Exams, Assessments and Study Advice
Finding the right balance of activities can be hard - whether that's working out how to balance your studies and a part-time job, or how to split your study time across your different courses. We have a range of classes and resources here that will help you make the most of your study time, get all the general skills you need for your courses, and help you go into your exams and assessments feeling confident and well-prepared.
While some of our classes are tailored for different cohorts, all classes are open to everyone so feel to attend any that look of interest to you.
Looking for some specific advice? Make an appointment with one of our advisers:
Live Classes (Semester 1)
Exam Preparation
Preparing for your exams
| Date | Time | Class | Class Description | Location / Zoom Link |
| Thursday 20th November | 12:00-13:00 | Preparing for Your Exams: Revision Strategies | Find out about the revision strategies that actually work, and how to organise your time to use them. | Boyd Orr 611 (LT E) |
| Thursday 27th November | 12:00-13:00 | Preparing for Your Exams: Navigating the Exam Period & Dealing with Stress | Feeling stressed about exams, or experienced exam stress in the past? Come along to this practical and supportive session for guidance on getting through the exam period. | Boyd Orr 611 (LT E) |
Exam Practice Workshops
As well as revising the course material, it is also important to prepare for performing under exam conditions. Come along to one of our exam practice workshops for:
- An opportunity to practice generating a written exam response under timed writing conditions with an invigilator present
- A chance to receive valuable feedback and helpful suggestions from trained members of the SLD Peer Learning team
| Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 24th Nov | 09:00-11:00 | Southpark House Teaching Room |
| Thu 27th Nov | 14:00-16:00 | Southpark House Teaching Room |
| Mon 1st Dec | 09:00-11:00 | Southpark House Teaching Room |
| Thu 4th Dec | 14:00-16:00 | Southpark House Teaching Room |
| Thu 11th Dec | 14:00-16:00 | Room 305, McMillan Round Reading Room |
| Fri 12th Dec | 14:00-16:00 | Southpark House Teaching Room |
Please bring materials (paper, pen/pencils) for writing by hand. In addition, prior to attending, please visit www.gla.ac.uk/exams, select the Past Papers option in the Preparing section, and bring a previous submission with you to the workshop. On the day of the workshop, you will have 45 minutes of timed writing in exam conditions, with the remaining time devoted to feedback activities and discussion. You are also welcome to attend multiple workshop sessions if you feel this would be beneficial to you!
Maths Drop-Ins (for any UofG student) - new exam drop-ins added!
> Moodle page for Maths advice - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=140
Extra Drop-ins for December Exams:
| Date | Time | Venue | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 1st Dec | 13:00-15:00 | St Andrews Building: 224 |
Open to any student with any maths question (other than Honours level mathematics students) No booking required |
| Wed 3rd Dec | 13:00-15:00 | Boyd Orr Building: 709A | |
| Thu 4th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | St Andrews Building: 224 | |
| Fri 5th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | Boyd Orr Building: 709A | |
| Mon 8th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | St Andrews Building: 224 | |
| Tue 9th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | Boyd Orr Building: 709A | |
| Wed 10th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | Boyd Orr Building: 709A | |
| Thu 11th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | St Andrews Building: 224 | |
| Fri 12th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | Boyd Orr Building: 709A | |
| Mon 15th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | St Andrews Building: 224 | |
| Tue 16th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | Boyd Orr Building: 709A | |
| Wed 17th Dec | 13:00-15:00 | Boyd Orr Building: 709A |
Semester 1 Weekly Drop-ins:
| Date | Time | Venue | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 29th Sept | 14:00-16:00 | All in Room 305 of the McMillan Round Reading Room |
Open to any student with any maths question (other than Honours level mathematics students) No booking required |
| Mon 6th Oct | 14:00-16:00 | ||
| Mon 13th Oct | 14:00-16:00 | ||
| Mon 20th Oct | 14:00-16:00 | ||
| Mon 27th Oct | 14:00-16:00 | ||
| Mon 3rd Nov | 14:00-16:00 | ||
| Mon 10th Nov | 14:00-16:00 | ||
| Mon 17th Nov | 14:00-16:00 | ||
| Mon 24th Nov | 14:00-16:00 |
Tailored for International Students
Starting your Academic Citizenship (for International Students)
This particular course is led by the team of Effective Learning Advisers for International Students. It runs in Semster 1, and every session is run twice - once in-person and once online.
