#socistudies

[socistudies]

4.11.18 || stressed-out sunday

it’s reading week but I’ve been buried under applications and formative essays - just taking a breather before trudging out to do more writing. hope everyone’s having a better weekend ♡

[lottiestudying]

im officially done with my first semester of uni (apart from one assignment but we won’t worry about that). since im just going to be posting content i didn’t get during the semester, i won’t date posts until i go back to uni (unless it’s new content of course). i hope you all have a productive & relaxing break and if you’re still at school/uni/college/in exam season, im sending loads of love and productivity and sleep your way ✨✨

[griffindhoor]

Back from hiatus

Hello! Hope everyone is doing well!! It's been 2 years since I first took a break from the whole study blog thing. I took this really long hiatus for personal reasons and I'm ready to be back now :) I'll be moving to Instagram @griffindhoor (same handler) so if any of you would still like to follow me can find my profile on Instagram instead :)

Sorry for the really long hiatus so far. And bear with me, I'm restarting everything from scratch again, so I'm going to need awhile (a pretty long one) to build everything up again.

Thank you and hope to see y'all around on the studygram community? :)

[sophocused]

hi nina, just saw your uni prep posts and they're so pretty aaa - I'm starting uni in september as well, and am also trying to go over some material in advance (because I love being a lil more prepared + I love my major) but a few of my friends (who have been doing the same) have been mocked for being too "intense", which didn't really sit well with me :( long story short, I was really happy to come across your posts about them hehe all the best for uni!! ~socistudies

hello~ firstly, thank you so much and ayy that’s good! i’m hoping to getting into the b.sc in pharmacy but it all depends on my AGPA and the written critical essay after my first year taking the prereqs (fingers crossed) so I’m determined to master bio and chem to make it!

yeaah, it really catches people off guard to learn how much time i actually spend studying, but i’ve developed a bit of a numbness to the “mocking” ones just because, s’cuse my profanity, but i just give zero fucks about them! 

i seek out things that make me feel content and happy, being organized and prepared are two of those things that make me so, so i just go for it! 

i think the only “too intense” you could get is if it starts negatively affecting your physical and mental health. other than that, it’s really no one’s business~ 

glad my posts helped evade you from that bad energy! good luck on your summer revision and hope your uni experience is kind to you! and thank you so much again ^^

[socistudies]

Essay glo-up: how to get a first/A for your essays ft. marker comments

you’ve got your structure down, what’s next?  

There are so many amazing essay tips posts: this by @caesarstudies​​, and this by @novanovelist, among so many others I’ve seen over the years, but I’ve never really seen one that assumes that you’ve got the basics down - now how to improve? 

To change things up a bit, I’ve decided to borrow the feedback I’ve gotten for my essays in order to:

illustrate this better through the words of essay markers themselves 

encourage everyone to really engage with the feedback you get! 

This is a really long post because I’ve put in as much detail as I can (it’s literally 1700 words omg). Let me know if these have helped you/any additional content you’d like to see added/hear from me about.

Right. So how do you work towards something like this:

“This is an excellent exam response. You clearly have an understanding of Weber’s work. You show this by explicating his concepts carefully in the first two paragraphs...attention to detail here is superb. You show the work of others to help you to make the points you are making in a mature way, and do not overuse other scholars’ contributions...It is consistent with everything that you have produced this year, which has been excellent.” 

First things first: there’s no cookie cutter format for a good essay. For example, in the above quote, I’ve used the “first two paragraphs” just to summarise Weber’s theory - in most situations, this might be classified as “overly descriptive”, but because the first part of the essay question specifically asked “what is Weber’s theory of Verstehen?”, I could do this. 

A lot of it is skill and figuring out what works and what doesn’t, but as someone who overthinks what she does a lot, and has a rough 95% first essay rate for uni so far, I think I’m somewhat (?) qualified to give pointers I’ve figured out over the years. Here we go:

 (1) Clear understanding of concepts, especially the important features and details. 

This is where your notes come in. Make sure you know most/all the major claims the main theorist(s) make, all the bullet points, caveats, exceptions, assumptions, and rebuttals. 

Most good lecturers and teachers would have already given you some, and your classes should have dealt with them as well. The rest you can get from google searches/thinking about these things yourself. 

In the actual essay/exam, having about 3-4 points covering all of these would suffice. You know them as your topic sentences, but the key here is not to treat them as just topic sentences, but as points in the whole flow of your essay that are all interrelated in some way. 

Some people say that each topic sentence should directly answer the question - to some extent yes, but in more complex essays it’s hard to structure it as such, e.g. when some of your paragraphs are in dialogue with one another and not necessarily the thesis statement. As long as you know why you’re arguing and what for at all times, it’s all good.

(2) Introducing and engaging with other literature. 

