Study Skills for Master's Level Students, revised edition: A Reflective Approach for Health and Social Care

by Debbie Casey, Liz Clark, Sally Hayes

Overview

From reviews:

"...There are good sections on writing academically at master's level, how to get published and the benefits for postgraduates and the profession of sharing work. The authors conclude with a useful chapter on applying postgraduate skills in the workplace.
This excellent guide will also be an invaluable resource in areas of study other than the intended health and social care field."

Nursing Standard, Nov 13–19, 2013

This revised and updated edition of Study Skills for Master’s Level Students adopts a reflective approach using exercises that are related to the development of the skills required to make the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate thinking and writing. Questions and activities encourage students to identify the skills that the postgraduate student should possess and to demonstrate an understanding of how those skills are developed.

Topics covered include:

* Critical thinking
* Developing independent study skills
* Finding and using literature
* Applying postgraduate skills in the workplace
* Writing at Master’s level
* How to get published.

The book is easy to use and jargon-free with clearly defined learning goals. Reflection points are included in order to support independent learning and enquiry, and there are also suggestions for additional reading throughout the book. Study Skills for Master’s Level Students can therefore be used as an independent student study tool or by lecturers in workshop settings.

Here's what lecturers thought of the first edition:

"A very comprehensive and accessible guide which is contemporary and related to application within the workplace."
"Easy to read and well presented."
" Very useful; activities excellent."
"I thought the complete book is a must for all postgraduate students."
"This book is excellent and I wish I had had a chance to read [it] pre my MSc course."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781908625182
Publisher:	Lantern Publishing
Publication date:	04/19/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	168
File size:	1 MB

Read an Excerpt

Study Skills for Master's Level Students

A Reflective Approach for Health and Social Care

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By Debbie Casey, Liz Clark, Sally Hayes

Scion Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2013 Debbie Casey, Liz Clark and Sally Hayes
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-908625-18-2

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CHAPTER 1

WHAT IS MASTERLY?

This chapter covers the following key issues:

• the opportunities that Master's level study offers students;

• consideration of the issues Master's level students face during their studies;

• types of Master's level courses;

• the difference between Bachelor's and Master's level study and outcomes;

• the regulation of higher education and the role of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA);

• types of content, structure and delivery;

• the types of assessment, learning and teaching students may experience.

By the end of this chapter you should be able to:

• understand the different types of Master's courses available;

• explain the differences between Bachelor's and Master's level courses in terms of what is expected of you as the student;

• describe the role of the QAA;

• explain how Master's courses may be structured and delivered;

• describe the types of assessment, learning and teaching methods that you might encounter.

INTRODUCTION

Relatively little literature exists regarding the transition to postgraduate study, and the research or literature to support learning that is available tends to focus on doctoral study. O'Donnell et al. (2009) surmise that this may be based on an assumption that once students graduate with their first degree, postgraduate-level study simply represents 'more of the same', or 'taking things to the next level', and that therefore there is little (if anything) in the way of a transition to be undertaken. As senior lecturers supporting students to take that leap into Master's level study, we disagree with this assumption. Furthermore, we support findings from the research that suggest that difficulties in the transition to postgraduate study are experienced as difficulties in the mastery of key skills or academic practices, suggesting that postgraduate students do not come 'equipped' for their studies in higher education (O'Donnell et al., 2009). Students come to Master's level study with very different expectations and experiences and with different levels of skills in areas such as writing, use of information technology (IT) and even in their ability to access and identify relevant literature. The standard use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) such as, for example, Web CT and X-Stream, can therefore be quite a challenge to some students whose IT skills simply have not kept pace with advancements since completing their Bachelor's degree. However, the most common anecdotal anxiety is 'What is different about Master's level study and what does Master's level writing look like?' This book is therefore intended to support students who are new to Master's level study and who are seeking help in understanding what is expected of them and the challenges that will be coming their way.

STUDYING AT MASTER'S LEVEL

There are many reasons why individuals who already have a Bachelor's degree wish to undertake further study at Master's level. Some of these reasons may be professional – for example, career development through studying a Master's in advanced practice, in order to develop nursing practice to include assessment, diagnosis and treatment in a nurse practitioner role or a consultant therapist role. Other reasons might include: looking for competitive advantage at interview; a love of reading; a wish to recapture the experience of university life and education; or simply a lust for learning. All of these reasons may apply as motivations for professionals from health and social care backgrounds. However, there may be further reasoning. In professions where learning is recognised and valued as driving quality and where reflective practice is a reality, individuals often need the space that academic study can give to stop, unravel, examine and re-create understanding and solutions to the everyday problems that they face in practice. They are looking for the opportunity to face those problems as a 'master'. But what does this mean; what is 'masterly'? Why does undertaking Master's level study make a difference to the ways in which health and social care practitioners think and practise and, importantly, in what ways does it benefit patients and service users?

