Academic Advice in Arts & Humanities
Undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate taught (PGT) students in Arts & Humanities can make an appointment or come to a class with the Effective Learning Adviser (or one of her Graduate Teaching Assistants) to talk about anything related to your academic work. Common topics include:
- academic writing (essays, dissertations, research proposals)
- argumentation
- engagement with literature, referencing and using/critiquing sources
- time and project management
- effective, evidence-based study and revision methods
We can advise you on current unmarked work or past assignments, including helping you in how you:
- interpret the question
- think about your argument
- plan your essay
- research and use your sources
- write and edit your work
- apply feedback
We can advise you within the context of your subject, but are unable to advise on specific content. Similarly, we encourage your ability to edit and assess your work and, therefore, cannot offer proof reading.
If you are a Postgraduate Research student (PGR), you can seek academic advice and support through the Researcher Developer team.
Dr Robyne Calvert
Effective Learning Adviser for the College of Arts & Humanities
Class timetable
Essay Writing
Our Essay Writing course is designed to give you a step-by-step guide on how to write a successful essay in the Social Sciences or the Arts & Humanities. This course will run once in Semester 1 and again in Semester 2.
> Moodle page for this series (includes slides and any recordings) https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=10314
| Date | Time | Class | Class Description | Building Name (in-person class)/ Zoom Link (online class) |
| Thursday 3rd October | 12:00-13:00 | Understanding ILOs & interpreting essay questions | This class covers the importance of Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) and how to deconstruct and interpret essay questions | James Watt: 375 LT |
| Thursday 10th October | 12:00-13:00 | Researching your essay | This class focuses on how to identify and review academic literature for your essay. | James Watt: 375 LT |
| Thursday 17th October | 12:00-13:00 | Planning your essay | This class explores how to create an effective plan to write your essay assignments successfully. | James Watt: 375 LT |
| Thursday 24th October | 12:00-13:00 | Building your essay's argument | This class discusses what we understand by an argument, and what are its main distinctive features. | James Watt: 375 LT |
| Thursday 31st October | 12:00-13:00 | Structuring your essay | This class explores different ways to structure your essay to make sure it is organised around a central and coherent argument. | James Watt: 375 LT |
| Thursday 7th November | 12:00-13:00 | Referencing your essay | This class discusses why we reference in academia and how to reference your essay. | James Watt: 375 LT |
| Thursday 14th November | 12:00-13:00 | Editing your essay | This class focuses on the editorial process: how to go from a first draft to the final submission. | James Watt: 375 LT |
Advanced Criticality
This course covers what do we mean by being critical in your academic work, a key skill in the Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences. The course introduces you to the key strategies to becoming a critical reader and writer. This course will run twice in Semester 1.
> Moodle page for this series (includes slides and any recordings) - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=24318
| Date | Time | Class | Class Description | Room No. (in-person class)/ Zoom Link (online class) |
| Tuesday 15th October | 13:00-14:00 | Critical Research as a Process | This class discusses defining the scope of your research question, critically reviewing your reading, and synthesising your research. | 42 Bute Gardens: 916 LT |
| Wednesday 16th October | 13:00-14:00 | Using Evidence in Your Writing | This class explains the purpose of evidence and how to employ it in your assignments. | Adam Smith Building: 587 |
| Tuesday 22nd October | 13:00-14:00 | Using Theory in Your Assignments | This class focuses on the purpose of theory in the Arts & Humanities and the Social Sciences, and how to use it in your writing. | 42 Bute Gardens: 916 LT |
| Wednesday 23rd October | 13:00-14:00 | Building Arguments I | This class discusses what is argumentation, its purpose in academia, and what are some of its defining elements. | Adam Smith Building: 587 |
| Tuesday 29th October | 13:00-14:00 | Building Arguments II | This class explores the different levels of argumentation in written assignments and how to build a coherent and cohesive argumentative piece of writing. | 42 Bute Gardens: 916 LT |
| Tuesday 5th November | 13:00-14:00 | Critical Research as a Process (repeat) | This class discusses defining the scope of your research question, critically reviewing your reading, and synthesising your research. | 42 Bute Gardens: 916 LT |
| Wednesday 6th November | 13:00-14:00 | Using Evidence in Your Writing (repeat) | This class explains the purpose of evidence and how to employ it in your assignments. | Adam Smith Building: 587 |
| Tuesday 12th November | 13:00-14:00 | Using Theory in Your Assignments (repeat) | This class focuses on the purpose of theory in the Arts & Humanities and the Social Sciences, and how to use it in your writing. | 42 Bute Gardens: 916 LT |
| Wednesday 13th November | 13:00-14:00 | Building Arguments I (repeat) | This class discusses what is argumentation, its purpose in academia, and what are some of its defining elements. | Adam Smith Building: 587 |
| Tuesday 19th November | 13:00-14:00 | Building Arguments II (repeat) | This class explores the different levels of argumentation in written assignments and how to build a coherent and cohesive argumentative piece of writing. | 42 Bute Gardens: 916 LT |
Dissertation Development
This course walks you through the process of writing a dissertation for the Arts & Humanities or the Social Sciences. The course consists of a combination of lectures and workshops where you will have a chance to practice the skills you learn. This course runs throughout the end of Semester 1 and Semester 2.
