Your foundation Year

Discover the study, information and digital IT skills you'll need during your foundation year at University.

 

 

1. Get Ready

Learning at University

What is covered:

  • Understand your learning preferences.
  • The difference between surface and deep learning.
  • Different ways of thinking about and approaching your learning and how to develop a learning mindset.

Formats:

IT Essentials at Salford

What is covered:

  • Learn how to get connected to the IT systems, services and resources at Salford including the Student Hub, Blackboard and Microsoft 365 and its tools.

Formats:

2. Finding Information

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:

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:

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:

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:

3. Referencing and Academic Integrity

Academic integrity in assessment

What is covered:

  • What academic integrity is and why it is important.
  • How to avoid plagiarism when referring to the work and ideas of others.
  • When collaboration becomes collusion.

Introduction to referencing

What is covered:

  • What referencing is and why it is important.
  • Types of information you need to reference.
  • How to identify what you are referencing.

Creating references using APA 7th edition

What is covered:

  • What the APA 7th style looks like in your work.
  • How to use in-text citations.
  • What your reference list is for.
  • How to format you references.

4. Developing your Academic Skills

Understanding your assessment brief

What is covered:

  • The different parts of the assessment brief.
  • Using your assessment brief to plan and complete your assessments.
  • Where to get help if you don't understand the assignment brief.

Approaching your assessments: Six steps to success

What is covered:

  • Analysing the task and planning your research​.
  • Finding and evaluating information​.
  • Reading and note-taking​.
  • Planning and writing​.
  • Editing and submitting.​
  • Using feedback.
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 writing tips

What is covered:

  • Using an appropriate style for academic writing.
  • Writing objectively and with caution.
  • Showing the connections between your ideas.
  • The importance of drafting and editing.
Formats:

5. Additional Support