Various types of Master's degrees exist in the UK, reflecting the independent nature of higher education institutions and the diversity of traditions that exist within different disciplines. For students, this means that there are no nationally agreed definitions of types of award and also that awards with similar titles can vary in nature both between institutions and across disciplines. However, all Master's degrees are expected to meet the generic statement of outcomes set out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in the qualification descriptor within The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (August 2008) that is examined below, or The Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland (January 2001). The qualification descriptor sets out broad expected outcomes for a Master's degree in terms of what graduates should be able to demonstrate and the wider abilities that they would be expected to have developed.

According to the QAA, the opportunities that Master's study offers students include the following:

1. Focusing on a particular aspect of a broader subject area in which they have prior knowledge or experience, whether through previous study or employment.

2. Focusing on a particular subject area or field of study in greater depth than they encountered during the course of previous study or experience.

3. Learning how to conduct research, often linked to a particular discipline or field of study. Such programmes often include a greater emphasis on the delivery of structured learning as opposed to independent study.

4. Undertaking a research project on a topic within the area of interest that makes up the majority of the overall assessment and is normally undertaken with little structured learning.

5. Specialising or becoming more highly specialised in an area of employment or practice related to a particular profession.

(adapted from QAA, 2009)

Furthermore, in the UK three broad and different 'types' of Master's degrees are often described and have been defined by the QAA in their publication Master's Degree Characteristics (QAA, 2010). These types are:

1. research Master's;

2. specialised/advanced study Master's;

3. professional/practice Master's.

The QAA classifies them using:

• programme characteristics;

• programme purposes;

• intended entrants;

• relation to further study or employment;

• characteristics of graduates.

The following descriptors are adapted from the QAA's document Master's Degree Characteristics (QAA, 2010).

1. Research Master's – for example, the MPhil

• The characteristics of the programmes in this category are that they are typically of one to two years' duration, with two years being most common (based on a full-time mode of study). The research component is larger than the taught component and the student normally conducts a research project through independent study with the inclusion of a smaller 'taught' element like, for example, research methods modules. Assessment is often specific to the individual and likely to be via oral examination that involves discussion/ defence of a thesis, dissertation or other output such as an artefact, performance or musical composition. Research Master's are less common than other types in health and social care.

• The purpose of the programme is to prepare students for the next stage in their careers, whether pursuing further research or entering employment of different kinds, and to enable those undertaking the programme to contribute towards research in the discipline.

• The type of entrant (or admission requirement) is defined by the institution but often requires a Bachelor's degree with honours in a cognate or closely related subject, although experience through work or other means may also be considered appropriate.

• In terms of further study or employment, graduates of Research Master's programmes will normally be prepared to enter a variety of types of employment or to continue to doctoral study.

• Graduates typically have subject-specific attributes including an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the discipline informed by current scholarship and research, the ability to study independently in the subject, and the ability to use a range of techniques and research methods applicable to advanced scholarship in the subject, plus generic attributes such as communication skills.

2. Specialised/advanced study Master's – for example, the MSc, MA, MRes and integrated Master's

• The characteristics of the programmes in this category are that they are often 'taught' although, frequently, at least a third of the programme is devoted to a research project or dissertation. They are typically of 9 to 18 months' duration based on a full-time mode of study. These programmes include integrated Master's degrees (integrated with study at the level of a Bachelor's with honours degree within a single programme) and they also include the MRes, where the student develops the ability to conduct research through a programme of structured learning.

• The purpose of the programme is to prepare students for the next stage in their careers, whether that is further academic or professional study, or entering employment of different kinds.

• The type of entrant (or admission requirement) is again defined by the institution, but entrants often have a background in the subject or a cognate subject area acquired through previous study (a Bachelor's with honours degree or equivalent) or experience.

• In terms of further study or employment, graduates of specialised/ advanced Master's programmes will normally be equipped to enter doctoral study in their discipline or to take up employment in both subject-related and generalist environments.

• Graduates typically have subject-specific attributes and an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the discipline informed by current scholarship and research, including a critical awareness of current issues and developments in the subject as well as a range of generic abilities and skills.

3. Professional/practice Master's – for example, the MBA and MEd

• The characteristics of the programmes in this category are that learning tends to be very structured and this programme structure may be developed in collaboration with the relevant professional, statutory or regulatory body and may include practical elements, such as fieldwork, placements or other opportunities for work-based learning. They are typically of 9 to 24 months' duration based on a full-time mode of study and may be a prerequisite for registration or entry to a profession in accordance with the requirements of the professional, statutory or regulatory body that recognises or accredits the award. In addition, other awards, such as postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma, will often be offered alongside professional Master's programmes to facilitate continuing professional development at different stages of a professional career.

