Study success
Skills guides
Our guides are here to help you develop the skills needed for your University studies. Work through our sheets with tutors, in groups, or when studying alone.
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From writing clearly to using evidence effectively, our self-help resources are here to support you with academic writing.
Our resources include writing guides, examples of different skills and templates to help you structure your work.
If you need help using any of the tools or resources on this page, you can book a study development tutorial.
Skills guides
Preparing and planning assignments
- Guide to Essay Writing factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Guide to Essay Writing factsheet (PDF, 0.2 MB)
- Decoding the Question worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Assignment Outline Builder worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Making the Most of Your Feedback (docx, 0.5MB)
- Submitting work to Moodle (Sharepoint)
Reading, research and notetaking
- Using Evidence factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Using Evidence factsheet (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- Note Taking Chart worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Active Reading Chart worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
Writing essentials
- Perfect Sentences (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Perfect Sentences (PDF, 0.4MB)
- Paragraphs factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Paragraphs factsheet (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- Punctuation factsheet (docx 0.5 MB)
- Punctuation factsheet (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- University of Manchester Academic Phrasebank
Referencing and plagiarism
- Referencing
- Academic integrity and plagiarism (Moodle)
- Avoiding Plagiarism factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Avoiding Plagiarism factsheet (PDF, 0.5 MB)
Critical thinking and writing
- Critical Thinking Questions factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Critical Thinking Questions factsheet (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- Critical Analysis Checklist worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Critical Paragraphing Examples worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Critical Thinking Exercise worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Critical Signposting worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
Being reflective
- Reflective Writing Factsheet (docx, 1.2 MB)
- Reflective Writing Factsheet (PDF, 1.2 MB)
- Reflective Thinking - Driscoll's Cycle (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Reflective Thinking Worksheet - Kolb's Cycle (docx, 0.5 MB)
Editing and proofreading
- Essay Checklist factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Essay Checklist factsheet (PDF, 0.4 MB)
- Editing and Proofreading worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Revising Written Work factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Revising Written Work factsheet (PDF, 0.2 MB)
- Guide to Microsoft Editor (docx, 1.8 MB)
- Guide to Microsoft Editor (PDF, 0.3 MB)
Time management
- Time Management and Staying Focused factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Time Management and Staying Focused factsheet (PDF, 0.6 MB)
- SMART worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Dissertation Planner worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Study Planner worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Goal Setting worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Starting Tasks and Making Progress worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Starting Tasks and Making Progress worksheet (PDF, 0.2 MB)
Specific assignments
- Presentations factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Presentations factsheet (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- Literature Reviews factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Literature Reviews factsheet (PDF, 0.4 MB)
- Lab Report factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Lab Report factsheet (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- Guide to writing a research proposal (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Guide to writing a research proposal (PDF, 0.2 MB)
Exam Revision: Memory and Recall
- Exam Revision Memory and Recall factsheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Exam Revision Memory and Recall factsheet (PDF, 0.3 MB)
- Written Glossary worksheet (docx, 0.5 MB)
- Written Glossary worksheet (PDF, 0.1 MB)
- Visual Glossary worksheet (docx, 0.6 MB)
- Visual Glossary worksheet (PDF, 0.2 MB)
- Landscape Revision Poster Template (PDF, 90.2 kB)
Online study
- Guide to online study
- How to join a lecture or meeting in Microsoft Teams (Sharepoint)