Towards more rewarding studies

TOWARDS MORE REWARDING STUDIES yin d u St

g is the best time in human life!

Tuomas Saloniemi 1

Foreword Towards more rewarding studies guide is written for you. Its purpose is to facilitate your studies at university, diversify your image of university studies and help you to avoid some of the most com-mon pitfalls in your study career. This guide was compiled by Bachelor of Music Tuomas Saloniemi and first published in 1995 and updated in 2002. The Student Union of the University of Helsinki HYY has commissioned the publication. This guide includes plenty of material from the previous guide and I would like to thank its authors Katja Ryti and Annukka Uusitalo.

This guide can be used in many ways. It contains the most practical advice and tips for better and more rewarding studies. The guide also aims to expand results on various learning styles produced by different feedback systems and to improve your view on the nature of university education. This guide also aims to provide additional guidance for interpreting the results of various feedback sys-tems.

Many people have been interviewed for the writing of this guide. I would like to thank Mikko Valkonen, Leena Huovinen, Anna Parpala, Marja-Leena Hauhia, Juha Nieminen, Johanna Mikkonen, Raija Lahdenperä, colleagues in HYY and my spouse Airi Lahtinen.

At HYY’s Central Office, 1.6.2012

Towards more rewarding studies guide Author Tuomas Saloniemi Layout Oscar Hagen Translation Theresa Norrmén Publisher The Student Union of the University of Helsinki Print Yliopistopaino

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Contents 1. Making the most of your studies, i.e. how to study p. 4

This chapter covers the basics of learning: attitude, motivation and various tools for learning.

2. Tools for more rewarding university studies, p. 13

This chapter tells about various learning styles and their impact on the learning outcome. In addition, the chapter covers information retrieval and discovery.

3. Study techniques, p.19

This chapter explores study techniques referred to in the first chapter. Special attention is given to literacy, writing skills and a variety of academic writing styles.

4. Group fun, p. 37

Working together and acting as a group are the most important skills also in uni versity studies. This chapter provides guidance and advice on how to achieve good group work and how to act in a group.

5. Academic community as an arena for more rewarding studies, p. 42

This chapter describes the university as a community, as well as the development of the university and the common responsibility.

6. Students and health, p. 48

This chapter reviews the factors affecting the health of the student.

Mental health, physical health and psychological well-being are corner stones for achieving good study results. The chapter also covers work, studies and subsistence.

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Introduction Life is the best time in human life, at least according to our famous former ski jumper Matti Nykänen. University studies are a project which lasts for several years and always causes a wide range of upheavals in a person’s life. Moving away from home, finding a new living environment and possibly the beginning of a relationship are significant stress factors.

A new stage of life is an enormous opportunity and you should take everything out of it.

Sometimes it seems that everything does not go the way you intended. Do not worry, this is completely normal. Especially at the beginning of your studies, many things happen at the same time and it would be strange if everything went really well. Misfortunes and the feelings of inadequacy are normal and surely concern every single university student.

At university, everyone builds their own, independent study path. You have a great responsibility for the type of degree that you will have. For this purpose, the university provides plenty of support: study planners, tutors, tutor teachers, study psychologists and priests, all of them are there for you. The most important advice for your whole university career is to ask questions. The majority of study-related problems can be prevented simply by asking.

If there is something in the lecture that you do not understand, it is likely that there are many other students in the lecture hall who do not understand it either. If your studies do not progress, ask for help in time. Help is available.

This guide is not intended to be a universal guide to the galaxy. It is rather a collection of advice and tips, as well as an attempt to present a student’s most common learning mistakes. This guide describes study techniques and learning types (Chapter 2-3), a student’s social well-being (Chapter 5-6) and the variety of safety nets (Chapter 6).

Studies are not an interphase in human life. Completing a degree is a process of many years and studies are full life. Enjoy your study years!

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1. 1. Making the most of your studies, i.e. how to study Studying at university is very different from studying in upper secondary school or vocational school. There is more freedom and more elective courses. At the same time, a student has more re-sponsibility. In brief, the long anticipated academic freedom is finally a reality.

You decide what you want to study and how to use your freedom. However, with great power comes great responsibility. The university offers plenty of help and support, but you have to know how to take advantage of them. Today, a student’s academic achievement is monitored automatically and the university sends an inquiry concerning your study pace if you do not achieve a certain number of credits. However, it is advisable to be active and make sure that you gain credits at a suitable pace, rather than fill out clarifications afterwards.

If your studies do not progress as planned (for whatever reason), please contact a study planner on time. You can have additional time for studies if you need it, but the earlier you can have effect on the situation, the more trouble-free your studies can continue.

1.1 Attitude towards learning Why did you apply to study precisely your own field? This is not a simple question. There are dif-ferent answers: some have applied for their dream field, some have begun their studies by coincidence and some students just find the field interesting. All these are equally valuable reasons to study. Although there is rarely an unambiguous answer to this question, it is worth to consider this every now and then.

Studying is a process that will certainly change you. During your studies, your professional identity gradually grows and takes shape. This process is slow and imperceptible but always present.

An optimistic and open mind are important aspects, which support your study motivation and bring meaning to your life. This does not, however, preclude mood shifts or the sense of powerlessness, which sometimes take over students. You should talk about your feelings of frustration and power-lessness or the lack of motivation early enough with a university pastor, study psychologist, friends, parents or your spouse. These feelings are a normal part of the learning process.

The beginning of university studies may also be related to the change of domicile and leaving the people close to you. You should keep in touch with your old friends and try to find new ones. If this feels difficult, you can start from the hang out nights of Nyyti association.

1.2 Motivation Naturally, you need motivation in order to study. Books do not take exams by themselves and you also have to do calculation exercises. Motivation can sometimes be lost and it is 4

perfectly normal. The study project of several years certainly includes those moments when you could not care less. An extensive degree also includes courses which are not interesting and which you only want to get rid of as soon as possible. You should not think that these moments are an obstacle to your studies.

If your motivation seems to be lost, you may want to think about the reasons for poor motivation. Motivation problems are rarely a problem themselves, they are usually a symptom of something. Is it a poor teacher, inconvenient course schedule, a bad-smelling student next to you or your own relationship problems? Sometimes just by solving a single problem, you can improve the situation and feel better. You should also find a new perspective to difficult motivation problems through the working life or previous courses, for example.

Different courses may also require different approaches in terms of study techniques. We will get back to these later.

In fact, motivation problems are often something very different than the lack of motivation.

And please remember: a difficult course will end sooner or later and you do not have to go through it again. Besides, after completing a challenging course, you will feel really good.

Completing a massive degree project requires study motivation and the ability to keep your butt on the bench. However, studying should not be joyless hard work. If things do not go well, keep changing them until you find the joy and pleasure of learning. Studying is fun!

1.3 Zen and the art of studying As mentioned earlier, university studies significantly differ from your previous study experiences. In addition to reading, exams, and calculation exercises, you will gradually learn a scientific approach: the professional identity, practices of the scientific community and growth towards expertise. There is an enormous amount of information to be studied at university and it takes time to take it all in. Be patient. Also be smart and think about what you are doing.

If all has gone well for you so far, you probably have not stopped to consider how you study. There is a wide range of ways to process information. Motivation problems can sometimes be explained just by unsuitable study methods. You can absorb information in many ways:

By writing (notes, essays) By watching (handouts, powerpoints, visual memory) By listening (lectures, tape recorder as a lecture note device) By drawing (diagrams, mind maps or even comics) By touching (kinaesthetic memory)

These methods are generalisations and most people use a combination of all of these. You can try out all of them and find a suitable one for you. After all, it does not matter how you absorb information. The most important matter is that you find a suitable method for yourself and the subject that you study. You should also be able to process information after you have learned it and find your own method for this: can you analyse a picture from 5

an enormous information mosaic or do you perceive information linearly in the order of absorption?

Optimal conditions for different students vary. Some students want to listen to heavy metal while they study, others need silence. For some, it is easier to learn in the group and others learn better on their own. These conditions are often revealed only by testing them. The university has a tremen-dous amount of working areas. Libraries not only have reading rooms for silent work, but they also include bookable group work rooms and lobby areas which can be used as workspace. It is allowed, and even desirable, to use couches and tables in the department corridors for studying and reading.

There are several types of study techniques. When you have sorted out your learning environment and learning methods, you should consider for a moment how you study. Often just reading through a book a number of times is not a sensible method.

1.4 Make plans! How to make plans and not stick to them!

It takes years and years to complete a degree. No one can directly perceive the tremendous amount of work which you should invest in your studies. This requires planning. You should rather make too many than too few plans at the beginning of your studies.

The university requires students to make a study plan. The study plan should be a draft about how to complete your degree and which courses you need in order to do that.

Therefore, you should invest plenty of time in your study plan especially during the first year. Study counsellors usually have a good grasp of how much time it takes to complete courses and what kind of study plans are sensible. Even if your weekly schedule seems to be empty, please remember that studies take more time than just the lectures. Preparing yourself, reading and other information retrieval are at least as important. Not to mention leisure and relaxation.

The personal study plan (HOPS) is said to be personal and this may even be the case.

Often, however, HOPS is drafted based on a ready-made model and this model can be measured unrealistically. If you think that the personal study plan is too strict for you, do not be afraid to change it. Maybe the time reserved for the course has been planned by someone to whom these matters are self-explanatory. It is useful to consider your own personal study plan and think about which are the matters that you know more of. If you already have basic knowledge of a subject, it probably takes less time to complete advanced courses than if you begin to study a completely new subject.

You can, and should, update your personal study plan every year. Your objectives and your own schedule may change but it is important to remain goal-oriented. Teacher tutors, fellow students and your own experience, which accumulates during the first years, will help you to update your personal study plan in the future.

In addition to HOPS, make your own study plans. Clarify to yourself when the course exams are organised and at what point you should have read half of the exam books.

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Write these down in your calendar or make a separate plan on paper. The more you make plans, the faster you can suit your own activities to your target schedule.

If these do not match, ask yourself why that is. Is the schedule that you have set unrealistic or were you not able to stick to it for other reasons? Do not be afraid to change time limits that you have set. They are tools, not objectives.

It is advisable to make study plans for the whole study period.

Calendar Sometimes your workload and your own goals do not meet. In this case, you should try to record all daily activities on your calendar. After a few weeks of monitoring, you get a good picture of where your time goes. If you find the calendar useful, you can also use it for the planning of your daily life. Write down the duties that you cannot skip:

lectures meals larger tasks, seminar work, thesis, etc. other study periods requiring independent work sports important personal stuff, such as hobbies and other social life

Customise your weekly routine to suit the schedules of important people around you.

Do not make your plans too strict. After a hard day, you can have a more laid-back daily schedule. Time the most important affairs to the most pleasant part of the day. Get to know yourself: are you an early bird or a night owl? Time the most difficult and hardest duties depending on this aspect.

It is not sensible to make different weeks all the same. Learn to know yourself: do you enjoy a routine daily schedule or do you require change on a regular basis?

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1.5 Mistakes Every now and then everything goes wrong. Sometimes this happens with your studies, too.

When you do not pass an exam, when your exercises are not acceptable, or your studies do not progress for some other reason, you should consider in detail why this happened.

You can learn much even from a failed course. Above all, it is useful if you thoroughly clarify the reason for the failure. Self-blame does not raise your grades or complete the course, but it will give you valuable information about what happened. You should outline answers to yourself at least with a few questions: What happened?

