Category Archives: Study Advice and Maths Support

University of Reading June Open Days

Posted on by
Library building on a clear sunny day with hedge in the foreground.

Make sure to drop by the Library during your Open Day visit!

The Library will be welcoming Open Day visitors on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June. Have you registered yet? If not, make sure to head over to our Open Days webpage to find out more.    

Throughout our Open Days, prospective students and their families are encouraged to visit the Library building. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff and Student Ambassadors will be on hand to answer questions and queries and provide in-person tours. Self-guided tours are also available for those who want to explore at their own pace. 

 While you’re here, make sure you check out: 

  • Study spaces: Whether you’re collaborating on a group project or prefer to study alone, we have a range of spaces to suit your needs. From bookable group study rooms to silent study spaces, you can be sure of finding your new favourite spot. 
  • Wide range of print resources: Explore our vast selection of print books and journals spanning across three floors. 
  • Study Advice desk: Learn about our Study Advisers and how they can help you get better results and discover how our Academic Liaison Librarians can help with your subject-specific queries. 

If you need to refuel, don’t forget to stop at the Library Café before exploring the rest of our beautiful campus. 

Out of time but still want to see the Library? Watch one of our self-paced tours to learn more at your leisure. 

No matter what you choose to study, the Library is ready to welcome you. Come and visit and find out how to make the most of your studies at the University of Reading. 

We look forward to seeing you. 

  

  

Your Library Team  

Using the Library over summer vacation

Posted on by

With the end of term and the beginning of summer vacation, there are a few changes coming to the Library. 

The Library building behind a green lawn

Opening hours 

Summer term will end on Friday 9 June, which means our opening hours will be changing too. Between 10 June – 17 September, we’ll be open between 08:30 – 17:00 during weekdays. The Library will be closed at the weekends except for our three Summer Saturdays on 15 July, 12 August and 16 September. If you’re returning Library materials outside of these hours, the external Book Drop is always open and can be found to the right of the main entrance. 

Vacation loans

If you’re an undergraduate or taught postgraduate student, you can borrow items for the whole summer without needing to renew, as long as your course doesn’t end before 26 September 2023. Find out more on our ‘Borrowing over the summer’ blog. 

Continued support from your Academic Liaison Librarian and the Study Advice Team 

Although the Library opening hours may have changed, your Academic Liaison librarians and Study advisors are still here to support you over the summer. Why not book a 1-2-1 appointment or check out the range of resources on our website? 

If you have any questions during the summer vacation, you can contact us at library@reading.ac.uk or call on 0118 378 8770.  

Enjoy the summer! 

 

 

Your Library Team 

Preparing for online exams? Follow our top 5 study tips

Posted on by

Retro photo of Reading students sitting examsLike many students, you may be experiencing a new type of exam this year: the ‘online exam’. In due course, you’ll be informed about what this means for your course and we urge you to follow the advice your lecturers give you. Below are our Study Advice tips about revising and preparing for this form of assessment

Tip #1: Revise as you would normally

Right now, you should be revising as you would normally for your modules. Make a revision timetable (see video) and start going over the content. You won’t have long between having the paper and submitting your answer. So now is the time to reflect on what you’ve learnt. It’s also important that you revise according to the type of exam you’re taking: we have videos covering all types of exams, from MCQs to essay-based exams, to help guide you.

Tip #2: Practise active revision

Make your revision as active as possible using a variety of techniques: make an online study group with friends, mind map the content, use post-it notes and revision cards to test key concepts. Whilst your exams may be in a different form to some previous years, you can still make effective use of past papers to test your understanding and application of knowledge. Above all, don’t waste time re-writing out your notes or just reading through content; these are passive techniques and are unlikely to help!

Tip #3: Be organised

It’s likely that you won’t have long to submit your answers, once you are given the paper. Make sure you create a system for organising your notes on any particular subject; you’re going to want to access the most relevant information as quickly as you can.

