You will be expected to complete different types of university assignments. While the academic essay is the most common written assignment, you may also be asked to write reports, literature reviews, journals, and research proposals.
Remember, writing is developmental and everyone continues to learn new writing skills. You learn through the very act of writing, and the more conscious you are of what you are doing when you write, the better you will write and learn (Crème and Lea, 2003, p.179).
Our academic writing skills workshops help you understand the expectations of Victoria's staff. They will also give you useful writing strategies. They are held in the SLSS Seminar Room, Level 0, Kirk Building, Kelburn.
Academic Writing
These two-hour workshops are useful for getting started with your assignments. You will learn about the essay wriitng process as well as essay structure.
| Day | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | Tuesday | 13 March | 10-11.50am |
| Wednesday | 14 March | 9-10.50am | |
| Tuesday | 20 March | 2.10-4pm | |
| Wednesday | 28 March | 10-10.50am | |
| Trimester 2 | Wednesday | 25 July | 10-11.50am |
| Thursday | 9 August | 1.10-3pm |
This three-hour session will be an extended version of the two-hour workshops above. It is offered in Trimester One. To register for this Saturday workshop, phone Student Learning Support Service at 04-4635999, or register online Sign up now.
| Day | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 10 March | 9am-12noon |
Starting Essays
Come and learn strategies to understand what is being asked in an essay question so you can research efficiently. This session also focuses on thinking and planning, important skills for developing your argument and writing a successful university essay.
| Day | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | Thursday | 29 March | 11-11.50am |
| Thursday | 26 April | 10-10.50am | |
| Trimester 2 | Monday | 30 July | 10-10.50am |
| Tuesday | 13 August | 1.10-2pm |
Planning and Organising an Essay
Planning helps clarify the main ideas for essay writing. The structure and sequence of the essay must be logical and analytical, and the evidence must demonstrate an understanding of the topic. This workshop will explore the various parts of an organised essay.
| Day | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | Tuesday | 24 April | 2.10-3pm |
| Monday | 7 May | 1.10-2pm |
Editing and Proofreading
Learn ideas for problem solving and editing your essay to turn a draft into a polished final copy.
| Day | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | Wednesday | 9 May | 9-9.50am |
Referencing
Referencing is an important skill for university writing. To make sure you reference correctly, come and learn some core referencing skills.
| Day | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | Tuesday | 27 March | 1.10-2pm |
| Monday | 2 April | 12-12.50noon | |
| Trimester 2 | Tuesday | 7 August | 1.10-2pm |
Smarter Writing Tips
This session will be useful for you to come and ask about any academic writing issues you have.
| Day | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | Wednesday | 2 May | 2.10-3pm |
For enquires, contact SLSS by phone 04-463 5999 or by email student-learning@vuw.ac.nz.