Example: You did not pass a significant exam Why did this happen?

Example: Your own schedule for exam preparation was not successful, some exam books were studied poorly.

How can I fix it?

Example: Correct your schedule to be more realistic when re-taking the examination, get prepared better.

You can also use a little more detailed questions to help you. In addition to the previous questions, you should consider:

What are the consequences of the mistake?

Do you have to change your study plan, do you have to re-schedule other courses?

What kind of changes do you have to make to your own activities?

Do you need more time for studies, do you need study techniques of other kind, do you need more self-discipline?

Do you need more time, are you able to cope?

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1.6 Ask! You learn many important skills at university, but the ability to question and ask questions is certainly among the most important ones in all scientific and artistic fields. This skill is absolutely essential for the academic growth. Asking questions casually and clarifying issues will bring more good than harm.

You should make a habit out of asking questions and questioning. Often a question should just be put into words and asked. The scientific community and university have the same rules as everywhere else: there are no stupid questions. You have the right, or actually the duty, to understand and learn through asking. Usually, the most difficult thing about questions is to find the right question and put the thought which concerns you into words.

At university, you are expected to know how to ask and look for help when you need it.

It is highly likely that you will find a matter that you are looking for somewhere, so please search for it first. This is probably the quickest way to find an answer to your question. So first clarify to yourself what you are looking for and what you need. Review your needs through the following examples: Direct advice and information Courses and study modules: where is the course held, when is it held, how is it evaluated? Is this information already available online?

Understanding help When do I need mental help? How can I make friends? How do I find the motivation to study?

Guidance related to the study content Which courses do I need for my degree, which courses am I missing, should I take this or that course, which courses do I need in the future professional life?

Study technique guidance How could I study better, how to get my mind to stay focused, how to use study techniques?

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You can also turn to teachers and teacher tutors outside lectures or reception hours.

However, please respect their right to work in peace and their request to come and discuss during reception hours. Also have situational awareness – if you see a professor really focused at work, maybe you should wait for the next reception hour. At university, teachers also do much more than teach and this work is done outside reception hours. You should always consider if you can find answers online.

At university, it is often easy to find someone who is interested in the same subjects as you or who is able to tell you more about them.

Asking is also a good way to focus on reading techniques presented in the next chapter.

Consider what you want to learn from a particular book, why the book was selected for the course, and whether it is the best book for you. Can you find the same information presented more clearly elsewhere? You can also tell the course teacher about your own feelings regarding the material, but please remember that the teacher ultimately has the right to decide on the content and material used in the course.

While reading, also ask yourself whether the information presented in the book corresponds to previously learned information, whether it is contradictory to it, and whether you need more information from other sources? You should also write down these questions in learning or lecture diaries.

1.7 Research!

Research and teaching are the basic duties of the university. Their relationship is not always entirely trouble-free, although one would not exist without the other. However, they both form the scientific community, which we will talk about later. Especially in advanced studies, these two are bound to-gether into one integral unit.

Research is not only a method, it is also an attitude. In general, everything should be researched and reviewed. You will notice that some topics do not interest you as much as the others do. You will also notice that there are many subjects that are necessary for the degree, but not for your future. This is how it should be. Comprehensive general education is, after all, one purpose of the university degree.

1.8 Assess!

Assessment is related to questions and research. Consider your studies analytically.

Assessment is an instrument for development and progress, which can be targeted at teaching and the whole learning environment, in addition to learning. Assessment in itself is appreciation the subject of the assessment is usually considered necessary and worth

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pursuing. Since assessment strongly controls activities and target setting, it should be understood as a larger entity than simply a grade given by a teacher or something which is based on the final result of the course. At best, assessment is reflective, realistic, continuous and it supports development.

Assessment is also part of your expertise. It takes plenty of courage and wisdom to tell others where they should develop in your opinion and reveal something of yourself that you do not even know yet. Assessment is a powerful tool and at best will help you to uncover development objectives and areas to be developed in your expertise.

Assessment is much more than online feedback provided at the end of the course. The providing and receiving of feedback will be discussed later in this guide; it is not an innate ability but a skill which must be practised.

1.9 Feedback One important tool in studying is to provide and receive feedback. Giving feedback is not a simple task. It must also be practised and, eventually, you will become better and more fluent. When giving feedback, you should be sensible, and consider what kind of feedback you would like to receive.

Feedback situations vary. Sometimes feedback is given orally immediately after a presentation or it can be collected with an online survey after the course. Please consider carefully the key points on which you wish to provide feedback. Summarise those key points in a few sentences. Please remember that there is something good in every course and presentation. Take your time and be nice. However, you should not be too nice or vague. On the other hand, you should avoid polarisations or generalisations. Do not, under any circumstances, make personal remarks, even as a joke.

The purpose of feedback is to help everyone to learn. A feedback recipient receives feedback on one’s work, but also the person who provides feedback actively considers and reviews the situation in which feedback is provided. Feedback should not embarrass others or highlight your own skills. Asserting yourself and self-importance are poor feedback. If the course grade is connected with a feedback event, poor feedback can even decrease the grade.

Receiving feedback is also a skill. If you receive negative feedback, please remember that it concerns your work, not yourself. Feedback may also seem unfair. You should ask for feedback in writing and get back to it in a few days. Review your work from the perspective of the person who provided the feedback and correct obvious mistakes. After this, think about the more problematic sections – how to improve your work so that issues mentioned in the feedback are corrected?

Naturally, inappropriate feedback is a different matter. It is bullying and no one must tolerate it. If you think that you have been treated unfairly, please get in touch with the harassment contact per-son at your university.

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During your studies, you will receive hundreds of different online surveys on various topics.

Unfortunately, the university is a huge institution where the left hand does not always know what the right foot has just asked the students, so you might receive overlapping surveys. However, please respond to surveys as much as you can, as they help to improve your learning environment and teaching. Responding is genuinely important.

SWOT- analys You can also use SWOT analysis to support your studies. SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportuni-ties, threats) is an analysis tool that can extract anything. It is a simple four-field system, where you record the different characteristics of the researched phenomenon.

SWOT analysis can be used successfully for extracting learning and knowledge. It requires honesty to use the analysis. SWOT method should always be made on paper. You can also draft time series where you can track the development of a phenomenon.

Exemple of SWOT-analysis

Strengths

Weaknesses

(Fast reader, part of the theory already under control)

(Slow writer, reference technique unclear)

Opportunities

Threats

(The course x could be completed as a literature examination, the Swedish course at the Open University in the summer)

(Many overlapping courses, is there enough time? Work schedule still open)

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2. Tools for more rewarding university studies Studying at the university is probably different from your previous study experiences.

When the amount of studied information and quality requirements increase, your previous study methods may seem inadequate. The most important tools and objectives in university studies are the skills to search, evaluate, produce and present information. Although the different branches of science set their own specific requirements, the core of all academic studies is to become trained to your own choices, learn independent decision making and how to produce new knowledge. The purpose of this chapter is to provide you with concrete tips, which you can choose and use as development tools for your own studies.

The best way to reach more rewarding studies and expertise in your own field is to have a determined attitude and decide that you will develop your own actions to better respond to challenges set by the new environment. University is flooding with new information and new interesting subjects, so you should remain alert. How do you know which sources to read and where to start looking for information for essays or theses? There is an enormous amount of alternative sources, but how to find and select the right ones? In the middle of scientific works and articles, even a student who is used to reading may be in trouble, as study books include plenty of information in a concise package. You have read the book but did you get anything out of it? As different situations and subjects require different reading methods, a student should recognise various methods required by different situations.

Information retrieval and getting familiar with the existing knowledge is an important basis on which a student builds new knowledge. Creating new knowledge and expressing one’s own ideas in the scientific community also requires fluent written (Chapter 3.12-3.14) and oral (Chapter 3.5-3.6) skills, in addition to information retrieval skills. In addition to learning and studying, both of these skills are important tools for presenting academic information.

2.1 Learning styles Studying and learning can also be studied scientifically. Different universities use various mechanisms for collecting feedback. These mechanisms and the systems behind them can analyse your study success, performance profile and other factors, as well as try to outline a rough picture of you as a learner. At best, feedback systems form a perception of yourself as a learner and help you with your goals, but sometimes they just go completely wrong.

All study-related information, however, should be reviewed and you should consider whether this information can help you to learn.

Studying can be described with four-field systems and the variety of axles. One way to understand your own approach to studying is to categorise it to deep, surface and systematic approaches. These words should be reviewed without value judgement or the assumption that different study tech-niques would mean that you study poorly or are an inferior student. All of these approaches have their advantages and disadvantages In addition, a student’s approach also varies depending on a course, and that is how it should be.

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Deep approach to learning In the deep approach, a student combines learned issues with the already existing data structure and information as much as possible. Issues gradually form larger entities which are connected with changes in thinking and perception. It is also important for a student to find justified and different viewpoints related to learned issues.

Surface approach to learning In the surface approach, the main issues are memorising and details. Information does not necessarily form new entities but helps you to pass exams. The way of thinking changes very little. Information is perceived in the same form as it was provided in the course.

Systematic studies Systematic studies refer to the planning and management of time in order to adequately succeed in studies. A student, who is very systematic in studies, effectively considers one’s own responsibility in learning and different study methods.

Studies included in the degree are such a large entity that you will certainly use all these approaches during your studies. This makes sense, because all studies are not as important to you. It is good to know some of them, while others are necessary for the deeper understanding of the discipline. These vary according to where you are heading in the future and what kind of issues interest you.

In addition, these learning methods are by no means unambiguous and most people are surely somewhere between them. All of these, however, have a number of specific features which can be taken into account.

The deep approach means that a person tries to understand the study field in depth and form a general view which to challenge and test. Learning combines both understanding and the perception of entities, as well as remembering information by combining these two aspects. Deep learning is usually a path to educational success, but please note that the deep approach has the risk of going too deep. At worst, a degree is perceived as a tunnel and you cannot move forward until you have inter-nalised the whole discipline. Therefore, do not sink too deep and let go at some point. Also keep in mind that studying a certain matter does not end to an exam or a final degree, but will continue for much longer.

The surface approach does not automatically mean that you study poorly or are an inferior student. In this approach, knowledge does not necessarily take shape as an entity but studied issues stay in your head at least until the moment when you have to write them down in an exam. This is quite acceptable in certain situations. It is better to pass a course somehow than not pass it at all. Naturally, keep in mind that researches show that if you mostly use the surface approach, your studies begin to burden you more. The large amount of surface studies burdens the student surprisingly much at the Master’s thesis stage and later in the working life – that is when you should begin to collect the learned information into logical entities.

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Systematic studies are usually connected with either deep or surface approach. In terms of study success, you can often reach the best result by combining the deep approach and systematic studies, when it is easier to change your approach. When you plan your studies well, it is possible to com-plete some courses with the deep approach and some with the surface approach, depending on your own motivation and interests.

Your faculty or university may use a system that automatically creates a summary of your evaluated learning style. This is just an evaluation. If such an opportunity is offered, you should naturally take advantage of it. If you think that your current learning style or method is not exactly what you need, you should consider the feedback seriously. Book an appointment with a study psychologist for a more specific review of your learning methods.

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2.2 Information retrieval The truth can be found in exam books – and many other places. Information retrieval is not that simple. What kind of information can you use? What kind of information do you need? From where can you find it?

