Monash General Chat

[keltingmeith]

Typing notes works best for me, however I just want to know if I'm including irrelevant information.
Is everything in the textbook examinable?
For instance, in one of my subjects we went from Chapter 1 straight to Chapter 3 without acknowledging Chapter 2. Are we meant to take notes on Chapter 2 in our own time? Or is Chapter 2 not useful to what we need to learn.

Thanks again.

This varies from unit to unit, however in general you are only assessed on what is taught in lectures. Coming from a system like VCE, where the textbooks are tailored to the content (in fact, the content is made, then the textbooks follow as a direct result), you're very used to using your textbooks as a very strict guide of what you should and shouldn't know.

However, at uni, textbooks are very, VERY, rarely tailored to the content. In fact, more often than not, the textbook is chosen because it's the closest the lecturer can get to what they want to teach. Skipping/forgetting entire chapters isn't just normal, I expect it in each of my units. I often hear lecturers complain, even, about the way their chosen textbook handles certain material - it just goes to show that they only pick a book because it's the closest fit, never because it's a perfect fit.

Tl;dr, you probably won't be assessed on chapter 2 - ask your lecturer just to be sure.

[chasej]

For instance, in one of my subjects we went from Chapter 1 straight to Chapter 3 without acknowledging Chapter 2. Are we meant to take notes on Chapter 2 in our own time? Or is Chapter 2 not useful to what we need to learn.

Check the reading guide. If chapter 2 is neither prescribed nor recommended reading than there is a 99% chance it is not relevant.

You're meant to be more 'independent' at uni, but not so independent that you're expected to read whole slabs of text no one or thing mentioned.

[Kanon]

Week two hasn't even officially started yet and I am already considering taking today off
#unilyf

[anna.xo]

Seriously got zero motivation to rock up today

[vashappenin]

Guys are shuttle buses running today? Where do I go to catch it from caulfield to Clayton?

[anna.xo]

On that note, are NORMAL buses running ?

[Joseph41]

On that note, are NORMAL buses running ?

On a Sunday timetable, I think.

[keltingmeith]

On a Sunday timetable, I think.

Saturday timetable. 601 runs as usual, though. It follows the university timetable, not the PTV timetable.

[Joseph41]

Saturday timetable. 601 runs as usual, though. It follows the university timetable, not the PTV timetable.

My mistake. May you all have a wonderful day!

[MDMA]

I've missed three MTH1010 lectures (and workshops/laboratories)because of time, place and neglect and I have also been locked out of the my monash site until tomorrow (hopefully) due to handing in evidence of my TFN late (on Friday). This kind of sucks because I feel like I should attend my lecture today and I will but it will be the most pointless thing as I'll have no idea what is going on. I did actually attend 30 minutes of my first lecture and I have never been more clueless. Sucky situation. Unblock my monash so I can watch the lectures!!

[Reus]

This might be quite subjective but how hard is it really to get a high distinction?

[Joseph41]

Following our discussion of the HAL basement the other day, did nine thousand people just discover it?

This might be quite subjective but how hard is it really to get a high distinction?

Would you be interested in an Arts perspective?

[Reus]

Following our discussion of the HAL basement the other day, did nine thousand people just discover it?

Would you be interested in an Arts perspective?

Yes! 

[Joseph41]

This might be quite subjective but how hard is it really to get a high distinction?

Would you be interested in an Arts perspective?

Yes! 

To start off with something disappointing, I think you're right - it is quite subjective. It's a bit like me saying, "Hey Reus, how hard is it to get into a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Global Studies double degree at Monash?" You might think, "Well, that depends on a whole lot of stuff." That's how this is, too. But I'll try to answer your question anyway, because it's something that I was also curious about in my first semester.

In my opinion, an HD is the equivalent of an A+ in Year 12: not easy to obtain in the greater scheme of things, but by no means impossible if you put some work into it. The thing with uni (most units, at least) is that your final grade is made up of multiple assessments. In that regard, it's a bit like a study score. So the question is, really, "How hard is it to get an HD [80%] on any given piece of assessment?" On the assumption that you will perform reasonably similarly across assessments, this is probably an easier question to answer.

