Last week I talked about five reasons you feel stuck in your career. In my opinion, one spends considerable time developing their career and then working the job. And it is far from ideal if one keeps feeling stuck and unhappy in their jobs. Now, every problem has a solution. So here I present to you five easy steps to break free and get unstuck in your career:
1. Introspect, revaluate, and develop new skillsets
There is new competition and talent added to the job market every day. Fresh graduates and experienced professionals with unique skills dominate the workspace. It is but natural to feel that your skillsets have become outdated. Now is the time to do some introspection and reassess your skillsets. Start by writing down your skills, even those you use in your personal life. You may be surprised to discover that those skills you never thought could be helpful in the professional diaspora are actually useful. Also, keep learning and adding the latest qualifications to keep abreast of the competition. You can also upgrade your education to a Master’s degree by studying online with RKC.
Photo credit: Unsplash.com by Tim Mossholder
2. Move past the fear
You must come out of the shadow of fear. If talking to your supervisor about your career growth, new opportunities, or searching for new jobs instils fear of the unknown, then you are not pushing yourself and limiting your potential.
Learn to be outgoing and gather feedback from trustworthy colleagues about yourself. Make lists of pros and cons and identify the top things you fear most.
3. Evaluate your priorities
Photo credit: Unsplash.com
Money could have been your priority before. But when you have reached a point where the job does not offer any challenges and has become monotonous. Yes, we work to pay our bills. However, it might make better sense to be in a job that might pay slightly less but the one that you enjoy doing every day.
4. Better late than never
Often you might be given some promises by the management of an upcoming raise or promotion. You end up waiting for that performance review, bonus, or annual increment. Because you are comfortable and used to working in that position, you might want to wait for the decision and what’s in store for you. But instead of waiting (sometimes in vain), you should keep planning for the change and look for better opportunities.
5. Create a roadmap and manifest
Photo credit: Unsplash.com by Matt Duncan
You might be feeling stuck in your job because you don’t know what you want to do in the future. Without a goal, you might just be wasting your efforts. Try to channel your focus on what you want to do and grow your career. Invest sometime in yourself and research what areas might interest you. It might be time-consuming, but once you have a clear understanding, you will have a clear path and purpose.
I hope these five simple steps will help change your thought process and help actualise your dream career! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Have you ever encountered writer’s block? Ever felt evasive when it comes to academic writing? Or procrastinate until the last-minute submission deadline?
Do not worry. You are not alone. I have encountered writer’s block more often than I thought I would.
What are the main reasons one feels anxiety about academic writing or writing in general?
There could be several reasons for fear and anxiety. Here are some of the common causes:
1. I am not a good writer
This, hands down is one of the foremost causes of anxiety about writing. Not having confidence or faith in one’s writing skills can have a long-standing effect on a person. Having writer’s block could be misunderstood as the inadequacy of flair of writing. Sometimes we tend to compare ourselves with our fellow students or colleagues who seem very natural and good at writing. One may believe that no matter how much effort and hard work they put in, they can never attain perfection or good scores for the assignment.
Photo credit: canva.com
2. Writing is not my cup of tea
It is expected that one refrain from practising things that we do not excel in or require additional effort. Writing may seem outwardly difficult (maybe impossible) and thus a time-consuming task. It can be challenging to stay motivated when an assigned task seems difficult!
Photo credit: Canva.com
3. Language resistance
You will inadvertently feel uncomfortable writing in English if English isn’t your native language. One may not have adequate vocabulary built to express their ideas and thought processes.
4. Lack of time
We are all busy multi-tasking and juggling work, family, and studies simultaneously. There is always stress and fear if you will be able to finish and submit the assignments on time. And the situation could get worse if you are a procrastinator (like me…) who would always run out of time on assignments.
Do you run out of time on submitting assignments? Photo credit: Canva.com
5. I lack knowledge
There are high chances that you experience writer’s block if you are not well versed with the topic of the assignment or do not have a clear understanding. You will feel the pressure of necessity of correctness and formality inhibiting. You may seem lost trying to figure out where to start writing, lack original ideas and fear critical judgement if quality work is not delivered.
While it may seem to be a grave issue, there are simple ways with which one can conquer the fear and anxiety of writing.