• The purpose of the programme is to enable graduates to qualify for entry into a profession, subject to any further conditions required by the professional, statutory or regulatory body and/or provide continuing professional development opportunities related to particular professions or employment settings.

• The type of entrant (or admission requirement) is defined by the institution, taking into account the relevant professional, statutory or regulatory body's requirements, and programmes often attract entrants with a Bachelor's degree with honours (or equivalent) or experience, which may or may not be directly relevant to the particular profession.

• In terms of further study or employment, graduates will normally be equipped to enter a variety of types of employment and, in particular, will possess the skills and experience necessary for the specific profession.They will also normally be equipped to continue academic study at a higher level, for example for a PhD.

• Graduates of professional/practice Master's degrees typically have subject-specific attributes including an in-depth knowledge and understanding of their profession and the ability to apply research to professional situations, both practical and theoretical.

Finally, it must be acknowledged that there are many opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) at Master's level in addition to full Master's programmes. Individual Master's level modules are also available as part of CPD programmes. However, whatever form the programme takes, it should be distinct from undergraduate study in that it is not 'more of the same' but takes the student 'beyond' undergraduate learning.

BEING A MASTER'S STUDENT

There are also a number of themes that have been identified about Master's study that it is important to consider. In an ethnographic study of postgraduate students by Tobbell et al. (2008), themes that were identified included the following.

Policy

There is a clear difference in approach to undergraduate and postgraduate study within the UK, with a governmental finance framework to support undergraduate students (student loans, fee framework, grants for less-advantaged students, etc.). Universities benefit financially from meeting agreed targets for undergraduate student recruitment while, in contrast, postgraduate students are responsible for identifying their own sources of funding, with a limited number of sources of financial support being available through specific institutions, professional bodies or employers.

Academic status

The postgraduate students in Tobbell et al.'s (2008) study reported feeling an enhanced sense of their academic status within the university in contrast to their undergraduate experience, and relationships with staff were more collegiate and more informal.

University systems

Perhaps because the majority of funding is for undergraduates, who represent the majority of the student body, postgraduate students reported that university facilities reflect full-time undergraduate patterns of study. Postgraduate patterns of study differ. Programmes do not necessarily run in normal working hours, with evening and weekend classes being used and, indeed, some postgraduate programmes are taught exclusively in the evening and weekends to accommodate the fact that postgraduate students are often working full-time alongside their studies to finance them.

Life outside the course

Most Master's students face a range of issues that need to be negotiated and problems that need to be addressed in order to enable them to participate fully in their studies. There is no escaping the interaction of normal life and the course, and it could be argued that engagement in university practice can depend on the negotiations that take place in order to deal with the complex demands of students' lives. Data research (Tobbell et al., 2008) shows that, to a greater or lesser extent, Master's students from the first term of study struggle with the demands of 'real' life and study life. This can be dependent on being in employment or, for mature students, having family commitments. Many postgraduate students are giving up time and money, which indicates a commitment and involvement with the process, but this exists in parallel with the tensions of family demands and self-denial (Tobbell et al., 2008).

Pedagogic practice and participation

Participation in postgraduate study requires active desire and considerable motivation. The postgraduate students in Tobbell's research reported greater levels of motivation and active participation in their studies than they had experienced as undergraduates, facilitated by smaller class sizes where there is opportunity for interaction and activity. More emphasis is placed upon autonomous learning, learning through discussion and activity, collaborative learning and independence from ideas and approaches of tutors. The pedagogic practices used on Master's courses, particularly to develop critical thinking skills, will be further discussed in Chapter 2.

WHAT IS 'MASTERLY'?

The whole crux of Master's level work is that the student shows a degree of 'mastery' in an area under investigation. Denby et al. (2008) give a clear framework for what this actually means:

• Masters demonstrate that they know what is written about the area (through literature review).

• They can discuss its features and failings and recognise the points of consent and contention (criticality).

• They can examine their own practice (through reflection).

• They can act as a change agent by using their examination to change practice (reflective practitioner).

What is the difference between degree level and Master's level study?

The word 'degree' comes from the Latin word gradus meaning 'step' – a step towards achieving mastery in a subject and towards understanding the truth about their particular academic discipline. Masters are not, therefore, expected to merely assimilate knowledge, but to explore the parameters of their particular subject area in order to achieve 'mastery'. For health and social care professionals, this must also mean that they can bring their 'mastery' to bear on their own professional practice.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Study Skills for Master's Level Students by Debbie Casey, Liz Clark, Sally Hayes. Copyright © 2013 Debbie Casey, Liz Clark and Sally Hayes. Excerpted by permission of Scion Publishing Limited.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

1 What is Masterly?
2 What is Critical Thinking?
3 Becoming an Independent Learner
4 Finding and Critiquing Literature
5 Writing at Master’s Level
6 How to get Published
7 Applying Postgraduate Knowledge and Skills in the Workplace