Many profs warn against having too many references, but you have to understand why - a lot of them are tired of people just quoting 2 words from a vaguely related article and then slapping them into the bibliography. A lot of people take this warning and do maybe 3-5 sources for each essay; I use a minimum of 7-10 for 1500 word essays, and easily go above 20 for longer ones. 

The key here is not to find as many as you can and insert them for the sake of having the numbers; I reach 20 by accident through comprehensive research and making sure that the sources are in dialogue with one another. 

Have a controversial/famous source as an essential reading? Perfect - seek out who has something bad to say about this (a published scholar/article please). Find the key academics in opposition to each other, e.g. most Durkheim, Weberian and Marxist concepts can be pitted against each other. Find the theorists who defined a particular topic, even if the question doesn’t explicitly deal with them: e.g. you can’t talk about intersectionality without Kimberlé Crenshaw, or the sex/gender divide without Judith Butler. 

Even within a particular theorist’s body of work, there is an evolution of ideas and writing, and you can chart that - this is easily 3-4 sources from a single writer. Pierre Bourdieu developed his theory of practice across a few works, and talking about this evolution is going to show sophisticated thinking and true engagement with the readings. Recognise the theorists as people with opinions, the academic world as a bunch of constantly evolving opinions being pitted against each other, and find the tension. Find the nuance. 

“You not only cite an array of academic references, but also show a holistic comprehension and the capacity to articulate a dialogue between them.”

(3) Making sure it’s still an original response. 

A perennial question - how do I cover as much theoretical ground and have many sources...and still have an original response? Two methods: use original examples, and coming up with interesting points and angles. 

Use reputable news outlets as sources. A lot of my essays centre around contemporary issues, e.g. I once analysed Trump’s rise to power using Weber’s theory of legitimacy. Articles in the NYT, the Guardian, the Atlantic are terrific sources of modern examples to substantiate your otherwise purely theoretical arguments. 

These are original examples that score higher points than using the examples from the sources themselves. 

“Your summary of Rosa’s ideas is impressive, and demonstrates in-depth understanding of the reading, its concepts, and examples...my only recommendation would be for you to try to think of original examples to substantiate discussion in a creative fashion.” 

Method two: coming up with interesting points/angles. Think about the basic points that most people will come up with (e.g. because they were mentioned in the lecture), and find your own spin on it. If you’re writing an essay on social class, for example, bring in intersectionality with race/gender theory. 

Devote at least one point challenging your supporting arguments without directly contradicting them (or else that’s a whole other problem). Always find a qualification or a caveat. Challenge the dichotomies/the assumptions that are inherent in all questions. 

“This essay is also enhanced by some subtle thinking - for example, the questions you raise in the latter part of the essay about the dichotomy the essay question establishes between social mobility and the reinforcement of class differences. As you point out, both processes can take place at the same time...this is original thinking, well argued.” 

(4) Learn from people who do it well. 

A lot of people know not to underestimate the power of feedback, but I feel that there are many who neglect the power of mentorship and learning through examples. Find people who are fantastic at essays, read their work, and see if you can learn their secret from just reading. It’ll be great if they tell you explicit tips, but honestly a lot of it is just learnt through practice and instinct. 

I was - and still am - fortunate to be friends with a veritable essay goddess when I was 17-18 years old, and managed to shoot from 24/40 to 35/40 when I obsessively studied the “model essays” for my literature class (my teacher always scanned for us after each assignment). 

E.g. when my teacher told me that I was being overly descriptive in my essays, I read my friend’s essay and figured out the trick between describing and using the book/poem/play quotations to make an argument. Find your weaknesses, then read their essays; you’ll get it. And once you get the hang of it, this skill will stick with you for life. 

(5) Study the process, not the mark. 

Sometimes, profs and teachers just aren’t in the habit of giving out high marks - I can quote one prof in particular who said “there’s no point” in asking her how to get an A.

In these situations, even the highest grade will still be a 2:1 or a B, so don’t be too demoralised. When you get your essay back, focus on these things in this order: reread your essay, read the comments, look at the essay criteria, and then finally the mark you got. 

(Ha kidding, there’s nothing wrong with looking at your mark first, but you should be concentrating on it the least.) 

Single out the things that you can improve on, and then figure out how to make it better, either through consultations with your teachers or googling. 

I struggled with getting the top band for my conclusions for a few of my essays in first year, straight up asked my teacher why, and then found out that I didn’t devote enough space to talk about broader implications of my conclusions - that is, why should this argument even matter? After that, it was all smooth sailing. 

That’s pretty much all for the first iteration of this guide! Just a few disclaimers: 

I’m sorry that most of my examples are all sociology-related; it’s what I’m familiar with most since that’s my major, but these should definitely be apt for most other qualitative subjects. And if you find a way to adapt them, let me know in the replies/reblogs so everyone can see! 