> Moodle page for this series (includes slides and any recordings) - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=27830
| Date | Time | Title | Description | Location/Zoom Link |
| Friday 26th September | 15:00-16:00 | Transitioning to Academic Study @UofG | How to successfully transition to new academic institutions by better understanding expectations and some strategies for effectively managing change. | |
| Tuesday 30th September | 09:00-10:00 | Transitioning to Academic Study @UofG (online repeat) | How to successfully transition to new academic institutions by better understanding expectations and some strategies for effectively managing change. |
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/82229209188 (Meeting ID: 822 2920 9188) |
| Wednesday 1st October | 15:00-16:00 | Becoming an Academic Reader | Strategies for effective academic reading to enhance learning, including how to select reading, manage reading time and read evaluatively. | |
| Thursday 2nd October | 15:00-16:00 | Academic Integrity, Avoiding Plagiarism, and Artificial Intelligence | Explains the definitions of plagiarism at the University of Glasgow and how to avoid plagiarism in academic work as well as looking at some do's and don'ts for AI in academic work. | |
| Friday 3rd October | 15:00-16:00 | Understanding and Preparing for Assignments | How to effectively understand and fulfill assigment requirements. | |
| Tuesday 7th October | 09:00-10:00 | Becoming an Academic Reader (online repeat) | Strategies for effective academic reading to enhance learning, including how to select reading, manage reading time and read evaluatively. |
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/85105229767 (Meeting ID: 851 0522 9767) |
| Tuesday 7th October | 11:00-12:00 | Introduction to Being Critical | What does it mean to be critical and analytical in academic work and how to achieve this. | |
| Wednesday 8th October | 09:00-10:00 | Academic Integrity, Avoiding Plagiarism, and Artificial Intelligence (online repeat) | Explains the definitions of plagiarism at the University of Glasgow and how to avoid plagiarism in academic work as well as looking at some do's and don'ts for AI in academic work. |
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/84912567920 (Meeting ID: 849 1256 7920) |
| Wednesday 8th October | 15:00-16:00 | Academic Discourse | Explains academic discourse and discusses how to identify the ways your academic community communicates. | |
| Thursday 9th October | 09:00-10:00 | Understanding and Preparing for Assignments (online repeat) | How to effectively understand and fulfill assigment requirements. |
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/87332937663 (Meeting ID: 873 3293 7663) |
| Wednesday 15th October | 09:00-10:00 | Introduction to Being Critical (online repeat) | What does it mean to be critical and analytical in academic work and how to achieve this. |
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/84409973217 (Meeting ID: 844 0997 3217) |
| Thursday 16th October | 09:00-10:00 | Academic Discourse (online repeat) | Explains academic discourse and discusses how to identify the ways your academic community communicates. |
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/81422457351 (Meeting ID: 814 2245 7351) |
Tailored for Specific Colleges
Lab Calculation Refresher Sessions (for MVLS students)
These sessions cover the common calculations needed for lab experiments, such as how to dilute a stock solution to the correct concentration. And don't hesitate to get in touch with the Maths Adviser if you have questions.
Moodle page for this series (see the life sciences section) - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=140
| Date | Time | Venue | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 29th Sep | 11:00-12:00 | Joseph Black Building C407 |
These sessions cover the common calculations needed for lab experiments, such as how to dilute a stock solution to the correct concentration. The two sessions are the same content. |
| Fri 3rd Oct | 12:00-13:00 | Zoom |
Drop-ins
Stats Drop-Ins (for any UofG student)
> Moodle page for Stats advice - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=42233
Every 2 weeks:
| Date | Time | Venue | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 10th Oct | 10:00-11:00 | All in James McCune Smith Learning Hub: 429 |
Open to students with any statistics question (other than Honours level statistics courses). Come in for help with theory or issues with statistical software. No booking required. |
| Fri 24th Oct | 10:00-11:00 | ||
| Fri 7th Nov | 10:00-11:00 | ||
| Fri 21st Nov | 10:00-11:00 |
Pre-recorded Classes and Online Materials
These classes offer a mix of online materials and resources you can work through at your own pace. Some are classes held in the previous semester. All contain useful resources, sometimes including recordings of past live classes. Check back regularly for updates.
Assessments at UofG (CoSE & MVLS)
This course provides an introduction to the purpose, structure, and expectations of various different assessment formats. You can find useful and practical advice on a range of assessment types, including some that centre around academic writing skills (e.g. essays, lab reports, reviews) and some that focus on scientific communication skills (presentations, posters, blogs, podcasts).
Exams and Academic Development (CoSE & MVLS)
> Moodle page for this series - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=10317
This is an asynchronous resource which you can access anytime.
| Title | Description |
| Lectures, labs, and tutorials | We discuss how to approach your classes in a strategic way so that you get the most out this valuable time with your lecturers. |
| Working in groups | Group work is an integral part of many degree courses. This class will show you how to get the most out of assessed and informal group work. |
| Exam revision strategies | We will show you the best revision strategies, and how to combine them to the best effect in the weeks before an exam. |
| Avoiding procrastination | Procrastination is normal! But this class will help if you feel that it is getting in the way of your studies. |
Good Academic Practice
This course focuses on Academic Integrity, helping you to understand the Uinversity of Glasgow's policies on plagiarism; advice on use of GenAI; and introduces referencing techniques to support your becoming ethical and rigourous researchers and writers.
Making the Most of Lectures
This is an interactive course that has been designed to help you use lectures and lecture recordings to enhance your remote and/ or on-campus learning. Drawing on evidence-based techniques, this non-credit course will introduce you to some of the ways in which you can integrate lectures and lecture recordings (if available) into your studying.
Time and Project Management
This course provides you with the fundamental principles of good time and project management. The course is designed to take you through the key elements of working with multiple deadlines, competing priorities, and different workloads.