The collection of information is an essential skill at the university. In many ways, creativity is based on borrowing and replication, as well as the combining, development and refinement of the already existing ideas. In any field, individual creativity also requires “standing on the shoulders of giants”; knowing the key publications in the field and the works of well-known authors, as well as having extensive knowledge of the field. When these blocks are in their place, you can begin to challenge, modify and revoke the ideas of other authors.

Therefore the expertise, which accumulates during academic studies, means that you know your own field and how to use it creatively and extensively. You will need the following types of skills in the retrieval and processing of information: Perceiving your own need for information: What do you know already and what do you need to know? How can you take advantage of this information?

Finding: How and from where can you find relevant information sources and how to find suitable information from these sources?

Evaluating the information: Is the information reliable and necessary in terms of your own work?

Selecting the information: How to choose suitable information and how to take advantage of it?

Presenting the information: How do you present clearly and in detail the information that you have found and constructed?

Assessment: How do you assess the final result and the information retrieval process?

Learn to take advantage of various information sources and research methods. Also learn how to think critically and question what you have read and learned.

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2.3 Challenge of finding The university is full of information. Faculty libraries, university libraries and other information systems certainly contain at least references to which way to go. In addition, many public administrative organs and ministries have their own publication series which are largely available on the Internet. Neither forget the city library.

Google alone will get you to a good start. Google Scholar is an excellent search tool which brings together scientific databases. Part of the material on the Internet is behind the so-called paywall, meaning that you have to pay to log in. Find out if your faculty or university library has pre-purchased user licences. In addition, you can use Nelli portal, for example, which is the listing of all search engines of the university libraries in Finland.

Finding just the right article or information is a skill that you can practise by yourself or in information retrieval courses.

Wikipedia is not a scientific source and referring to it as a source is not wise. Wikipedia articles, however, usually give a good general overview of the subject and include many references which help you to find more information on the subject. The simplest method, however, is to find someone who knows about the subject. There is certainly someone among the university staff or fellow stu-dents who can recommend a certain publication on the subject that you are researching. From here on, the need for information begins to unravel through source references.

When you search and collect information, you should pay attention to the following: Do you have enough time? Please note that it takes time to find and assess suitable sources.

In addition, you may have to queue for a book which is not available in the library, for example.

Do you know what you are looking for? The basic knowledge of your own field, key concepts, renowned specialists and the knowledge of current topics help you to determine what kind of infor-mation you are looking for. Search engines in libraries and the Internet require a keyword or the name and the author of the book. Similarly, you should not visit a specialist without detailed questions.

You can keep yourself up to date in the concept jungle by following novelty lists in libraries, topical seminars and scientific journals.

Do you know who knows? The most important support, both for specialists and students, is the surrounding scientific community. You should find out what is being researched in your own department or elsewhere at the university, and you should feel free to ask questions from the experts of the subject. The sources which specialists use in their publications may also lead to other information sources.

Are your language skills adequate? Source material narrows down the less languages you know. In addition, source material and even exam questions change to a foreign language in most fields already during undergraduate studies.

Are you critical? You should always primarily rely on first-hand (primary) sources, and learn to distinguish between the first, second and third-hand (secondary and tertiary) 17

sources. Each middleman edits information, so consider whether your source tells about one’s own research or information received through another person.

Is your information stored? If you do not carefully write down your sources and the ideas which they evoke while reading, the material you have gone through does not help much when you start writing. You should use your notes to support reading (Chapter 3.3.1) or make a mind map (Chapter 3.3.2). You should also start to collect your own source card file already at the beginning of your studies, which helps you to store interesting sources.

2.4 Difficult choice Often the problem is not the lack of information but its abundance. Find a few basic books in the field in order to give you a general idea of what exactly you are looking for. The more you can narrow down your topic, the more accurately you can find relevant publications.

In addition, source criticism is one of the most important skills in university studies. Do not believe everything. Have a healthy caution for everything that you read. With these few questions, you can assess your sources: When and for what purpose is the text written and published?

Who has written and published the text?

Does the author tell about one’s own experiences or studies, or about someone else’s ideas?

How does the author justify one’s ideas?

How extensively and from which viewpoints does the author review the topic?

What kind of sources has the author used?

And above all: Is this actually relevant in terms of your own work?

2.5 Own or borrowed?

The scientific community is built on the editing and analysing of the existing information.

Despite this fact, you must take great care with references and make sure that your own and borrowed ideas are not mixed. Learn the correct reference technique as early as possible. Reference techniques vary by discipline and you should check correct practices in your own department.

Plagiarism refers to the theft of another author’s ideas, observations, research results or the wording, in other words, presenting another person’s text or speech as your own. Similarly, 18

the stealing of unpublished texts, your friends’ ideas or essays is stupid and wrong. Also remember that if you can google the source, your professor can surely do it as well.

It is sometimes difficult to keep track of who originally had a great idea. In an intense brainstorming session, the original presenter of the idea may not be found. In these situations, it is advisable to use common sense.

3 Study techniques 3.1 Literacy In university studies, reading is about finding and reading different texts, or an attempt to understand what the text is saying and how the new issue can be linked to your previous information storage. This reading skill is not the same basic skill from your childhood or primary education, but the key skill of studying, mental growth, work and active citizenship, which evolves throughout your life. The continuous development of your own know-how, such as the increasing use of information and communication technologies, requires that you practise new reading skills and find reading material from new environments.

There is a variety of reading skills. The reading skill for the scientific literature requires understanding, interpretation, reasoning and evaluation. At best, the reading skill is technically controlled, smooth, and above all, context-dependent. You should read a pamphlet book in a different way than a collection of essays or maths exercises. With practise, you can automate your own reading process and make it more efficient. You can develop your reading skill successfully by being aware of your own reading habits and customs in different situations and when reading different texts. Good readers can slow down or change their reading method if they do not understand what they are reading. In addition, a good reader can find the key ideas of the text and is able to distinguish whether the text is description, theoretic information or interpretation. Everyone can learn to read better and more efficiently. The reading speed, however, has nothing to do with efficiency. Rather carefully read through a section once than read it quickly for several times without concentrating.

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Creative literacy combining your own thinking with texts and images, as well as the development of new ideas based on them

Critical literacy utilising literacy as well as the text and image in daily life when searching, evaluating and presenting information, for example

Functional literacy applying reading and different reading methods to different situations

Basic literacy understanding the topic and the meaning of a text or a picture

University studies may be very different from your previous study experiences. When the amount of studied information and quality requirements increase, your previous study methods may not be the most suitable ones. The most important tools and targets for university studies are the skills to search, evaluate, produce and present information. Although different science fields set their own specific requirements, the core of academic studies is to practise how to make choices, make decisions independently and produce new information. The purpose of this chapter is to provide concrete tips for you to choose from and customise your own tools in order to develop your study methods.

3.2 What to read and when?

You should not try to read through everything as quickly as possible. Your own understanding is constructed on small pieces, which begin to form rational and logical entities in your mind. You should sincerely think that you do not study only for the next exam, but in order to understand a new issue or a particular entity. The more you learn about a certain area, the easier it is to acquire new knowledge. The framework of information is specified and defined. Little by little, you will learn to distinguish irrelevant information from relevant information. Finding relevant information is certainly the single most important “scientific skill�. Even exam books may include contradictions or irrelevant information. Pay attention to your reading speed and stop every once in a while to consider what you have read.

Speed reading is not an effective way to absorb information.

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Plan your reading. Set goals for your own understanding. Try to actively interpret the content of the text, link it to your previous knowledge and take notes. After reading, you should stop and revise information. Put the book aside and recollect what you have just read. You can do this either by us-ing keywords or drawing a mind map on paper, or just do it on your mind. Transferring information from the working memory to the long term memory is one of the most effective ways to learn, so even if it seems unnecessary to revise the information that you have just read, you should still try it out.

• Browse titles, introductions, summaries, captions and diagrams • Gather previous information and conceptions about the topic into a mind map or a list • Collect topics which are new and unfamiliar to you • Outline the key concepts and themes of the text • Think about how and in what time you will read, and make a precise reading plan • Interrogate yourself and tell about issues in your own words • Ask questions, think about what puzzled you and on which issues you would like to receive more information • Consider if there were difficult or contradictory sections in the text • Check if your reading plan worked • Think about what you did to understand, remember and analyse what you read • Consider whether you could develop your reading method somehow

Immerse and process Revise and specify

Active reading process Browse and predict

Collect and analyse

• Read continuously without clinging to details • Outline entities, key concepts and relations between issues into a chart or a mind map • Think about the purpose of the text and questions to which it aims to respond • Think about what the text is claiming and how the arguments are justified • Divide the material into units which are suitable for processing

• Underline main issues and keywords • Draft summaries by writing about issues in your own words • Compare what you have read to your previous information and conceptions • Divide text, connect topics, search for causes and consequences • Think about examples and opportunities where to use the information • Check how your reading plan was implemented and revise the plan if necessary

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Usually only by glancing through the table of contents, you can get a good picture of what the book covers. Exam books may have hundreds of pages and there may be many of them.

Do not get anxious because of this. Even thick books are read page by page. Just learning by heart is not a good study technique. Set yourself a reasonable schedule and cut the reading project into smaller pieces and tasks. More information on this topic is presented in the next chapter.

Pomodoro technique The Pomodoro technique is a simple way to control your time management and concentration. Set the egg timer or cell phone to sound an alarm after 25 minutes and begin to study. When the bell rings, quickly revise what you have read and learned. You can also write it down quickly in a few words. After this, take a five-minute break and start all over again. After four pomodoro cycles, you can have a longer break. The good aspect of the pomodoro technique is that learning periods are of a suitable length and you do not lose your concentration.

3.3 Image literacy Image literacy, surprisingly, refers to the ability to interpret images. In a scientific context, it often refers to information contained in visual, graphic or statistical presentations. Images are often used to illustrate or explain the text. With an image, it is often easy to present some contents which would be difficult to describe with words. In mathematics and statistics, for example, illustrations are emphasised. The making and interpretation of mind maps also require image literacy.

Image literacy is ability which you can practise as follows: Select a picture or a diagram from your exam book or the newsletter of the day. Cover the caption or the text which explains the picture.

View the picture carefully and write down what the image tells in your opinion: what is the main topic of the picture or the most essential content, how are different objects in the picture connected to one another?

Think about what the image does not tell in your opinion: what else is related to the topic presented in the picture and how could it be supplemented?

Compare what is said in the possible caption about the topic presented in the picture: Do the picture and the text correspond or complement each other? Is the presented topic clearer to you in the picture or the text?

Think about how and what kind of issues you can learn with pictures, and how you could use a va-riety of pictures or diagrams to support your studies.

Please remember, however, that even if a picture is worth a thousand words, it is also easier to lie with a picture. Do not forget source criticism with pictures either. If you take the basic course of statistics, you learn much about how you can lie in a graphical presentation.

Pictures and graphs may not have references, but you can, and should, ask for them.

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3.4 Media literacy Media literacy is the ability to take advantage of different media, such as the Internet, television, magazines or discussion forums in information retrieval and communications.

Nowadays, media literacy is a subject in primary school and its significance is emphasised even more in higher education studies. It is your responsibility to interpret and assess the reliability of the various media and their priorities. These skills are tremendously necessary in order for you to analyse information that you are searching for or participate in a debate concerning the topic. Media literacy has a number of different aspects and levels: Information management skill: the ability to search and select essential information from a tremendous amount of information and apply this information.