In Arts, getting an HD may not be as difficult as you first imagine, but there are some things that you have to consider. Firstly, it's important to follow the criteria of any given class, assignment, exam or reading. In terms of grades, it doesn't really matter what you want to write or what you actually believe in; what matters is how you respond to the question, and whether or not you satisfy the criterion/criteria.

That is probably broader advice than just assignments, too. Let's say that the criteria of getting an HD are working relatively hard, going to your classes, revising a bit for exams and doing the readings. That sounds pretty straight forward. That's because it is pretty straight forward. Honestly, there's not much more that you need to do. It's kind of like Year 12 - much easier to do well in with hindsight. Have you ever thought "Wow, if I just did x and y, I could have completely aced VCE"? It's like that.

The most subjective bit that I have listed, I suppose, is the 'working relatively hard' bit. For me, that means attending all of my classes (and taking decent notes), doing most of the readings (and taking decent notes), making sure that I hit every single criterion for my assignments (taking decent notes is not needed, here), and revising during SWOTVAC for exams (this is where those decent notes come in handy). It will obviously change from faculty to faculty; I know that Arts has a very minimal workload compared to Science and Law and Medicine (yeah, yeah - to everything). But that doesn't mean that you can just expect to rake in the HDs; you still need to fulfil what is expected of you.

I guess the take-home point here is that it's not too difficult on the assumption that you metaphorically tick all of those boxes. Do the readings, go to class, make sure your assignments are of a good standard, revise for exams.

All the best.

[Reus]

To start off with something disappointing, I think you're right - it is quite subjective. It's a bit like me saying, "Hey Reus, how hard is it to get into a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Global Studies double degree at Monash?" You might think, "Well, that depends on a whole lot of stuff." That's how this is, too. But I'll try to answer your question anyway, because it's something that I was also curious about in my first semester.

In my opinion, an HD is the equivalent of an A+ in Year 12: not easy to obtain in the greater scheme of things, but by no means impossible if you put some work into it. The thing with uni (most units, at least) is that your final grade is made up of multiple assessments. In that regard, it's a bit like a study score. So the question is, really, "How hard is it to get an HD [80%] on any given piece of assessment?" On the assumption that you will perform reasonably similarly across assessments, this is probably an easier question to answer.

In Arts, getting an HD may not be as difficult as you first imagine, but there are some things that you have to consider. Firstly, it's important to follow the criteria of any given class, assignment, exam or reading. In terms of grades, it doesn't really matter what you want to write or what you actually believe in; what matters is how you respond to the question, and whether or not you satisfy the criterion/criteria.

That is probably broader advice than just assignments, too. Let's say that the criteria of getting an HD are working relatively hard, going to your classes, revising a bit for exams and doing the readings. That sounds pretty straight forward. That's because it is pretty straight forward. Honestly, there's not much more that you need to do. It's kind of like Year 12 - much easier to do well in with hindsight. Have you ever thought "Wow, if I just did x and y, I could have completely aced VCE"? It's like that.

The most subjective bit that I have listed, I suppose, is the 'working relatively hard' bit. For me, that means attending all of my classes (and taking decent notes), doing most of the readings (and taking decent notes), making sure that I hit every single criterion for my assignments (taking decent notes is not needed, here), and revising during SWOTVAC for exams (this is where those decent notes come in handy). It will obviously change from faculty to faculty; I know that Arts has a very minimal workload compared to Science and Law and Medicine (yeah, yeah - to everything). But that doesn't mean that you can just expect to rake in the HDs; you still need to fulfil what is expected of you.

I guess the take-home point here is that it's not too difficult on the assumption that you metaphorically tick all of those boxes. Do the readings, go to class, make sure your assignments are of a good standard, revise for exams.

All the best.

Thanks for the insight! When you put it in your perspective it does sound quite doable!
Just to clarify, your HD (or varying mark) is based on all the assessments done throughout the unit? Not the separate outcomes for each unit? Thanks!!