To assist you to develop the writing skills necessary to become a confident and skilled writer, the Student Learning Centre offer the following services:
Study Guides
Tipsheets
Online Tutorials
Workshops
The Student Learning Centre offer a range of workshops that will assist with your writing:
Drop-in Thesis Clinic
If you are a postgraduate student and have a problem with some aspects of your thesis, then the thesis clinic is the place for you. You can discuss any issue related to thinking about your postgraduate research, and planning and writing a thesis. Drop in to the Student Learning Centre on a Thursday at 4pm.
Individual Consultations with a Learning Advisor
If you are an enrolled student, you are welcome to visit the Student Learning Centre in the south-west corner of the Central Library (ISB) Building to discuss any aspect of your study that is causing concern. You can also telephone 479 8801 or e-mail hedc.studentlearning@otago.ac.nz to make an appointment with a Learning Adviser. There are many ways that we can assist you in an individual appointment.
If you are an off-campus student, the same service is available to you through e-mail or a toll-free line: 0800 808 098. (Ask Otago)
Evaluating Information (Te Ara Canterbury)
It is important to identify Good information from Bad information
The video will help you evaluate the information you come across
Evaluating Information (Pdf)
Mind Mapping Apps - Individuals & Teams
Coggle - with this you'll see the central node of a new mind map, with a plus sign to get started adding new nodes and ideas
MindMeister - this tool includes keyboard shortcuts, embeds live videos, adds team members' upvotes, downvotes & leave comments.
Scapple - start with an idea, work "backwards" to find the main idea. Individual nodes will connect by dragging and dropping.
Stormboard - uses sticky notes and index cards, group your notes on different parts of the screen to represent connections.
SimpleMind - click on it to change it to whatever idea you're mind-mapping, click on plus icons to create new branches and nodes.
If you follow a citation style correctly, you will avoid plagiarism and help your reader find your information sources.
Citing Social Media
APA & MLA (Georgia State)
Chicago (Carleton)
Harvard (Bournemouth)
How to Cite a Podcast (MLA, APA, Chicago etc)
These books can help you when you are working on written assignments for art history and theory.
There is software available to help you to keep track of all of the information that you find and ensure that your citations are formatted correctly
Managing Your References - Introduction (Citation Library)
Know which reference manager you are looking for? Use the following links to quickly navigate to their tabs in this guide:
EndNote is software used to manage bibliographic citations. It can be used to organise references, cite them in papers, and automatically generate bibliographies - in the citation style of your choice.
Zotero is a free, easy-to-use Firefox extension to help you collect, manage, cite, and share your research sources. It lives right where you do your work—in the web browser itself.
Mendeley is a free reference manager that can help you store, organize, note, share and cite references and research data.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Using Data
Illinois Libguide (Visualise your Data)
Exam Prep Regulations Otago University
Preparing for and sitting exams
Exam Prep Resources
Take home exams, writing essays in exams, open book exams etc...
Reviewing Film / Movies
Whether you are an actor, a filmmaker, or a film geek through and through, writing film reviews can help hone your ability to think critically and watch movies with a response that goes deeper than “That movie was awesome!” And for you future film reviewers out there, it’s never too soon to start.
There’s a lot of advice out there about writing film reviews from a critic’s perspective, each with varying degrees of advice. Reviews don’t need to be complicated. Rather, they need to be honest and encourage discussion. Here are some steps to take from start to finish, when screening films.
How to write a film critique essay? It can be easily confused with a movie review. However, they are different. A movie review reveals a personal impression of the viewer. A movie critique, in its turn, aims to discuss the means of film production and give advice on what could be changed to make the film better.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Academic integrity means being honest in your studies and assessments. Academic integrity is informed by the values of honesty, trust, responsibility, fairness, respect, and courage.
In New Zealand, high value is placed on full acknowledgment and referencing of the words and ideas of others. If you want to use information that you find elsewhere you must acknowledge where it came from.
This interactive online tutorial will help you learn what plagiarism is, why and how students get in trouble for it and how to use ideas or quotes from your research effectively.