Information and communications technical know-how: the ability to use technical equipment and programmes to search, produce and edit information.

The reception and processing skill of media presentations: the ability to critically interpret and ana-lyse text, images and sound, as well as the makers behind them.

The producing skill of media presentations: the ability to produce text, images and sound.

The awareness of the operating rules of the media environment: the knowledge of netiquette and copyrights.

Language skills and cultural knowledge: language skills and the understanding of different cultures.

Presentation skills, communication skills and social skills: the ability to share opinions and take others into account.

The skill to search and have experiences through the media and the understanding on how these experiences and observations may greatly affect our emotions. New devices also provide a variety of ways to learn. Editing or typing a Wikipedia article may be an effective way to compile your own thoughts or go through a new topic that you have learned.

The Internet has no possibility or requirement for peer evaluation and anyone can produce texts which sound scientifically qualified but are not. Media literacy is the ability to distinguish scientific-sounding texts from scientific texts. A non-scientific text may also include correct and important information.

At this point, you have the main role. You bear responsibility for your learning and studying. If you think that something does not work, act on time.

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3.5 Writing process The writing of academic texts is one of the basic skills in university studies. Every now and then you may think that academic writing is very stiff and strictly defined. This is not how it must be; academic language may be precise, witty and interesting at the same time. At best, a text meets the criteria of a scientific text and has a personal touch as well.

Some people have the natural skill to produce text, others need to learn it. You should devote time to develop your writing skills, because the language is a tool for thinking and fluent language skills facilitate the learning process and clear your thoughts. You can only become a good writer by writing.

At university, you are expected to provide something of your own in written assignments: just one citation after another is not a written output. Writing is a process, in accordance with the image above. The more often you rewrite your text, the more structured and precise your final result will be. Therefore, do not repeat what others have already written, but process and edit your text.

The skill to write a text which edits information may initially seem quite challenging.

However, it depends on working methods. You can familiarise yourself with these methods during your studies by writing in different situations and in different ways. You can try different writing styles in a learning diary, for example, (Chapter 3.3.3) by experimenting with different roles and techniques which help you to refine your own expression to be more interesting and have more nuances.

When you write, you should create a clear working process. It does not have to be as detailed as in the figure above or even similar to it, but it is good to have some kind of a plan.

The work process can be roughly divided into the following phases: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

preparing and planning sketching and writing the first version a number of rewrites review and refinement of the language and structure evaluation and publication of the text

However, you should not get too slavishly caught up in the process: if the inspiration takes you over, forget the work process and just write. You should let other people read your text whenever possible. Similarly, you should read the texts of others and comment on them.

You get easily blind with your own text and do not notice inconsistencies or actual errors.

The writer must also know how to give up even those parts of the text and ideas which seem good. Do not be afraid to kill your darlings. Good ideas will remain in your mind and they are refined lit-tle by little. A critical approach sums up the text, which you need more than the enormous number of good ideas.

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A writing process is a mirror for the development of thinking and is not only limited to individual seminar papers, essays or the Master’s thesis. You constantly progress as a writer and the next writ-ing project begins from where the previous one ended. You change and develop as a writer all the time, whether you like it or not.

Refreshing your memory, gathering ideas, motivation and collection of material by discussing, list-ing, drawing, interviewing, observing or reading

Discussing or debating the texts, providing comments and feedback

Copying, publishing or presenting of texts to a larger readership

Evaluation

Preparation

Publishing

Proof reading Spell and language check

Gathering ideas and writing the first text by letting ideas flow, making associations, and using im-ages and feelings.

Drafting Reading & feedback

Proofreading

Refinement of the language, style and structure of the new version: structuring, removing, specify-ing, summarising and visualising

Structuring

Editing

Further editing of the draft or the writing of new versions: selecting and removing the content, out-lining the structure, extending and visualising the key aspects

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Collecting essential and key ideas and the structuring of ideas

3.6 When writing does not progress Writing is not an occult science. Sometimes ideas fly and at other times you do not get a single character on paper. This state is sometimes called the writer’s block. A writer should not be afraid of those moments when the pen does not move. If the block lasts for a longer period of time, consider the reasons for it.

• Inner critic?

Are you too self-critical and reject ideas because they are not good, smart or complete enough? Your inner critic does not accept drafting stages, which are part of the process, but requires material which is immediately suitable for publication. First, you should write for yourself and feel confident that after several refinements the core of the text begins to take shape. Do not consider showing your first drafts to anyone and let your ideas to mature.

• Perfectionist?

Do you correct the text endlessly? Think about writing as a large process. Sometimes you have to let go of the text, even though it may seem unfinished to you. Invest in developing your texts further in your future projects.

• Are you afraid of mistakes?

Do you have a thought about an epic, tremendous mistake in the back of your mind?

Please remem-ber that writing is a process. A text does not have to be complete or even very good at first. Theses, dissertations and Nobel winners are created from small material and unfinished seeds of ideas.

• Do you leave for tomorrow what you can do today?

You should think about why you postpone the starting of the writing process. Do you have bad ex-periences, an unclear subject or problems with your work plan?

• Fear of white paper Sometimes it helps if you start writing from single keywords or if you just write irrelevant nonsense. Ideas begin to take shape as long as you get something on paper.

• Abundant text production This is not really a problem. Write to your heart’s content. Even if the text does not necessarily have a logical structure or outlined content, you can still sift it out. Further processing of an abundant text is tedious and requires time, but it is worth the effort.

When you write, make sure that external conditions are good. Focus on the text and content, do not adjust margins or fonts. You can do it later. Make sure that the environment is

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free of distractions. It is more difficult to get used to controlling your own writing process than the environment. It is dif-ficult to give any specific instructions; the form of the writing process is different to everyone.

Writing is not, however, lonely toiling in a chamber. At best, writing is a social event. Do not fall too much in love with your text, and be ready to accept criticism, corrections and removal proposals. For joint writing projects, you can consider using a variety of online tools when several people can process the text at the same time.

If you are struggling to approach the issue, try the following looping exercise: Write one page about the topic of your choice Underline or ask another person to underline the most interesting or important issue in your text and write one page about it.

Again select the most interesting or important issue from the text that you have written and write one page about it.

Continue to loop until you have a clear and meaningfully limited topic.

If your problem is different, however, you can try out the cubing exercise.

Select one keyword from the subject of your text. In the exercise, you examine your subject from six different perspectives, just like the different sides of a cube. Do not think for too long, as you do not have to know the only correct answer. Write according to your first impression, using about 3-5 minutes for writing on each perspective.

Describe! Examine your topic carefully and closely, describe in detail.

Compare! What could be compared with your subject? What are the similarities/ differences of your subject when you compare it with other issues?

Associate! What does your subject bring to your mind and which other subjects are related to it?

Analyse! What kind of components, such as concepts or characteristics, your subject does consist of?

Apply! Which issues / who could apply your subject and for which issues / whom it is useful?

Argue! Argue both pro and con! Be for and against the topic. Present arguments that are on your mind or those arguments that you have heard for and against your topic.

3.7 Notes No matter what your study field is, you will probably be surprised by the extent of learned subjects. It is almost impossible to memorise large, new contents without support resources. One of the most effective ways to keep track of issues is to write notes.

Notes and note-taking techniques are always personal. They describe your conception of the studied subject. For this reason, it is not very useful to borrow handouts and notes from a fellow student; often notes only open up to their writer. Writing notes during the lecture is in itself a way to process information and an attempt to understand issues.

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Writing notes helps you to structure and outline information much better than just reading through a text. In university studies, it is more important to have information which you know how to use than information that you have learned by heart.

Note-taking techniques include underlining, writing the text down in your own words, summaries and charts. The previously mentioned recollection is also very effective. In addition, you can try to visualise information or construct an image chain in your head.

Pay attention to your note-taking technique. If your book has more underlined sentences than those which are not underlined, consider whether all the underlined information is really relevant in terms of understanding. Also try to circle keywords and build your own connotations to them.

Good techniques are: organising information and simplifying it by numbering, listing or drawing diagrams and lists which are understandable to you combining information to previous information by making summaries and explanations in your own words recollecting information and connecting the previously learned knowledge with new issues using images and creating stories writing down questions that are unclear to you There is a variety of note-taking techniques. You should try out several ones in order to find the most suitable one for you. One technique may not work in every course or subject, because teaching methods and materials are quite different. Note-taking is a skill as much as riding a bicycle is. At first, they may seem clumsy, but after practise they will become automatic and you can find out what is the suitable option for you.

A few main rules for note-taking: Experiment with different ways to take notes and think about what is the easiest method for you to remember and understand the issues that you have learned.

Select a suitable note-taking technique in accordance with your own needs, situation and the studied subject.

Concentrate on listening and only write down relevant information; you should not repeat everything that the lecturer says.

Write in your own words, so that you understand the matter when you get back to your notes. However, you should write down keywords, examples and explanations quite carefully.

Outline your text already in the writing phase; use different heading sizes for titles, number, make lists and sketch pictures.

Write down the date and the source, such as the lecturer or the author.

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3.8 Mind maps A mind map is one way to analyse information. It can be effective and useful, but there is also a risk that you get drifted away and lose your focus. A mind map is a quick notetaking tool. It can be used during interviews to write down ideas and their connections.

Later, you can write more detailed notes based on the mind map.

The first steps of the mind map: Place a large enough paper in front of you horizontally. When brainstorming together, you can also draw the map on the blackboard or an overhead projector transparency.

Write the subject of the lecture, chapter or your own essay in the middle of the paper.

You can also choose to draw or describe the topic next to the text.

Write keywords or draw pictures around the topic in the middle. Preferably select nouns or verbs as keywords and draw a line to connect them with the topic in the middle.

Try to use the maximum of two words or concepts on each line, with the exception of quotations, mathematical formulas and definitions, which can be placed as references on the edge of the paper.

Continue the mind map by connecting related paragraphs, breakdowns and explanations to key-words.

Write clearly in lower-case letters and outline relations and contexts between the issues with patterns, signs, symbols, arrows, drawings and colours.

When you use the mind map as a design tool, you have to go through two very different steps. The first creative phase is the uncritical search for ideas where related issues may be in any order. In the next step, the topic is structured systematically based on existing and new ideas. At this point, you select the final keywords, cut out unnecessary ones and go through each keyword in detail.

3.9 Learning diary You can use a learning diary to monitor your own learning process. In some courses, the diary can also be used as a course performance. It is worth to try this technique, even if it is not included in course requirements.

A learning diary is written for you. It is a collection of your own ideas and experiences just like an ordinary diary, and it covers issues which were discussed and learned during a course. A learning diary may also be more extensive. You can use the diary when you write your thesis or it may last throughout your studies. You can collect your thoughts about a particular theme or a subject of your interest in your diary.

A learning diary may be private or public. You can set it up as a blog and share your experiences with others who take the same course. You can also use a learning diary and its applications in study circles.

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A learning diary can be used for very different purposes:

Lecture diary Reading diary Writing diary Group diary Internship diary Research diary

You should keep a learning diary in a separate notebook or on your computer. Thoughts or notes written in margins will certainly be lost over time.

A learning diary is an efficient tool, as you process information constantly and often. You can write a learning diary not only during lectures or while reading, but also at any time when an interesting question comes to your mind. A lecture diary is not a summary but an overview, which also includes your own ideas and evaluations about issues covered in a lecture. Please keep in mind that you should carefully write down sources and references in order for you to later distinguish your own thinking from the ideas of lecturers or authors.