Tip #4: Watch for unintentional plagiarism and collusion

It’s OK to revise with others (in fact this can be an effective way of testing yours and your friend’s understanding) but once you have been issued with the paper, it’s important that you work on it alone. You will be asked to submit your work through Turnitin, which will match your work with others that have been submitted, as well as information from the internet, books and journals. Make sure it’s all your own work, as you would for any other assessment.

Tip #5: Prepare for the day

You may be given a set time to sit the exam and submit your answers. Make sure you are fully prepared beforehand by:

  • Ensuring you have somewhere quiet to work, where you won’t be disturbed
  • Checking you have the technology you need: access to Bb, Turnitin and Wifi
  • Having access to all the material you need. I’d also suggest a clock to ensure you’re keeping on track
  • Ensuring you fully understand the format of the exam, how you are being asked to submit answers and have done any trial runs that have been made available to you

Good luck!

Spring into a new term

Posted on by
Image of Library exterior in sunlight

Find out how the Library can support you in your studies

 

Happy New Year! Are you gearing up for success this term?  Your Library team looks forward to continuing to support you with your studies so bookmark these pages to really get going. 

Whether you need advice or simply want to improve your chances of getting excellent results, our Academic Liaison Librarians and the Study Advisers will be happy to help. Visit our training and workshops webpage for details of the sessions that you can sign up for this term. 

How are you finding our study areas? Study space is available on all floors of the Library, including individual silent study on the 5th Floor. If you’re concerned about noise levels, please use our NOISYCHAT service and help us keep our dedicated silent area silent.   

Want to know more about booking a group study room? Watch our YouTube video (or watch on Yuja) and also see our Instagram tour to discover your favourite space.  

We have over 1,500 study spaces in the Library. This term we’ll be getting much busier so at peak times, you might want to know where else you can find study space. Visit Student essentials to find out about other spaces on campus.  

Last term, we saw a significant increase in littering. We’d really appreciate your help with keeping the building clean and tidy this term. You can do this by eating in the Library Café or other suitable areas on campus. Eating is not allowed in the Library and hot food should not be brought in at any time as it creates unpleasant smells and disrupts other Library users. Please continue to use lidded containers when bringing in drinks and take care to avoid spills. We have fantastic recycling facilities for single use cups, plastic bottles and other items so if you aren’t already an avid recycler, our handy facilities can help you begin.  

Remember to bring your Campus Card with you and keep it with you when visiting the Library. It’s really important that we know who is in the building for health and safety purposes; scanning your card in and out helps us to keep you, your peers and other Library users safe.  

More information about the Library rules and policies can be found here.  

 

Your Library Team 

Wondering how you can get the most out of your lectures? Follow our quick tips:

Posted on by

students in a lecture theatre image

So, we’re now a few weeks into the term and students have been asking us how to ensure they get the most out of their lectures without spending hours refining their notes or worrying that they may have missed some vital information. Here’s some tips from your friendly Study Advice team:

1. Before the lecture

To get the most out of lectures you should prepare beforehand.

  • Do some pre reading – if you have been given some reading for the lecture, read it beforehand. You might also want to look at the outline of the lecture and get an overview of the topic from the web or a core textbook. If you have subject terminology to get your head around, putting together a glossary of terms will help you follow the lecture. The more knowledge you have when you attend the lecture, the more you will get out of it.
  • Check out the slides – you should be given access to the slides before the lecture. Do have a quick look through so you know what will be covered. You can use this in conjunction with your reading to identify any sections you particularly want to listen out for.
  • Prepare for your note taking – decide whether you want to take notes online or on paper. You should use the slides to help you. Either printing them off with 3 slides and notes on a page, or consider saving them in a folder, if you wish to take notes electronically.

During the lecture

In the lecture be prepared to listen and engage.

