assignment survival kit university of kent

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Classics & Archaeology

Featured story.

First Year Plan

Below you’ll find a month-by-month guide to help you make sense of your Kent experience.

Mid-September

Welcome Week or “Week 0”. This is the week before classes start, when the University and the Department of Classical and Archaeological Studies welcomes new and returning students to campus with lots of activities and events. Make sure you look at the schedule when you make plans for coming to campus with your parents. You’ll want to make sure not to miss the departmental scheduled inductions.

• For first years this week is especially important because there are a lot of orientation activities, which will help you land on your feet and give you the guidance you need to make the most of your time at university.

Beginning of Week 1. The first week of lectures/seminars is usually when your lecturers clarify the course goals and objectives. Here are some key things to do:

• Read carefully through the material the lecturer has put on Moodle, including the course description, the list of topics, the main themes and the goals and objectives for the module.
• In the first week’s lectures, pay attention to the organising structure of the module, not merely facts and concepts. This will help you keep the wider view in mind during the rest of term.
• The first part of a module is often challenging because your lecturers are introducing ideas that are new to you, and they’re trying to set out a clear conceptual framework and theoretical approach. Take notes and return to them periodically. Your understanding will grow if you have a good basis.
• Skim/scan the readings set out by the lecturer for the term. This will give you a sense of where the module is headed as a whole and how it is put together. Look at the last topic, in particular, to see where the module is going.

End of Week 1. Make sure you have a plan for managing your time so you can fit your extra-curricular activities around your class time and private study time.

• Now that you know what your assignments are and what your individual study time needs to cover, you can establish a routine. Students do best when they devote regular blocks of time to the same activities each week (e.g. reading for Intro to Archaeology 10-11 AM every Tuesday). Also make “appointments” in your planner to prepare for classes, especially seminars.
• Spend a little time (even 5-10 minutes) on an assignment (even a big one) the day it is given . (Look over all the material and jot down thoughts you might have. Skim a reading. Read an essay assignment and jot down your initial responses or what you’d do to get started.)
• Do assignments and study when you are most alert; socialise at other times. If you’re a morning person, then study in the mornings, if you need 30 minutes in the gym before you’re firing on all cylinders, plan your studying accordingly.

Early October

Now that you’ve settled into your classes, begin to take stock of your work and where you could use support to be the most successful student you can be. Sign up for workshops or a 1-to-1 advising sessions with the Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS) to hone your skills. Join a study group. Talk with your Academic Peer Mentor (APM) to get tips on studying and finding the right resources for you.

Mid-October

The Classical and Archaeological Studies Department runs a series of research seminars each year with leading researchers in the field. Look out for these events and attend! Often the speaker will be someone whose articles have been assigned in class, and this is a good time to broaden your horizons and see what Classical and Archaeological studies looks like outside of the classroom.

Have a look at the Events put on by the Careers and Employability Service (CES) . Going to their events early on in your first year gives you a chance to widen your horizons and think about possibilities.

Late October

Have you reconnected with your academic adviser yet? Now is a great time to do so! Update them on your transition experience. Email them to set up a time to chat over a coffee. They’re waiting to hear from you!

This is also the time to prepare for midterm assessments! Your midterms will vary depending on the type of module you’re taking, but it’s likely that your workload may feel heavier between weeks 5-8 of term. Seek support from SLAS , from your Academic Peer Mentors, and from your fellow students in study groups. Make use of the amazingly helpful Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) to help you manage multiple deadlines and give you plenty of time to complete your assignments. You can do this!

Early November

Autumn Reading Week  is a time set aside for important non-academic experiences designed to enhance your individual growth by raising awareness of your own well-being, career opportunities, and critical social issues. It sets time aside for you to take up volunteer opportunities you haven’t yet found time for or to get in touch with your academic adviser.

During this time there is a pause in the normal teaching schedule, to give you time to develop a more well-rounded approach to your education. This is NOT a half-term break (we’re at university after all) . This week is an enriching part of academic life, helping you follow your curiosity and embrace new opportunities for your success.

Mid-November

November is also a good time to reflect on your progress so far this term. What have you learned? What do you hope to do? Are there any adjustments you’d like to make to your study habits? Would you like to get some academic support to make the most of the rest of the term? If you haven’t already, now is the time to talk with your academic adviser about your plans for the weeks ahead.

CLAS runs its Archaeology Day (November 3 this year), an event dedicated to seeing what staff and students in the department are doing in the field. It’s a great opportunity to get a feel for everything happening in CLAS.

