Study skills and academic writing support
We provide study skills and academic writing support for all students, in the
form of one-to-ones (usually 30 minutes) and group sessions.
Our department's Study Skills Officer is
Dr Theresa
Crowley
Room: 5B.301
T: extension 3486 (01206 873486)
E: crowtx (add @essex.ac.uk to make the full e-mail address)
Undergraduates
One-to-one support
If you feel you would benefit from a one-to-one support session then you can
sign yourself up. In some cases you may be referred for a session by your class
teachers/course supervisors.
These sessions focus on basic writing, reasoning and other study skills
issues such as time management, planning, referencing and preparing for exams.
They also cover:
- understanding an
essay question or
research assignment and
designing a response;
- planning, structure,
argument and coherence
in essay-writing;
- adequate
referencing, preparing
bibliographies and
avoiding plagiarism;
- effective, critical
and comparative reading
of source texts;
- gathering, assessing
and presenting evidence
and ideas;
- clarity and
precision in language,
especially analytical
conceptual terminology;
- rewriting and
rethinking; and
- effective exam
preparation.
Group sessions for first year
students
These are specifically tailored to provide advice and answer questions about
writing essays, other coursework and preparing for exams in politics. All
sessions are subject specific and focus on coursework and examples drawn from
Government modules. You should attend only one session for each topic.
| Week |
Topic |
Dates and times |
Room |
| 4 |
Essay Writing:
getting started, planning,
references |
Completed |
|
| 5 |
Essay Structure,
Argumentation and Coherence |
Completed |
|
| 17 |
Writing Better
essays |
Tues 22 Jan,
11-12
Tues 22 Jan, 12-1
Weds 23 Jan 11-12 |
2N.3.2 |
| 31 |
Effective Exam
Preparation |
Tues 30 Apr,
11-12
Tues 30 Apr, 12-1
Wed 1 May, 11-12 |
5N.3.7
5N.3.7
TC2.12 |
Postgraduate taught
One-to-one support
The sessions focus on basic academic writing, reasoning and research design,
as well as more general study skills issues such as time-management, planning,
referencing and preparing for exams. The also focus on:
- analysing an essay
or research question and
designing a response;
- planning, structure,
argument and coherence
in academic writing;
- referencing,
preparing bibliographies
& avoiding plagiarism;
- effective, critical
and comparative reading
of source texts;
- compiling, assessing
and presenting evidence
and ideas;
- clarity and
precision in the use of
language, especially
analytical and
conceptual terminology;
- rewriting and
rethinking; and
- effective exam
preparation.
Group sessions
These are specifically tailored to provide advice and answer questions about
academic writing, research design and preparing for exams in politics. All
sessions are subject specific and focus on examples drawn from Government
Department modules.
| Week |
Topic |
Dates and times |
Room |
| 4 |
Writing matters:
language planning and referencing |
Completed |
|
| 5 |
Essay Structure,
Argumentation and Coherence |
Completed |
|
| 17 |
Writing Better
Essays and Research Questions |
Thurs 24 Jan,
3-4pm
Fri 25 Jan, 2-3pm |
5N.7.21
4.311 |
| 31 |
Effective Exam
Preparation |
Thurs 2 May,
3-4pm
Fri 3 May, 2-3pm |
6.348
4.311 |
The University Skills centre
The University Skills Centre (USC) provides support and training on a range
of generic skills for both academic study and employment preparation. The USC
runs a Learning Resource Centre, Skills Workshops and Credit Modules for a range
of skills as outlined in this section. Find out more
University Skills Centre.
Last modified on 18 December 2012