Happy New Year, and welcome to a new academic term – both with opportunities for reflection, self improvement, and goals. One area for potential new school year resolutions are study and writing skills. Developing strong study skills and a polished writing style will not only help you this year, and the rest of your post secondary journey, but also your life and career beyond the University of Alberta.
Our Learning Specialist colleagues at the Academic Success Centre offer appointments, advising, group workshops, online courses, and specialized programming. They provide year-round support to students in all university programs, and at all levels of achievement and study. Reach out to them for help with questions related to motivation, time management, study skills, memory, exam prep, note-taking and reading comprehension.
The Library has you covered!
If you’re looking for a few more resources, the library has you covered!
- Learning to Learn Online is an open educational resource written by Kwantlen Polytechnic University Learning Centres, that will help you adapt and succeed in an online environment.
- Academic skills for interdisciplinary studies is an excellent overview of the key steps and skills to great studying, researching, and writing in university.
Classes have just begun again, but assignments and term papers will be here before you know it! Developing your research skills is the key to a robust analysis and a top notch paper. We encourage you to complete the Research Skills modules (linked from your Canvas account) to learn more about the essentials of library research — from choosing a research topic though designing an effective search and evaluation strategy. If you need more help finding sources, don’t forget you can make an appointment with a subject librarian, or Ask Us.
Crafting a GREAT paper
Once you have your research completed you can turn your attention to crafting a great paper. Honing your writing skills can help you make sure your points are clear, concise and convincing. Writing staff at the Academic Success Centre offer handouts, workshops and tutoring sessions to help polish your writing. Learn more about how to properly cite your sources, give credit and avoid plagiarism using the library’s Citation Guides.
The library has lots of writing guides to help you develop your skills, including many by subject area, try searching: writing guide and your subject area (eg; writing guide and psychology) to find something specific. Alternatively, you could check out one of these broad writing guides:
- You, Writing! A Guide to College Composition
- Successful academic writing: a complete guide for social and behavioral scientists
- Elements of Indigenous style: a guide for writing by and about Indigenous Peoples
- The IEEE Guide to Writing in the Engineering and Technical Fields
- Writing essays: a guide for students in English and the humanities
A little planning and habit forming will go a long way to success this semester, and beyond. Best of luck with the semester ahead!
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