Here are 5 simple ways:
1. Follow 3 R’s of writing
For effective writing, the first and foremost step is to follow the 3 R’s – Read, Research, Reread. When submitting assignments, one needs to be a pro on the topic. Knowledge is power. Read as much as you can from different sources. The more you research and read, the easier it will be to present your thoughts and ideas on the assignment topic. Visit various resources to solidify your thoughts before starting.
2. Mind-mapping
Once armed with the power of knowledge, practice mind-mapping. Start writing down ideas, create an outline and write bullet points. If you are more of a visual’s person, draw a flowchart of your ideas right from the introduction to the conclusion of the assignment. And then proceed to elaborate your thoughts on each of the points.
Photo credit: Canva.com
3. Start early
Never add another stress point to an existing stress mix. If you feel you run out of time, always give yourself leeway and start well in advance of the assignment submission deadline. This will provide you with more time to read and research and brew your ideas.
4. Practice makes perfect
To overcome one’s fear, sometimes the best remedy is to face it head-on. Practice your writing on other subject related ideas and get in the habit of formulating and practising presentations. In due course, you will feel comfortable and develop positive writing experiences.
5. Just start!
Turn away from any distractions that are stopping you from accomplishing your goal. Simply start writing, no matter what and get yourself started on writing. When you achieve this first step, congratulate yourself and jump to the next step.
I hope these easy five ways will help you overcome writer’s block. I know there are many other methods that might work or have worked better for you. Which method did you use? Share some of the tips in the comments section below.
Yesterday, Robert Kennedy College (RKC) Dean, Dr David Costa, conducted a live session introducing our 100% online master’s and bachelor’s degree programmes. This interactive session was held online and was packed with essential facts and information about the college, the universities RKC has partnerships with, and the master’s and bachelor’s programmes we offer. The session received an overwhelming response and participation from all the attendees.
As the session began, Prof. David Costa gave a brief presentation about the history of Robert Kennedy College. He also provided information about the University of Cumbria, the University of Salford and York St John University. The presentation also showed the participant’s sample degrees certificates and transcripts from all three universities.
Live session conducted by Dean Dr. iur. David Costa (top left)
Prof. Costa also explained the reasons that make RKC’s degrees unique. The factors include (but are not limited to):
a practical and flexible online programme
minimum duration of one year
100% online, contemporary courses
no formal examination system, assessment based on assignments
British degrees that are recognized worldwide
Prof. Costa also discussed the fee information and the discounts being currently offered. He also introduced our “ask the Ambassador” initiative, which allows you to chat with either a current student or alumni and ask any programme related questions or about their experience studying at RKC.
RKC alumni network work with top companies across the globe
After the presentation, Prof. Costa opened the floor to questions from the interested candidates. He answered queries ranging from fee information, assessment method, eligibility requirements, referral discounts, course delivery methods, and more.
Does this look like something you wanted to attend and get information first-hand from the Dean himself? Do not worry. You can watch the live session recording and find answers to your questions. And if you still have questions or feel confident to apply right away, talk to one of our advisors in real-time on WhatsApp.
Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es.” [Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are].
Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
You might be wonder why I am writing about food today and what is its impact on studying the master’s programme and academic performance. It is a widely believed fact that you are what you eat. Studies have shown that the food that we eat has a bearing on our academic performance. Hence the direct correlation between nutrition and academic performance.
When I was a young kid, my mother always insisted on eating healthy food and wanted my brother and me to develop healthy eating habits. But we loved what every other kid adores – junk food. I preferred eating French fries over broccoli any day; little did we understand the effect of food on our bodies and mental health. Nor did I realise that not eating a balanced diet could lead to several deficiencies in the body, such as iron deficiency, vitamins, iodine, and zinc. These deficiencies can negatively impact cognition, intuition, perception and, mental concentration.
Photo credit: Unsplash.com
According to WHO, nutrition is an essential element of the health and development of human life. Food plays a vital role in physical and mental development, productivity, and performance. Food is fuel for our body and mind. Eating right early in life yields benefits in the later stages of life as we grow older. It becomes even more critical as an adult to maintain good eating habits and consume nutritional food as there are many roles and responsibilities one caters to in everyday life. From being a parent, to being a business owner, working for a corporation or being a mature student, one will wear many hats. You can take care of others only when you yourself are healthy and in good health. Studying for a master’s is a challenge while balancing study, work and life.