3.10 From summaries to essays and theses Do not worry, university studies are not all about lecture diaries or notes. They also include essays, summaries, research papers and reports! Endless written assignments are designed to involve you in the scientific community: to provide you with the tools for speaking the “slang” of your scientific community, use correct concepts and ideas, and teach you the basics of academic writing and references.

Summary A summary is a concise explanation of the text that you have listened or read. A summary transmits the relevant content and priorities of the text on which it is based. It must be comprehensive, unambiguous and precise at the same time, but it is also a concise overview of the original text. Since making of a summary requires that you get to know the referred material well and summarise the key ideas, a summary is also a good tool for developing your reading or writing skills. Summaries can be roughly divided into two types: An objective summary reports the content of the original text without commenting on statements or opinions presented in the text.

In addition to a summary, a commenting summary includes your own views and comments raised from the text.

Carefully keep in mind which kind of summary you are writing. In a commenting summary, clearly separate your own opinions from the summarised text. When you write a summary, you can practise brief and concise expression.

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Essay An essay writing is a superior skill in the field of humanities. An essay is a small-scale research where a self-selected or a given subject is processed with the writer’s personal style based on the source material. The purpose is to show the knowledge of the subject and one’s own perspective on it. The characteristics of an essay are development, description, thinking, presentation and the com-parison of one’s own justified views. An essay exam is the most common examination form in uni-versity courses.

When writing an essay, you should pay attention to the following issues:

Does your text correspond with the assignment and the title?

Have you focused on relevant and left irrelevant information out?

Have you understood the text and not just copied it?

Have you processed the topic through your own views and examples?

Is the text form internally rational?

Are your opinions, arguments and viewpoints justified?

Is the text lively?

Each study field has its unwritten rules and established ways to write and present issues in essays. The adoption of these practices takes time, but do not be discouraged. Also remember that the conventions of your major subject do not necessarily apply to minor subjects.

Learn to be a versatile writer!

Theses A seminar work or a Master’s thesis are examples of theses. Theses are much more extensive than essays. In addition to written material, the acquisition and analysis of interview, survey or observation material are also related to theses.

Through theses, you can practise how to do science: the collection of material, analysis methods, the analysing of results and drawing conclusions, as well as references and contextualisation. You should begin to write a thesis by carefully planning and pondering on the issue. Here is a brief framework of the process:

Understand the way how to write and think in your own field Choose the problem that you want to study Be very, very critical: Test and consider opposite hypothesis Evaluate your own work Do not be afraid to correct your own conclusions or results Be prepared for the fact that your research results may be revoked later Be organised and systematic. Present arguments!

Clarify backgrounds and previous studies Make a careful research plan Justify your arguments Aim for simplicity Present issues in a simple manner. Over-complicated language is not a virtue.

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Be careful not to create your own concepts Take the ethical principles of research into account Use the tools presented previously in this guide. Pay special attention to the making of a research plan. With the research plan, it is easier for you to tell others and stay aware of what you are doing. A research plan is also needed in order to receive scholarships, for example.

The university provides help for writing papers, Master’s theses and other large projects. A number of books have been written about the topic and it is advisable to get to know them.

Master’s thesis The most important feature of a good Master’s thesis is that it is completed. A completed thesis with the approbatur grade is worth much more than an almost completed thesis of the eximia grade. Anxiety and stress caused by the Master’s thesis is a familiar phenomenon at university. However, the Master’s thesis can be written by any student who has been approved to study at university. The Master’s thesis requires plenty of persistent work but, above all, it requires that you sit down and work hard. The Master’s thesis is written one page at a time.

If the writing of a Master’s thesis feels overwhelming and impossible, go to your faculty library and have a look at other theses. Take the thinnest Master’s thesis from the shelf and browse through it. This should be considered the basic level – anything above that is a plus. Often when speaking of theses, we only talk about the winners of the best thesis of the year and other brilliant theses. The Master’s thesis is not a licentiate work or half of a doctoral dissertation. It is a literary work in which the student shows that one can manage the basics and scientific methods in one’s field. Nothing more, nothing less.

It is advisable to find an interesting topic for your Master’s thesis. You can begin to draft your thesis by yourself, but the instructor should be involved in the process as early as possible. Otherwise you may do unnecessary work or head in a wrong direction with your research plan.

Sometimes problems with personal chemistry may appear when you are writing the thesis.

You should openly talk about this with your instructor and ultimately suggest that the instructor is changed if your research interests do not coincide or your cooperation does not work out. These situations should be handled before they turn into conflicts.

3.11 Variety of exam forms In the academic world, knowledge is proved with exams. The most traditional exam form is an essay about the material that you have read. You will encounter many of these exams during your studies. Naturally, success in mass exams requires that you manage the content and have a routine in essay writing. In addition, you should know the traditional method of how to write essay answers of a right kind. This varies by subject and may change even according to the examiner. You learn by doing and gaining experience.

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The university introduces more and more of alternative exam methods, of which a few are presented here. All exams require that you manage the content and use your own personal skills which are typical for the examination method in question. Always find out carefully what kind of an exam you will take and which material you may use for it.

Material exam The student is allowed to have books, course handouts and lecture notes in the exam.

A material exam, however, is not a shortcut to happiness: questions are often applied and require the combination and critical assessment of different sources and information.

Therefore, you must know the material more thoroughly than in a traditional essay exam.

Home exam In accordance with its name, a home exam can be completed at home. The time reserved for an-swering the questions varies from hours to days. A student can use all related material. As a result, answers are required to be of a high standard.

Online exam The online exam is also a form of a flexible exam. A student participates in the exam via a network connection on one’s own or a library computer. Questions can be given to students in advance or they may be available for downloading at a certain time. The time reserved for the exam is usually the same as in a regular exam.

Group exam In a group exam, the exam is taken in a group. An examiner may grade not only the answer produced by the group, but also how the group acts and how successful the internal division of work is. It is advisable to clarify the evaluation criteria in advance.

Oral exam In addition to the content, you should also review and practise your presentation and argumentation skills if you answer orally to the examiner’s questions. An oral exam is not a debate performance or a detail contest. In the oral exam, you should pay attention on how you structure your answer.

Exam aquarium An exam aquarium is a space used in some universities, usually in connection with the library, where a student can independently complete an exam on computer. Exam forms vary in exam aquariums. The advantage of the exam aquarium is the opportunity to adjust the exam time according to your own schedule. All subjects do not have this opportunity but if the studied material allows it, you may suggest this to the lecturer. An exam aquarium may be subject to slightly different rules than normal exams, and you should get to know them in advance! You should also remember that since the purpose of the exam aquarium is to give as many people as possible the opportunity to gain credits flexibly, you should 33

only sign up when you know that you can certainly participate in the exam. If you have to cancel, do it early in advance. Unnecessary experiments and exams that you do not cancel are always away from someone else and they complicate your own possibilities to take exams flexibly when they fit your own schedule and when you have had the time to study the exam material.

3.12 Certainty to oral communications Some people are naturally good in speaking, others have to learn it. Speaking to a large number of people and expressing your own opinions is understandably a skill that needs to be practised. This skill is very useful later in the working life, so you should start practising already during your stud-ies. At university, written expression is strongly emphasised, but oral expression also receives more and more attention in academic circles.

Speaking requires practice. You should start training in small groups and among a familiar group. This can be easily combined with study circles or other similar learning opportunities. You can expand your audience after you have gained experience. Informal student activities, such as student politics and subject organisations, are good opportunities to practise public speaking, among other things.

3.13 Presentations and introductions Exercises and seminar work are often related to presenting your work to other students and the seminar instructor. Although the main focus of work is on the written assignment, you should neverthe-less ensure that you have time to get prepared for the oral performance if this is required in the course. An oral presentation does not happen on its own any more than scientific writing does – you have to practise it. During the first study months, you will certainly have examples of bad lecturers. You can learn from all lecturers and lectures – at least in what you should not do.

Also note that if the seminar instructions tell you to send your work one week before the others, you should really do it. This practice is related to assessment and allows others to learn your subject and work in advance. If you do not send your work in advance, you will probably receive irrelevant feedback which does not help you to learn.

Six classic mistakes and ways to avoid them: µµ 1 You show up at the exact starting time and use the next fifteen minutes on turning on your laptop and sorting out your material Get prepared in time If you copy material for distribution, reserve plenty of time Arrange your stuff Make sure that your laptop has enough battery power or that you can use a power supply 34

2.Your presentation is interesting to the first row, the rest do not even see your slides If you use Powerpoint, make sure that the text is large enough Make sure that there is not too much information on one slide Do not use bright colours, Comic sans or animations If you use pictures, consider whether they are related to the topic. Usually they are not.

Make sure that graphs are simple and easily interpreted 3. µµ Does anyone know how this works?

Before your presentation, make sure that audio-visual technology on premises is working and you know how to use it Also consider how to get through the presentation without audio-visual technology.

4. µµ The sound is on, the speaker is lost Your audience can read, so it is not necessary for you to read out the presentation Solutions: Make notes for yourself, which only include keywords and key issues Practise so many times that you feel confident 5. µµ Audience questions cause a general panic Speak so that everyone can understand. Speak slowly and articulate clearly.

A presentation is a two-way event, you should be prepared for audience questions and not be afraid of them. Read so much about the topic that you are prepared for unexpected questions.

If there is something that you do not know, say it honestly and throw the ball back to the audience.

6. µµ Cat photos or music videos take time and attention Consider several times if you need photos or videos. Only relevant material is important.

Time your presentation and take into account how much time it takes to watch a video, for example. It should not replace the presentation or take the attention away from you.

3.14 Discussions and debates Argumentation skills, both oral and written, are important goals and tools in academic studies. Argumentation refers to statements, presenting the reasons, grounds or proofs, debating and reasoning. It does not mean uproar or arguing that you have seen on the Internet, but rather the presenting of strong grounds for or against other views. The objective of argumentation is to get the reader or lis-tener convinced about the presented perspective.

Argumentation is a two-way skill. It requires not only the ability to justify or present issues, but also the ability to listen and form opinions and thoughts based on other speakers’ ideas.

Constant talk is not good argumentation.

Rhetoric is a classical virtue inherited from the ancient Rome and Greece. In addition to 35

mere eloquence, it also means the ability to argue clearly and communicate one’s thoughts to others, as well as appeal to listeners and get them on your side. Rhetoric was (and still is) an important tool in poli-tics and the scientific world as well.

Public debates are a relatively new form of communications to many students. For this reason, debates can be stressful situations. Speaking-related stress can be eased simply by practising. Also in this case, practising should begin in a small group, a study circle or among familiar fellow students. In debates, a wide knowledge of the topic is beneficial. You should read a general presentation of the topic in order to get the big picture. If you know the topic well, it increases your self-confidence and reduces performance anxiety. The success of argumentation debates depends on many factors, but the most important ones are: Speaker: Yourself – Be convincing. Have a respectful attitude towards listeners and any opponents.

Speak clearly and more slowly than you would like to.

Content: What you talk about – Pay attention to the issues and how you argue, which perspectives you bring out and which you do not. Justify your claims and aim at concise expression and clear order.

Channel of influence: Where you talk – The form of a discussion or debate changes depending on whether it is a video conference, or whether it happens on the phone or face to face. It also depends on how many people or opponents are present. Take all factors into account.