  • Have the slides ready for you to take notes on and be prepared to listen, actively engage and think. This will all help to develop your understanding.
  • Take a note of your thoughts. You don’t need to take notes of everything that is said – instead, add your thinking to the slides and examples that have helped your understanding. What questions have been raised? And what are your thoughts? Many lectures give the opportunity for you to ask these questions and they’ll also be useful for the seminars that follow.

After the lecture

Allocate time to do some thinking and filing

  • Review your notes. As soon as possible after the lecture, spend a bit of time thinking about what you learnt. Skim over your notes and fill in any gaps with the recommended reading.
  • Create a summary. You might want to create a summary note which you can attach (or file) alongside the lecture slides. You could use a spider diagram or something like the Cornell approach.
  • File away your notes -either using carefully labelled online folders or a lever arch file and dividers – so you can find them easily when you need them for assessments.

To find out more about making the most out of lectures and seminars, check out our guide and attend our weekly webinars, including on managing your reading and notetaking on 19th October.

Upcoming University of Reading Open Days

Posted on by
Image of Library exterior in sunlight

Come and visit the centrepiece of the campus

The Library will be welcoming visitors for Open Days on Saturday 8 and Saturday 15 October 2022. Have you registered yet?

Make the most of visiting the Library, get to know our spaces and learn more about what’s available. Our teams of friendly, knowledgeable staff and University Student Ambassadors will be on hand throughout the day to answer questions, provide in-person tours and help you take full advantage of your Open Day visit. 

Check out our:

  • Study spaces: Whether you are collaborating on a group project or prefer to study alone, we have a range of spaces to suit your needs. From bookable group study rooms to silent study spaces, you can be sure of finding your new favourite spot.
  • Wide range of print resources: Explore our vast selection of print books and journals spanning across three floors.
  • Study Advice desk: Learn about our Study Advisers and how they can help you get better results and discover how our Academic Liaison Librarians can help with your subject-specific queries.

Or, if you need to refuel, why not stop at the Library Café before exploring the rest of the campus?

Out of time but still want to see the Library? Watch one of our self-paced tours to learn more about the Library in your own time.

No matter what you choose to study, the Library is ready to welcome you. Come and visit, and find out how we can support you..

We look forward to seeing you.

 

Your Library team

Library open Saturday 16 July

Posted on by
Image of person with rucksack walking through library aisle

We’ve got a wide range of resources. Why not come have a look? Image by Redd from Unsplash

 

During summer vacation, the Library is open on 3 Saturdays 8:30 – 17:00. This Saturday, 16 July, will be the first of these, so why not come for a visit? 

Examine our vast range of print materials, find out a bit about the e-resources that we provide access to,  and explore the array of study spaces available to find your perfect spot. If you have a Library membership, you can still borrow via the Self-Service Points, and our friendly staff will be available to answer your questions. 

We won’t be able to deal with 1-to-1 subject enquiries but information and guidance remains available via our Study Advice and our Subject resources and guidance webpages.  

Please be aware that the IT help desk and the Library Café will not be open during this time. 

We look forward to seeing you. 

 

Your Library Team

Book your place for the Masters Dissertation Fair this week!

Posted on by

Purple background shows image of a student studying. Text reads Masters dissertation fair, 6-10 June, Booking now!Wondering about how to start researching and writing your Masters dissertation or project?  Why not book onto the Masters Dissertation Fair that’s being run by our Academic Liaison and Study Advice team?

Choose from a selection of different webinars, workshops and drop-ins running this week until Friday 10 June offering advice on all elements of your dissertation planning, researching, and writing.

For more information on each session and to book, take a look at our Masters Dissertation Fair Guide

Our friendly sessions include topics such as:

  • Managing your dissertation project
  • Overcoming writer’s block
  • Critical writing
  • Systematic literature searching
  • Finalising your research question
  • Writing your literature review
  • Literature searching tips
  • Finding information beyond the UoR Library
  • Reference management tools
  • Writing your discussion

More help available

You can also book a 1-2-1 session with a Study Adviser, who can offer advice to enable you to manage your project, write critically and ensure academic integrity and your Academic Liaison Librarian who can support you with researching and accessing the material you need and how to reference it correctly. And for those that prefer self-paced online resources, we have a suite of videos and guides on dissertations, major projects and literature reviews.

