Reading, writing and referencing skills

Develop your academic reading skills and improve the notes you make while reading and during lectures using skills4study, an interactive online resource.

The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences has guidance that is useful for all students on:

• Note-taking – why and how to take effective notes
• Academic reading – how to read quickly, carefully and critically

Develop your academic writing skills and improve your essays using skills4study, and interactive online resource.

LearnHigher Report Writing will give you practical advice about structuring and focusing reports, and study skills units from the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences give guidance to all students on essay planning, essay writing, and report writing.

To help you organise, collate and structure your writing in a visual way, try Inspiration mind mapping software, available to all on the UWE network.

Need help with grammar or punctuation?  BBC Skillswise grammar guidance includes factsheets, quizzes and practice activities.

Not sure how to reference the information sources you’ve used?  Go to UWE’s guidance on referencing for details and examples.  You’ll also find advice about Refworks, an online tool which helps you organise your references.

You could also sign up for a library workshop on Harvard Referencing or using Refworks.

More formal means of improving your writing skills include the modules Academic Writing Skills (AWS) and Further Academic Writing Skills (FAWS) offered by the Department of English, Linguistics and Communication, but available and of value to all students.