Where to Start

Welcome to the Skills for Learning service! Whether you’re a brand new student or returning to your course, this page has been created to help you start developing your academic skills.

Looking to get ahead in your studies? Have a look through the sections below to read our advice.

New and international students

As a new student, we know you will be working through a lot of new, exciting – and sometimes scary – changes. Therefore, we’d recommend you take just a few easy steps to begin building your academic skills.

These sessions normally run for 90 minutes, but if you can’t attend at the scheduled time you should still sign up; we’ll send you a recording of the session.

To cover the essentials, we’d suggest you book onto Finding Academic Information, Introduction to Harvard Referencing and Introduction to Academic Writing.

Get started by heading to our workshop page, here

After attending the workshops above, we’d suggest you start working on your next assignment. Once you have a draft, we’d be happy to discuss it with you and provide some feedback on your academic skills.

You can find our drop-in schedule here.

Please note that we do not provide a proof-reading service. For more details on this, see our appointment guidance.

If you are an international student and want to build your English skills, please consider booking an appointment with the Academic English Language team. You can find details of their support here. If you’re unsure how to book an appointment, we can help you do this at the drop-in.

Returning and postgraduate students

If you have already studied in higher education, you may be comfortable with the core skills in the section above.

We are often asked what academic skills separate Year 1 from Year 2, 3 and even Masters level study. Our advice is as follows:

  • With each level of study, you are expected to make fewer errors in your writing and referencing, as well as using high-quality research.
  • In addition, higher-achieving students will write critically, as well as using good academic language.

This particular workshop will take students through how to analyse a piece of research critically, as well as how to write in a critical way. This is an essential skill for higher marks, especially at postgraduate level.

You can book onto this workshop here

Next, we’d suggest you start working on your first assignment(s). Once you have a draft, we’d be happy to discuss it with you and provide some feedback on your academic skills.

You can find our drop-in schedule here.

Please note that we do not provide a proof-reading service. For more details on this, see our appointment guidance.

Research students

Skills for Learning support is predominantly for taught students. However, members of our team also work with the Doctoral College, and so can offer guidance as you write your thesis.

Book onto one of the Skills for Researcher workshops

We are more than happy to see research students in the drop-in. You can find our drop-in schedule here.

Please note that we do not provide a proof-reading service. For more details on this, see our appointment guidance.

As well as succeeding in your academic work, we believe it is important for research students to form communities with their peers. This is why the University runs a regular PGR Hangout where you can share experiences, ask questions and generally support one another.

A Skills Librarian will attend these sessions, so you can also ask their advice if needed.