Library staff are here to help you improve your searching, reading, writing, information management, and referencing skills. Use these library self-help resources to learn more or contact a librarian if you need guidance to strengthen your study skills.

Academic Skills Pocketbook

The Academic Skills Pocketbook is your go-to guide for study skills, academic writing, assignments and more. Get a quick understanding of the most important academic skills you'll need to get started at university or College. The Library has got you covered with this awesome, user-friendly study guide.

Successful Searching

• Constructing a search strategy
• Understanding the different types of information sources
• The Library search box: basic searching skills
• Searching for open access, online and print books
• Searching for journals
• Searching for journal articles
• Searching for audiovisual resources
• Evaluating your information
• Managing your references
• Using information ethically

Successful Searching for Business

• Business Information Essentials: Introduces high quality information sources and professional skills specifically relating to the business disciplinary area.

Successful Searching for Law

• Introduction to Legal Research: Explains legal research principles and terminology. Provides guidance in locating secondary sources, Australian legislation and case law and is particularly relevant to law students.
• AGLC Referencing Tutorial: This interactive tutorial that allows you to practice on real content - Cases, Legislation, Journal articles, Books, Newspapers and Internet Materials.

Study Smart

• The Study Smart site gives you access to a range of self-help resources, including the Assignment Calculator which you can use to plan your assignments

Reading

• Pre-reading Techniques: Pre-reading helps you decide whether a text is relevant for your goals.
• Selective Reading Techniques: Selective reading helps you read academic texts efficiently.

Referencing

• RefQuest: An interactive, monster-fighting game to assist with learning about different referencing styles and when to use them. Created in collaboration with Learning Futures.

Contact a librarian

• Do you have a question? Our Online Librarians are available during Library operational hours
• Our Study Smart Librarians are experts at researching topics, academic writing, understanding referencing styles and more. They can advise you at one-to-one consultations to help you improve your skills and succeed at university.

What is a Study Smart Librarian consultation?

• A one-to-one Librarian session tailored to you
• Get skills support for referencing and citation or search strategies to find the best information for your academic writing.
• Consultations are up to 20 minutes long.

Why should I meet a Study Smart Librarian?

We know managing information overload at the start of university can be really challenging. You may have solved the puzzle of the Western room codes, but where do you begin with your first writing task?

Library staff can guide you in the right direction to essential study resources, tools and services that will keep you organised, save you time and reduce study stress.

When are drop-in consultations available?

Did you know you can visit any of our eight libraries throughout Western Sydney? From 15 August – 20 October. Please note this service will not run during the Intra-session break, 11 – 15 September.

Drop-in consultations are available at:

Not on campus for the drop-in times?

If you’re not on campus at the drop-in times, you can book a

• Zoom appointment with a Study Smart Librarian
• On Campus appointment with a Study Smart Librarian

Study Smart Writing Coaches

Do you need help writing your current assignment? Or have you received feedback on your assignment and feeling unsure on how you can use that feedback to improve?

For a limited time only, Study Smart Writing Coaches will provide you with tailored help so you can feel confident about completing your assignments.

• Book a Zoom consultation with a Study Smart Writing Coach

Studiosity also provides academic skills support and an academic writing feedback service, and you can access Studiosity from any vUWS subject site. Remember, limits apply to your Studiosity usage. See your Studiosity dashboard.