Writing for assignments

1:1 support with academic writing

Academic Writing Support

Want to improve your academic writing and build confidence in your assignments?

Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow

Book a session with our Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow, Samantha Wynne Rhydderch. Samantha is a professional, published author whose role is to help you strengthen and improve your writing skills. 

This is a free, confidential service to help you improve your writing skills. Students of any discipline, at any level of study (from 1st year to postgraduate), or staff, are welcome to book a session.

Find out more about the Writing Fellow

To book, contact Samantha: samantha.wynne-rhydderch@rlfeducation.org.uk

 

Welsh-Medium Academic Writing Support

Studying through the medium of Welsh? We offer dedicated one-to-one academic support for Welsh-medium students.

Our Welsh-medium Academic Skills Tutor, Dr. Tamsin Davies, can help you develop your academic writing skills in Welsh, whether you're working on essays, reports, dissertations, presentations, or other coursework. Support is tailored to your individual needs and designed to help you succeed throughout your academic journey.

Free, friendly and confidential support is available to all students studying in Welsh.

To book, contact Tamsin: ted@aber.ac.uk

Time management

University life is busy with many activities—how do you balance it all?

Succeeding in university isn't just about being good at writing essays or passing exams. To do your best, you must juggle lectures and seminars, giving presentations, doing research, finding information and resources, finishing assignments, and studying for tests and exams.

On top of that, you also may need to find time for a job, staying active, and hanging out with friends and family.

It's all about finding that balance.

The key lies in mastering time management. Effective time management can boost academic success —take a look at the following checklist to learn how:

Time management library resources:

Notetaking

The art of notetaking

Mastering the art of effective notetaking is a crucial skill to acquire during your university journey. It becomes imperative as you encounter copious amounts of new knowledge, necessitating the development of reliable methods for capturing and recalling information as needed. However, it's worth noting that notetaking is not just a mundane task; it serves as an integral part of the learning process itself, aiding in the digestion and comprehension of the information you encounter.

Taking notes has no absolute correct or incorrect approach.

Nevertheless, it is advisable to maintain concise and to-the-point notes. Attempting to transcribe every detail offers no advantage; instead, your notes should capture the key concepts and significant points you've recognised.

Notetaking app and equipment available to you at Aber

How to take effective notes

These two methods of notetaking serve different purposes.

Linear Notes

Linear notes, which most people are familiar with, involve writing information down on a page with headings and subheadings. Here are some tips to enhance the effectiveness of linear notetaking:

  • Use numerous headings for main ideas and concepts.
  • Employ subheadings to elaborate on points within those ideas.
  • Maintain one point per line.
  • Underline key terms.
  • Use numbering for organisation.
  • Use abbreviations and don't be concerned about using full sentences.
  • Leave generous space for additional details and readability.

Mind-maps

Mind-maps are a single-page format suitable for illustrating structure and organising ideas. There are several advantages to using mind-maps:

  • They keep your notes concise and on a single page, preventing rambling.
  • Main points are instantly visible.
  • They facilitate grouping points together, aiding in essay organisation.
  • They visually indicate areas that require further research.

To create a mind-map:

  • Use a full sheet of paper, at least A4 size.
  • Place the subject matter in the centre of the page.
  • Extend one branch for each main point, radiating outward.
  • Begin with small points, as you may need more space than anticipated.
  • Use connecting spokes to indicate how points are related.
  • Ensure sufficient size to accommodate additional details.
  • Include smaller branches for elaboration and examples.
  • Provide concise summaries as reminders, reserving detailed information for footnotes.
  • Label each point with its source for reference.

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Library resources

Importance of evaluating and fact-checking

In an information-rich society, it's vital to remember that not all information resources are equal!
 
When you are looking for information, you are a researcher. As a researcher, you must evaluate the information you find and decide whether the content is:
  • scholarly
  • correct
  • authoritative

Take a look at this LibGuide Importance of evaluating and fact checking information to find out more on how to successfully evaluate and fact-check the resources you find. 

Infographics: How to write...

Task words

Before you can answer an assignment question, you need to understand what it's asking you to do. An instruction word or task word basically tells you what to do in your assignment. Take a look at the table in the link below which gives you a list of words commonly used in assignments and explains what they mean so you know what to do in your assignment or exam.

The format and rules of your academic work will be based on your department or subject. Check your department's assignment guidelines or instructions/module handbook for further guidance when writing your assignment. 

Academic poster

Business report

Essay

Notetaking

Presentation

Scientific report

Writing essays

PDF

DOCX

Improve your academic writing

Book a session with our Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow, Samantha Wynne Rhydderch. The Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow is a professional, published author whose role is to help you strengthen and improve your writing skills. 

This is a free, confidential service to help you improve your writing skills. Students of any discipline, at any level of study (from 1st year to postgraduate), or staff, are welcome to book a session.

Contact Samantha: samantha.wynne-rhydderch@rlfeducation.org.uk

Welsh language academic writing tutor

  • Dr. Tamsin Davies:

    • Skills tutor for Welsh-medium students and offers 1:1 academic support for students who use Welsh in the course of their academic lives.