I hope I don’t come across as too cocky; there’s only so much editing that can downplay what I’m really saying. I’m proud of my skills so far, but I’m far from perfect, and I’m still improving. These are just things that have served me well all this while, and are things that I’ll continue to build on. And note that I’m cherrypicking the really important ones to take note of. What I really want is to be able to share what I’ve learnt so far, and hopefully help you guys - and also to get some feedback/additional tips if you guys have any! 

Let me know what y’all think of this, and I hope it helps \o/ 

[socistudies]

counting blessings, studyblr edition

having a roof over my head to study in

having the opportunity to go to university

having had role models and peers in my life who pushed me to be driven academically

having had the means to buy assessment books and study guides

having had the means to buy books to encourage my reading habit from a young age

not having to worry about finances to the point where pursuing higher education would be impossible

a little overwhelmed at the moment with uni life, so I’m trying to remember these things and find a different perspective. what are you grateful for?

[socistudies]

tips to fight procrastination

we’ve all been there - that awful feeling when your brain gets hazy, your body heavy, and all you can really do is lie in bed berating yourself. here are some tried and true methods I use to get back to work: 

Use a physical activity to reset. Dump all your study materials in a corner and forget about them for 5-10 minutes. Listen to the loudest/most inspiring music you can find, vacuum your room, take a shower. Something that overwhelms the senses and starts your system going. Yesterday, I was in a slump post-breakfast and used BTS’s Don’t Leave Me to reset, and it worked perfectly (I alternate between rock, kpop and musical soundtracks). It doesn’t have to be motivating, as long as it’s energetic and emotional enough to break out of the haze. Dancing to them is even better.

Get out of the bed by breaking down each step. I’m a morning person until the weather gets colder and the bed’s too toasty to get away from. First thing, I try to break down the process - get the blanket off me, sit up, swing my legs over the bed, stand up (or roll off, like I do sometimes when it’s particularly difficult to leave). Breaking it up into the smallest chunks and just going step by step works wonders - whether you’re still sleepy or in a funk. 

Get out of bed by setting a time when you wake up. I usually wait for a good number to get out (say I wake up at 8.24am, so the time I’ll be using is 8.30am). The trick is to start moving before it gets to 8.30am; by 8.28am I’m pushing myself up and rolling off the edge - it’s kind of a fun little thing to race against myself and be out before 8.30am. Note: always get out as fast as possible. Don’t even let yourself think about how nice and warm the bed is; when you’re awake you should move, or else you’ll be stuck for the next 2 hours.

Dress for the occasion. Particularly during breaks, or by virtue of being in university, you might find yourself at home a lot. I’m fortunate enough to have a nice enough room to do work in, so I end up staying at home for 1-3 days straight studying, writing, cooking, etc. It might be tempting to be in PJs throughout, but this just puts you in comfort mode literally all the time, and is counterproductive when what you want is to get in The Zone. Brush your teeth, shower, have breakfast, then change into something cute, make a tea or cup of coffee, and get to work. 

The first step to writing almost anything should be a brain dump. I’m studying a essay-heavy course, and the biggest thing that makes me spend a whole week on a single 3000-word essay draft instead of 2-3 days is the fact that I always feel like I need to read every single thing I can find on the topic, organise that information, and then start. That’s incredibly demoralising and just the perfect reason to procrastinate. Instead of that, I’ve learnt to type out the essay question on a blank document, and then approach it as if it was my professor putting me on the spot and asking me the question in a lecture or class. If you have no idea what the question means, limit yourself to googling the definitions of certain terms, but don’t check for sources yet. Do it creatively and as best as you can so that you have at least one topic sentence, and then go find your sources. That way, you’ve already cleared the biggest step of the essay process, starting, and have also gotten your brain going without dealing with 27 tabs first. 

there are so many tips in the community about how to fight procrastination and get cracking, and I love every one of them, so I decided to compile the things that work for me best. let me know if you find these tips helpful/if you’ve got another way of doing things! will probably do a part 2 in the near future 💕

[socistudies]

open call for post ideas!!

friends!! thank you all for your support for this studyblr so far - it’s been super heartwarming <3

just gonna do an informal ask into the void: what content would you guys like to see from my blog? I’ve been posting pictures so far, but I definitely feel like I have more to contribute with regard to advice and tips I’ve gathered so far for myself. I’ve got a few ideas:

sociology-specific posts

what is sociology about anyway and why you should be studying it

sociology essay/exam tips (I topped my first undergraduate year)

key thinkers, themes (and my favs)

possible careers for sociology grads

post of solidarity with the anthropology, psychology and social policy departments - how we’re similar and how we’re different

general posts

tips on doing well for essays generally

skills you should definitely pick up for the workplace

skincare/self-care routine

life in uni (I’m studying sociology at the LSE)

living in London as an international student

introducing my home, Singapore, and our study culture

let me know in the replies/reblogs/asks ✨it would be super helpful for me to know which posts y’all would like to see, so I can keep pushing out more positive and helpful content!! thank you all ❤️

~val, @socistudies