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​​​​​​The Academic Skills team.

We advise undergraduates, postgraduates and staff on a range of skills, from assignment planning and structuring essays to critical thinking and dissertation preparation and writing.  We constantly look for new ways to provide support, and to reach those rarely (if ever) on campus, including distance learners and global online students. In addition to academic skills teaching, we facilitate peer assisted learning (PAL) projects in several programmes. Email academicskills@napier.ac.uk to find out more.

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Programme integrated academic skills.

Ad hoc workshops tailored to specific module assessments can be provided, but we find it most productive to work alongside programme and subject leads to establish skills ‘development journeys’ to aid student transitions from the first year they join us to their last (including level 12):


  • Level 7 skills can be introduced in core year 1 modules; level 8 skills in year 2, and so on.
  • Sk​ills sessions preparing students for specific module assessments can be provided in relevant weeks.
  • Sess​ions can be timetabled to aid direct-entrant transitions.
  • ​​​Ses​sions can be tailored and revised to support specific cohorts.



Programme integrated academic skills example.

 

Year 1, Tri 1: Analysing & planning assignmentsYear 1, tri 1: Academic Essays (or Lab reports) structure & style; Undertanding & using feedback.Year 1, Tri 2: e.g. Reflection/reflective writingYear 1 Tri 2: Exam Preparation

Year 1, Tri 1: Librarian: Using the library; Academic Skills: note-making.

Year 2 Tri 1: Critical reading/analysis of sources (& critical note-making)Year 2, Tri 1: Improving Exam Technique/Essay & Exam answers.Year 2, Tri 2: e.g. Planning & Delivering presentations.

Year 3, Tri 1: e.g. group work.Year 3, Tri 2: e.g. Research proposals.Year 3, Tri 2: Librarian: Advanced Lit searching.Year 3, Tri 2: Literature reviewing for dissertations.

Year 4, Tri 1: Various dissertation/final project sessions e.g. formulating your own discussion.Year 4, tri 2: Editing and polishing your dissertation.

PG tri 1: Critical reading/analysis of sources (& critical note-making)PG, tri 2: e.g. research proposalsPG, tri 2: Librarian: advanced Lit searching.PG, Tri 2: Literature reviewing for dissertations.


Integrating sessions across modules and years helps students unable to engage with our open service and self-study resources (see below) to develop the skills they need by increments, where and when you feel relevant in your programme. To discuss how this might work for you, contact the Academic Skills adviser for your programme via academicskills@napier.ac.uk.

 

Online learning resources.

We’ve produced and gathered together a range of resources to introduce students to the skills required for university level study and help build upon their existing experience and abilities. Our blog, skills sheets, and library of short videos cover everything from ‘Understanding and using feedback’ to ‘Writing the perfect paragraph’.

 

Open workshops and one-to-one student appointments

Our pr​ogramme of li​ve workshops, on campus and online, runs throughout the session for students from all schools and levels. Details and booking instructions for these and our one-to-one appointments (online and on campus) can be found on our myNapier pages.

 

From college to univer​​sity.​

The Academic Skills team supports direct entry students within integrated programmes and individually though our open service and materials. If you are an academic interested in how we can help students on your module or programme, please arrange a meeting with your subject’s Academic Skills adviser: academicskills@napier.ac.uk. Further support for new students from college can be found on myNapier.

 

Academic integrity and student misconduct​.

Academic Conduct Officers can find up-to-date information on referring students to Academic Integrity tutorials in the Student Conduct Regulations or by emailing  academicintegrity@napier.ac.uk. Advice to help your students avoid academic misconduct issues is available on our dedicated myNapier pages and by attending our open workshops and appointments.​

 


 

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