Late November

Now is a good time to start exploring summer internship programmes, placement opportunities, and begin thinking about what you might want to do after graduation. You can contact the Careers and Employability Service (CES) for excellent guidance or talk to your academic adviser. This is a good thing to do now, so that if your future plans require you to take certain kinds of modules or seek out certain types of volunteering or internship opportunities, you still have the time and space to make that happen. Your adviser is ALWAYS willing to talk to you about your future plans, and how to begin your exploration.

Early December

Prepare for final assessments and any in class tests you may have. Get support from your Academic Peer Mentor, from your academic adviser, and from SLAS 1-to-1 consultations and workshops. Don’t forget to use the Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) to help you manage multiple deadlines and give you plenty of time to complete your assignments.

Mid-January

Sign up for SLAS workshops and some Careers events to attend. Even if you decide not to take up any of the opportunities on offer, these first conversations help you to become comfortable speaking with potential employers.

A new term means a new public talk and research seminar series with leading researchers in the field. Look out for these events and attend! Often the speaker will be someone whose articles have been assigned in class, and this is a good time to broaden your horizon and see what Classical and Archaeological studies looks like outside of the classroom.

If you haven’t started thinking about housing options for next year, now is a good time! In addition to providing on campus housing for second years, the accommodation office also offers advice about living off campus.

Mid-February

If you haven’t thought about summer internship, work, or placement activities, now is the time! Get In touch with CES . Talk to your academic adviser about what you might want to do and begin thinking about module choices for next year.

Early March

Prepare for midterm assessments! Your midterm assessments will vary depending on the type of module you’re taking, but it’s likely that your workload may feel heavier during week 5-8 of Spring term. Seek support from SLAS , from your Academic Peer Mentors, and from your fellow students in study groups. Don’t forget to use the Assignment Survival Kit (ASK) to help you manage multiple deadlines and give you plenty of time to complete your assignments. You Got This!

Spring Reading Week is again a time for you to take up important non-academic experiences. This is often a time when KCAS (Kent Classical and Archaeological Society) organises events, and when you can continue to explore volunteer opportunities. During this pause in the normal teaching schedule, explore things that take you out of your comfort zone to broaden your education. Remember this is NOT a half-term break (we’re at university now) . This week is an enriching part of academic life, helping you follow your curiosity and embrace new opportunities for your success.

Prepare for any Final Exams you might have and think about plans for next year. If you need a little more academic support, get in touch with SLAS , if you need some careers advice, get in touch with CES , and of course, remember you can always get in touch with your Academic Peer Mentor or academic adviser.

This is also a good time to reflect on your progress this year. What went well? What was a challenge? What were you really intrigued by or excited about in your studies this year? What are you curious about? What are your hopes for the summer? What adjustments would you like to make in your study habits? If you haven’t already now is a good time to talk with your academic adviser.

This is also a good time to contact your lecturers for the modules you’re taking next year to ask them for any suggested reading you could do over the summer that might help spark your curiosity about the subject.

The Assignment Survival Kit

ASK will aid your time and task management when working on your assignment. Just enter the due date of your assignment to get started. Any queries or feedback about ASK please email [email protected] .

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• Subject Guides

Being organised: a Practical Guide

Time management.

• Being organised
• Semester plans
• Weekly planners
• Daily to-do lists
• Digital tools for planning
• Avoiding procrastination
• Prioritisation
• Taking a break

“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”

- Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt (2002)

Nine tips for time management

When you're working on a project or an assignment, how do you make best use of the time available to you?

We could've given you ten tips, but to save you time, we've cut it down to nine!

Keep a to-do list

• Look at Skills Guide for "Time management "
• Apply what I've learnt

What are the activities you need to complete?

Keep a list of the activities you need to get through. Give a measure of importance to each:

• Which do you need to do now?
• Which need doing soon?
• Which can wait?

If possible, break larger activities down into smaller, more manageable sections.

There are lots of to-do list apps out there, including Google Tasks which integrates with Gmail and Google Calendar . You could also use an app like Google Keep which is great for making quick notes.

Set personal goals

Focus on the important activities.

Goals can be big (getting a First; becoming Prime Minister), or small (making a to-do list; getting out of bed in the morning).

Don't let your goals dominate you: If you're the sort of person who will be crushed if you don't achieve your goals, make sure the goals you set are achievable; keep them relevant and in line with what's expected. But if you thrive on reaching for the moon, then by all means reach!