Here are 3 ways how nutrition effects academic performance:
Cognitive development
Good nutritional food brings satisfaction to the body. With a satisfied body and mind one can have better concentration and self-actualization. If there is no fuel provided to the body, the mind becomes sluggish too and there is a lag in the need to excel in studies. Hence good nutrition is necessary for the optimum realisation of one’s cognitive and economic potential.
Good nutrition is necessary for the optimum realisation of one’s cognitive and economic potential. Photo Credit: Canva.com
Better learning potential
Healthy mind stays in a healthy body. Our brain’s potential is much more than we actually utilise it. Providing adequate nutrition and rather enhancing our diet with super foods improves mental learning performance manyfold. The spontaneity of student and concentration is much better when they are well nourished. This is turn improves the learning potential.
Build immunity and prevent illnesses
Our cells produce energy required for all our daily tasks and also for additional un-anticipated events. Last few years have been very challenging with Covid-19 spreading all over the world and only fittest could survive. Good nutrition will ensure your body has built adequate immunity to fight all the unprecedented diseases and illnesses. And when the body is illness free, the mind can excel in academic performance.
Photo credit: Canva.com
Good food, balance diet and exercise is the mantra for healthy living and excelling your academic performance. Also check out our blog on how exercise can make you a better student.
Chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the 100% online master’s degree programmes we offer and the application process.
There are only eight days left this year. Some of you must be reflecting on how they fared on their resolutions for the year, while others will be setting new resolutions for the new year 2022. I know it’s been an extremely challenging year for everyone around the world; with Covid-19 restrictions, life has not been ‘normal’ for the longest time. And it’s far from over. I do not mean to end 2021 on a sad note. On the bright side, there are still last few days left of 2021 to do something meaningful and progressive in your life. If starting a master’s degree has been one of the resolutions for 2020, it’s still not too late. You can still embark on the journey before the year ends.
Everyone looks for “the right time” to start something new in their life. And when it’s about starting an online masters, there are many factors to consider, such as work-life balance, flexibility at work, financial factors etc.
Here are three reasons why it’s a good time to start your master’s right now:
ACCOMPLISH YOUR RESOLUTION
As I mentioned above, it’s never too late to accomplish your ultimate goals. While you may procrastinate or become complacent with your goals or even postpone them for next year, you might regret the decision one day. So, take a quick decision and enrol yourself for the master’s degree programme. Applying for the master’s is simple. The process involves applying online and providing us with necessary documents like your CV and highest education certificate.
Accomplish your resolution to attain master’s education
CHRISTMAS PROMOTION DISCOUNT OFFER
We are currently offering special Christmas promotion until 26th December. With this limited-time offer, you can start with a deposit of just 500 Swiss Francs and receive a discount of 1000 Swiss Francs. (Yes, you saw that right!).
Or if you pay between 25% and 50% of the fees in advance, you can receive a discount of 1500 Swiss Francs, or if you pay 100% of the fees in advance, the discount is 2000 Swiss Francs. You can find more details on this page where you can also convert the fees to your local currency: https://chf.help/#/christmas
Save money with our Christmas promotion offer
STUDY AT UNIVERSITY RECOGNISED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
Put your mind at rest as the University of Cumbria, the University of Salford and York St John University are fully accredited by the British government and duly listed on the United Kingdom’s Department for Education list of recognised UK awarding institutions. You can verify their official University status directly at the UK government website.
So, above are three of the many reasons you should start your master’s degree now. Talk to our advisors on WhatsApp, who can guide you through the admission process.
Let me know in the comments section below your reason for starting the master’s programme!
How much does one person have to study to get ahead in life?! You studied hard and completed your bachelor’s degree(unless either learning came easy to you or you spent your college days in a haze :)). Then, you realised that a bachelor’s degree just isn’t enough and did a master’s degree. And now I am here giving you reasons to do a second master’s degree!
When does the learning end?!
Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash.
