Meaning can be conveyed with graphs, tables and diagrams as well as words. This is particularly the case with scientific writing. This Quick Click will introduce you to the fundamentals on how to represent information to its best advantage to support your research.
QC Constructing graphs, tables and diagrams
Feedback is an important way in which a lecturer communicates with a student about their learning. This Quick Click highlights how feedback is important and how you can make the most of feedback on one piece of work to improve the next.
QC Making the most of feedback
Blogs and wikis are gaining popularity as tools through which to reflect your learning journey. This Quick Click offers a few approaches you can use. It also explores some of the ways in which these tools might be assessed.
QC Reflective writing in blogs and wikis
Word Order in English is important because it can alter the meaning of a sentence. This resource will help you to make decisions in writing to help you say what you really want to say when you write.
QC Word Order
Group work is a commonly assessed activity at UniSA. The unique thing about doing group presentations at UniSA is that a high level of cooperation between group members is required. Sometimes, the group members are complete strangers! There are some useful steps to follow to help the process run smoothly.
QC Planning a group presentation
Abstracts, the introductions and the conclusions all seem to require you to include similar details but each needs to be written differently because they all have different purposes.
Abstracts, introductions and conclusions are useful for thesis and report writing.
QC Writing abstracts, introductions and conclusions for a thesis or report
Analysing questions is an important first step when tackling your assignment tasks. If you are not clear on what you are expected to do in your assignment you could waste a lot of time and receive a poor mark for your assignment because you ‘didn’t answer the question’.
QC Analysing questions
The apostrophe is used in two ways: as a deleting mark to abbreviate or shorten words (where letters or a letter has been omitted) and to show possession.
QC Punctuation marks - the apostrophe (')
Capital letters were traditionally used to show ‘respect’ for particular words, and as a result, they have an important place in written English.
QC Punctuation marks - capital letters
A semicolon is a separation mark indicating a break longer than a comma; but not as long or as final as a full stop. These can be difficult to get correct so may be best avoided if possible.
QC Punctuation marks - semicolons (;) and colons (:)
Commas are separation marks and are used to indicate a short break in a sentence. The current accepted style is to use them as little as possible and only when they are needed to help the reader understand the meaning more clearly. If you read your work aloud you will be able to hear a slight pause where you should make a break with a comma in your writing.
QC Punctuation marks - commas (,)
Directive word or words such as ‘analyse’, ‘discuss’ or ‘compare’ tell you what kind of ‘job’ you need to do in your essay. It is important that you clearly understand this. A list of commonly used directive words and an interpretation of what they mean appears below.
QC Commonly used directive words
Before you hand in any assignment it is important that you carefully edit it. This means checking it on a number of levels from correct grammar and punctuation to ensuring you have answered the question fully. Use the checklists below before submitting.
QC Editing your own work
Identifying the family name (surname) in English names is important in academic work at Australian universities for writing an accurate reference list for assignments.
QC Recognising family names in English
The feedback on your assignments can help you improve your work and gain a greater understanding of your subject area. By actively using the feedback you can improve your academic performance.
QC Making the most of feedback
Full stops or periods are separation marks. They are used to help the reader make sense of a written text by announcing a break in a thought. If you read your work aloud you will be able to hear a pause where you should make a break with a full stop in the writing.
QC Full stops
When writing academic English you are often asked not to use ‘I’, ‘the author’ or ‘one’ when referring to yourself as the writer, or to use ‘you’ when referring to your reader. This also extends to not using ‘we’ or ‘us’ when referring to yourself and your reader. The reason is that traditionally academic writers try to be as objective as possible when presenting their ideas and information. This includes not making an emotional appeal to their readers and keeping some distance between themselves and their readers. Not using ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘we’ etc helps to achieve this distance.
QC Avoiding 'I'
If you are preparing to sit the IELTS or another language test for the purposes of immigration or entry to higher education it is important that you focus your attention on two aspects: improving your general level of English language so that you can function successfully in an English language environment and familiarising yourself with the test.
QC IELTS Test preparation
Introductions and conclusions are essential for most of your assignments. You usually use about 10% of the full word allowance for the introduction and the same for the conclusion.
QC Introductions and conclusions
It is important to link words and phrases to integrate them into cohesive writing. The following words and phrases can be used to connect pieces of information in your writing.
QC Linking words
Active listening in lectures enables you to engage with the content and to understand, remember and recall what you have heard. It is easier to listen actively if you are on time for the lecture and if you sit in a place where you can see and hear clearly. Research has shown that there are several factors that affect listening in lectures.
QC Listening in lectures
Paraphrasing, that is, being able to present the ideas and information that you read in your own words, is an important skill in your university studies.
QC Paraphrasing
Each paragraph in an essay should contain one idea or cover one aspect relevant to the main point. Follow these steps to build a paragraph of your own.
QC Paragraph writing
Question marks are separation marks which are used to show when a direct question has been asked.
QC Question marks
Critical or analytical reading enables you to engage with the text and create deep meaning through a variety of processes. These processes include an initial appraisal of the text, followed by answering of key questions allowing you to process the reading at several levels of analysis, followed by recording your thoughts and responses.
QC Reading critically and analytically
Learning is an active process that involves developing a full understanding and meaning of concepts and theories. Often a partial understanding comes from reading the textbook, lecture notes, study guide and practical notes (termed ‘passive’ learning). However, you can create a more effective understanding ...
QC Remembering your work
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