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Revision Central – Using Resources
Revising for exams can be a very stressful time. There are a number of things that can help, like a structured timetable, with plenty of breaks built in. However, once you have identified your timescales and developed a map of how you are breaking down your revision, one of the first things you will need to do is ensure that you fill any gaps in your knowledge. Have a read through of your lecture notes and check past papers, if available. From the types of questions that come up time and again, you can evaluate if you need to supplement your knowledge in any key areas.
This is where the library, and your Subject Librarian in particular can help you. You will need access to a wide range of resources, including books, journal articles and websites. You will also need to construct a good search strategy, to ensure you get to the right information quickly. The Library catalogue is a good start point for books – both on the shelf and electronic. If you have a tablet or e-reader, you can directly download the content and print off specific chapters. Click here to access our catalogue and start looking for books.
Journals are a great source of useful information. They are usually short papers that cover an aspect of your topic in great detail. They are published regularly, so you can quickly get to the latest thinking in your field. Most of our journals are available online and are searchable in databases, so this makes them even more convenient for you. A great start point is our Discovermore, our search engine that searches across a range of our smaller databases. You can filter your results by year, subject and type of item, so you can usually get to what you need quickly.
You might need to access some of the specific subject databases that the library offers, but if you’re not sure, you can always ask someone at the Ask Desk in the library for more advice, or check your Resources tab on Blackboard for some subject specific suggestions (and a handy link!) This tab also has some great links to the Library Subject pages, where you will find advice on using websites for research and a list of good ones in your subject area. There is a wealth of information just waiting to be discovered here.
Practice active reading – keep your exam questions in mind and think about how what you are reading relates to what you already know – give your material a read through once before making any notes – that way you won’t be tempted to write all down. Try to make your notes colourful with spider diagrams and bullet points, which will make it easier to remember the main points later. I am a big fan of the 80s style four colour pen…
But above all, stay hydrated, take lots of breaks and don’t be tempted by the new Game of Thrones season. Good luck everyone!
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Revision support – the ‘Did you know?’ guide from Learning Services
You’re trying to stay on top of your revision and manage to keep a work-life balance. We know it’s tough and that’s why we’re here to support you.
Did you know that:
- You can find plenty of tips and guides on revision central – a one stop site available from your Learning Edge page.
- We provide free water to keep you hydrated while you study
- Our student assistants will help with your study queries at the Ask Desk (or if you prefer, use e-mail, telephone and live chat)
- To help you find a quiet place to revise, we have silent study space with easy access to resources; we’re also giving out free ear plugs – collect them from the Welcome Desk at Ormksirk
- If you are studying off campus, you can access our digital library – all things electronic – from anywhere
Revision – we’ve cracked it!
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10 out of 10 for Learning Services!
Not only are we celebrating our 10th year of Customer Service Excellence in Learning Services but following our assessment in January 2015, we now have a fantastic 10 compliance pluses which are given to services who go that ‘extra mile’ for customers!
In this our
10th year as award holders, we were delighted that our work was recognised with another 2 compliance pluses. The first was for our use of UX (user experience) and ethnographic techniques to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of our customers. The second was for the introduction of our 24/7 live chat service which launched in Oct 2014.Where did our journey begin? In 2004 Learning Services were one of a small number of academic libraries who achieved the award (originally called Chartermark). In 2010 the government reviewed the award and it became known as Customer Service Excellence and is based on 5 key elements:
Customer Insight; knowing who your customers are, consulting with them, involving them in decision making.
Culture of the Organisation; showing a commitment to building a customer focused culture right through the organisation from senior managers to the front line staff.
Information and Access; providing accurate and comprehensive information and ensuring it is delivered via most appropriate channels.
Delivery; achieving positive outcomes for customers, listening to their views, achieving key performance targets.
Timeliness and Quality; ensuring prompt action, keeping to agreed timescales, always trying to ensure that speed of service doesn’t come at the expense of quality.
In Learning Services one of the most important thing we can do as part of offering a good customer service is communicating with our customers. This doesn’t mean telling you things. It means listening, finding out what is important to you and putting ourselves in your shoes as much as we can.
If you would like to find out more about the award, or are interested in participating in one of our many user experience groups just get in touch.
Helen Jamieson, Customer Services Manager
