Academic Success

We teach classes on a wide range of topics that give you information and advice about studying at university. These include classes on assignment planning and note-making, critical analysis and academic writing, using maths and statistics in your assignments, and doing research and writing for your dissertation.

Our classes run regularly throughout the year and are taught either on campus, or online via Microsoft Teams.

We hold drop-ins throughout the week where you can come and ask questions about your assignment preparation and writing. 

Drop-ins are great for quick queries, or for help with specific aspects of your assignment planning and writing. You will be seen individually, and tutors can spend up to 30 minutes with you discussing your work. They will also advise on using our self-study resources or booking appointments if needed.

You can book an appointment with your Librarian via LJMU Assist for one-to-one subject specialist advice on searching, referencing and EndNote.

You can also book an online appointment with one of the Librarians for general guidance on Harvard Cite Them Right referencing or EndNote Online.

You can book an appointment with an Academic Skills Tutor to get personalised advice on your assignment writing. This can include any aspect of writing an assignment, such as planning and organising your ideas, using critical analysis or developing effective academic writing.

To get advice on using maths in your studies, and all aspects of data analysis and statistics software, you can book an appointment with a Maths and Statistics Tutor.

Appointments are offered in person, online or via email and last up to an hour. Please note that if you book an email appointment you will receive your comments from the tutor by the end of that working day.

Referencing your assignments

Cite Them Right is an online resource covering the different referencing styles used at LJMU, including Harvard, OSCOLA and APA. It includes online tutorials and a ‘You try’ function to practice your style.

Reference management software

EndNote is a reference management tool that can help you collect, save, store and organise key references into a personal library. Enrol on the EndNote Canvas course for more information and guidance. 

For further help with Referencing or Reference Management you can make an appointment with a Librarian via LJMU Assist.

We have lots of self-study resources and guides that can help you to do well in your academic assessments. These include videos, presentations, handy guides and self-assessments on a wide range of academic skills.

You can find most of our resources on your Academic Success Canvas course which is already on your Canvas dashboard. To get there directly from this page, select the link below which relates to your faculty:

• Faculty of HITS: Academic Success Canvas course
• Faculty of Society and Culture: Academic Success Canvas course

We also have a range of Maths and Statistics learning resources including guidance on using statistical software like Excel, SPSS, NVivo and R, as well as advice on overcoming maths anxiety and refining your knowledge of key maths areas. To see these resources go to the Maths and Stats: Academic Success Canvas course.

And if you still want more, we recommend having a look at the online learning platform Skills for Study, which offers advice on time management, working in groups and referencing. Or try exploring LinkedIn Learning which has videos and training guides on a whole range of topics, including Academic Skills.

The Academic Success tutors have developed a selection of Academic Skills teaching resources related to different aspects of academic skills and assessment literacy.

Each resource is a standalone class accompanied by a full lesson plan and teaching notes. These explain the rationale behind our approach to learning development and guide you to deliver the class. There is also a short lesson plan if you prefer would prefer a quick overview.

You can use the resources in a number of ways:

• take and teach them as they are
• adapt them to your subject context and student needs
• integrate parts into your own class or throughout your programme (recommended)
• use as inspiration for your own lesson planning to embed academic skills development

If you would like The Academic Success Tutors to collaborate with you or offer advice on embedding learning development into your module, assessment, or class design, email us at success@ljmu.ac.uk and we would be happy to meet you.