STUDY SKILLS FOR PSYCHOLOGY

WELCOME & OVERVIEW Welcome! Introductions Your questions General advice on reading and writing in psychology Break Laboratory reports Exam preparation Q & A

INTRODUCTIONS I’m your tutor… Spend five minutes getting to know the person next to you. –Who? –Where from? –Why psychology? –Which courses? –Etc… You will then introduce them to the class.

QUESTIONS Before we proceed, does anyone have any pressing questions that they do not think will be covered in the outline, and they would rather are answered before the Q & A session at the end?

General advice on reading and writing: Reading Read the handout: “A strategy for reading textbooks” & learn the SQRW approach (5 mins). This approach to consuming information is also valuable for most things that you will read in psychology (e.g., essays, lab reports). Read “Similarity in attitudes and activities of friends” utilising the SQRW approach (10 mins). Discuss your experience/results with you neighbour (5 mins).

General advice on reading and writing: Writing You will find that the more you read in psychology, the easier that writing will become as you develop familiarity with the academic format. Take a copy of the hand out “General writing tips” away and read.

BREAK 20 Minutes

LABORATORY REPORTS What is a Laboratory Report all about? A laboratory report is a scientific report that describes to the reader: –Why you undertook this particular research; –What you expected to find; –How you actually did it; –What you did find;

LABORATORY REPORTS –How you interpreted the results; and –The theoretical and practical implications of the conclusions you drew from the results See also the Findlay or Burton texts.

LABORATORY REPORTS Read the handout on “Lab reports” and discuss with your neighbour (10 mins). Class discussion.

EXAM PREPARATION Your tutors experience… Read the handout “Exam tips” and discuss this with your neighbour.

Q & A Now’s your chance to ask questions!

SUMMARY Spend five minutes compiling a list of what you learnt today. Handouts you should have: –A strategy for reading textbooks –Similarity in attitudes and activities of friends –General writing tips –Essay on homosexuality –Lab reports –Exam tips

THANK YOU FOR COMING!