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Tips, advice, and opportunities for academic skills development
Where to get help with your academic study skills
Develop the right skills for your future
It is a good idea to think about how the academic skills you are developing are setting you up to succeed in your future professions. UCL Careers has created a skills hub to help you develop the skills, strengths, and qualities employers are typically looking for.
Browse academic skills by subject-area
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Academic Writing
UCL Writing Support and Resources
- UCL Academic Communication Centre offers tutorials, workshops, courses, webinars, writing retreats and asynchronous resources to support students across UCL with their writing.
- IOE Academic Writing Centre provides tutorials, webinars and online resources to IOE students.
- Students’ Union UCL Language + Writing peer-to-peer support for students with English as an additional language.
- UCL’s Survey of English Usage produces apps on academic writing (free), spelling and punctuation (free) and grammar (various costs).
- UCL Student Disability Services has produced some excellent guides on reading, note-taking, essay writing, revision techniques and time management.
- Academic Integrity at UCL provides guidance on areas such as referencing conventions.
- UCL also has a licence for LinkedIn Learning, the online video training provider. LinkedIn Learning has several short courses on writing, such as writing in plain English.
External Writing Resources
- Guide to writing essays, the Royal Literary Fund.
- Guide to writing dissertations, the Royal Literary Fund.
- How to write in Plain English, the Plain English Campaign (pdf).
- Essay and Report Writing Skills Course, The Open University (free course).
- Writing What You Know, The Open University (free course).
- Writing in Plain English, LinkedIn Learning.
Digital Skills
- Digital Education at UCL Moodle course, supporting you to be a successful digital learner.
- Digital Skills Development, UCL home page to book online and face-to-face courses.
- UCL DigiLearn, A library of online videos covering UCL IT essentials.
- Succeeding in a Digital World Course, The Open University (free course).
Presenting
- How to give a good (enough) presentation, UCL.
- Creating accessible PowerPoint presentations, UCL Digital Skills Development.
- Talk the Talk, The Open University (free course).
- Delivery Tips for Speaking in Public, LinkedIn Learning.
- Giving a talk or making a presentation: study skills guide from UCL SSEES.
- Giving a presentation: UCL Institute of Archaeology study skills guide.
Finding information, referencing and Plagiarism
- Searching for information, Libraryskills@UCL.
- Evaluating information, Libraryskills@UCL.
- Kick-starting your literature review, UCL Digital Skills Development.
- References, citations, and avoiding plagiarism, UCL Libguides.
- Referencing and Plagiarism, UCL PDF.
- Reference Management Software, UCL Libguides.
- Academic Integrity at UCL: What is Academic Integrity, why is it important, and what happens if you breach it?
Notetaking
- UCL’s notetaking tips.
- UCL Notetaking Techniques Course.
- The Open University How to Take Notes Course.
- The Open University Effective Notetaking Course, LinkedIn Learning.
Critical thinking, reading and writing
- Critical Thinking, The Open University.
- Developing your Thinking Skills, The Open University.
- Critical Thinking, LinkedIn Learning.
- Critical Reading and Writing, UCL.
- How to be a Critical Reader, The Open University.
Groupwork
- Groups and Teamwork, The Open University.
- Working with Diverse Teams, The Open University.
- What's the difference between collaboration and collusion? UCL Academic Integrity course.
Independent Learning
- Independent research, Libraryskills@UCL.
- Improving your own learning and performance, The Open University.
- Personal Productivity, LinkedIn Learning UCL playlist.
Research Skills
- Short UCL courses on "Research Skills".
- Free research skills courses from the Open University.