The answer to this question is – NEVER. You may not need to do a second master’s degree, but you always need to keep learning or you will be left behind. One of my professors used to say – “learning is growing”. Thinking back, everything this professor said was for our benefit, and most of us were too naive to recognise it. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, and today, I look back and appreciate all the staff who put in the effort to impart knowledge to us.
I apologise for going off on a tangent, but I wanted all of us to think back and appreciate the teachers who gave a damn!
Back to the blog topic – When I first did my degrees, I barely knew what my interests were, let alone where life would take me. There are, of course, some of us here who have everything worked out, mapped and dated; that is surely not me, and I am guessing, not most people.
So, here are SIX reasons why you should consider getting a second master’s degree:
Get yourself that 2nd Master’s degree. Photo by MD Duran on Unsplash.
Aligning your qualifications with life
Let’s say you have a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s in accounting but somehow ended up with a career in marketing. No idea how it happened, but it happened to you. So, now you have a successful career in marketing but don’t have a formal qualification to back you up. What impact will it have on your career, maybe nothing, or perhaps you will miss out on your next promotion? Besides, it is nice to understand the theories behind what you do every day. It might lead you to enlightenment and make you a marketing guru.
Adding value to what you are doing
So, you have been a nurse for more than 20 years. You did your BSc in general nursing, and then a master’s in critical care. You have worked hard and now you are a nursing manager. While you are still a nurse, your job description has changed. Now you are less a nurse and more a manager. Getting a master’s degree that aligns with your current job profile adds knowledge to what you are doing and adds value to your organisation and yourself.
Change is the only constant
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash.
Business is so dynamic. The way we do things can change overnight and multiple times a year. Technology is constantly evolving. Marketing strategies are constantly changing. You need to stay current, or you will become obsolete. While it is beneficial and even required to do short courses to keep your knowledge updated, a master’s degree from a reputed college is still a MASTER’S DEGREE! Not only will a degree add knowledge, but it will also keep your qualifications updated.
Staying competitive
Every year hundreds of thousands of students graduate with a master’s degree. I am sure many of these bright-eyed and bushy-tailed youngsters have also joined your organisations. In addition, there is an increasing number of experienced and highly qualified professionals, constantly on the lookout for greener pastures. They are your competition, the people looking to cut the line in front of you. A new master’s degree will keep your knowledge up to date and your qualification current and relevant. And when it’s time for that new job or promotion, it will make all the difference.
Career change
What you are doing is not what you wanted to do, and you are not happy at all. No job satisfaction! A second master’s degree will make you a more desirable prospect to hire. Not only will it add a more current qualification to your resume, thereby adding value to your work experience, but it will also showcase your work ethos. It shows that you are dedicated to your career and are willing to work on developing it.
Networking
Networking Online. Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash.
It is said that your college friends are friends for life – Not relevant here, but the point I am making is the opportunity to network at university can seldom be matched anywhere else. You will have access to not only your coursemates but also to the alumni network of the college and the university. There is a loyalty that exists between the college/university alumni that are seldom found in professional circles.
So, which master’s programme is right for you? Not a question I can answer via a blog post, I’m afraid, but if you want to find out, you can get in touch with our team of admission advisers who can have a look at your profile and give you some advice.
Explore the number of specialised master’s degree programmes Robert Kennedy College offers through exclusive partnerships with top British universities. Or, if you have already made up your mind, click here to apply.
Ever wondered why we tend to say “yes” to people when we really don’t want to? Blame it on human psychology or human beings being social animals. We find it extremely difficult to say no to anyone.
We adore attention and feel gratified when others admire us, trust and look up to us. But when this takes the form of constant requests and more work for yourself, you detest being the go-to person. People want to say yes because they are afraid, afraid to disappoint others. We feel personally responsible for letting others down if we decline their proposition or their request for help. During these troubled times, with businesses being in jeopardy, everyone is overwhelmed, constantly working, and juggling work and relationships. Everyone is over-extended, and it is not the best soil to grow ideas or make sound business decisions.
Are you saying a “good yes” or a “bad yes”?
What begins as an intent to help becomes a bad “yes” – simply because you do not have the productive capacity or knowledge to complete the task. Such a “yes” is bound for failure. When there is so much asking around in an organisation and collaborative overload, one should focus on moving to good yesses and good nos to avoid failures.
How to say No?