    • Book an appointment with Tamsin: ted@aber.ac.uk

Need to know more...

Library resources

Writing business reports

Writing scientific reports

The way you write your report depends on your department or subject's rules. So, it's best to look at your department's guidelines or your assignment instructions first.

The summary below outlines the standard components of a scientific report:

  • Abstract:
    • The abstract is a short summary of your project.
    • Here, you should state your research questions and aims and provide a brief description of your methodology. It also includes an overview of your most significant findings. It is best to write this last after finalising the report.
  • Introduction:
    • This is where you set the scene for your report. The introduction should clearly articulate the purpose and aim (and, possibly, objectives) of the report, along with providing the background context for the report's topic and area of research.
    • A scientific report may have an hypothesis in addition or in stead of aims and objectives.
    • It may also provide any definitions or explanations for the terms used in the report or theoretical underpinnings of the research so that the reader has a clear understanding of what the research is based upon.
    • It may be useful to also indicate any limitations to the scope of the report and identify the parameters of the research.
  • Methods:
    • The methods section includes any information on the methods, tools and equipment used to get the data and evidence for your report.
    • You should justify your method (that is, explain why your method was chosen), acknowledge possible problems encountered during the research, and present the limitations of your methodology.
  • Results:
    • If you are required to have a separate results and discussion section, then the results section should only include a summary of the findings, rather than an analysis of them - leave the critical analysis of the results for the discussion section.
    • Presenting your results may take the form of graphs, tables, or any necessary diagrams of the gathered data. It is best to present your results in a logical order, making them as clear and understandable as possible through concise titles, brief summaries of the findings, and what the diagrams/charts/graphs or tables are showing to the reader.
  • Discussion:
    • This section is where the data gathered and your results are truly put to work.
    • It is the main body of your report in which you should critically analyse what the results mean in relation to the aims and objectives (and/or, in scientific writing, hypotheses) put forth at the beginning of the report.
    • You should follow a logical order, and can structure this section in sub-headings.
  • Conclusion:
    • The conclusion should not include any new material but instead show a summary of your main arguments and findings.
    • It is a chance to remind the reader of the key points within your report, the significance of the findings and the most central issues or arguments raised from the research.
    • The conclusion may also include recommendations for further research, or how the present research may be carried out more effectively in future.
  • References:
    • Similar to your essays, a report still requires a bibliography of all the published resources you have referenced within your report.
    • Check your module handbook for the referencing style you should use as there are different styles depending on your degree.

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Library resources

Planning and delivering presentations

PDF

DOCX     

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Library resources

Designing an effective academic poster

Posters as a form of academic communication

Various methods exist for conveying ideas and disseminating information. During your pursuit of a degree, you'll likely engage with a range of communication formats tailored to your specific field. Among these, the academic poster stands out as a valuable tool for sharing knowledge. 

An academic poster, much like other professional communication formats, adheres to a structured framework. It should encompass identifiable sections, including:

  1. Title
  2. Authors
  3. Introduction and background
  4. Main content, characterized by substantiated discussions backed by referenced evidence
  5. Summary
  6. Conclusions
  7. References

Images

Images can enhance the visual appeal of your poster, but it's vital to remember that their inclusion should always serve a purpose in conveying information to the audience. Take care when selecting images, as those sourced from the internet may not necessarily be free from copyright restrictions. Utilizing reputable sources for copyright-free images is advisable. Pixabay and Unsplash are sources of copyright cleared images.

References

Just as with any academic work, proper acknowledgment and referencing are paramount when creating a poster. 

For guidance and inspiration, explore research posters displayed in your department's buildings and other relevant spaces. Additionally, seeking feedback from a faculty member with a draft version of your poster before its final submission can be immensely valuable.

Top tips!

  • Content Planning:
    • Identify main message and key points
    • Engage audience's attention
  • Visual Content Planning:
    • Choose text or graphics
    • Design layout with clear entry point and logical flow
    • Ensure audience understands how to read the poster
  • Creation:
    • Develop the poster, e.g., using PowerPoint 
  • Proofreading and Editing:
    • Review content for errors (spelling, grammar)
    • Verify referencing accuracy
    • Assess print quality and readability
  • Remember:
    • Maintain formality
    • Structure information
    • Include citations and references 

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Library resources

Developing your academic writing skills

Skills workshops

Browse and book your place on our range of skills workshops: 

Need to know more...

Library Resources

Resources to support understanding and production of academic writing. For all students, in all degree programmes.

Ask the Elephant: at-a-glance guide to academic writing

Ask the Elephant is a new online resource developed by the UK’s leading charity for writers, the Royal Literary Fund (RLF). This new website is primarily aimed at university students and provides them with an accessible and creative new format that gives targeted responses to their questions about how to improve their academic writing alongside actual examples. Quick, clear answers to the most common concerns are bolstered by additional detail and links to other material for students who want to explore further.