Effective Learning Service

The Effective Learning Service (ELS) offers guidance and support to all students who wish to develop their academic writing and study skills. Our aim is to help you become as self-reliant as possible as you progress through your degree programmes here at QMU.

Online and In-Person Appointments

Both ELS and ELSinternational are now offering a mixture of online and in-person appointments. In an online appointment we will communicating guidance and advice on your assignments via e-mail. If you have any follow up questions on the advice given, then just contact us by email. If you have an appointment please try to send your work to us (along with the assignment brief if possible) at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment time. All in-person appointments will be in the ELS room (1153 in the LRC).

Make an online or in-person appointment with the ELS team

Please do not send any work to us if you do not have an appointment.

Study Skills Workshops

Regular study skills workshops on a wide range of topics will be run throughout the academic year. The workshops below are small, informal, and aimed at undergraduate students, although postgraduates can join too if there is space available. This semester these workshops will be delivered both on-campus and online via Collaborate.

Making the Most of your Studies	September 28^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus	September 29^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online
Positive Time Planning	September 30^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online	October 5^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus
Lectures, Reading and Note-making	October 6^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus	October 7^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online
Balancing Children or Caring with Study	October 12^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	October 26^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online
Essay Planning, Structuring and Writing	October 13^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus	October 14^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online
Referencing in APA and Harvard	October 17^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	October 21^st 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus
Proofreading and Word Count	October 19^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus	October 20^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online
Plagiarism and Turnitin	October 24^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	October 28^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus
Exams and Revision	November 2^nd 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus	November 3^rd11.15 - 12.15 Online
Literature Reviews	November 9^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online	November 10^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus
Taking Feedback Forward	November 14^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	November 18^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus
Looking Ahead to Dissertations	November 23^rd 13.15 - 14.15 Online	November 24^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus

Book a study skills workshop

Criticality Café

Starting from the 21st of October, ELS will be running a regular 'Criticality Café' to offer a space for strengthening that side of your academic work. Book in via the 'Forthcoming Events' page on StudentCentral.

Resit Programme

Every summer we also run a Resit Programme to help students to get through their resits successfully and to develop their academic skills and confidence for the following year. It is designed for undergraduate students, resitting modules as a second diet, but students sitting assessments as a first diet in August can also apply. This programme runs for two weeks in July.

Details and information on how to apply for the Resit Programme

Podcast of the Month

Listen to a short podcast on a different topic each month.

Listen to podcast on: Academic Writing

if you find these useful, you can find other similar podcasts in our Guides and Resources section below.

Getting in Touch With Us

What happens in an appointment?

An ELS advisor will discuss any concerns you have, such as taking notes, reading effectively, planning and structuring essays or exam techniques; and then work out various strategies to help.

The ELS does not proofread or check completed essays – the aim of the sessions is for you to build up the skills and confidence you need to tackle academic tasks successfully yourself.

Appointments will usually be held in room 1153. One session is enough in many cases, but students often have several sessions over a semester.

How to book an appointment?

The best way is to choose a day and time which suits you and book it using this link.

If you need to get in touch for any other reason then just send an email message to:

ELS@qmu.ac.uk or ELSinternational@qmu.ac.uk

Workshops and Classes

Study Skills Workshops

Do you want to find out

what ‘studying’ is all about?
tips and strategies for independent learning?
effective ways to plan, write and research?

The workshops below are small, informal, and aimed at undergraduate students, although postgraduates can join too if there is space available.

Making the Most of your Studies	September 28^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus	September 29^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online
Positive Time Planning	September 30^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online	October 5^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus
Lectures, Reading and Note-making	October 6^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus	October 7^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online
Balancing Children or Caring with Study	October 12^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	October 26^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online
Essay Planning, Structuring and Writing	October 13^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus	October 14^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online
Referencing in APA and Harvard	October 17^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	October 21^st 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus
Proofreading and Word Count	October 19^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus	October 20^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online
Plagiarism and Turnitin	October 24^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	October 28^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus
Exams and Revision	November 2^nd 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus	November 3^rd11.15 - 12.15 Online
Literature Reviews	November 9^th 13.15 - 14.15 Online	November 10^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus
Taking Feedback Forward	November 14^th 11.15 - 12.15 Online	November 18^th 13.15 - 14.15 On-campus
Looking Ahead to Dissertations	November 23^rd 13.15 - 14.15 Online	November 24^th 11.15 - 12.15 On-campus

Workshops take place either on-campus or via Collaborate and places can be booked on Student Central, or for further information contact els@qmu.ac.uk.

Book a place.

Guides and Resources

The LRC also has a wide range of study skills books available in individual subject areas.

Leaflets:

Quick guides:

Key study websites at QMU:

See our Library section for useful study and information skills.

The Coming from College area of the website has a collection of seminars and podcasts covering a great variety of topics connected with academic life and study.

Other key study websites:

Academic Phrasebank - A site containing lots of examples of academic English arranged by function.

Video Guides

These short videos present recorded advice on some of the topics covered in our workshops.

International English Language Support

Effective Learning Service for international students

The Effective Learning Service for international students at QMU is here to provide support for all students wishing to develop their English language skills.

Where are we?

We are based in room 1153 in the Learning Resource Centre – just follow the signs.

What do we offer?

Individual appointments, in-sessional Academic Writing Classes, and a Pre-sessional English Course

What happens in an individual appointment?

During an appointment the tutor will work with you to identify your specific needs and develop a plan of action. We can offer personal help with any aspect of your coursework, study skills or exam preparation. We can help you improve but we will not complete your assignment for you or proof read your work.

It would be useful if you could send us by email any writing you want us to look at in advance. If the piece of writing is over 1,500 words long please indicate clearly which portion of it you would like to be considered. We would also like you to send us the assignment title, instructions and any marking criteria that you have been given.

Book an appointment.

Pre-sessional English Course

This course is designed to prepare non-native speakers of English for university study in Britain. For more information about this course, or to book a place see Pre-sessional English Course.

How to contact us

Come along to the Effective Learning Service at the LRC and we can make an appointment at a time which suits you. Alternatively, you can make an appointment by email at the following address: ELSinternational@qmu.ac.uk

ELS Support Enquiries

The ELS is based in room 1153 in the Library.

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Friday
09.15 a.m. - 16.15 p.m.

Show Contacts

ELS Support Enquiries

Effective Learning Service Email

ELS International International Learning Support Email

Useful Links

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