Recipient: To whom you speak – Take the recipients into account. Speak in such a way that they can understand you.

Your own small group certainly understands the scientific jargon, but students in other fields, let alone the general public, may not be familiar with your jargon or terms.

– The atmosphere is of great importance for the fluency and pleasantness of the discussion. An ac-cepting and supporting atmosphere is reflected in everyone’s active participation and comfortability, when differences can be brought out in a constructive spirit.

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4 Group fun Studying has mainly been an individual sport. The situation is changing, however, which is good. One of the greatest resources are the other people around you.

efficiency, concentration, discretion, fastness, independence

encouragement and support, contacts, mirroring your own skills and thoughts, new perspectives, more extensive know-how, cooperation skills

A LO N E

TO

GETHER

Cooperation and group work teach necessary teamwork skills needed in the working life and the academic world. Working in small groups is not an innate ability but needs to be actively developed. Cooperation has its pros and cons: on the one hand, you have to sacrifice some of your inde-pendence and reconcile your own views – on the other hand, you can use the collective intelligence and the ability to generate results.

Group work is more natural to some people than others. Group work, however, has such invaluable benefits that you should learn it, even if it is an unfamiliar work method to you.

You receive support from the group, not only to the content of your work, but also for maintaining your schedules and structures.

4.1. Group work Cooperation and collaborative learning do not have to be solely related to official educational content or courses. Actually any part of studies can be processed in a group. This does not have to be declamatory or even systematic: just a conversation in a cafĂŠ could open up new directions for your studies and the matter under discussion.

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At university, group work has been traditionally used in seminar groups, for example, which support the writing of the Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis. Lecture courses may also include group work where the course content and themes are broken down in smaller groups. In addition, laboratory exercises in the natural sciences, for example, are often done in small groups.

In order for teamwork to succeed, you should pay attention to the following:

Group members should have something to give to each other Agree on common goals Consider which are the benefits of group work for achieving your goals Maintain a positive team spirit Encourage and help each other Share your ideas and also appreciate unfinished ideas; one semi-finished idea may initiate a brain-storm in another group member Listen, exchange ideas and develop them Focus criticism on issues and by no means on the presenter Each group member has responsibilities Agree on the group’s division of work and responsibilities so that everyone has something meaning-ful to do and an equal amount of work to do Agree on when you will meet and how to act if someone has to be absent Agree on your goals and how to achieve them Seek a flow state which is based on a trusting atmosphere Group work at the university is a learning experience Be merciful, even if everything does not always go as agreed Support the development of one another and provide constructive feedback Reflect on how the group acts: if something does not seem to work, change it At the end of the project, assess yourself and consider how your actions could be developed

Group work can be implemented in two different ways. Group members can agree on a certain division of tasks. In this case, all members are responsible for their areas which will be finally collected together. However, a greater advantage of the group to each member is that the common project is reviewed and edited by discussing together. In this case, each group member takes an equal respon-sibility for the progress and is equally involved in all the different work stages.

4.2 Study circles A study circle is one of the oldest forms of group learning. A study circle is a group gathered by people interested in a certain topic, which purpose is to study a particular matter together. The topic is related to a certain subject or course. A study circle may also be part of teaching and included in the curriculum of the department.

The most essential aspect of study circles is that the group meets on a regular basis, plans activities by themselves and discusses matters in the agreed manner. In a study circle, each 38

group member can have a presentation about a theme related to the study circle, after which the topic is discussed together.

A study circle can be set up for very different topics or reasons:

Lecture circle In accordance with its name, members discuss lectures in a lecture circle. In lecture circles, issues presented in lectures are discussed in depth and more extensively. In lecture circles, you can also compare or complement your notes and process the material, activities or other sources provided by the lecturer.

Reading group l In a reading group, participants get prepared for book exams. This can be done in many ways, by writing summaries about exam books or presentations for discussion. In a reading circle, you can also practise various learning techniques and agree on the reading schedules.

Sometimes a reading circle can also be an option which partly or completely replaces an exam.

In the article circle, you get to know current and interesting articles in scientific journals, for example. You can make summaries from articles or discuss the ideas that they have inspired.

In the theme circle, you get to know a particular subject or theme and share related source tips. You can discuss one or several sources related to a selected theme or problem.

In addition to an actual seminar group, the Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis circle can be a much needed help and support in sharing and discussing any practical problems. In the Bachelor’s or Master’s the-sis circle, you can also focus on discussing or clarifying a common theme, study subject or a meth-odological approach.

A study circle does not have to be in any way related to university courses or even educational con-tent. A number of spontaneous study circles operate at university, which discuss the most interesting issues and have no official connection with the university. Anyone interested in the matter can join the study circle, regardless of one’s major subject or study status. A reasonable participation in a study circle requires commitment and the desire to work for the studied subject.

If everyone who participates in a study group is committed to its activities, a study circle can oper-ate without a leader. However, the establishment of a study circle and discussion may require a leader. You can ask an older student, doctoral student or a teacher interested in the topic to act as the leader. For the practical arrangements of a study circle, you can seek advice and support from your own subject organisation or department.

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4.2 Together online Computers and networks are important study tools. Computers should also be regarded as more than just notebooks. The university uses a variety of platforms as learning platforms.

Web-based studying has plenty of good aspects, and the study circle activities can also be improved by a variety of network environments.

The simplest way is to use free tools which work on all platforms, such as Google Docs.

It is easy to manage various written assignments and discussions when everyone can edit documents at the same time and comment on others’ work.

When you use computer networks for learning, you have to keep in mind the same code of conduct than elsewhere on the Internet. Express things clearly, be patient, and read through comments or ideas that you are going to send out. Do not say anything online that you could not say in lectures or study circles.

Please remember Osmo Wiio’s first law of communication: “Communication usually fails, except by accident”. On the Internet, an emotional scale related to a text is much more limited than in face-to-face communication, and irony or humour, for example, cannot really be expressed. So be very accurate and aim at unambiguous expression.

4.3 From thoughts to common ideas At best group work dynamics improve the group which becomes more than the sum of its parts and everyone’s strengths will benefit the entire group. This is the most significant benefit of group learning and group work. When you share ideas, experiences and knowledge as well as clarify issues with others, it creates a positive cycle and helps people to get the best out of themselves. The more heterogeneous the group is, the more likely previously undetectable views can be found. You should also be open to completely unexpected perspectives.

The valuable skill of acting together Teamwork is not an innate ability. Everyone has to learn teamwork skills and understand that team-work means that compromises must be made constantly. You cannot, for example, completely decide on your own schedule or work methods. On the other hand, you benefit from collective intelli-gence and the valuable insight of other people. In a group, you have to learn to listen and analyse other people’s opinions, as well as form your own thoughts and present them in a way that others can also understand them.

Required skills cannot be learned overnight or without any effort. Studying together supports your learning and acts as a mirror to your expertise and the development of your working life identity. At the same time, group work develops your social skills. Working together is common in all fields of science. Even if you are not used to group work, you should learn it now. Your education is not complete without social skills.

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Searching for your own role Working in a group requires the ability to have a variety of roles within the group and the ability to recognise your own responsibility in terms of successful group activities. Acting in a group can be outlined with the following role play, for example. This method can be used as such or it can be connected with one of the ongoing processes in the group: Each team member will write down the most typical and a typical role in group work. Are you usually an observer, a critic who brings others down to earth, a brainstormer full of ideas or something completely different?

You collect these roles and other roles which come to your mind on small pieces of paper.

Have as many pieces of paper as there are group members. In a group, different roles can include the chair-person, observer, brainstormer, questioner, encourager, secretary and the maintainer of team spirit.

If necessary, you can also together consider what the different roles mean; how they appear outside as activities and influence.

When the available roles have been agreed on, divide the pieces of paper between group members when everyone gets a certain role in the group.

In a selected group situation, such as the planning of a group project, each group member strongly takes the role determined on paper and acts in accordance with the role.

The situation continues until the target is met, for example when the initial plan for the group project is drafted on paper.

After the role play, consider your own roles together, their suitability for your own work and their impact on the group’s activities. These exercise can also be repeated with different roles in some other group work stages. It is somewhat contradictory, but in group work you also have to learn how to get carried away and break away from strict roles. At best group work is a common flow state where no one has pre-defined roles and everyone participates in working on one idea.

Group assessment and feedback Successful group work and agreement on practical matters require trust between group members. In a well-functioning group, there are no free riders or those who want to do all the work. Self-assessment and peer assessment are tools for individual students to develop themselves. The same idea can be applied to the whole group. The continuous assessment of how the group functions helps to achieve the set goals and allows group members to check whether their role is the best pos-sible one in terms of group dynamics.

Giving feedback in a group is somewhat challenging. Providing honest and constructive feedback, however, requires that you consider the issues which had negative effect on group work. Giving feedback has been discussed elsewhere in this guide (Chapter 1.9) and the 41

same facts also apply to group feedback.

One good tool for outlining how the group functions in feedback discussions is SWOT analysis. Reviewing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats helps to provide neutral feedback that focuses on issues. During the work or after the project, each group member can also provide feed-back for each other. One way to organise a feedback session is to raffle a person whom to provide feedback for each group member. Everyone considers three strengths and three development sug-gestions for the person in question, after which feedback is provided either orally or in writing.

5. Academic community as an arena for more rewarding studies?

The university is not a building or a bureau, nor is it its teachers or professors. The university is, above all, a community formed by all university members – from real estate managers and freshmen to professors and the rectorate. A student is a full member of the academic community who trans-forms one’s own environment and makes the university suitable for oneself little by little. University studies do not mean that you pass through the university. Instead, you should grow into the university. Along with life, university studies are the best period in a person’s life. Everyone has the responsibility for the well-being and development of the academic community, including the student.

The scientific community is the community of learning and studying, where students, teachers and researchers all learn. As a student, you create the atmosphere of this community with your own attitude; by having a genuine interest in your field and an open attitude to consider issues together and put effort at their development. Development is often a twoway street: an enthusiastic student challenges and pours one’s enthusiasm to the department staff who in turn respond to this positively.

The membership of the scientific community does not mean, however, that you run around as a Duracell bunny. It means that you generally have an open attitude towards the university. Even if you do not think that your study field is suitable for you or if you struggle with motivation problems, you are still a member of the scientific community. The same applies to the staff. They, too, are hu-man, with their good and bad days.

5.1 Interaction at university Unfortunately, students, teachers and researchers often remain quite unfamiliar to each other, even though they operate on the same premises and are interested in the same subjects. Since both stu-dents and teachers have plenty of experience and expertise related to studies and teaching, we need more channels for distributing this information within departments and between different depart-ments and faculties. Research, teaching and learning can also form a very effective and efficient entity if they dare and want to cooperate.

There may be barriers and boundaries for cooperation and the sharing of expertise at three 42

levels: 1. Boundaries between experts and students in the field, which are strengthened by the tradi-tional idea of a teacher or researcher as the provider of information and the student as the receiver of information.

2. Boundaries between the various contents and fields of science, which are strengthened by contentually very different expertise, which can exist both within the department as well as between different departments and faculties.

3. Boundaries between organisations and units, which are strengthened by the physical distance between different departments and faculties, various well-established practices or a different po-sition in the university hierarchy.