Just as with the activities on your to-do list, try breaking your goals down into smaller objectives.

Set your priorities

Image: CC-BY R/DV/RS

Is there an order to what you need to do?

What are the things you need to get done in order to achieve your goals? What tasks rely on other tasks? Plan out a logical order. What needs to come first?

What matters and what doesn't? Do you have to do everything on your to-do list? Do you need to achieve every one of your goals right now? Don't fill your time with unimportant tasks.

Match your priorities to your goals and think about what will help you to achieve them. What's important? What's urgent? What's both? What's neither?

Manage distractions

We don't work within a vacuum.

What distractions do you have control over? Your phone? Your TV? Social media? Social life?

Don't stretch yourself too far. You might have to sacrifice some of your extra-curricular activities for a little bit while you get done what you need to.

Let your friends or family know when you need to be alone. A true friend won't be offended if you have to give the odd thing a miss. Close your door, and make a "Do not disturb" sign if you have to.

Avoid procrastination

Get on with it!

When you're prioritising your work, it's all too easy to shunt down the list the things you don't really want to do. But at some point you're going to have to go and do them.

Of course you're going to put things off. We've all left stuff to the last minute. But you know you probably shouldn't.

A little procrastination can be a good thing. It can give you time to think things over and to avoid rash decisions. But most of the time we're just putting off the inevitable.

DON'T put all of your energy into your to-do list and goal-setting. Save some time and effort for the tasks themselves!

Do you even need to be here, or are you just putting off the task and trying to fool yourself that reading about time management is helping you to do your work? If that's the case, maybe you need to take a listen to this example of procrastination behaviours to avoid (University log-in required), courtesy of the Red Dwarf novel " Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers ".

Give yourself a break

All that said, breaks are important.

Life should never be just work work work. Leave time for some fun. Extra-curricular activities are important. You may need to put a few things on hold to give yourself time to concentrate, but that's not the same as just cloistering yourself away until the work is done.

And leave time for some sleep , too! If you're tired, your concentration will suffer.

Taking a break gives you time to unwind and/or re-energise. It also gives you chance to reflect on what you've done, and what you've achieved so far.

There's few things worse than staring at a blank screen. Don't be afraid to walk away for a bit if you're wanting for inspiration. A break can offer up new ideas. How many good ideas come to you when you're sat on the toilet or trying to sleep?

Take one thing at a time

Juggling takes effort, so focus on the task in hand.

Plan ahead to avoid assignment clashes as best you can.

If you've got several hand-ins or deadlines at once, manage your time carefully. Can you pretend that the hand-in for one assignment is earlier than it actually is, and leave yourself time afterwards to work on the next?

That sort of sleight of hand can be tricky to pull off, but you could still break the week into sufficiently large slots: Tuesdays and Wednesdays could be one piece of work; Thursdays and Fridays another.

Failing that, the least unpleasant bit of work might prove procrastination fodder for the other! If you're working on one piece of work and ideas are coming to you for another, don't be afraid to switch. Just be careful of switching so much that you confuse yourself!

Keep organised

Be as efficient as you can be.

Are your notes everywhere ? Do you even have notes at all? Write notes that will make sense to you when you come to using them. Not just cryptic keywords or doodles whose meaning has been lost in the mists of term.

Skim read the texts that you find. You don't need to read every word, or even every paragraph.

Do you know where that quote came from? Can you put your hand on that pen or that PDF? Keep a record of the texts that you've found so that you can find them again and/or cite them.

Have a way of making quick notes, either with pen and paper, or on your phone. You never know when an idea might come to you.

And try to keep your work environment relatively tidy. You don't have to live in a sterile, tidy environment, but utter chaos will only cost you time (that said, so will tidying up -- don't use tidying as a form of procrastination!).

Plan a schedule

Use your calendar.

Plan ahead in your diary and block some time out. You could even colour some things in if you think it will help you and if it isn't just procrastination!

Start with fixed appointments like classes and meetings, then block out study time. Things you need time for include:

• Finding literature
• Conducting a study
• Editing what you've written
• Having a crisis!

...and that's just a very partial list. The exact things you'll need to make time for will depend on what you're doing.

Be sure to leave time for checking what you've written. Don't take everything up to the very last minute.

You can't plan for all eventualities, so give yourself space for any slippage to your schedule.

And above all... look after yourself!