You have decided that you are going to turn down someone’s request to undertake a task. Now comes the even more difficult part: actually saying “no”! How do you effectively communicate your decision?
Begin with a positive statement by appreciating the opportunity extended your way, that you were considered worthy enough to do justice to the job. But present your “but” in a way that shows you have carefully considered the proposition and convey the “why” of your decision. Let them realise that you did not decide to say no lightly, that the “no” was not because you are lazy, un-zealous to learn, or simply being difficult.
Saying no can be an onerous process but trust me, it will prove to be more productive for yourself and the business. Base your decision on this checklist:
1. Do not let fear decide
If you fear that saying “no” will stress your work relationship, remember that saying “yes” when you cannot deliver the results will stress you and the relationship even more. If the working relationship turns sour just because you said “no”, then it was never meant to be. Let it go.
A decision taken under duress leads to stress on oneself and on work relationships
2. Evaluate the proposition
I know from personal experience when we are new to an organisation or a job, we are eager to learn because knowledge is power. Gain that power but keeping in view the quality you are gaining. Ask yourself what ‘value addition’ can you get from this task. Ask questions such as why, when, and what is needed for the task. Doing due diligence on someone’s request is respecting them and yourself.
3. Remember what you want to be known for
What may seem like an opportunity to learn for you could become an opportunity for others to learn a thing or two about you. When you say “no”, back it up with legitimate and fair reasons, tell them why the proposition is not worth your time or effort or simply that you do not have that kind of time to invest in this project. You already have enough on your plate. When the other person: your boss, your client, your colleague, hears your side of the story, they will understand your situation, and you will become known for your work ethics and values. You will be known for authenticity and for being a good decision-maker. Everyone will respect your decision when you say “no” the next time because they will know there is a genuine reason behind it, and it’s just not a lack of interest or laziness involved. They will even bring better propositions to you that you will find difficult to turn down. They will try to please you and not the other way round.
When you say “yes” to someone’s request, you commit to executing and delivering results.
4. Deliver results
The only consideration that should drive your professional decisions should be results. When you say “yes” to someone’s request, you commit to executing and delivering results. You do not want to be in a position where you realise later that either you cannot, are not allowed to, or should not do so. Do not bite more than you can chew. Do not be hard on yourself thinking that you are being difficult. Convey that you are making a good business decision.
5. Provide options
While it is not easy to say “no” to someone who had high hopes on your saying “yes” and was relying on you for completing the task, remember that people come to you because you are a problem-solver and are resourceful. If you cannot do the job yourself, give them other options on how to complete the job or provide solutions to resolve the issue. It will save your time and help build trust with team members that learnt something valuable when they approached you.
You can also choose to defer the project instead of completely shutting it down. Offer them a plan where you can join the team at a later stage and be more valuable once the project’s gone past its conception stage.
6. Don’t be afraid to say the ‘C’ word
The majority of the time, bosses try to use influence to get things done. Little do they realise that when they use power, they lose influence.
Photo credit: Canva.com
Every employer has a budget, and the more he can get done without expending his budget, the better (the lesser the merrier, in this case). This is one of the most frustrating and de-motivating situations when you are asked to deliver more results and but are not “C”ompensated for that extra work. You might say “yes” to the extra load now and then, just to be nice or on the pretext of learning something new, or simply because the boss asked you to do so, but this will eventually burn you out. Be firm to tell the work is simply beyond your pay scale and justifies an extra dollar or two.
It is a misconception that you must be a “Yes Man” or a “Yes Woman” to be successful and boost your career. Remember Jim Carrey’s movie – Yes Man? The film is a classic story where the protagonist is encouraged and made to promise to answer “Yes!” to every opportunity, request, or invitation that presents itself. After a series of interesting events in his life, he realises that the covenant was merely a starting point to open his mind to other possibilities, not to permanently take away his ability to say no if he needed to.
So, are you the go-to person at your workplace? Do you always end up saying yes? How do you strategically say no?
It is so easy to get distracted when studying or working from home. There are so many things to distract you – from your better half asking (some might say nagging) you not to eat unnecessarily to children wanting to play, from your neighbours knocking on your door asking for some sugar (again) to someone unexpected ringing the doorbell.
