The new academic year has started and the courses and electives have been chosen. Now, the question is how can I get a First Class?

The answer to this is not straightforward. It changes with every course and discipline. Some claim it may be easier to get a first class in a quantitative course such as Maths (but then again several Math students would beg to differ) than to an essay based one such as English Lit or Economics where the answers are based more on the selection of the bibliography and reviewing than to resolving equations.

Yet, no matter what course you are following here are some tips that apply to most degrees:

For Assignments:

• Always try to complete the essays long before their due time. If you leave them until the last moment, you will have to rush them and also compete fiercely for the books in the library (and possibly not have a shot at them)
• Always leave time to reread the essay before submitting it. It is ideal to not review the essay for at least a day and then go back and read it. You will have a clear mind and you will be able to spot mistakes and inconsistencies
• A good essay fully utilises the bibliography given by professors. An essay worth of a First Class goes beyond the provided bibliography. Markers are expecting to see that you have ventured to other, unlisted sources and that you display critical thinking in your analysis
• Do not hesitate to reach out to your lecturer and tutor in search for clarifications and to get a feel of what he/she/they are looking for
• Get a hold of your university’s guidelines for the marks bands (ie Upper Second, First etc); see what are the things required for the awarding of a first class and try to include them in your work
• Always reference the points you are presenting. If you are providing an opinion make sure it is robust and well supported by referenced arguments
• In your quest for references, do include the latest research on your field you can find. Using material written 30 or 40 years ago is well and good, especially if it underlines the core theory of your subject, but for a first, you need to show that you know about the current issues and trends of your science
• Do not, EVER, use Wikipedia as a reference. Read a few relevant articles to get a feel or a direction, but do not base an essay on wikipedia material. Remember, it is made out of users’ contributions and not by professionals of the field
• It would be advisable to use first year modules to learn and practice on how to write an essay worthy of a First Class. Once you successfully do that, you can carry it on with the more important, 2nd and 3rd year courses that will contribute to your final degree classification
• Give your essay to a friend of yours to proof read

For Group Projects:

• All of the above apply
• A good friend is not necessarily a good project partner. When in class, or at the tutorial, try to find the people that seem to have a knack for the course and approach them. Ask them if they want to form a group with you for the project
• When group members are assigned randomly, make sure that everyone has a clear understanding of his/her part. If someone has a problem support him/her. If someone is slacking off, make sure he contributes or come to an agreement with the tutor. Remember, to get a first in a group project, everyone’s part must be up to scratch. If you want that First, you cannot stand back and say I did my part and I am done

For Final Exams:

• Again, everything mentioned in the assignments section applies
• Start studying well before the exams start
• Find a quite place to study. Sometimes, the library may not be ideal (to much noise and friends around)
• Study with a group of people that were good at the course
• Use your notes as well your books (ideally, you would have summarised the chapters while studying the course earlier in the year)
• Study Smart, not too much. There is no point reading your course book 8 hrs straight. You can’t. Take short and frequent breaks. But when studying, do not get distracted. And try to make notes; it helps you memorise better
• When sitting on an open book exam, make sure you have familiarised yourself with the textbook and that you have studied for the exam If you have not, you will spend inordinate amounts of time going through the book looking for what you need, reducing the time you have to formulate answers and panicking during the process
• Go through past papers that can be found at the library

The above do not form an exhaustive guide on how to get a First, nor do they guarantee a First (it’s up to you after all), but they do form the basis for getting that distinction. Just remember, you need to be methodical, and a first does not necessarily require a lot of studying. It requires smart studying.

Good Luck!!!

Dimitrios Antonios Koutnoglou 23/10/09