Finding work hard. Really need help!

Basically I'm doing an economics degree. I have management/economics/accountancy modules to do. I have never done A-level economics before and so I'm finding it quite difficult. I have two assignments for November (mid I think) and now finding the workload immense. How do you do it? I have pages upon pages to read, so I don't write out notes. I just read from the core text book where it fits in with my lecture notes. The tutorial questions take hours to do. I have an exam in Jan where I have to do an economics exam for that module where I'll need to write an essay, how am I supposed to write a good essay when I struggle with grasping the knowledge in the first place. I really need help on how to tackle this.

Reply 1

somethingbeautiful

18

Original post by turbo64

Basically I'm doing an economics degree. I have management/economics/accountancy modules to do. I have never done A-level economics before and so I'm finding it quite difficult. I have two assignments for November (mid I think) and now finding the workload immense. How do you do it? I have pages upon pages to read, so I don't write out notes. I just read from the core text book where it fits in with my lecture notes. The tutorial questions take hours to do. I have an exam in Jan where I have to do an economics exam for that module where I'll need to write an essay, how am I supposed to write a good essay when I struggle with grasping the knowledge in the first place. I really need help on how to tackle this.

Figure out your priorities. What I mean is:

- If you have an essay due - focus on that and get it done, forget about all the other things worrying you.
-The exams are in Jan - you can prepare for them after the essay(s) are dealt with.
-Regarding tutorials - you're not marked on them, you're marked on exams and essays so don't spend too long preparing for them if you need the time for things that will actually count to you degree. The worst that can happen in you don't do tutorial work is that you might be embarassed if asked something you don't know about - but embarrassment is temporary, you uni grades aren't.
- Regarding not understanding the essay - I haven't met ONE person at uni that has straight away know how to answer an essay - you have to get book from the library and read a lot - it boring and time consuming but it's the only way.

So yeah, prioritize.
I have 3 assingnments for mid Nov and essays in Jan too :frown:

Everyone is in the same boat - we've just got to get on with it :smile:

On that note - I shall go and do my work!

Reply 2

turbo64

OP

Original post by somethingbeautiful

Figure out your priorities. What I mean is:

- If you have an essay due - focus on that and get it done, forget about all the other things worrying you.
-The exams are in Jan - you can prepare for them after the essay(s) are dealt with.
-Regarding tutorials - you're not marked on them, you're marked on exams and essays so don't spend too long preparing for them if you need the time for things that will actually count to you degree. The worst that can happen in you don't do tutorial work is that you might be embarassed if asked something you don't know about - but embarrassment is temporary, you uni grades aren't.
- Regarding not understanding the essay - I haven't met ONE person at uni that has straight away know how to answer an essay - you have to get book from the library and read a lot - it boring and time consuming but it's the only way.

So yeah, prioritize.
I have 3 assingnments for mid Nov and essays in Jan too :frown:

Everyone is in the same boat - we've just got to get on with it :smile:

On that note - I shall go and do my work!

thanks! that was helpful :smile:

Reply 3

Fusion

20

You have two challenges:
1) adjusting to university study mode
2)taking in an intensive economics unit some students learnt over the previous two years (alevel)

You say you're reading textbooks without taking notes. My advice is to make nice, simple notes of the main concepts, and to recognise you don't need to read every single word and case studies etc from textbooks - there's a lot of repetition and jargon, plus you don't have unlimited time.
Tutorials are important so try to make an attempt at the work prior to the class (if you're clueless how to tackle them, ask friends for help, lookover textbooks - particularly workbooks, use google even), also, they're the closest thing to measuring your progress. Do not underestimate the confidence boost answering a question correctly in front of the class can do - you sound like you need it!!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 4

turbo64

OP

Original post by Fusion

You have two challenges:
1) adjusting to university study mode
2)taking in an intensive economics unit some students learnt over the previous two years (alevel)

You say you're reading textbooks without taking notes. My advice is to make nice, simple notes of the main concepts,

There are so many concepts though! I have lecture slides anyway to read from which are really condensed, but even then it's a lot! Do you know anyone whose done an economics degree without the A-level? If so how did they find it?

Reply 5

Fusion

20

Original post by turbo64

There are so many concepts though! I have lecture slides anyway to read from which are really condensed, but even then it's a lot! Do you know anyone whose done an economics degree without the A-level? If so how did they find it?

I don't think there's one uni that lists alevel econ as a prerequisite, so there are many people in your shoes. Unfortuantely the first econ unit will be quite intense for you, but afterwards you should be more or less on parity with those who studied it at alevel, it's certaintly not the case that not having alevel econ will be a handicap later on.

Reply 6

turbo64

OP

Original post by Fusion

I don't think there's one uni that lists alevel econ as a prerequisite, so there are many people in your shoes. Unfortuantely the first econ unit will be quite intense for you, but afterwards you should be more or less on parity with those who studied it at alevel, it's certaintly not the case that not having alevel econ will be a handicap later on.

It's just that one module though that's giving me trouble. I just want to pass it (i.e. 40%). Will that be hard with hardly any good econ knowledge?

Reply 7

CookieDoughLove

18

Original post by somethingbeautiful

Figure out your priorities. What I mean is:

- If you have an essay due - focus on that and get it done, forget about all the other things worrying you.
-The exams are in Jan - you can prepare for them after the essay(s) are dealt with.
-Regarding tutorials - you're not marked on them, you're marked on exams and essays so don't spend too long preparing for them if you need the time for things that will actually count to you degree. The worst that can happen in you don't do tutorial work is that you might be embarassed if asked something you don't know about - but embarrassment is temporary, you uni grades aren't.
- Regarding not understanding the essay - I haven't met ONE person at uni that has straight away know how to answer an essay - you have to get book from the library and read a lot - it boring and time consuming but it's the only way.

So yeah, prioritize.
I have 3 assingnments for mid Nov and essays in Jan too :frown: