Contact us
- Learning Skills Unit
- E: learningskills@mq.edu.au
Free workshops and resources
All currently enrolled Macquarie University students are welcome to attend.
The Learning Skills Unit runs free workshops to develop your academic skills, suitable for all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students. See below for the workshop schedule. Find out more about what each Learning Skills workshop covers below in the Workshop descriptions section.
Higher degree research candidates can also attend the HDR Learning Skills events.
2021 Session 1 Workshop Calendar
Week 11 Exam preparation
All workshops this session will be conducted via Zoom.
| Date | Workshop Title | Time | Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 20 May | Exam strategies | 2pm – 3pm | Register Now |
All workshop recordings are now available on StudyWISE in iLearn.
Week 1
| Date | Workshop Title | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 22 Feb | Getting started with academic writing | 2pm – 3pm |
| Tue 23 Feb | Reading effectively | 11am – 12pm |
| Tue 23 Feb | Referencing essentials | 2pm – 3pm |
| Wed 24 Feb | Avoiding common plagiarism errors | 11am – 12pm |
| Wed 24 Feb | Taking charge of your study | 2pm – 3pm |
| Thu 25 Feb | Taking better notes | 11am – 12pm |
| Thu 25 Feb | Writing critically | 2pm – 3pm |
| Fri 26 Feb | Writing clear sentences | 11am – 12pm |
Week 2
All workshops this session will be conducted via Zoom.
| Date | Workshop Title | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 1 Mar | Essay structure | 2pm – 3pm |
| Tue 2 Mar | Developing your essay argument | 11am – 12pm |
| Tue 2 Mar | Paraphrasing effectively | 2pm – 3pm |
| Wed 3 Mar | APA referencing | 11am – 12pm |
| Wed 3 Mar | Constructing effective paragraphs | 2pm – 3pm |
| Thu 4 Mar | Making your writing more academic | 11am – 12pm |
| Thu 4 Mar | Analysing assignment questions to improve your marks | 2pm – 3pm |
Week 4
All workshops this session will be conducted via Zoom.
| Date | Time | Workshop Title |
|---|---|---|
| Tue 16 Mar | 2pm – 3pm | AGLC4: Referencing in law |
| Thu 18 Mar | 11am – 12.30pm | Selecting and evaluating academic sources (advanced) |
Mid-session break study and assignment help
One-on-one consultations to discuss your uni assignment writing with a WriteWISE Leader online are available from 12pm to 3pm every day, or chat with Studiosity and/or upload your assignment for feedback. Find all the details and links on our Getting Help with Your Assignment page.
To get help with researching or finding academic sources, Chat online with a Librarian using the Chat now button on the Library page.
Workshop descriptions
Check out the workshop topics and descriptions. Most workshops will suit coursework students at all levels.
Skills for academic study
Exam strategies
Exams are coming – but don't panic! This workshop covers:
- setting up a study plan
- revision strategies
- approaching different types of questions
- taking online exams.
Reading effectively
Finding it hard to locate the main points in the readings? Not sure how to read critically? Worried about the large amount of reading you have to do? This hands-on workshop will cover:
- strategies for managing your reading load
- techniques for locating key ideas in academic texts
- questions to help you think critically as you read.
Taking better notes
Why take notes when lectures, PowerPoints and readings are available online? In this workshop, you'll:
- learn why note-taking is an important skill for learning and exam revision
- review basic skills for note-taking
- consider which note-taking format suits your purpose
- discuss strategies and tools for digital note-taking.
Taking charge of your study
Realising your potential is about study smarter! Do you want to read effectively, take better notes, and prepare productively? This session will give you strategies to manage your study load and maximise your learning.
Researching and referencing
AGLC4: Referencing in Law
Are you worried about using the AGLC4? This workshop, presented by law librarians, explains the mysteries of legal citation. You'll learn:
- how to use the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (Fourth Edition) effectively
- the main features of legal citation that you need to be familiar with.
APA referencing
APA is one of the most common referencing styles at university. In this nuts-and-bolts-workshop you'll learn how to:
- use in-text referencing (citation) in APA style
- construct an accurate reference list in APA style.
Avoiding common plagiarism errors
Plagiarism in your assignments can result in lower marks and academic penalties. Come to this workshop to find out:
- what plagiarism is
- the most common types
- how to acknowledge sources correctly to avoid plagiarism.
Paraphrasing effectively to express your ideas
What is paraphrasing and how do you use it in your writing? Through examples and practice activities, this workshop will:
- demonstrate the difference between quoting, summarising and paraphrasing
- cover key strategies for paraphrasing
- show how to distinguish between your 'voice' and sources you've paraphrased in your academic writing.
Referencing essentials
Has it been a long time since you've had to reference? Or is it your first time to do referencing? Learn key principles that will enable you to cite effectively and create an accurate reference list. Practice activities are included.
Selecting and evaluating academic sources (advanced)
Many assignments require you to find information beyond your class readings. But how do you find information, and how do you know whether it's appropriate? This workshop will explain:
- basic search strategies
- advice for evaluating academic sources
- ways to manage research for coursework assignments.
Assessments, writing and academic language
Analysing assignment questions to improve your marks
A common problem at university is understanding assignment questions. Don't lose marks because you don’t fully understand what you have to do! This workshop covers how to:
- analyse assignment questions
- understand different kinds of assignment questions
- produce appropriate responses to get better marks.
Constructing effective paragraphs
Have you ever received the feedback that your ideas are not clear? Express your ideas more effectively with well-organised paragraphs. This practical workshop will cover:
- common problems with student paragraph writing
- strategies to effectively highlight your main ideas
- strategies to relate your supporting sentences to your main ideas.
Developing your essay argument
Have you received marker’s feedback saying that your essay does not have an argument? This workshop will cover:
- what is an argument?
- how do I formulate an argument?
- what makes an argument strong?
Essay structure
Your essay needs a solid structure to showcase your arguments. This workshop will cover:
- steps in essay writing
- basic essay structure
- how to present your ideas in an organised, logical way.
Getting started with academic writing
If you are new to writing at the university level, this introductory workshop will give you an overview of the features and requirements of academic writing. You’ll learn about:
- the different types of academic writing
- academic style
- the structure of academic texts
- what it means to write critically.
Making your writing more academic
Academic writing does NOT mean you have to write long, complicated sentences. In this workshop you'll:
- find out what makes writing 'academic'
- review common conventions of academic writing
- practise academic writing style using simple examples.
Writing clear sentences
Do you get feedback that your sentences are confusing or unclear? This activity-based workshop will review five strategies you can use to make your writing more readable.
Writing critically
From your first week at uni you'll be told how important it is to think critically. How do you demonstrate this in your writing? This workshop will:
- show examples of descriptive vs critical writing
- provide important strategies for writing critically
- give you practice at identifying critical analysis in written texts.