> Moodle page for this series (includes slides and any recordings) - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2464
| Date | Time | Class | Class Description | Building Name (in-person class)/ Zoom Link (online class) |
| Monday 18th November | 12:00-13:00 | From research topic to research question | This class focuses on first finding a dissertation topic, and then turning this topic into a research question you can answer in your dissertation. | Gilbert Scott: 466 LT |
| Friday 22nd November | 11:00-12:00 | Workshop #1 | This workshop offers you a space to think about your research topic and practice turning your topic into a productive research question | For more details and to sign up to attend this workshop, click here. |
| Monday 25th November | 12:00-13:00 | Organising your research | This class explains what it means to create a research space and discusses methods for organising your research. | Gilbert Scott: 466 LT |
| Friday 29th November | 11:00-12:00 | Workshop #2 | This workshop gives you an opportunity to consider how to build a research space for your project and how you should organise your research materials. | For more details and to sign up to attend this workshop, click here. |
| Monday 2nd December | 12:00-13:00 | Creating a Research Project | This class discusses how to effectively manage your dissertation as a research project throughout all key dissertation stages. | Gilbert Scott: 466 LT |
| Friday 6th December | 11:00-12:00 | Workshop #3 | This workshop offers you a change to build your own research plan with the help of some expert facilitators. | For more details and to sign up to attend this workshop, click here. |
Mastering Academic Writing
> Moodle page for this series - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=12516
Our Mastering Academic Writing course consists of a series of resources and recorded lectures for those wanting to fine-tune their writing skills to an advanced level.
| Session Title |
| Explaining Yourself in Writing |
| Grammar in Writing |
| Sentence Structure in Writing |
| Logic and Flow in Writing |
| Formality in Writing |
Key Concepts in the Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences
> Moodle page for this series - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=41660
This course introduces students in the Arts & Humanities and the Social Sciences to some of the fundamental concepts they will encounter throughout their degree, no matter what they are studying. The course is lecture-based, and classes will run in Semester 2.
| Session Title |
| Argument |
| Statistics |
| Critical Theory |
| Sources |
Academic Development
> Moodle page for this series - https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=10312
Our Academic Development course includes resources and recordings on how to become an effective independent learner, studying for exams, carrying out effective group work, among other key skills you will need to master in your degrees.
| Session Title |
| Studying at the University of Glasgow |
| Learning Independently |
| Working in Groups |
| Presenting Effectivley |
| Reflecting and Revising for Assessment |
| Statistics for Art & Humanities and Social Sciences |
Appointments
Undergraduate and PGT students can make an appointment with one of the advising team (GUID required). The booking diary shows appointments available in the next 21 days only.
All appointments will take place online.
Dr Robyne Calvert
Robyne Calvert is the Effective Learning Adviser for the College of Arts and Humanities. Robyne has a PhD in the History of Art, and has researched and lectured in art, architecture and design history and theory at the University of Glasgow and The Glasgow School of Art for over a decade. She has supervised many UG and PGT dissertations, and has also been a primary PhD supervisor.
Teaching Requests
Robyne is keen to develop teaching collaborations across all courses in Arts & Humanities. To find out what teaching she can offer on your course, get in touch by email.
Research and Teaching
As a Cultural Historian, Robyne's research and teaching interests span a wide range of topics, including: art, architecture, design, fashion, heritage and museum studies, digital and material culture, critical and creative writing, and academic literacies. She received a Pasold Fund PhD bursary for her thesis 'Fashioning the Artist: Artistic Dress in Victorian Britain, 1848-1900' (University of Glasgow, 2012). She is an active public historian, has been an expert on BBC radio, television, and STV programmes, and most recently has been featured on the National Trust for Scotland’s 'Love Scotland' podcast with Jackie Bird. In April 2024 she published her first monograph, 'The Mack: Charles Rennie Mackintosh and The Glasgow School of Art', with Yale University Press.
Staff A-Z entry and publications
Room 316
McMillan Reading Room
University Avenue
University of Glasgow
G12 8QQ