Stuck in a writing rut? Try freewriting.

‘Writing is an exercise in sculpture, chipping away at the rock until you find the nose.’ Stanley Elkin (American novelist) If you go to university you are going to have to write — there are no two ways about it! As previously discussed, writing is a skill and must be practiced. But even the most …

Academic skills coaching or private tutoring?

If you have been looking for support with your studies you may have come across the terms academic skills coaching and private tutoring and wondered if there is a difference. The difference – although not ‘official’ and sometimes subtle – is based on the differing aims of coaching and tutoring. Academic skills coaching helps students …

What is an independent learner?

As a university student, you will often hear the term ‘independent learner’ and how you need to become one! As a new student, such a term might make you think that you are on your own, but that is not the case. An independent learner is not a student who does everything on their own. …

What are academic skills?

Academic skills underpin your subject-specific studies. Any list of academic skills will typically include critical thinking, presenting, reading, referencing, reflection, researching, time management and writing. In my experience, first-year undergraduate students can find grasping the importance of these skills and starting to develop them challenging – particularly if they have been out of education for …

Writing is a skill…and you need to practise it!

Writing is a skill, and like any skill — if you want to get better at it — you must practise it. To become a better writer at university, you must find opportunities to practise and not only write when you have to (such as when you have to do an assignment). Your first step …