Studying from home. Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash
Now that you have decided to do an online master’s degree programme, you must be prepared for the challenges that studying at home entails. Most people don’t take these challenges seriously, and by the time they realise they have fallen behind in their programme, it may be too late to recover. So, tackle these challenges from the start.
In addition to all the “normal” challenges of studying at home, COVID-19 has forced some of us to isolate and work from home and forced children to stay home all day too.
How do you stay on top of your schoolwork? What can you do to help yourself study better at home?
Here are 6 tips to help you get started:
1. Location, Location, Location
Have a dedicated area at home for your study. Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
The first thing you need to do is have an area at home dedicated to your study. Make the space comfortable; add a few personal items to this area that give you ownership. And finally, make sure all the study materials you require are with you in the study, so you have no excuses to get distracted. Remember, when you work in silence, success does all the talking! Set up the study in a place where the external distractions will be minimal.
2. Organise like a pro
Use organisers to increase efficiency. Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash
People who use a calendar know how useful it can be to increase efficiency. The organiser/calendar is a tool that can be far more useful than to remind you of your next meeting. Create a calendar that contains every minutia of your daily activities for the week/month/quarter (however long you can go), from household chores to study/work deadlines. Then populate the calendar with the schedule of your family. This will give you a good idea of your schedule, inform you when to expect distractions from your family, and help you plan for it.
3. Chewing Gum
Photo by Pete Alexopoulos on Unsplash
According to an article published by the National Center for Biotechnology (NCBI), chewing gum can enhance attention and promote well-being and work performance. The impact of chewing gum is said to be more than that of coffee, the catch being that the effects of chewing gum will last for only about thirty minutes. So, make sure you use the thirty minutes of heightened focus wisely and stock up on sugarless, flavourless gum.
4. Cutting the noise and setting boundaries
Having your family and friends around can get a little noisy. Getting your family, especially kids and pets, to understand that you are studying and not just sitting back and relaxing while reading your favourite LITRPG novel (Gnomes Rule!) might be difficult and, at times, heart-breaking (I know it is hard to say no to kids). But once they understand your schedule and that you are not to be disturbed when you are at your study, they will learn to give you your space.
Another way to reduce the noise is music. Put on an over-the-ear headset and, in low volume, listen to some classical music. It will also have the added advantage of keeping you calm.
5. Engage all your senses
Photo by Solstice Hannan on Unsplash
You are already listening to online lectures and reading articles, so why not make notes and ask questions? One of the best ways to learn is by being engaged in your studies, so try to increase the number of ways you can be involved with what you are studying.
Another good way to learn and retain more information is to teach, so once you have a handle on a subject, start by pretending to teach it to someone. Prepare for questions you might get asked by students, maybe join a study group with your fellow students and have a go at teaching them.
If you are not the teaching kind, then doodle. According to an article by Harvard Health Publishing, during an experiment on memory and retention, it was found that people who doodled were better at paying attention to the message and recalling the details. They recalled 29% more information!
6. Celebrate the accomplishments
Celebrate your success with a couple of squares from that bar of chocolate. Photo by Keriliwi on Unsplash
When you have successfully completed a task, realise that you have, and acknowledge this fact! Stand up and dance like nobody’s watching! Have a couple of squares from that bar of chocolate. You will find that celebrating your success will lift a weight from your shoulders that you did not even know you carried, which will help you focus better and remain motivated.
If you have been thinking about doing a master’s degree, and are ready to challenge yourself, look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything you are interested in earning your master’s degree.
You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme that is right for you, the application process, and for information on discounts we might be offering at this time.
As promised in the blog about referencing and citation, this week, we bring you information and facts about academic integrity and how to avoid plagiarism.
As a master’s student, expect yourself to be surrounded by deadlines to submit assignments, academic papers, and dissertations for most of your academic life (follow our #DILO – A Day in the life of an RKC student series to know more). Academic integrity is a crucial aspect of academic studies, and strict protocols must be followed to abide by the rules of academic writing.
So, what is plagiarism?
When one submits another person’s ideas, writings, words, images, or data as their own, it is termed plagiarism.