5.2 On the expedition across faculty borders Sooner or later, there will be a moment when the subject of your research interest is divided between several faculties. The crossing of faculty borders varies widely by the subject, but one of the greatest aspects of the university structure is that this is possible.

Research groups exceeding minor subjects or faculty borders are the most common way to expand the perspective of your own subject. JOO studies also enable studies across the university borders. Therefore, you can complete individual courses or study modules from other universities and include them in your degree. Your own faculty provides further information on the application of JOO right.

You should remember a few issues related to faculty borders. Practices in all faculties vary. Some more, some less. Faculties speak a different “dialect�. The style of exam answers is likely to be dif-ferent, and personal attitudes and even terminology concerning the same topic may initially cause problems. Have an open mind.

When sharing knowledge over subject borders, the same rules apply as in the internal interaction of the subject. In addition, boundaries between the disciplines are formed in a slightly different way and they set different requirements. Crossing interdisciplinary boundaries successfully requires dif-ferent thought patterns and active effort to understand: both from the person crossing the boundaries and the receiving party.

The easiest way to begin cooperation, which exceeds the faculty boundaries, is to talk to someone who studies or teaches in the faculty and simply discuss with them. Try to find a person who has similar plans and interests as you. Organising a multi-disciplinary community requires plenty of time and effort, and people usually do not have too much of either. The further you can promote your issues informally, the easier it will be to manage them officially. Informal relationships and their creation are an important offering of university studies. In addition, this kind of informal co-operation helps to transfer ideas and good practices quickly over the faculty borders.

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5.3 Developing your own environment The development of teaching at an idea level certainly does not sound very interesting, but in fact includes quite many opportunities. When you look at studies in more detail, specifically by comparing them with other subjects, you can notice what kind of problems they have and what kind of so-lutions have been provided for these problems. Most often the development of teaching is carried out through the curriculum, which clearly proves that the university, financier and the student may have very conflicting beliefs of successful and meaningful university teaching.

Curriculum work is carried out at three levels: 1.

2.

3.

Acts concerning degrees Degree requirements Individual plans for study periods

You can surely have effect on all of these matters and influencing should be done through different channels. Individual study modules and their implementation are decided by the teacher who organises the course. Academic freedom also applies in this case. In serious negligence cases, a faculty may intervene in a teacher’s teaching methods and course content, but you can often cope with difficult situations when you know that the course will end eventually and if nothing else, it will serve as a bad example.

The planning practices of degree requirements vary by department. In some subjects, students are involved throughout the process, in other subjects students may only be informed about the results. Your own subject organisation and study advisers know the situation in your department and will certainly be happy to receive help and ideas on where to pay attention and how matters could be improved.

Planning work is not an occult science and often ordinary students have very much to offer to the curriculum because they look at issues from the student’s perspective. This resource should be utilised unscrupulously: often those who have battled with administration and the curriculum for a long period of time may suffer from a certain perspective illusion and need a fresh pair of eyes to see if something actually works in practice.

Usually, feedback is collected on individual courses. It may be frustrating to provide feedback con-tinuously but it is useful and important for the development of the course content. Very rarely even those teachers who seem to teach poorly do it on purpose. When providing feedback, always remember to be reasonable and constructive.

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5.4 Organisations and working groups as influencing channels Rarely, an individual is able to push ideas through – no matter how good they are. You need a bigger crowd and existing structures. In general, one’s own subject organisation. which acts as a link between the department and students, is the closest organisation to the student. The student union, on the other hand, is a more extensive influencing channel at the university for various faculties and students in the departments. It is difficult to promote your opinions alone and make changes, but together with other students it is much easier to tackle problem areas. Once the issues are first discussed in a subject organisation meeting, for example, it is easier to promote these issues in various working groups or more informal discussions with teachers and researchers.

Organisation and student union activities are often accused of being the hatcheries of political broilers. They are also that. People come to organisational activities with different motives, one of which may be to start a political career. And why not, organisational activities are a good way to practise politics and influencing. Organisational activities and working groups are also good places to try out essential skills for university studies and academic expertise, such as presenting well-grounded opinions and oral arguments, as well as cooperation and social skills. It is certainly useful to engage in organisational activities, get to know development processes, manage meeting practices and or-ganise various occasions and events. These skills are appreciated in the working life.

You can usually receive information on the activities of subject organisations and join them already when you receive the welcome letter which tells you that your place of study is confirmed, but you can also find useful information from the study guides as well as the tutors and websites of organisations. Your own subject organisation is the most convenient way to find information on working groups and activities in your department or faculty.

Student representatives in working groups are often selected through subject organisations.

Through the committees and working groups of the student union, you have a good chance to keep track of development work carried out in other university units. Teaching is constantly developed in different units. Large development projects are brought to the awareness of others, but smaller experiments are often utilised only by a small number of people. Successful, let alone unsuccessful, experiences may not be shared or utilised even within the department or faculty, let alone across the faculty borders. The most challenging, but also the most fruitful aspect of the development of teach-ing, is to combine knowledge from different fields and various methods in teaching. The fact that a natural scientist views things from a different perspective than a humanist may be quite eye-opening for the assessment and development of your own actions.

The student union basically aims to combine the knowledge of all the different disciplines.

This is challenging at university and just as difficult in the student union. In the student union, they are certainly figuring out the best ways to reduce bureaucracy and make the world a better place, but big ships turn slowly and the constant change of those people who participate in the student union activities ensures that very sudden reforms cannot be made.

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If you explore the archives of your subject, student union or subject organisation, you will see how the same issues are raised year after year. This is understandable because the operational environ-ment changes slowly but actors may change as often as every year.

If you are aware of a single issue that needs to be changed, you should clarify its history.

Matters are processed faster if you can prove that there has been a positive stand on the issue previously and there is a need for change.

5.5 Campaign!

You can also shake up your own department with different campaigns and themes in order to pay attention to various development needs and issues which require attention. Your subject organisation can help you in coordination and the following events may be further developed and applied:

History of the development of teaching theme day If the same drawbacks are repeated year after year, you can place the related development proposals on the timeline and ask why nothing is still happening. The archives of departments or subject or-ganisations have shelf-kilometres of minutes in which matters are generally documented well.

Thesis in progress panel You can organise a discussion for students who wrestle with their thesis, Master’s thesis or seminar work, where you go through the problems that students face and how these problems could be solved. You should get diverse people to have presentations in the panel.

Study circle market If study circle activities have not yet been established in the operations of your department, you can start by establishing a study circle market, which outlines practical arrangements and various topics for study circles. The basic idea is to collect students, teachers and researchers interested in study circles to the same place at the same time, when you can compare interests and ideas, as well as to plan study circle activities and agree on the establishment of study circles. You should find out about study circle activities and the support available from different organisations in advance.

In the same boat project The discussion culture and social cohesion may be promoted in many ways. Cooperation can be promoted through events where as many people from the scientific community as possible gather for a night out, coffee break, game or exercise breaks.

These are just ideas and suggestions, based on which you can create your own ideas. Other possible ideas are:

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Skills needed for the working life? Presentations by former students who already are in the working life.

The world’s strangest minor subject! Presentations by students who have chosen various minor subjects.

Incredible student exchange experience! Presentations by students who have completed their student exchange abroad.

Challenges of university internship! Presentations by students who have completed their internship.

Learn to learn, become competent! Presentations by specialists in learning and studying.

Are you doing a research here? Presentations by researchers and the research groups of the department.

From ideas to theses! Presentations by the researchers of the department and seminar instructors.

The development of teaching is surely an eternal project, which never stops. These themes should be the starting point or an emphasis for a certain event. Do not be disappointed if your event does not have a direct impact: a number of projects related to the development of teaching go through the administrative steps for many years before they are refined into concrete action. That is just how it goes.

A teacher’s reception hours and possible teacher tutor meetings can be used for providing mutual feedback but it would be fruitful to include several teachers and students in the discussion at the same time. Such events can be organised by teachers and subject organisations, but preferably by both of them. You should reserve a certain time and day once a month for regular informal discussions, for example. All students, teachers and researchers are welcome to these events, and the theme of the discussion can be a certain teaching arrangement, a course which requires development, or the current curriculum reform as a whole. The most important issue is that everyone has the opportunity to brainstorm the event themes through a feedback box, common planning sessions or online. If necessary, you can ask a student, researcher or even an outsider expert who is familiar with the theme to introduce the theme or initiate the discussion.

There are also more interactive ways to provide feedback and participate in the development of teaching, which can be used used along with or to replace feedback forms. This kind of a discussion channel between students and teachers can be organised online or on common e-mail lists. These discussion channels may also function as an extension to the previously mentioned debates, when it is possible to continue the discussion online. You should remember to write down ideas which are brought up in common discussions and implemented in different ways, so that they can be reviewed when reforming the curriculum or degree requirements later.

5.6 What about after the campaign?

The slowly changing practices of the faculty or department can be shaken by paying attention to a single development target through a project. A subject organisation or a working group can launch a project or a campaign, but the most fruitful way is to have students 47

and teachers involved already at the planning stage. A single campaign may be a daytime event or a social evening organised together. The topic can be a practice which requires development or which has become a problem in a department or faculty.

6. Students and health Naturally, rewarding studies also include many more issues than learning techniques. One single most important issue related to rewarding studies is the student’s health. A healthy person has the energy to study and be interested in new things. Health problems are rapidly reflected in studies and study results. It is easier to prevent than repair damage.

Studies are often connected with considerable expectations and hopes. Becoming independent, moving away from home and growing into adulthood coincide in the turmoil of a young person’s life. Sometimes hopes and expectations for studies are downright unrealistic. Above all, studies are daily life, with joys and sorrows.

The single biggest risk factor for a student is being left alone. Expectations and wishes, which are too high, may also lead to disappointments. The main problem can be that the student repeats the same behaviour patterns. Behaviour patterns learned in upper secondary school or vocational school may be inadvertently used over and over again, even if their negative effects are known.

Universities, however, have thousands and thousands of students. Analyse your own actions carefully and think about what kind of behaviour models have unwanted consequences and how they could be changed. The beginning of university studies, however, is a new start and a good opportunity to clear the table. No one may know you and does not have any expectations for you.

Of these people, you will certainly find some whose world view and the way of thinking are similar to yours. You can certainly find friends from among them. In addition to studies and teaching, universities have a considerable number of recreational clubs on most varied subjects and you should join them open-mindedly. Find a topic that interests you and get involved. Even if the first couple of times feel uncomfortable, do not give up.

6.1 Students and booze At the population level, drinking is one of the largest single health risks, and students are no exception. Excessive drinking causes depression and other serious health problems.

In addition, injuries caused by drunken stumbling and other unwanted situations, not to mention regrets in the hangover morning, are not likely to improve students’ mental and physical well-being.

In the student culture, many traditions and customs are related to drinking and partying.

Sometimes the alcohol-induced social cohesion is welcome and desirable, other times it is not. Get to know your own limits and remember that booze is just one part of socialising.

If you need alcohol to enjoy the party, think about why that is.

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If you are tired and feeling down, leave alcohol completely for a while. The relation between alcohol and depression is already naturally strong. In addition, the psychological load caused by hangovers and regrets may be unexpectedly high. Drinking is also a factor which decreases the study ability and motivation significantly. More information and the AUDIT test, which helps you to review your own alcohol use, can be found online.

