When you first take a SHE module you just answer the questions. If you take another SHE module, you tell the tutor what has changed. This is an opportunity to reflect on your progress.

You should prepare your reply on a wordprocessor. Save and keep the wordprocessor file so that you have a copy. Than copy and paste your answers into the email and send them.

information and questions

Your name

Student Number

Year and Programme
(For example: First year sociology student)

Is this to start SHE1 or SHE2 or SHE3?

email address or addresses

Postal Address

Telephone Number/s
(If you have not got one, please write "none").
Please write "(mobile)" by any mobile telephone number

Answers to the following questions. We would like you to write your answers as complete sentences.

For example "I am seventy-five years old and I left school in 1936". Not "75, 1936".

If this is not your first START SHE, say how you attitudes and ideas have changed with experience.

Age and attitude to age: How old are you, and when did you leave school? We want to know if you recently left school or if you are a "mature student". Some people worry about being young, some people worry about being mature. How do you think your age and experience will affect your studies? Is it an advantage or a disadvantage? What could you do to make it an advantage?

Studying on Own: Are you used to studying on your own? If you have experience of studying on your own, could you tell us about it?

Direction of Studies: How confident do you feel about making your own decisions about the direction of your studies? Could you say something about the direction you see yourself as taking and any uncertainties you have about it.

Autonomous Learning: You work on SHE is self-managed. It is what is called autonomous learning. (Later on, you may like to look up autonomous learning in one of the Study Guides.) What skills do you think are needed for autonomous learning? Which ones do you most need to strengthen? Have you had any help with autonomous learning skills? Examples of help we would like to know about are attending an Access Course, or attending study skill sessions in a Language Centre. Or you may have discussed autonomous learning at school.

Seeking Help Autonomous learning does not mean that you cannot get help when you need it. However, you need to know how to get it and to take the initiative in asking for it. What kind of help do you think you may need, who can you seek it from, and what means can you use to seek help?

Writing What kind of writing are you used to doing? What do you enjoy about writing, and what worries you? Are you used to writing essays, or are they something you feel nervous about? What do you think an essay is? On SHE we put some work on the web (in ways that will not embarrass the student). How would you feel about an extract from your writing appearing?

Computers Could you tell us what computer skills (if any) you have? Are you used to writing with a wordprocessor? Are you used to sending emails or using the internet? We would also like to know how you feel about using computers. Where will you be using computers? Will you be using the college computers, computers in your local library, computers at work, or have you a computer at home? If you have a computer at home, is it connected to the internet?

Circumstances: What problems or responsibilities (if any) could affect your academic work? Some of the categories we use are "Child Care Responsibilities", "Carer", "Financial Problems", "Travel Problems" and "Employed" (Evenings, Part Time or Full Time). We also like to know if physical illness or emotional problems may affect your work. You can just tell us the kind of problems or responsibilities you have, or you can give details. Please say if you are a Part Time student or if you are taking a SHE module after your first year, and if there are ways you would like us to assist you.

Study Skills: What study skills needs do you have? What do you need to work on? We would like to know about anything that you consider significant. How would you describe your spelling? How would you describe your grammar? Are you good at organising your time? Are you used to drafting and redrafting written work? What help do you think you need with essay writing? Are you used to searching for information in books? Are you used to reading difficult books that need puzzling out? What aspects of study make you nervous?

If you have been diagnosed dyslexic, or think you may be dyslexic, we would like to know what advice you can give us about helping you. If you have any special learning needs we would like to know what advice you can give us about help you.

Aims: How do you feel about taking SHE? If you would rather not be taking it, explain why and suggest ways you might turn it to your advantage. If you are happy to be taking it, explain why and what advantages you want to get from it. However you feel, suggest the things you hope to gain from taking SHE. As you work will largely be self managed, say how you will plan your time to make sure you get the maximum benefit from taking the module.

Planning your essay enables you to structure it

The plan becomes an outline in your introduction to tell readers how your essay is structured.

A plan can be altered as you progress with your essay - Then you alter the outline in the introduction to match the new structure of your essay.

The plan required for SHE3 is a draft biographical literature review of the student's key author. This should be focused on the question chosen and should include indication of how the key author will be related to the other authors on the issues in the question. Examples of what is required will be found on the Biographical Literature Review page. Because it shows how the key author will be related to the others on the issues in the title, your biographical literature review will include an outline of the planned structure of the essay. As a literature review, it will include referencing and a bibliography. In the final submission it will be put in front of the essay and will act as an introduction to the essay, which will explore the issues in depth.

1. Introductory Summary and Biographical Literature Review: All three authors. The second two should be explained in relationship to the key author. Begin with the overall introduction. (You will not need a separate introduction for the essay part). All biographical and literature information about the authors should be in this part, and the review should summarise the key points of your essay. It is the introduction to the essay and will set the tone for the whole essay. Remember that it is the first part that will be read, so make sure that it summarises all the good things in your essay.

2. Essay: This develops in depth the issues summarised in the biographical literature review.

3. Bibliography: Serving both the review and the essay

4. Self-Assessment A draft of the strengths and weaknesses of the submission as you see them - Using the marking guide for guidance. [See below] and coming to a conclusion about a suggested mark on the basis of issues discussed in the marking guide. You will get extra marks if this is well done with thoughtful reflections on your essay and benchmarks that relate the guide to the essay. Be realistic - neither underestimating or overestimating the strengths or weaknesses of the essay.

Click for Essay titles

Click to find out:
what an essay plan is
What a paragraph is

Individual students send in different kinds of plan. Some send the first draft of their essay. Others send a plan in bullet points, followed by practice paragraphs, with referencing, and then the bibliography. What matters is that you provide something that the tutor can give you feedback on. The guidance is there to help, not to hinder. If you are puzzled about anything, send what you can and ask about the puzzling issue (or issues).