Plagiarism is among the four most common forms of academic dishonesty, the other three being cheating, academic misconduct, and fabrication. While looking for ideas and information is good research, not giving proper credit for the work cited becomes plagiarism. It is easy not to recognise potential plagiarism in one’s writing. Here are some examples:
Using information from the internet is commonly considered public information. However, it is still required to be cited.
When one paraphrases (i.e. puts someone else’s ideas in their own words) and does not provide credit to the original idea.
When one sources information from reading material provided by the professor, it still needs to be cited. This is considered poor academic practice though, as you need to demonstrate independent research, and go directly to the sources mentioned by the professors in their lectures, rather than cite the lectures themselves.
When one copies their own ideas, used in previously marked work, and submits the same material for a new paper. This is commonly known as self-plagiarism.
How to avoid plagiarism?
As complex as it may seem, plagiarism can be avoided by simply citing and referencing your work wherever necessary and giving due credit to the original ideas, theories, words, quotations, images, or graphs.
Studying for a masters, working full-time, juggling work-life-study balance itself seems daunting. Do not get lost in trying to find the correct way to present assignments and avoid plagiarism. There are various sources that you can use to ensure effective writing every time.
Access the electronic library through your University account – there is always a guide to academic writing, referencing, and tutorial support directly from librarians
Ask for help from the tutors and student support services, who can help you get unstuck and direct you towards the resources that can help
I hope this prepares you well for authoring your academic papers and assignments. If you are stuck or have any questions, our highly qualified, world-class faculty will guide you through using the correct methods and techniques to follow academic integrity.
We continue with our blog series bringing you answers to some of the questions we at Robert Kennedy College (RKC) frequently get from students looking to join one of our online programmes. We asked some of our past and current students to share their thoughts and opinions, to give their feedback on how they handled online learning challenges. Hopefully, this will, in turn, help you make an informed decision.
I believe learning is a life-long process. You never know when an opportunity to learn is thrown your way. Would you grab the opportunity, or would you think it’s too late to learn and study when you reach a certain age? But is age just a number?
Antonio, an RKC student from Mozambique, is a shining example of how age is just a number when it comes to studying for your Masters. Let’s hear his story!
Who you are, really?
Antonio M, from Mozambique. A senior citizen still willing to learn and upgrade my skills in new areas associated with my country development.
Which Uni are you studying at?
University of Salford
Which programme did you choose and why?
Online MSc in Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
How did you plan to study each module, and what was the reality? How many hours did/do you have to put in each day/or in a week?
Initially, I thought 2h a day would suffice, but I learned that I needed to spend at least an additional hour every day. Let me say, for someone with my slow thinking speed, you need an average 3h a day to be comfortable and do all the homework (forum discussions, contributions). Do this for 6 days a week, 1 day to rest if you can afford it.
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What part of the day did/do you find most suitable to study? (e.g., early mornings, lunch break, evenings, weekends?)
In my case, evenings due to silence and more available bandwidth for Internet data.
How did travelling impact your ability to study?
Being an online course, travelling did not impact too much. When travelling, the main issue was Wi-Fi availability.
How were you able to interact with peers and/or professors given the time differences?
Most of my peers were around the same or close time. Having a platform and forums eased the interaction. It was not immediate, but I would get the reaction soon enough. With those closer peer friends or people with closer affinity, we shared our mobile numbers, and if required, we would use the mobile phone and interact.
How much time did you devote to each assignment?
A lot of time. As soon as you get the assignment brief, start immediately and dedicate at least 3h a day for the assignment. Make sure you state an initial outline as soon as you understand the problem to be solved. Having the outline, Google Scholar all the required stuff, minimum of 15 peer-reviewed references per assignment (my opinion).
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What does a typical day as an Online Masters’ student look like for you?
6-7h sleeping, 6-8h working and 3-4h studying, 3h solving family issues, 2h socialising with other people. My community, Rotary, and family would require more of my time and reschedule this time outline.
Any advice you have for students to better plan their studies?
Please make sure you do participate in the weekly activities since usually they prepare you for your assignments. If you do it right, you may have a considerable part of your assignment done, at least in terms of the referencing. Going straight to the assignments is the wrong strategy. I did learn with some pain later that if I had done the week activities it would have made my life easier and would have saved time for my assignments. Otherwise, while busy with the assignment, you understand that you still need to do the work you avoided.
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