Some useful time management resources

The Distractibles Meetups

Finding it hard to focus and plagued by distractions? Join The Distractibles Meetup on the first Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm to 1:30pm. We are a support group of staff and students with small group chat and an ideas bank of things to try. Whether you're neurodiverse or just easily distracted, our peer-support group might be just the thing for you. Sign up for the next session on 3 April 12.30pm .

1 May session

If you've attended before, you can use the same Zoom link.

Forthcoming training sessions

Forthcoming sessions on :

CITY College

Please ensure you sign up at least one working day before the start of the session to be sure of receiving joining instructions.

If you're based at CITY College you can book onto the following sessions by sending an email with the session details to your Academic Liaison Librarian:

[email protected]

There's more training events at:

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• Here For You

Academic problem? Here are some useful links that may answer your query. It's worth checking out the resources of the Student Learning Advisory Service too. If you can't find the answer to your problem, or if you need further assistance don't hesitate to get in contact .

Tap to change section

Extenuating circumstances, learning resources for international students.

• Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

Study Skills

University regulations.

• Change section Appeals Extenuating Circumstances Learning Resources for International Students Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Study Skills University Regulations

During your time as a student the University will make decisions on your progress and performance in examinations/coursework and on your eligibility for the award of the qualification for which you are studying. If you think that such a decision is wrong or is based on incorrect or partial information, you may have the right to appeal against the decision.

Academic appeals can be submitted against decisions or outcomes related to your academic progress, such as:

• The recommendation of the Board of Examiners
• The recommendation of an Academic Misconduct Committee
• The decision to terminate registration as a result of Academic Diligence
• Under the Standing Orders Governing Research Appeals (for students on Research Courses only)
• A request for a review of the decision to dismiss or partially uphold an appeal during Stage One of the Formal Process

You can find details of the appeals process in Annex 13 of the Credit Framework for Taught Courses of Study  and you will need to fill out the appeals form. . 

A Student Adviser can look at your draft form and supporting evidence and advise you if there are any additional points or evidence that you could add to make your appeal case as strong as possible. You can find our contact form here .

If your appeal is turned down you have further rights of appeal, if you wish to continue to challenge a decision. We can help and advise you on these procedures should this prove necessary.

Sometimes things don't always go to plan and coursework or exam performance can be impaired due to a illness, personal problems or an event(such as a bereavement).

If something happens which adversely affects your ability to study and you are concerned that your coursework or exam performance will suffer as a result, you can apply for mitigation for extenuating circumstances. Your department can grant mitigation such as extra time to submit an essay or other coursework.

However, not everything that affects your studies will entitle you to claim a mitigations for extenuating circumstances. The University regulations set out some examples of situations which would not usually be accepted. These are:

• Completing coursework too late and missing deadlines because of computer or transport difficulties.
• Losing work not backed up digitally.
• Failure to make alternative travel plans in the face of known disruptions.
• Normal employment commitments.
• Failing to read an examination timetable correctly.
• Normal financial/budgetary commitments.

It is important, where possible, to apply for mitigation before, rather than after, the coursework deadline or the exam and to provide evidence, such as a letter from your GP if you have been unwell, to support your application. You can find our guide to applying for Mitigation based on Extenuating Circumstances.

Information on coursework deadlines and mitigation for extenuating circumstances procedure are in your Faculty Handbook (available from your faculty or department office) and you can find full details of Mitigation for Extenuating Circumstances applications in  Annex 9  of the Credit Framework. There is additional information about the allowances that can be made by schools regarding  conventions for Extenuating Circumstances  and  extensions to coursework deadlines . 

If you wish to apply for mitigation you should talk to the Student Support Officer in your school in the first instance. If you would like any additional support from the Advice centre then please contact us .

NO DETRIMENT POLICY

The University of Kent have provided an update on their No Detriment Policy  so that you can see what changes they have made to adapt learning, teaching and assessments to ensure that students are supported

Prepare for Success has lots of useful online resources to help international students prepare for study in the UK. Home students will also find some of the information and tools useful.

The Student Learning Advisory Service also offers specific events for International and EU students.

Academic Misconduct

What is Academic Misconduct?

Academic misconduct is any type of dishonesty (or suspected dishonesty) that occurs in relation to academic work.