6.2 Students and sports Exercising is fun. Even if the physical education classes in elementary school have left a fundamen-tal scar on your mind, give sports another chance, as the universities offer sports services which are student-friendly priced and often located close to campus areas. In addition, sports clubs operate at universities. In the autumn, sports clubs often organise different performances and the beginner’s courses where you can start a completely new hobby.

Exercising is not only fun, but also useful. In case of mild to moderate depression, exercising can provide as effective results as medical therapy. In addition, sports improve the quality of sleep and increase resistance. Therefore, you sleep better and stay healthier.

Physical activities are also a natural way to meet new people and create social contacts. In addition, sports improve your study ability and concentration.

6.3 Student’s psychological well-being Your study years are not an intermediate stage, they are the first peak years of your life.

Your self-image constructs significantly during your studies. At some point of studies, every student feels blue and the future looks uncertain. This is perfectly normal.

The most important factor, which exposes to mental health problems, is being left alone.

You should invest time and effort in nurturing your friendships. In addition, you can surely find new friends from new circles.

Another noteworthy matter is comparing yourself with others. Other students are exactly the same as you with their joys and sorrows. No one is doing any better or worse. Do not feed your fantasy of yourself as the only one who does not cope. On average, others are doing just as well or poorly.

Self-reflection is also an important tool in psychological well-being. Analyse your habits and think about how they affect the whole picture. Generally, even with small changes you can change your course in a better direction.

The university is a large institution and it does not offer the same social network as secondary schools. This would even be impossible as university students come from considerably different backgrounds. All students have to build their own social networks and find a way to experience the sense of togetherness. This can be a subject organisation, sports club or your fellow students in the same class, but it is recommended that you find something.

It is impossible to specifically target the support services aimed at students because the 49

students’ needs are different. Students with families need different support than young students who are transferred to their freshman year straight from upper secondary school.

It is therefore important that you have an active attitude and ask for help in time. Help is available but, unfortunately, you do not receive help without asking for it. A universitysized organisation has a wide range of people and you are certainly not the first one who may need mental health services. It is not the end of the world or even embarrassing. It is wisdom. Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) does not give away patient information, and all care contacts are confidential. Therefore, you do not have to explain your mental health issues later in your studies or the working life.

Depending on a study field, a study culture may be very individualistic and hard. This creates its own conditions for keeping the student together. The most important advice is to ask for help in time.

6.4 Learning disorders In general, learning disorders are detected before university studies. However, sometimes there may be a neurological disease behind motivation problems and learning-related problems. Learning disorders are neurobiological conditions. If you suspect that you have a learning disorder, please contact a study psychologist of FSHS for further examination.

Learning disorders have nothing to do with mental capacity. There are a number of different learning disorders, of which dyslexia is probably the most common one.

Other possible learning disorders include various attention disorders, for example.

Plenty of research information has been published about a variety of learning disorders. A person with a learning disorder can complete an academic degree as well as anyone else.

However, you must certainly change your learning attitude and methods. If it is difficult to follow spoken explana-tion, for example, you may want to record lectures and extract them to pieces at home and make them more understandable for yourself. If it is difficult to follow slides as dyslexic, you can snap a picture of each slide with a laptop camera and study them at home in peace and quiet. You can natu-rally use similar methods even if you do not have a learning disorder. The end justifies the means in this respect and the main point is that results are achieved.

6.5 Stress Without stress a person would go insane. A small amount of stress is necessary for mental health. However, too much is too much also in this case. Stress is a good example of a mechanism in which issues in your head begin to affect your physical health quickly. Stress symptoms may include ab-normal heart rhythm, blood pressure, weight control problems and a lowered immune system.

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The stress mechanism is very simple. If you have too much work to do and you cannot handle all of it, you will be stressed out. No clear boundaries can be given, as the stress limit always depends on a person. Learn to know yourself and notice when things are going too fast. Also, listen carefully to the people around you, sometimes you may not even be aware of the cumulating stress.

The most important stress management skill is the skill to say no. The skill of saying no is not quite as trivial as you might imagine. In general, all kinds of duties fall on the same people time after time. If you think that you already have too much work to do and someone asks you to do “a little thing”, ask if they want to have it done half-heartedly (in which case you can do it) or it they want to have it done properly.

Another tool for stress management is a prioritisation list. Write down everything, small and major tasks, into a single list. Divide these into two lists: long-term projects (theses, degrees, etc.) and short-term projects (reading goals, course exams, subject organisation duties) and write down the prioritisation order for duties in both lists. The bigger the number, the lower the priority. After this, begin to cut down the lowest priorities. This will give you a good idea of what is burdening you and what you consider important.

6.6 Master’s thesis The most important feature of a good Master’s thesis is that it is completed. A completed Master’s thesis with the approbatur grade is much more valuable than an almost completed thesis of the eximia grade. Anxiety and stress caused by the Master’s thesis is a familiar phenomenon at college. However, the Master’s thesis can be completed by anyone who has been approved to study at university. The Master’s thesis requires long-term work, but above all, it requires sitting down and working hard. The Master’s thesis is written page by page.

If the writing of the Master’s thesis seems to be an overwhelming task, go to your faculty library and have a look at other theses. Take the thinnest thesis and browse through it. This should be considered the basic level – anything above that is a plus. Often when talking about theses, we only talk about the winners of the Master’s thesis of the year award and other brilliant theses. A Master’s thesis is not a licentiate work or half of a doctoral dissertation. It is a literary work which the student uses to demonstrate one’s knowledge of the basics and scientific methods in one’s own field. Nothing more, nothing less.

6.7 Work and subsistence The majority of students work during their studies. Often working is necessary already in terms of subsistence. Working in itself is not good or bad. Work often helps a student to get one’s foot in the door of the labour market already before graduation. However, if you do work, you should be ra-tional and remember that studying is a student’s full-time job.

Working is also one major single factor which delays studies. When you consider whether you should work, please keep in mind a few facts:

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Working is hard. Do not think that you can study full time if you work 15 hours per week.

You should measure your work so that you also have time for studies and leisure.

You should look for a job in your own field. This, of course, is easier said than done.

However, having a job in your own field is more motivating and more easily related to your studies and learning.

The working environment brings social factors to your life. Colleagues are a new social group and it is nice to get to know them, but on the other hand, a new social environment brings more stress factors to your perhaps already burdened student life.

You should review your own work critically. If working is not absolutely necessary for your subsistence, you should consider whether you could gain working life experience more easily somewhere else.

You should also notice that different study stages burden you in different ways. At the beginning of studies, study modules are smaller and you can have work shifts between them. However, at the end of your studies, study modules are more extensive and require plenty of independent studies. Because of this, work at the end of studies is more harmful than at the beginning. On the other hand, the beginning of studies may be very intense and therefore it may be difficult to agree on work shifts.

If you get a job at the end of your studies, you should clarify whether it is possible to take a study leave and focus a certain amount of time on just writing your Master’s thesis, for example.

The positive aspects of working may easily beat the daily studies. Therefore, you should monitor yourself and notice in time if work begins to disrupt your studies. You will have time to work later, and you can complete studies quickly with determined studying.

Always stop and consider if you are not able to carry out your studies because of work shifts. Is work really necessary for your subsistence or career and what does it do to your studies? You should not let this happen many times. Group work and group dynamics, for example, suffer if you have to be absent, even if there is no formal agenda or tasks agreed for the meeting.

6.8 Social Insurance Institution of Finland, social office and others Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Kela, pays student financial aid for students and guarantees student loans. You should clarify the amount of the student financial aid and related rules on Kela’s website. Students may have dozens of employers during the year, and it is a student’s responsibility to keep track of one’s income. You should store all payslips and make sure that you do not exceed the income limit.

A student loan is also one opportunity. It is not compulsory to take one, but it should not be excluded categorically. You should clarify what is the best way for yourself to finance your living during studies.

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If all else fails, the social office in your domicile may pay social assistance to you. This is an ultimate social benefit, which is intended for situations when all goes wrong – social assistance is not intended to replace the student loan and therefore you should not count on the social office. With social assistance, you give up your own financial autonomy and play according to the rules of the social office – it is difficult to combine work or financial aid from parents with social assistance, for example.

6.9 Legislation There is a legend going around the University of Tampere, according to which the rector has defined that the university’s duties are research, teaching and administration. Several laws, regulations, decrees and practices have effect on studies and the university. Some of these change all the time, while others stay in their place resiliently. At university, bureaucracy is something between massive and enormous and you just have to get used to it. As a general guideline, you should respond if the university sends clarification requests, ukases, letters and notices where they ask for a response. If you do not understand what the university wants from you, ask the person in charge of study affairs in your student union or the sender of the letter. It is likely that if you do not respond, something very crucial will happen, sometimes at a very rapid pace.

You should also keep in mind that very rarely anyone does things foolishly just for fun.

People in administration are on a student’s side, but sometimes the differences in thought patterns and habits can cause collisions. Dealing with administration requires patience and good nerves. No one can promote their affairs by raging.

However, the university is not an arbitrary Kafkaesque office, which does what it feels like.

If you think that you are being mistreated, you can appeal the decision. At first, you should contact the student union or the interest representation body in your subject organisation.

They probably have experience and perspective on where the process goes wrong and what could be done.

The most important law concerning the students is the act which limits the study duration.

This means that the duration of studies is limited to a certain length. Find out which regulations apply to you, as they vary by subject and the year when you began your studies.

The university will remind you about the end of your study period.

Another law which hopefully very little affects the students is the so-called SORA Act (Sex Offenders Registration Act). Under this act, the right to study may be removed from a student for certain, weighty reasons, if the person is involved with minors and has committed certain serious crimes.

6.10 Students’ legal protection Most issues related to students’ legal protection concern the evaluation of the grading of theses. In these cases, the university usually has a clear structure according to which decisions may be appealed. Clarify the correct practice in your faculty and act accordingly. Regulations on Degrees and the Protection of Students’ Rights concern all faculties, which can be found at 53

least in the university’s intranet. There are limitations to the evaluation period of study performances: a teacher cannot leave exam credits and grades hanging on for months.

In legal protection cases, you should ask for help and advice as soon as you are treated unfairly. Time limits are rather strict and a formal appeal must generally be made within two weeks of the event. So search for regulations and the instructions of the faculty and, if necessary, get assistance from the faculty or the amanuensis of your subject or a student advisor. In unclear and difficult cases, you should get everything in writing and remember to behave correctly. If the problem concerns studies in general, you can begin to clarify the matter and change practices together with the study advisor in your subject organisation.

You can also ask for help from the student union specialists, preferably before issues and relationships get completely messed up.

6.11 FSHS FSHS is in charge of the students’ health care. In connection with your membership fee, you pay a sort of a health insurance and you can use the services of FSHS when you have registered for the attendance. The services of FSHS are very affordable and extensive. FSHS is responsible for general health, oral health and mental health services. FSHS is covered by the care guarantee, so you can usually get a doctor’s appointment easily.

In acute cases, please contact your nearest health centre for emergency services.

7. Looking towards the future I hope that your studies at the university were not what you expected. The university’s mission is to provide, above all, a tool box and the basic starting points for facing the world.

With these tools, you should get started, but learning and new discoveries will fortunately never end.

In addition to all the information poured in your heart, the most important offerings of university studies are new friends and professional relations, entirely new scientific worlds found through minor subjects, the ability to use scientific methods to explain phenomena in the world and, above all, your growth. Your self-discovery and growth along with university studies. These are big words, but university studies are often the best thing that you can do with your pants on.

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Notes:

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