EN0SFS: Study for Success

Module code: EN0SFS

Module provider: English Literature; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Foundation Level

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Lucinda Becker, email: l.m.becker@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will provide students with much of the knowledge and experience, and many of the study skills, needed to succeed in their chosen BA Programme. Taught through a series of workshop-style seminars and tutorials, it will provide students with the experience and knowledge to produce assignments at undergraduate level and to take a strategic approach to their time at university. The aim of the module is to support students in meeting the learning challenges and understanding the assessment requirements that they will face throughout their degrees. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Undertake autonomous learning, enquiry and research, applying their mastery of relevant knowledge, skills and methods
2. Recognise what and how they have learnt, through self-reflection and through constructive dialogue with other people
3. Articulate their own and other people’s ideas concisely, accurately, and clearly
4. Demonstrate confident, credible communication regardless of the mode of transmission

Module content

Study skills in Higher Education, including technology-enhanced learning practices. The learning will be based on at least six key skill areas: 

• Thinking on your feet 
• Reading closely 
• Analysing and prioritising 
• Forming a view 
• Talking and persuading 
• Presenting your ideas 
• Working well in groups 
• Making connections 

Experts across the university will also advise students on areas such as the use of library resources, career planning, and life tools such as stress management. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will take students through a week-by-week programme of seminars, workshops and guided independent study tasks. Seminars may begin with a lecture section, to establish the field of learning for the session. Workshops will be used to support the independent study tasks and assignments for the module. 

Study hours

At least 33 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Workshop-style seminar activities will produce formative work that will be discussed in groups and receive feedback from the module convenor. 

There will be a formative reflective piece of 300-words submitted in Week 3, to help prepare students for summative assignment 1. 

There will be a formative exercise submitted in Week 5 to help prepare students for summative assignment 2. This exercise will be on a different text from the summative piece. 

Reassessment

Additional costs