Finding information

Learn about the benefits that developing good information searching skills can bring.

 

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

Module reading lists

What is covered:

  • What module reading lists are.
  • How to access them.
  • How to use the information you find in your module reading list to help you complete your 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

A screenshot of the Academic Skills Workshops portal

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.