From A-level to next level: Studying at University
Resources for adapting to higher education, polishing your academic skills and preparing for exams and essays.
Now that welcome week is over, you may be coming to terms with the sobering fact that you are going to have to do some work if you want to stay at Leeds. Studying, essays and exams at university level are a step up from further education, but do not worry. Whatever subject you are studying, whatever your skill level is and however tired you are from the excitement of starting university, we’re here to support you on your journey to independent study and nailing your first assessments.
Studying and assessments
There is no getting around it: you have assignments you need to hand in and ChatGPT can’t do it for you (see below). The Libraries have a range of resources, such as Flying Start and Quick Start, that can help you with the most frequently asked questions about studying and assessments at university.
Referencing
The number one question we get asked about essays is “How do I reference?” Luckily for you, we’ve put together pages making referencing simple and explaining how you can find your school's referencing style.
We also have handy tools you can download, like EndNote and Lean Library, allowing you to collect and save your references as you go.
Reading
First things first. Your reading list is free. You don’t have to buy a single book. We’ve got you covered. You can find all reading lists online.
Once you know what you’re looking for. It’s time to get to grips with Library Search. This is a key skill for finding referencing material in print and online.
And then, you have the arduous task of doing the reading. It’s tougher than it sounds. You have to skim, scan, deep dive and take notes to find what you need. And this time, it’s up to you to work out what authors are saying.
Fortunately, we also have a helpful reading guide.
Essays and exams
Your writing at a university level needs to be clear, focused, structured and supported by relevant evidence and references. You’re going to need to learn a whole new approach to answering essay questions.
The Libraries’ academic writing pages are your guide to navigating pitfalls and mapping out a clear route to getting your writing skills to where they need to be.
The revision and exams page is packed with tips on planning your revision, strategies and techniques, exam preparation and even what to do if it all goes wrong on the big day. Definitely one worth bookmarking as assessments start to creep up.
AI
You probably know AI as Artificial Intelligence. At university, it also stands for Academic Integrity. Basically, what you are and are not allowed to do. The two go hand in hand.
We have academic guidance on how and when you can use AI, and importantly, when you should not. Gen AI is a powerful tool, but it does not have all the answers, and if you use it incorrectly, you could find yourself in a difficult situation
Skills@Library Support
The Skills@Library team offers a range of support to help you transition into the big leagues:
- The Writing Space is an informal space where you can work on essays and get support from our student academic writing mentors. Just drop in and they can help you take your essays from A-level to the next level.
- We have online and in-person workshops covering everything from putting together essays to producing podcasts. Take a look at our workshop calendar and sign up early to make sure you don’t miss out.
- Academic skills appointments with our learning advisors are perfect for getting specialist help on key areas like critical thinking, information searching and time management.
- Our maths and stats support is tailored to help you. This is really useful for you if your course has more mathematics than you expected.
All our Skills@Library support can be found in the new Skills Space on the ground floor of the Laidlaw Library.
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