As the number of international students from China increases, more and more are choosing to travel to the UK for in-depth study. Achieving high quality academic results is crucial here, so it is vital to acquire the relevant knowledge and skills. This article will explore how to achieve excellent academic results while staying in the UK and provide practical advice for international students.
I. UK Degree Assessment System
In the UK education system, the thesis is regarded as the highest priority in subject assessment. The thesis grade, i.e. a comprehensive test combining theory and practice, accounts for 100% of the total marks of the whole course. Among them, the grading criteria are as follows:
1. Outstanding Achievement (70 points and above): this is an extremely impressive achievement, and graduates in this category are usually characterised by outstanding academic performance and independent thinking;
2. Moderately Distinguished (60 to 69 points): this is a grade for excellent performance, with some potential for research and depth of thought;
3. Good (50 to 59 points): students at this level need to further develop their skills and actively explore additional areas of study;
4. Pass (49 and below): students at this level need to work on improving their work and continue to learn in their future endeavours.
However, it is worth noting that once the dissertation grade does not reach the pass line, it will be directly affected and will not be able to successfully obtain the degree, but will only be able to get a certificate of completion of the postgraduate programme.
Effective Time Management
Good time management is especially important during the study period. The dissertation and final examination occupy an important position, and attention must also be paid to teaching presentations, such as PPT presentations. According to the teacher’s requirements, papers need to be submitted in the middle of the semester, with a length of more than 2500 words. Rationalise your time, get your course plan right and upload it to the Turnitin system in time to ensure successful completion. Submitting it late may result in dropping the grade or even a zero.
III. Emphasis on Presentation Skills
Presentation also has a place in the assessment of teaching and learning in the UK. Although it carries a relatively low weighting (usually only 5 per cent of the total mark), any minor error can have a detrimental effect on the final mark. When writing a presentation, you need to consider the problem from the standpoint of the reader, interact with your classmates, and self-reflection can effectively identify your own shortcomings.
Good communication with tutors
During your studies in the UK, you need to pay attention to the establishment of a good teacher-student relationship. Although the tutor will not be mandatory, but encourage students to take the initiative to learn. If you encounter problems in the process of writing your thesis, you can solve them by email or face-to-face meeting. At the same time, communicate with your supervisor about the direction of your research to ensure that your thesis is always on topic.
V. Make full use of the Academic Assistance Centre
The Academic Assistance Centre is another resource that students often overlook. Universities have Academic Assistance Centres (AACs) where professional faculty members can assist in revising the dissertation and give feedback. In addition, the centres focus on standards such as presentation skills and citation formats. Students can complete their thesis, book an appointment, send it to the faculty member, and after revising it to make sure it is correct, they can discuss it in an in-person meeting. In this way, the academic standard of the paper is ensured and personal time is saved.
VI. Commonly used data collection paths
1. Online school book search – this is the most ideal way to search. This is the best way to search for the literature you need to cite for your dissertation or for all kinds of course materials.
2. Higher education news and social media platforms – for example, University College London regularly publishes information on the latest research findings, lectures by lecturers and other important events. In addition, platforms such as ResearchGate can be used to find potential academic partners.
3. Google Scholar – similar to the online search of campus books, it is easy to index what you need by simply filling in keywords.
