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Skills at Library: Workshops overview

Welcome to Skills at Library, our information literacy support for Essex students and researchers!
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About Skills at Library workshops

Skills at Library workshops are a great opportunity to practice information skills, learn alongside your peers, and get instructor feedback. Our 8 core workshops (listed below) are offered regularly online and in person, and will take you through the basics of using the Library and on to more advanced information literacy skills needed for academic study and research.

If you would like the latest information about our workshops delivered straight to your inbox, you can sign up to our monthly Skills at Library Newsletter here.

Who are they for?

Our workshops offer information literacy training recommended for undergraduates and PGT students, but they are open to all members of the University of Essex. To get the most out of Skills at Library training, we recommend completing the 'Information Skills' course on Moodle alongside our workshops.

Workshops for PGRs and Early Career Researchers can be found on the Support for Researchers page.

How to attend?

  • Students are encouraged to book onto our workshops via CareerHub to keep a record of their learning.
  • Those without access to CareerHub can register for workshops through the Library website.

 

View upcoming workshops

 


Skills at Library course map

Skills at Library workshops cover beginnerintermediate, and advanced information skills. These levels are intended to be used as a guide to help you build on existing skills and do not refer to year of study. It's never too early or late to complete this training. Ideally you should be working at advanced-level information skills before starting any major assignments or your dissertation. 

Unsure where to start? You can self-assess your existing knowledge by completing our Academic Skills Audit.


Skills at Library skill rating: beginner

 

Beginner information skills

Image of three students walking outside the Albert Sloman Library with text overlay that reads "Skills at Library, Intro to the Library"

Overview:

This 45 minute workshop provides an interactive introduction to the Library and the resources we offer. If you are new to using academic libraries, or simply new to Essex, this session is for you! Come along to learn how you can get the most out of the Library and develop information literacy skills for academic study.

Key areas covered:

Supporting resources:

 

View upcoming workshops


Skills at Library skill rating: intermediate

 

Intermediate information skills

Organising Information with decorative image of a laptop with notes and paperwork around it.

Overview:

This 1 hour workshop covers how to organise information for your course and research. In this session, you will learn how to create a search strategy to keep you organised throughout your research, maximise time, avoid errors, and reduce stress. We'll also give examples of how you might use AI tools to improve on your search strategy. Organisation skills are important for all levels of study and research, so this session is open to everyone! Come along to practice skills, learn alongside your peers, and get instructor feedback.

Key areas covered:

  • Organising course documents & sources
  • Using software & tools to stay organised
  • Creating a search strategy for organised literature searching

Supporting resources:

View upcoming workshops

Advanced search techniques with image of person using magnify glass

Overview

This 1 hour workshop covers different methods for combining the keywords identified in your search strategy and gives a practical introduction to advanced techniques that can be used when researching for an assignment or finding sources. Advanced search techniques will help make your searches more efficient and lead you to the most relevant information. These techniques can be used across many different databases, so no matter where you are conducting your search, you can use advanced search skills.

Key areas covered:

  • Developing your search strategy
  • Identifying where to search
  • Getting the most out of Google Scholar
  • Using advanced search techniques
  • Refining your search process to improve results

Supporting resources

View upcoming workshops

Section heading text reads 'Unlock digital readings' with image of person using an ereader tablet

Overview

Sometimes there are barriers to accessing information. You might be asked to pay to read the full text of an article, or find a particular online reading platform difficult to use because of the way text displays on your screen. Fortunately, there are usually ways around these barriers. This 1 hour workshop will give you the keys for unlocking information so that you can access the full text and view the content in a format that suits your learning style.

Key areas covered

  • Accessing Library digital texts & resources
  • Using digital reading features & tools
  • Accessing full text for sources found outside the Library
  • Adapting digital texts to improve your learning experience

Supporting resources

View upcoming workshops

Skills at Library skill rating: advanced

 

Advanced information skills

Section heading text reads 'Checking Sources' with image of Abraham Lincoln statue and text "Don't believe what you see on the internet"

Overview

This 1 hour workshop covers fact checking and evaluating skills that will help you avoid unreliable sources and build your views and arguments on solid evidence. Being able to critically evaluate information is an important life skill and essential for academic and professional success. This session is relevant to all information consumers.

Key areas covered:

  • Distinguishing between quality vs unreliable information
  • Finding authoritative sources
  • Applying the SIFT fact checking method to verify academic, news media, and social media sources
  • Evaluating information using the TRAAP checklist

Supporting Resources:

  • Workshop activity: evaluate the 6 sources that you have already found or the list of sources provided (available via Moodle)
  • Prepare by exploring the 'Checking sources' section of our Skills at Library training.

View upcoming workshops

Referencing header with a Skills at Library logo and an image of a sunlit bookshelf

Overview

Come along to learn what academic integrity means in a UK Higher Education context and how to use information and artificial intelligence ethically to avoid plagiarism and other academic offences. You will also learn why referencing is important, what needs to be referenced, and where to go for help and support. The session will provide practical tips and strategies for avoiding academic misconduct, how to construct your references, and explain how the University detects plagiarism.

Key areas covered:

  • Why, what, and when to reference
  • What is plagiarism and how to avoid academic offences
  • What academic integrity means

Supporting resources

View upcoming workshops

Referencing tools heading with decorate image.

Overview

Referencing properly is something that causes students a lot of stress – but it doesn’t need to be difficult. This session will introduce you to different referencing tools and software that can help you save time, avoid common mistakes with referencing, and make the most of your sources. We will also cover the practicalities of referencing AI use. Make sure Microsoft Word (free to members of the university) and Zotero (or EndNote) are both installed on your device to follow along with the practice exercises.

Key areas covered

  • Constructing references in the departmental style
  • Using reference management software and other referencing tools
  • Practice using Word Referencing and Zotero
  • Learn how to reference AI use 

Supporting resources

  • Prepare by taking a look at the 'Referencing tools' section of our Skills at Library support and find out your departmental referencing style.
  • Download and set up Zotero (or another reference management software of your choice!)
  • Workshop activity: Create references for the 6 sources you've found previously or the list of sources provided (available via Moodle).

View upcoming workshops

Skills at Library sharing information with image of a student presenting about their research

Overview

We all have a part to play when it comes to shaping the information landscape. The way we share content, reference sources, and engage with information impacts on how far it travels. Even in academic settings, the way information is published and shared means that some voices and perspectives are underrepresented while others are given a more visible platform. The aim of this session is to get you thinking about what you can do to make information more inclusive and accessible.

Key areas covered

  • The digital divide and overcoming barriers to accessing information
  • Understanding the research/information landscape
  • The value of information-sharing principles
  • How to make your own information-sharing practices more inclusive
  • Explore why citing diverse sources is important

Supporting resources

  • Prepare by checking out the Skills at Library 'Sharing information' pages 
  • Find resources and further reading on our 'Making information inclusive' reading list.
  • Workshop activity: Find out more about the authors behind the 6 sources you've previously found, or use the list provided (available via Moodle)
  • Consider where and how you might want to share your work and to what audience - a blog, LinkedIn profile, publish in a journal - such as the Essex Student Journal

View upcoming workshops

 

 

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