Remember, you can always discover key resources in your subject area in the liaison team’s guides and use our guide for Taught Postgraduates.

Academic Liaison Librarians and Study Advisers

Summer term in the Library

Posted on by

The start of Summer term signals a new chapter for the Library.

This term, the Library can provide both 24-hour access and full seating capacity – that means 1500 study spaces available!

Students studying at one of the large tables in the Short Loan study area on the Ground Floor of the Library

Short Loan quiet study area on the Ground Floor.

Measures in place throughout the pandemic, such as wearing face coverings and socially distanced study spaces, have been removed. We’ve retained sanitisation stations and lone lift occupancy, and additionally, as part of ongoing good practice, we encourage you to test if you’re feeling unwell and to follow University guidance on attending campus. 

 

What’s available from the Library this term? 

We close at 21:00 on Saturday evenings and reopen on Sundays at 8:30 for the entire term. 

  • Bank holidays included!

We’ll be open throughout the bank holidays (Monday 2 May, and on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee dates Thursday 2 June and Friday 3 June). Keep an eye on our website for opening hours and information about services. 

  • More choice of study spaces on campus.

As well as providing 1500 study spaces in the Library, URS remains available 8:00 – 18:00 Monday to Friday, as do the 24hr PC labs. See alternative study spaces for further details about other spaces on campus. 

  • Got a quick query? Visit the Study Advice & Maths Support desk.

Visit the desk, on the Ground Floor of the Library, weekdays between 10:00 – 14:00 for quick questions about your studies. You can also find details for your Academic Liaison Librarian on the Library website along with information about forthcoming workshops – online and in-person, 1-2-1 assistance with your studies and more. See the website for further links and details.  

  • Need something else?

Remember, we’re here for you so if you have any questions about your Library account, loans, or anything else to do with the Library services, please get in touch and we’ll help you to stay on track.   

Your Library team

Easter vacation

Posted on by

Friday 25 March is the last day of the Spring term – well done everyone, we made it!

 

Spring flowers by Ali G Rashidi on Unsplash.com

If you’re revising during the Easter vacation, here’s some information that will help you make the most of the Library over the next few weeks.

 

Help and support with your studies

We recently blogged about support for your studies over the forthcoming vacation. The key thing to remember is that, whilst the Study Advice and Maths Support desk is closed (after 14:00 Friday 25 March until 13:00 Tuesday 19 April), you can still get in touch with your Academic Liaison Librarian and Study Advice for assistance with finding resources and getting the best out of your learning.

Over the vacation, except for during the University closure period (Wednesday 13 April to Monday 18 April), questions for Study Advice or your Academic Liaison Librarian, will still be answered – simply get in touch with them by email.

 

Library opening hours

The Library will close for the University Easter closure period at Midnight on Tuesday 12 April and will re-open at 8:30 on Tuesday 19 April. Apart from that, we are open to registered users for study space, Library loans and other services such as assistance with finding materials and managing your Library account. Take a look our opening hours page for more information.

 

Library loans during Easter vacation

Usual policies apply so remember to check your Library account and keep an eye on your University email account for any messages from us, such as Recalls (recalled loans). If we do recall an item that you have on loan, we’ll email you. Renew your items online or contact us at the Library, either way, keep track of your Library account. If you need to return an item but are away on vacation, you can post your items back to us.

 

Using other libraries

If you are away from Reading during the vacation and want to gain access to an alternative University library, you may be able to do so via the SCONUL access scheme. See our Using other libraries webpage for more information about other library services which may be available to you.

