Finding information
Learn about the benefits that developing good information searching skills can bring.
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Develop your search skills
Our guidance can help you to:
- save time
- get the most relevant results
- expand your subject knowledge
- complete your university work
- think critically
- solve problems in the workplace
- remain industry aware
- enhance your digital skills
- prosper on your life-long learning journey.
Academic information and why it is important
What is covered:
- Why it is important for you to search for, find and use academic information in your university work and assessments.
Formats
Use Library Search to find academic information
What is covered:
- How to perform searches for different types of academic information.
- How to use filters to make your results more relevant.
Formats:
Search the web well for University study
What is covered:
- Learn when to use different web search pages, such as your favourite search page or Google Scholar.
- Understand how to use Google Scholar to find academic information.
Formats:
Planning your search for academic information
What is covered:
- Learn why it's important to plan your search for information.
- Understand how to identify keywords and key phrases from your assessment brief to search for relevant and useful results.
Formats:
Lean Library: Access the academic information you need easily on the web
What is covered:
- What Lean Library is and how it can help you find the academic information you need when searching the web.
Formats:
AI Awareness
What is covered:
- What Generative AI is.
- When it is okay and not okay to use it in your academic work and personal development.
- General guidance on how to use it correctly.
Formats:
Evaluating sources
What is covered:
- Appraising and evaluating the information you find to check for issues of credibility, relevance, authority, accuracy and purpose.
Formats:
Using evidence in your work
What is covered:
- How to paraphrase and summarise evidence correctly in your writing.
- Why it's important to use in text citations.
- When to use direct quotations.
Formats:
Critical writing
What is covered:
- What critical thinking is and the benefits of critical thinking.
- How to critically analyse.
- The difference between critical and descriptive writing.
Formats:
Databases: What are they and how they can help you with your assessments
What is covered:
- What a database is.
- Why it is important to use databases for your research.
- Identifying which databases are helpful for the subject you are studying.
Formats:
Read, take notes and use academic information
What is covered:
- Best practice tips for getting the most out of reading for academic purposes.
- Identifying different note-taking strategies.
- How to use the academic information you have found in your assessments.
Formats:
Academic Skills Workshops
Elevate your skills and knowledge with us!
This is a great place to start if you want to:
- Improve your study and research skills
- Develop your IT and digital skills
- Focus on your maths and numeracy.
Workshops are added regularly, so keep checking back to see what's new!
Related topics
Try out some of our other resources.