Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start on an assignment, how to study for exams, or the best way to develop your writing or other academic skills. The Student Learning Development team have produced some excellent online resources to help you with a wide range of common tasks and also recommends web-based resources developed by our team and other services at the University of Otago. Browse through our list of online resources below:
Achieve the result you want. A Guide to Student Learning Development services (PDF)
Study skills
Booklets
- Checklists for success (PDF)
- What can I do to become a more successful student? (PDF)
- What can I do to prepare for exams? (PDF)
- Preparing for your first year at University (PDF)
- Managing Assessment Anxiety (PDF)
Tip sheets
- Academic Health Check (PDF)
- Academic recovery plan (PDF)
- Are you looking for the answer? (PDF)
- Balancing your workplace, study and home (PDF)
- Checklists for effective study (PDF)
- Exam checklist (PDF)
- Exams: Go for Gold (PDF)
- Forming a study group (PDF)
- Getting started at Uni (PDF)
- How we can help with your assignment (PDF)
- Making the most of your notes (PDF)
- Making the most of your notes – supplement (PDF)
- Motivation matters (PDF)
- Not doing as well as you expected? (PDF)
- Time management (PDF)
- Weekly planner template (PDF)
Other useful links
Check out the University Library Services. Find out how the Library can help with your study and assignments.
The Distance Library Service. If you are a University of Otago Distance student check out this guide to the library services and support available to you.
Writing and language
Booklets
- Guidelines for writing and editing (PDF)
- How can I get a better mark for my essay? (PDF)
- How can I improve my use of the English Language? (PDF)
- Introduction to scientific writing (PDF)
- Planning and writing assignments (PDF)
- What is referencing and why is it important? (PDF)
- Writing a literature review (PDF)
- Setting up a writing group (PDF)
Tip sheets
- Effective reading (PDF)
- Quoting, paraphrasing & summarising (or how to avoid plagiarising) (PDF)
- Preparing for a presentation assignment (PDF)
- Colons and semi-colons (PDF)
- Tenses without the tension (PDF)
- The dreaded apostrophe (PDF)
- The quirky comma (PDF)
- Writing a reflective journal (PDF)
Other useful links
Referencing/Citation Styles. This University of Otago Library web page will provide you with information on citing/referencing and information on which citation style to use for your essay or assignment.
- Ethical use of information
- Information Technology Services student training on such programs as Endnote, Word, PowerPoint, R and SPSS. Offered by Information Technology Services. There is usually a charge to attend.
- A Guide to Email Etiquette An instructional video from McGill University on how to write appropriate emails to academic staff.
- GrammarSmart is an interactive self-study grammar module from the University of Auckland that highlights some common trouble-spots experienced by students.
- The Writer's Diet Test This test identifies some of the sentence-level grammatical features that most frequently weigh down academic prose. It is not designed to judge the overall quality of your writing.
- Writing a legal opinion An interactive resources on writing legal opinions developed by the University of Waikato.
- Write online an interactive resource on writing case studies, lab reports, literature reviews and reflective writing developed by the Universities of Guelph, Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier
Stats and maths
How2statsbook (PDF)
Gignac, G. E. (2019). How2statsbook (Online Edition 1). Perth, Australia: Author.
Other useful links
Mathematics and Statistics subject guides. Use this University of Otago Library guide for information on all aspects of maths and stats.
Khan Academy Maths and Stats A range of mastery-style interactive programs for all levels of ability and covering topics in probability, statistics, arithmetic, algebra, calculus, geometry and trigonometry.
Research and thesis
Booklets
- The Research Journey (PDF)
- Writing a literature review (PDF)
- Setting up a writing group (PDF)
Tip sheets
- Guidelines for conducting interviews (PDF)
- How can you improve your written English for writing a thesis? (PDF)
- 10 strategies for a successful research journey (PDF)
Other useful links
Check out the University of Otago Library services for postgraduate students
- Graduate Research School workshops
- Graduate Research Services Support for Doctoral Candidates This is a Blackboard website. You will need to be an enrolled doctoral candidate to access it.
- Information Technology Services student training on such programs as Endnote, Word, PowerPoint, R and SPSS. Offered by Information Technology Services. There is usually a charge to attend.
- Services for Postgraduates: Information on skills and classes offered at the library, including subject guides and contact information for the Subject Librarians.
- Academic Phrasebank: The Academic Phrasebank is a general resource for academic writers. It aims to provide you with examples of some of the phraseological ‘nuts and bolts’ of writing organised according to the main sections of a research paper or dissertation
- Designing Conference Posters This website covers the various steps to designing and presenting effective conference posters, provides free Powerpoint templates, and gives tips on avoiding common mistakes.
