Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

Using study forums 97 
the discussion is about the subject being studied. Tese forums 
are worth popping into every now and then to see what is hap-
pening and to avoid missing out on helpful information. Tey also 
help build a rapport with other students. 
Other academic forums 
In addition to the forums for each of the subjects being studied, 
you will also fnd several other formal forums where you can ask 
questions or take part in discussions. Tese could include forums 
related to: 
y
Academic integrity and plagiarism 
y
Academic skills 
y
Assessments and exams 
y
Referencing 
y
Te library. 
Each of these will include important information, and there may 
well be answers to questions that you have thought about. So, it is 
vital to keep an eye on these general academic forums too. Oth-
erwise, you could miss out on vital information that will make 
your studies easier or that will help you gain marks. All too of-
ten, students ignore these broader forums, and that is a shame 
because they are often packed with informative posts and discus-
sion points. 
QUICK TIP: Keep an eye on all the academic forums so that 
you can see new and relevant information to help you with 
your studies. 

STUDENT-ONLY DISCUSSION GROUPS 
Some universities provide forums for students to discuss all kinds 
of aspects of their studies and university life. Tese forums are 

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98 Studying online 
self-moderated by the student groups involved, and there is no 
academic input. Such forums and chat rooms are sometimes also 
run by the Student Union. Tere will be forums for clubs, soci-
eties, sports groups, and so on. In addition, there will be discus-
sions relating to studying, places to have a moan, and even forums 
where you might fnd love as they are used just to socialise. 
In some cases, there are dozens of forums available to you, and 
it is all too easy to get carried away checking out all the discus-
sions on a wide variety of topics. Indeed, you are more likely to 
be distracted in this way than you would be in the “real world” 
on campus. Tat’s because if you were studying at a traditional 
university, you would have to seek out all the discussions going on. 
You would need to go to the meetings, for example, of a club or so-
ciety to take part in any debates. However, when the forums are all 
online, you can dip in and out quickly without having to go further 
than your armchair. As a result, you need to be disciplined in your 
use of informal discussion groups as you could become somewhat 
distracted, taking your mind of your studies and eating into your 
available time. Detailed advice on dealing with distractions can be 
found in Chapter 10.