Making the transition to Higher Education

Working at university level can be very different to the study you have done before. The first modules you do will be designed to help you make this transition and there are lots of support services available. Here are some tips from the Library at ILS.

Scholarly/Academic Resources

It is likely you will hear this term used a lot. Basically it means that you are expected to use a range of resources to come to the conclusions you put forward in your assignments. What these are will depend on your programme, but generally if you rely on Wikipedia you will not get a good mark! Check your reading list and keep an eye on the resources recommended by your tutors in lectures, seminars and tutorials for ideas of what to use.

Familiarise yourself with the different online services you will use

Every course uses Moodle, which is our online learning tool where tutors post learning resources linked to your modules. Other services include our online portfolio system (Mahara), online library services (the catalogue, e-books and e-journals), and the opportunity to download your own copy of Office. You will get access to these once your enrolment is complete, so check the full list of software out and get used to how they work.

Check out the support services

You are not alone whilst navigating the first year of the course. The Academic Liaison Librarians offer tutorials on referencing, finding resources and evaluating what you have found. Ask at the service desk in the library if you can't find the book you need, or are having issues logging in to WiFi or online resources. The Digital Trainers in ILS can help with Moodle, assignment submission and run workshops and tutorials on lots of other software – see their pages on getting started. Study Development offer many opportunities for advice too.