Undergraduates

Information for first years

Welcome to Cambridge

These pages provide details of Faculty events organised for in-coming first years. They also provide links to resources that you may find helpful as you adjust to the rhythm of university life. The Faculty has recently launched a new study skills website designed specifically to help you prepare for writing weekly supervision essays and for Prelim exams in April next year. This website is intended to complement the study skills lectures offered in the first weeks of term. It includes practical exercises to do at your leisure and examples of marked supervision and Prelim exam essays. You will also find lots of useful information by following links from this page, including 'Studying history at Cambridge' which seeks to explain the main features of the 'Tripos'. We hope you enjoy your time with us.

Welcome and Introduction to the Faculty

Wednesday 5 October 11am, Lady Mitchell Hall

With Dr Mark Goldie (Chair of the Faculty), Dr Jon Lawrence (Academic Secretary), David Ainscough (University Careers Adviser), and Tom Bordell and Josh Mills (Student Representatives on Faculty Board).

Seeley Library induction

Dr Linda Washington (Seeley Librarian) and her staff. Sessions last twenty minutes and are repeated at the following times:

Tuesday 4 October 9.30 am, 10am, 10.30am, 11.00am, 11.30am, 2pm, 2.30pm

Wednesday 5 October 9.30am, 10am, 10.30am, 2pm, 2.30pm

Directors of Studies will advise their students of suitable times to attend, in consultation with the Librarian.

Informal sessions, organised by the Faculty Board Student Representatives, will be held in the Faculty on Thursday and/or Friday 6, 7 October, for students to come and meet others taking the same papers. Details will be circulated by email.

Study Skills Programme

A programme of three lectures designed to help manage the transition from school to university. All first years are required to attend.

1. Study Skills: Wednesday 5 October 12 noon, Lady Mitchell Hall (immediately after the Welcome meeting) with Dr Mark Goldie

Finding the material, how to prioritise reading, reading efficiently, note taking, attending lectures, time management.

2. Essays: Addressing the question: Friday 7 October 2-3pm, Law Faculty, LG19 with Dr Rosemary Horrox

How to unpack the title, how to identify and engage with an argument, how to argue actively.

3. Essays: Structuring the answer and writing with authority: Monday 10 October 3-4pm, Law Faculty, LG19 with Dr Rosemary Horrox

How to produce an effective plan, what introductions and conclusions do, the relationship of knowledge and argument, the use of language, how to avoid plagiarism, and effective writing skills.

Follow-up workshops will be held in Colleges.