For those of you who have successfully got degrees, completed uni courses, are good academically, can I please ask for your top tips and secrets!

[Kroptopbelly]

I’ve started a course.
It’s a level 3 (I think) which I am told is basic, low level stuff.
It’s on education and training, I thought it would be interesting and is pertinent to my job.

Anyway, I cannot understand what the questions for the 2 assignments mean, what it is they are asking me and how on Earth to go about answering them both.
On top of that, there has dropped into my inbox that I’ve to do a “micro teach” session, and do all of the work surrounding that.

I am not too bright admittedly. I struggle hugely with academia and I am again now.

How on earth do you decipher the wording, the questions and even start a piece of work which looks like a foreign language??
I just don’t get it.
The questions within the questions with so many strands that they want to know about.
Help me!!

I always found that underlining the different parts to a question helped me cover everything that they were asking and formulate a structure for answering the question.

Also take your time, take a few deep breaths and try to be calm and not overwhelmed. Taking the question but by bit it will not seem quite so intimidating.

Post the questions! They are probably pretentious crap that we will pick through in no time. For now just know, it's not you it's them.

It would be helpful to unpick this, OP. Is this L3 at university or somewhere else? What are you required to do for the two assessments?

Sometimes I have found reordering the question in a way that is clearer to me makes it easier for me to research and answer.

Also how in depth an answer you give will depend on the marks available. I always tried to make two points/statements that I thought would get a mark for every mark available.

I think a good way to start is just to write something down. Anything. Pick out words of the question, jot down what you think phrases might mean.
Re write the question. Just any sort of notes.

I find it much easier to improve or evolve something rather than the pressure to get something fantastic straight away.

The number one thing is Ask Questions. There are no dumb questions. If things aren't clear, ask. I have a first class degree from a national top 5 university (just to put this in context), and I have always asked questions. You're not stupid, you're just not used to this and you can ask.

I have been astounded to watch some people flounder at things because they simply won't ask for clarification because they think that will be a black mark against them. What does count against them is their doing the wrong thing, or even not doing anything, because they're too scared to ask. Please ask!

Find a way to see examples of answers. That will give you an idea of what sort of thing they’re after

Is there a glossary of some sort? I did a degree and post grad as a youngster, but have just done a level 4 in what I do (very new programme) and it helped that the tutor said things like "when the question asks you to critically compare, you need to say what is good / helpful / useful about one model that the other doesn't have". Then we could answer the question!

No worries original poster being it on I am sure we can help you here.

I have not been in education since Cantab doctoral days lecturing masters research students but I am sure there are countless smarties on this website to assist! There are many teachers and others in education on these threads to help.

Relax be confident and never under estimate your potential! You would not usually be in your study program if not appropriate to your level.

Do post your assignment questions so we can take an initial look to break into down into logical small manageable steps to analyse and get to the expected best answer.

Pick out what you think the question is asking. Write it down in bullet points or your own words. Then contact your tutor to check that your understanding is correct. The biggest lesson to learn is to ask for help. Don't struggle on alone of you are totally lost.

If its an essay style answer, I use bullet points (again!) to work out what points I want to cover and then expand the bullet points into proper written paragraphs.

Great tips so far on here. I would also say - don't be worried if it doesn't make sense at first look! Look up the terms you don't understand (even if it's all of them) so you can get a basic understanding. Next up, start going through your reading list and making notes. You'll soon find you've something to write for your assignment.
My main tip is not panicking if you don't know what you're going to write for an assignment when you first read the title - remind yourself the aim of your course is to learn, so if you did know what you're going to write then there wouldn't be much point doing the course! And then if you're really stuck reach out to the professor/teacher and they should be happy to help too. Keep faith in yourself x

Defo post the question! Take your time thinking about what the words mean, what they are really asking, how you can answer. And make a simple plan with 3/4 parts. I always find that if you spend time really deciphering the question and planning your answer, you will save time in the end and produce a better piece of work. And read the requirements carefully.

Underlining the command words helps you to see what they expect you to do. For example, if it says 'Assess' then it expects you to make an informed judgement. 'Compare' requires you to explain both the similarities and the differences between things. Evaluating things means considering both sides of the question and giving a supported conclusion.

Underline the command word in the Question (the one that tells you what to do) and google it for a start. But as others have said - if you post the questions here we can break them down for you.

Have you heard of

Point - what is the argument you're making? What is your point?
Evidence - back up your argument from independent sources (ie not your primary source and not you)
Explain? Explain how this supports your argument

They're the basic framework to writing an essay.

You don't have to start with the intro or have a conclusion in mind. I tended to write the main body, then conclusion then intro.

Break the assignment question down into logical parts.

Eg

In "pride and prejudice" themes of class and wealth are prominent, is a differentiation between the 2 achieved and if so how?

So with a question like that I'd start by defining the themes of class and wealth with examples from early in the novel, then argue my stance on if they were differentiated with evidence of that using examples later in the novel, and finally conclude with an independent quote from a secondary source backing up my argument.

That's very simplistic

But yes, basically break the question down into its constituent parts and answer each of those.

You can edit for flow and coherence once you have the bulk of it written

@Echobelly is absolutely right - ask ask ask!

I don't have the "pedigree" they do but I ask questions all the time. I noticed at uni especially start of first semester the ones who arrogantly thought they knew it all already and even mocked those of us asking "simplistic" questions actually didn't get the best marks!

Yes also to answer what's actually asked - assess, compare, define etc check that's what you're actually doing and that you're not slipping into doing one of the others! Easily done. So many assess when they're meant to compare etc

You CAN do this you wouldn't be on the course if they didn't think you capable of it.

It’s along the lines of:
You are going for an interview as a trainer/teacher.
Give the roles, responsibilities for
legislation, regulatory requirements
Codes of practice
Teaching training role& responsib
Other professionals
Boundaries
250 words each point.

There’s more too.

This appears to essentially be a logical best practice structured instructional training manual.

You seem to have the constituent parts already so just need to read from your materials to find the salient parts and add your own extra analysis and thoughts within the word limits set using bullet points etc.

Is this a CIPD qualification?

Usually they match the questions they’re asking you with the things they’ve taught you. So I’d just go back to my notes from the bits where you learnt about those things, and get the key points from there. Or have they not taught you that stuff?

It’s not a qualification no.

You need to look at Safer Recruitment OP and work your way through the protocols. That's basically what this question is asking you to describe.