New semester, new start – seven skills to take your studies to the next level

New semester, new start – seven skills to take your studies to the next level

12 February 2021

It’s the start of a new semester – and we couldn’t be more excited about seeing you all again.

It’s also the perfect time to look back at your time with us and the academic skills you’ve gained, and identify if there are any areas you can improve on. And if there are, don’t worry – there is always help at hand, through our online resources, academic skills workshops, and one-to-one sessions with our wonderful Study Support team.

Here are seven useful academic skills and how you can improve them.

1. Organising your studies

Organisation is a key skill in all areas of life – but especially so in your studies. To stay on top of your workload, be sure to keep and regularly review a diary of important dates, deadlines and timetabled lectures and workshops (you can find your timetable via the homepage of the student portal).

You can access tips and advice on how to organise your studies via this online workshop.

2. Note-taking

Note-taking sounds simple – and it can be. But it’s just as easy to go wrong and be left with page after page of incomprehensible scribbles. So – after a lecture, take a moment to clean up your notes while the information is still fresh in your mind. Try also to standardise the format of your notes by breaking down the information into sub-headings. This way the information is clear and easy to follow for when you need it later down the line.

Find out more about how to improve your reading and note-taking via this online workshop.

3. Finding the right information

Your studies and research should be informed by the right information. If you’re struggling to find what you need, try heading over to the Library website.

You’ll find loads of great subject guides to help you identify and locate useful course-specific information. There are also great new ways for you to access resources, including via our vast online digital library, through ‘Click and collect’, ‘Postal loans’, and ‘Scan it for me’.

Find out more about how you can find and use information.

4. Planning assignments

Planning your assignments is not an optional extra. If you try to skip this vital stage, you will likely end up writing something that lacks coherence and focus, and your assignment will almost certainly take you longer to complete.

For more information on how to approach your assignments in an efficient and organised way – check out our online guide or register for our academic skills workshop.

5. Academic writing

Academic writing is central to how you present your studies – whether that’s as part of a report, essay or research project. Knowing how to formulate paragraphs, write introductions and conclusions, and introduce relevant evidence is one of the essential skills for you to master.

Explore our useful, detailed guides on academic writing, or register for one of our online skills workshops below:

6. Being critical

Being critical requires you to dissect information that you are presenting so that you can say why it is important and relevant to the argument you are making.

To find out more information on how to critique research and incorporate critical writing into your assignments head over to our online guides or register for our workshop – Introduction to Being Critical.

7. Maths skills

Maths may formulate a core element of your course or it may only be peripheral. Either way – brushing up on some of the fundamentals is always useful.

You can register for our maths skills workshops via the below links:

Find out more about all the study support services available to you.