Step up to second year

It all counts now

This is probably the most common phrase we hear from level 5 / second year students. Your assessments now count towards your final degree, and this can feel overwhelming. However, your first year will have given you solid foundations for this change. Your work this year is an extension of what you’ve already been doing – the first year was great practice.

Top tip! Read your assignment briefs carefully so you know exactly what’s expected of you before you get started.

A bigger workload

Second years often find they have more to do. Your assignments may be longer, you may have more reading to do and you might even have more classes, depending on your course. It’s important to plan your time carefully – give sufficient time to each module and try not to leave work until the last minute.

Top tip! Use the Skills for Learning Assignment Calculator to plan your time effectively.

More independent work

You may have heard that your lecturers ‘hold your hand’ less in second year, expecting you to work things out for yourself. While that’s true to an extent, they will always be in the background waiting to help and advise. They will expect you to use the skills you developed in first year but will always recap if you aren’t sure.

Top tip! If you need to strengthen any of your academic skills, try attending a Skills for Learning Workshop.

Develop critical thinking skills

‘Critical thinking’ is one of those university terms that can be difficult to grasp. Broadly speaking, critical thinking is about demonstrating your ability to think independently about information. At each level, your lecturers will expect you to do this a bit more. You’ll need to think about what the evidence you encounter means and why it’s relevant. This can be a tricky skill, so don’t worry if you find it difficult to begin with.

Top tip! The Skills for Learning Critical Thinking web page is a handy resource to use when doing assignments or classwork that require critical thinking.

Sharpen up your referencing skills

In first year, you might be forgiven for making errors in your assignment citations and reference list. By second year, you should have had plenty of chance to practice referencing. Remember to leave yourself enough time to check your in-text citations and references before you hand in an assignment. Take a look at the Library referencing and plagiarism web page as well as Quote Unquote to avoide making mistakes.

Top tip! Check your assignment feedback from last year if you struggled with referencing. Reading your feedback carefully will help you identify the changes you need to make in your next assignment.

Read more effectively - and just read more

Learning how to read literature from your subject area is an important university skill. In first year, you will have been getting to grips with the format of academic articles and books. You will have also learned a lot of new terminology. In second year, you need to work on reading purposefully and actively. Always read with a goal in mind, whether you’re trying to answer seminar questions or you’re working on an essay. Make careful notes, copying down just the information you need, rather than everything you read.

Top tip! The Skills for Learning Reading web page contains advice on approaches to university reading. Try downloading one of the note-making worksheets to help you make effective notes.

Find out more about what to expect in your second year by enrolling on to the Library’s online module, Second Year Study Smart, available on MyBeckett. You'll hear about the second year experience from staff and students and also find advice on assignments, skills development and wellbeing.

Originally published September 2021; updated August 2022 and October 2023.