Many students struggle when writing assessments. This is often because they are trying to learn how to use their word processing software at the same time that they are learning the content of a course.

This lesson is broken down into small sections  as you build your skills and knowledge.

Learn how to find information using a variety of sources. Once you have information, use referencing software to store your sources, cite the information you have found, and present a list of references.

I will introduce you to various sources, teach you how to use Boolean operators, and embed citations into your work.

Discover the wealth of information you have at your fingertips

Learn how to use your time effectively. It’s amazing how much time we can waste by being disorganised.

A few simple techniques can make a lot of difference, and give you the time to socialise, exercise, and study.

Good time management, enables a work/life blend

We will look at various electronic tools, as well as paper-based methods, to take notes when in-class and when reading books and articles.

Good note-taking makes all the difference when you’re trying to study for exams or compose an essay or report.

Some people prefer electronic notes and others prefer paper. It’s a personal choice, and we will compare the pros and cons of each.

So much choice, but it’s good to compare and contrast.

Exams, essays, reports, and journals are common assessment tools, but more often than not it’s necessary to give presentations. In this part of the course we look at how we can build an electronic presentation that will help us to convey our message to an audience professionally.

One tool that is very useful is mindmapping; it allows us to lay out our ideas and plan. It can assist us to see relationships between ideas and concepts. This is particularly useful for those who prefer visual layouts for informatio rather than lists. We will look at electronic and paper methods of mindmapping.

Verbal, non-verbal, written, and visual communication is an important part of our everyday lives. Understanding how we communicate assists not only in the classroom, but also in our daily lives.

This is often categorised as a soft skill, but don’t underestimate the power of good communication.

There are several techniques that can assist with planning and writing assessments. Throughout this topic we will look at the various techniques that make assessments far less challenging.