Your Library Team

Contacting your Academic Liaison Librarian or Study Adviser over the Easter vacation

Posted on by

From Monday 28 March until Monday 18 April, the Study Advice and Maths Support desk on the Ground floor of the Library (where you ask quick queries about your studies) will be closed.

Over the Easter vacation, (except during the University closure period, Wednesday 13 April until Monday 18 April), if you’ve any questions for your Study Adviser or Academic Liaison Librarian, you can contact us by email and request an online or face-to-face appointment.

Contact your Academic Liaison Librarian – for questions about finding books, journal articles, literature searching, referencing styles or referencing software.

Contact Study Advice – for questions about any aspect of academic skills development such as: structuring your essay, time management, exam revision strategies or understanding assignment feedback.

You will also find lots of help on the Study Advice guides, and in your Library subject guide.

Image of a person taking notes in a note book with post it notes and a laptop also in view.

The Study Advice and Maths Support desk is open until 14:00 on Friday 25 March so if you have a study query that you want to discuss in person before the Easter break, make sure you visit us by then.

 

Kim Coles, Academic Liaison Team Manager & Sonia Hood, Study Advice Manager

Getting ready for the exam season! Top tips from the Study Advice team.

Posted on by

Have you started thinking about exams yet? This year, some exams will continue with the take-home format, while, in some other cases, in-person exams may be returning! Whatever the case may be for your subject, getting organised early is key.

Study Advice is here to help! Check below our top 10 tips for exam success and info on all the additional resources and interactive support we offer:

 

For efficient revision…

 

  1. Make a plan! Check when your exams are scheduled and allow yourself plenty of time for revision in small doses.
  2. Note the format of your exams. Format may differ among different Schools and modules; make sure your information is correct and up to date, so you can prepare accordingly.
  3. Go beyond your lecture notes. You can’t revise everything in detail, so select fewer topics to focus on in more depth. Check your reading list for further reading; think how you’d use what you’ve read to answer a question. Use your module’s revision session to ask questions or clarifications of the module convenor.
  4. Past papers are your friends! Use them to work out how many topics to revise, to practise writing quick plans and timed answers, and to familiarise yourself with exam instructions. Past papers are available at the exams office archive.
  5. Take good care of yourself. Eat healthy meals, sleep properly, and give yourself time off – taking breaks will reinvigorate your brain and increase your efficiency in processing information.

 

On exam day…

 

  1. Read the questions carefully. Don’t just look for familiar key words; check again. You might find the topic you are well prepared for is worded differently.
  2. Use outlines before your start writing. Think about the key points in your answer and dedicate a paragraph to each one. To structure your paragraph, make your point early and clearly, then give your evidence and analysis to support it, and end with a concluding sentence to link the point back to the question.
  3. Work out your timings. Know when you need to move on to the next question. Spend longer on questions worth more marks and allow time for checking. If your exam is not timed, it is still advisable to stick to recommended timing and word count; this will help you understand the scope required to cover and avoid going off topic.
  4. Don’t panic! Under pressured conditions in invigilated, time-bound exams, you may initially feel you don’t know enough; go over the question again and put down in a list what you do know. If you go blank, take a few deep breaths and don’t push yourself to remember. Instead, move to a question you can answer and return afterwards. Chances are you will remember when your brain isn’t under pressure.

 

After the exam…

 

  1. Reflect on your experience. What strategies worked well? Use these in your preparation for the following exams.

 

For more tips on exams revision, how to approach different types of questions, exam room strategies, and more, check out our Study Advice exam prep resources.

We are also planning interactive sessions you can join to discuss your questions or practise in exam-room conditions. Book your place via our Webinars and Workshops page.

  • Wednesday 23 March, 2:00pm-3:00pm: Revising for university exams (online)
  • Wednesday 20 April, 1:00pm-2:00pm: Preparing for in-person exams (face to face)
  • Wednesday 20 April, 2:30-4:30pm: Practice exam workshop (face to face)

Best of luck to all!