Plagiarism seems to be the most recurrent Academic Misconduct problem due to the widespread use of the internet and the increase in the number of essay mills. Although it may seem to be the easy option at times, the penalties that you will receive if caught are severe and may result in you failing your course or, in serious cases, being forced to leave the University. Plagiarism often occurs when, either due to personal difficulties or difficulties with time management, students are submitting work very close to the assessment deadline. In most cases it is better not to submit the work at all, rather than use work that has been copied from elsewhere. If you have had personal difficulties which have affected your ability to do the work on time you may be able to ask for mitigation based on extenuating circumstances.

The University's Student Learning Advisory Service  provides lots of useful guidance on good study habits and offers free workshops on study skills such as essay writing, note taking and referencing/citation and exam technique, as well as offering individual support if needed. You can also use their online Assignment Survival Kit to help you plan and manage your assignments.

You can also ask for advice from the Academic Adviser assigned to you by your academic school (Student Adviser in KLS if you are a law student) on your academic progress and guidance with any problems you may have with your studies.

If you have a disability or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, extra help is available through the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service .

The University defines plagiarism as:

"reproducing any work submitted for assessment or review (for example examination answers, essays, project reports, dissertations or theses) any material derived from work authored by another without clearly acknowledging the source"

The University can refer to issues of Academic Integrity (such as Plagiarism) in both academic and employment references given for students. This may have an adverse effect on your career prospects. For some students on courses approved by Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies this can impact your ability to be admitted as a member of the relevant professional body.

Plagiarism can include work that you have done yourself but submitted elsewhere. For example if you wrote an essay for your A level course and then re-submitted it in a very similar format for your degree coursework this is technically plagiarism. It is important to be aware of the method of citation required by your academic school as there are numerous different systems. Check which one you are supposed to use and make sure that you understand it.

If you need further advice , please read the Academic Integrity guidance , contact your tutor or seminar leader, your departmental or faculty office, or the Student Learning Advisory Service and refer to Annex 10: Academic Misconduct of the Credit Framework . 

If you feel that you have incorrectly been accused of plagiarism you may have grounds to appeal. You can find more information in our useful Academic Misconduct Guide , and the Academic Misconduct Appeals Form  can be found on the Faculty Support Office page. To speak to a Kent Union Adviser please  contact us using our online form  for support. 

While at university it is important for you to use every available resource to help you produce the best possible work and to avoid common mistakes which may lead to your being penalised for plagiarism . There are plenty of resources available, so don't be afraid to ask for help if you are struggling with your course work or exams.

The University's Student Learning Advisory Service provides lots of useful guidance on good study habits and offers free workshops on study skills such as essay writing, note taking and referencing/citation and exam technique, as well as offering individual support if needed. You can also use their online Assignment Survival Kit to help you plan and manage your assignments.

There are regulations covering just about every aspect of university life. It is important to know what is expected of you as a student and what may happen if you break the rules, but it can be hard to find the information you need. The links below takes you to the Credit Framework and the University Regulations.

The University Regulations consist of a list of rules and regulations which students must keep to during their studies. They also include rules and regulations which the university must abide by and what to do if you wish to complain about the University.

The Credit Framework includes information on:

• How work is marked
• Procedures for dealing with applications for concessions
• Appeals and matters of academic discipline
• Programmes of study
• The rules for awarding credits and progression from one academic stage to the next
• Degree classifications

Was this information useful?  We are continually seeking to improve the service we provide to students so we would be grateful if you could complete our feedback form.

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Assignment Survival Guide

About the assignment survival guide.

• 1- Where do I start?
• 2 - How to I approach my assignment?
• 3 - How do I plan my assignment?
• 4 - How do I start my research?
• 5 - How do I find the books I need?
• 6 - How can I find Journals?
• 7 - Is there any other material I could use?
• 8 - How do I use my research?
• 9 - How do I write my essay up?
• 10 - Have I done all that is required?

This guide will help you to work through the experience of writing your first essay at University;all the way from first receiving the title your tutor has set to the final electronic hand-in.

The key thing is not to panic!

You've just won a place to study at Staffordshire University so you know that you can do this, just keep calm and follow this 10 step guide to working your way through this experience calmly and with the minimum anxiety.

Dividing up the time you have to spend on the essay is crucial.

Say you have allotted 20 hours in which to complete the work, you might want to spend 20% of your time planning the work, 40% of the time researching the topic and the last 40% writing and drafting your essay.

That would be 4 hours planning, 8 hours researching and 8 hours writing. Some people prefer to spend more time reading and less writing- it is, of course, up to you but try the 20/40/40 approach and modify it if it doesn't feel like it is working for you.  

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• Last Updated: Mar 8, 2024 11:54 AM
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