will vary according to your course. The main types include 'closed' examinations, where you are not allowed to refer to books or notes and have a specific time to complete a number of questions; 'open' examinations' where you can refer to books and notes; assessed essays, projects and dissertations; presentations to a seminar; practical assessments.
Be very clear about what you are allowed to take into an exam. Taking unauthorized materials into an exam could have very serious consequences.
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Plagiarism
Plagiarism means presenting someone else's work as your own. If you present the words or ideas of an author or another student without acknowledging the source, you could be accused of plagiarism. Whenever you use a quotation from a book, a website or reproduce an author’s ideas (even in your own words) you should indicate the source. This process is known as referencing. Check with your tutor about how you should reference your work. Penalties for plagiarism can be very severe, and may include failing the course.
Study tips
In the UK students often work independently, studying on their own for significant periods of time. Students are expected to develop critical judgement, which means an ability to assess whether an argument is coherent and well supported by evidence.
In order to plan your work and use your time effectively, you may need to find out the answers to some of the following questions:
- When writing an essay or assignment, how long should it be?
- Is a piece of work assessed, or is it for 'practice'?
- What proportion of your overall marks does a piece of work or examination represent?
- How much work will you have to do, and at what stage in the course?
In lectures, remember that you don't need to write down everything the lecturer says; concentrate on the main points and important details. If there is something you don’t understand, make a note to ask about it in a tutorial. If you are having difficulty understanding what the lecturer is saying, this will get easier as your English improves.
Reading
On most courses you will be given a booklist. It is easy to become overloaded in an attempt to read all course materials. Remember that you will not usually be expected to read every book and journal article on the list. Check with your tutor which books are essential for you to buy.
To reduce the cost of buying books, ask if there is an arrangement in your department where students in later stages of the course sell their used books. As you read a book, make notes of the main points and summarise arguments in your own words if possible.
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Using the Library
The College has a small reference Library of its own and access to the Local Library across the road from the College. Familiarising yourself with the library system may not be easy. If you need any assistance, Librarians are always on hand to provide assistance.
Once you are a member you will be able to borrow books free of charge. You will also find that the Library stocks national and local newspapers, as well magazines.
There is a notice board in the entrance to the library with information on local events.
For more information about the local library facilities, click here.
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Advice and help with studying
You will have a personal tutor, who will usually remain your personal tutor for the duration of the course. Your personal tutor should be your first point of contact if you are experiencing academic problems. You should also let your personal tutor know if you have personal or health related problems that may affect your academic progress. Students should feel free to approach their personal tutor at any time.
IT and reprographic facilities
At CGC we have two IT laboratories, which are used for networking and for designing and development work. We also offer a student access area where students can use the internet, check emails etc.
Students can also, by permission, make use of the printing and photocopying services at the college. There may be a nominal charge for this service however.
Further details of the facilities available at CGC can be found under facilities.
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Life beyond your studies
Students often socialise together outside of the college and the college itself organises several events that enable you to meet other students and locals whilst exploring aspects of the history and culture of the UK, including festivals such as Christmas, Hallloween and Chinese New Year and trips to places such as Oxford, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle.
You could join some of the local clubs or societies, there may be an opportunity to learn a new sport or activity or continue an interest from home.
It is an ideal opportunity to meet new people from different countries and walks of life.
Remember that people in the UK may not know as much about cultural differences as you do. If people aren’t familiar with your culture they won’t understand your needs and concerns unless you explain them. It also works the other way, you may find yourself confused by British culture at first.
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Picking up the unwritten rules about how a different culture works can at first seem confusing. In fact it is a fascinating process, and you shouldn’t be afraid to admit that you are confused and to ask for guidance from a British person, or from an international student who has lived in the UK for some time.
The more contact you have with people in the UK, the more you will adapt to their customs, and the more they will learn about your culture. Then you can really start to appreciate the positive aspects of an international education, and to benefit from your time in the UK.
The College staff understand that this can be a very stressful and confusing time and most of them have had similar experiences in their lives. If you feel that you are experiencing culture shock, and want to talk to someone in confidence, contact Student Services who will help you in any way that they can.
When you are not studying you can take time to explore a little of what else London has to offer. There are many local attractions (see Places of Interest) but you can also discover many more interesting places that are not on the tourist list.
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