“The British university system is based on research and independent learning: you are not taught your degree, but are expected to read for it.” (Burns and Sinfield, p.182).

This section focuses on being an independent learner. It contains tips and guidance on how best to approach lectures and seminars, and how to research and organise your ideas.

Good time management is essential for successful study at Masters level. Given the average number of study hours expected for each module, when taking into account both your timetabled teaching hours and the time you are expected to study independently, it is likely that you will need to spend 35 to 40 hours per week for a full-time Masters degree. This is a similar commitment to a full-time job, and you will need to plan your time accordingly. You will also need to take into account other work, family or personal commitments. Using tools, such as a wall chart, calendar, hard copy diary or an online planner, can really help. One way of planning out your study time is to work backwards. Make a note of key deadlines and factor in how much time each assignment will require.

Try creating a week-by-week timetable, factoring in your timetabled classes. Planning backwards from deadlines can often be more effective as you get a better sense of how individual tasks relate to one another, and realistically how long will they take. This technique will help you avoid last-minute deadline panic. See below for an example of effective backward planning for an assignment.

Assignment planning example

Most Masters students will be expected to undertake a longer research project during the latter part of their studies. However, before you begin your project, you will be set a variety of shorter assignments for each module; these are intended to test your learning on each topic and to give you the opportunity to cultivate effective Masters level study skills. While the word count and depth of investigation will be less than for your research project, it is important to apply the same principles of effective time management and planning for all assignments.

Use the vacation periods wisely – be mindful of any deadlines and exams that follow the Christmas and Easter holidays, but also take some time off to relax! Where possible, try to raise any queries with your tutors ahead of the vacation periods. However, you do not have to wait until teaching starts again if you do need help. Your school reception, and University services such as Skills@Library, are normally open during vacation periods (expect when the University as a whole is closed).

To help you plan and manage your time, think about the different stages of work that need to be completed and create a project plan. Set a deadline for completion for each of these stages. Click to download an example that you can use and adapt.

The fact that your Masters commitment is comparable to a full-time job makes it more important to factor in time to relax. Taking regular breaks from your studies will help you to consolidate and process your existing and newly acquired knowledge. Looking after your wellbeing is an important part of being a successful student. We would encourage you to get involved in the numerous activities and leisure pursuits offered by both the University and Leeds Student Union, and take time to get to know the fantastic regions of Leeds and Yorkshire!

Tips

Now would be a good time to reflect on your previous study and work experience. Try noting down what your most effective strategies are for juggling tasks and meeting multiple deadlines, and consider how you might apply these organisational and time management skills to your Masters study.

At Masters level, you are expected to read widely around topics before attending lectures and seminars. By doing so, you will develop an understanding of the key concepts and ideas that will be discussed further in class. You might have found your reading lists quite prescriptive as an undergraduate but, as a Masters student, you will have a lot more freedom to pursue your own interests in relation to a topic. You can find more information on how to source your reading in the Identifying Relevant Literature section of this resource.

A Masters level seminar is an interactive forum, during which students will combine and explore various interpretations and perspectives of core material. To get the most out of your seminars, before each session, complete any reading and preparation tasks set for the session; during each session, make contributions to discussions and any group-based tasks such as presentations by sharing your perspectives, raising questions, and challenging ideas that you take a different stance on; and after each section, reflect and make connections between the issues discussed in the seminar with the wider context of your subject and the topics covered by lectures and readings. This three-step process of preparation, contribution, and reflection should be ongoing throughout your Masters course. Your ideas that develop and evolve could lead to your final independent research project.

Tips

Video> - Staff discuss academic literature, reading widely and provide advice on developing your own questions. View video using Microsoft Stream (link opens in a new window, available for University members only). Click to download a full transcript of this video.

You will be expected to read widely around your topics through pro-active and self-guided independent research and reading. The key to effective independent research at Masters level is the ability to find and critically evaluate academic literature.

What constitutes “the literature” will depend on your subject area. Generally speaking, it will consist of key books and journal articles produced by academics who are experts in their fields. These sources will form the basis for you to develop an understanding of your topic. Such literature will also often be used as evidence to help develop your arguments.

A starting place to find literature is the University’s Library Search tool. Watch the short video below to learn how to get the most out of the Library Search at Leeds.

Video> - finding literature with Library Search. View video using Microsoft Stream (link opens in a new window, available for University members only). Click to download a full transcript of this video.

To find more specialist academic literature, you will need to use subject databases. Visit our ‘Searching for information’ pages for more information about databases and how best to use them. Try to familiarise yourself with using these tools at an early stage of your Masters study. Researching your topics in advance of each class can save you time later, as you will already be collecting sources and evidence that you can use for assignments.

To find a list of the most relevant databases for you, select your subject from the dropdown list below:

Masters level study provides an opportunity for you to pursue specialised areas of interest. As you develop your understanding of your subject area, you will be encouraged to share your unique perspective, demonstrating your critical thinking and research skills.

When students see the term “critical”, they often think of “criticising”. Instead, the term “critical thinking” refers to exploring an issue from a number of perspectives, and questioning what you hear and read before reaching any conclusions. For example, this could involve analysing why something works well, as much as why something does not work so well.

As a Masters student, you will be expected to integrate, re-purpose and build on ideas from different sources in your own work. Through engaging in dialogue with peers, tutors and theorists, you will be demonstrating your unique voice to an audience through well-structured argument. In order to develop clear arguments, you will need to select your sources well and synthesise them. You should then present these arguments in a logical order.

Tips