Hello there, I’m Chris and I am a distance learning student that studied their undergraduate degree at Arden and now I’m finishing my Master’s. Whilst any student can only ever do their best, I thought I would share some organisation tips and tricks that helped me ultimately achieve a First, something I never thought possible!  

These are not an exhaustive list of what must be done, but more what worked for me, and you may find that you wish to adopt some of the ideas or tailor them to what works best for you. (For disclosure, I am more of a pen and paper person, however all of the following tips could be done digitally if that’s what you prefer!) 

Let me take you through how I organised myself and always stayed ahead during my studies.  

The Arden Binder 

This is what I call my main folder. In there, I had printouts and sheets of paper. The first sheet was “tips for assignments” - this was originally a blank sheet of paper but as I submitted more assignments, I kept adding things I had picked up and feedback I had received during formative submissions or marking to ensure I didn’t forget to incorporate these things into my next assignments.  

Then I had a printout of the “Command verb grid” definitions which allowed me to know exactly what my tutors were expecting in terms of work., Command verbs are things like explain, analyse, compare, etc. The key here is to pay attention to the question asked in your brief and highlight the important words!  I also had the “General Assignment Criteria” which is often the last sheet of every assignment brief and doesn’t often change.  

This was followed by an “Am I ready to submit?” sheet which covers the questions you need to ask yourself (and check that you’ve covered) before pressing that final ‘submit’ button. Remember to redownload your assignments once submitted to double check the file is not corrupted in any way and check your Turnitin reports for any amendments that may be needed. 

To counter motivation dips (it’s normal, we all go through it), I kept a copy of my personal statement from my Arden application to remind me of why I was studying, and a printout of both modules names and the academic calendar (from the A-Z) to ensure I was always aware and ahead of my deadlines.  

As time went by, I also added my level completion emails (a great motivator to show you what you’ve already achieved!) and all my assignment and grade feedback to make sure I could build on this in future assignments. As my course required a dissertation, I kept an idea sheet which was originally a blank page but meant I could write ideas down of the topics I found really interesting during my degree which saved me so much time when I needed to decide the topic of my dissertation. 

Modules, Levels and Knowledge Folders 

I created a ring binder for each level, naming them 4, 5 and final year (I found calling it final year was a constant reminder that you’re so close to the end!), and then another for my Master’s. I kept all of my lesson notes and my own research for each module, often referring back to these and revisiting topics when future modules crossed over (each module builds up into the next one). I also created a knowledge and study skills folder where I would print out online resources that I found on I-Learn (or other universities’ websites, sorry Arden!) such as how to write reports, how to analyse, or ideas for transitions in academic writing. 

My Big Book 

This last item was my favourite, it was a big notebook where I kept everything else in and tracked my journey. On the first page, I had information that I would use all the time such:

• As my student number
• Student email address
• Body membership number (if your degree also gets you a certificate from a body such as the Chartered Management Institute)
• My Student Finance customer number (if relevant to you)
• My student coordinator name and the name of my success coach.
• IT’s details, in case I had any issue submitting and a reminder to send screenshots as that always helps speed resolutions up.
• Grade tracker  

The rest of my notebook contained everything from induction information notes, live zoom classes content, student skills workshops and 1-2-1s and other matters that may be relevant to you (this could be wellbeing or student success meetings). I used a colour code for each type of information (for instance, induction was orange) and I dated everything so I could refer to things quickly again if I needed to.  

What also helped me a lot was playing with I-learn. I cannot stress enough that you cannot break it! Have a click and look at everything, especially the A-Z that will become your best friend. (Note: maybe link to other article depending on order of publication). 

Using Arden Resources 

I also made use of the Study Skills tutors by attending workshops and especially 1-2-1s and I cannot thank them enough for what they did for me, whilst they can’t discuss the specific module topics, they explained to me what the Arden tutors and markers expected in assignments and it helped so much that between 2 assignments I went up 39 points! Yes 39! I can hear my Arden study skills tutor saying “No, this is all your own work” but credit where it is due whatever he may say. 

I also spoke to my Student Success coach when something wasn’t quite right, and sometimes it’s just about empowering you to get back on track. What is a concern can often easily be sorted, you just need to reach out! Remember you can also contact your programme’s leadership team too. 

With regards to assignments, I cannot recommend enough starting the I-Learn lessons that you can do in your own time as soon as the study period begins, it then gives you longer to work on your assignments, and make use of formative feedback and Turnitin check opportunities which in my eyes are free extra points for your grades. The lessons are also great to help you focus on the angle that the university would like you to take. And always remember that the fear of starting is bigger than actually doing! 

I was also never shy to ask the tutors to clarify something, and I don’t mind sharing what normally gets a more productive answer and that’s if instead of just saying “I don’t understand”, tell them what you have done (I-learn lessons and watch the live zooms), explain what you have understood to lead you into what you need clarification upon. I recommend always being super polite, what I mean by that is: imagine you were receiving your email, what will influence you into giving more information? That’s most likely when someone’s email is professional and kind. A top tip here that I was given is to tell your tutor which grade level you are aiming for so they can tailor their feedback even more. 

Shaping your Student Experience 

Finally, and most importantly, remember that whilst I have described what has worked for me, that the way things are done is actually never static. You can also have a say, feedback and influence the student experience at Arden through your Student Association who then continuously work to improve procedures and policies as they recognise studying is inherently challenging.  

Not only is the newly-redesigned website the place where you can find out how to become a student representative and the association’s latest news and events, but it also contains the answers to frequently asked questions, self-help guides and is also the home to the new free, independent, confidential and impartial service that can help you navigate complex academic regulations and processes. This is where you can book a 1-2-1 appointment with an independent adviser to receive guidance on potential academic misconduct, extenuating circumstances, academic appeals, breaking in learning, and more. 

That’s it! 

I hope I’ve covered everything. When I started, it felt like completion was so far away, but it will creep up on you much faster than you think. If I were to summarise this article, I would say be organised, stay ahead and make the most out of resources, they are there to be used! I wish you all the best with your studies at Arden you future graduate!