read Books or just Slides

most of my mates are reading the lecturers slides instead of the required books. Is this a good habit? The strange thing is that they can score! :s-smilie:

huhu should i follow this habit?

Reply 1

Piggles12345

Lecture slides will probably get you a 2:2/low 2:1- which is great if that is all you need!

But to look at getting a high 2:1 or first, you need to show outside reading

Reply 2

beautiful sunrise

Slides aren't enough to write an essay. You need to show some independent thought if you want to score higher than a first.

Reply 3

Kitty Pimms

beautiful sunrise

Slides aren't enough to write an essay. You need to show some independent thought if you want to score higher than a first.

What is this mythical grade?!

Reply 4

Student2806

beautiful sunrise

Slides aren't enough to write an essay. You need to show some independent thought if you want to score higher than a first.

a first is the highest you can get.

back on topic, reading slides is only going to give you the bare minimum in exams - C grades at best.
If you want to punch in the higher grades, further reading is essential.

showing initiative and actually finding further information is what university is based around, so if you're just reading slides you're not going to do very well.

Reply 5

20083

It really depends on how much time you have. The lecture notes (if they are complete) give you the information taught in the class, and probably enough to pass an exam. You need to read the books as well though, as you get a fuller understanding of the topic.

Be careful, some lecturers have tricks, and make the slides deliberately incomplete. Also, if they have recommended a text book to you, then anything inside that book is examinable.

What I like to do, is read through the slides, with the books/the internet on hand. When I get to a topic in the slides that I want a better understanding, I read up on it elsewhere. But that's just personal, as I'm not one of these people who can read a book cover to cover.

Reply 6

Student2806

SillyFencer

Be careful, some lecturers have tricks, and make the slides deliberately incomplete. Also, if they have recommended a text book to you, then anything inside that book is examinable.

YES. One of my lecturers doesn't give us the slides, which penalises people who don't go to lectures. he gives us 'aims and objectives' which forces us to read the books. ruthless but very effective!

Reply 7

newman24x

but some people i know can get like A- for just reading the slides omg!? But to be fair may be they can just answer the exams. I found out that when i ask them random questions or basic concepts, either they can just answer it in points (probably they got it from the slides lol) and cannot elaborate further or they can answer it but struggle to give concise answer or examples :s-smilie:

Reply 8

Fusion

Books are always much better. Slides are very basic like bullet points and so don't give you the complete picture.

Reply 9

NDGAARONDI

I never bother with slides. Just take up the reading lists and then go beyond that.

Reply 10

seanw

IlexAquifolium

What is this mythical grade?!

Student2806

a first is the highest you can get.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=250620

/pedantic mode

Reply 11

mack

What I do for lecture readings is of course begin by attending lectures, for the basic structure of the argument from the lecturer then make some scruffy notes which I will allow to accumulate but I have made a habit of never looking at them, not even for exam revision. Rather I do the reading both prescribed and extra reading off the reading list but still on the topic to get the extra marks, reading through them on the 2nd go taking notes or copy and pasting if it is a journal and then type them up on a word document and structure them around, and then come exam revision time just write out copy from the sheets for days on end. It’s worked well for me, my highest mark this year was 76 and over 1st and 2nd year so far, my lowest was 65

Reply 12

Eubacterium

newman24x

most of my mates are reading the lecturers slides instead of the required books. Is this a good habit? The strange thing is that they can score! :s-smilie:

huhu should i follow this habit?

Might be enough in the first year, but beyond that read the books also.

Also people often play down their studying habits in a sad and immature bid to make themselves look cool and more brainy than they are.