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StudySkills@Sheffield

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  • University skills
    • Independent study
      • Managing time and boundaries
      • Independent study
      • Studying online
      • Managing email
      • Mind mapping
      • Academic tutoring
      • Reflective practice
    • Lectures and seminars
      • Make the most of lectures
      • Using lecture capture
      • Make the most of seminars
    • Communication
      • Presentation skills
      • Group work
      • Online group work
      • Poster presentations
      • Communicating online
      • Writing for lay audience
      • Active listening
    • Academic skills for wellbeing
      • Academic wellbeing
      • Imposter syndrome
      • Managing failure
  • Research skills
    • Reading and understanding information
      • Reading efficiently
      • Reading for understanding
      • Reading in a second language
      • Making notes
      • Reading images
    • Searching for information
      • Planning a search
      • Finding recommended reading
      • Searching for wider reading
      • Finding archival sources
      • Finding images and figures
    • Critical approaches to information
      • Thinking critically
      • Questioning information
      • Synthesising information
    • Research methods
      • Research methods
      • Research proposals
      • Planning dissertations
      • Ethical approval
      • Research data
  • Academic writing
    • Academic writing
      • Structuring and planning
      • Structuring paragraphs
      • Paraphrasing and quoting
      • Lab reports
      • Academic style
    • Critical writing
      • Writing critically
      • Developing academic arguments
      • Literature reviews
    • Referencing, proofreading & formatting
      • Referencing
      • Proofreading
      • Formatting
  • Assessment & exams
    • Exam technique & revision
      • Revising effectively
      • Approaching exams
      • Managing stress
      • Online exams
      • Resits
    • More assessments
      • Lab reports
      • Presentations
      • Posters
      • Dissertations & projects
      • Literature reviews
      • Essays
    • Assessment literacy
      • Using feedback
      • Using marking criteria
    • Academic integrity
      • Academic integrity
      • Avoiding plagiarism
      • Avoiding collusion
      • Coursework sites
      • GenAI & integrity
  • Digital skills
    • Digital creativity
      • Google Sites
      • Infographics
      • Using images
      • Creative Media
      • Digital Commons
    • Generative AI (GenAI)
      • For assessment
      • Critical use of GenAI
      • For productivity
      • Academic Prompt Bank
      • For reading and note taking
      • To generate images
      • As assistive technology
    • Digital induction
      • My Digital Induction
    • Digital learning tools
      • Digital learning tools
  • Maths & statistics
    • Maths
    • Statistics
    • Numerical reasoning
    • Maths anxiety
    • Data visualisation
  • Workshops and appointments
    • Workshops
    • Appointments
  • Get help
    • Study skills A-Z
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Academic writing

Models and advice for writing essays and lab reports. Including academic style, structure and paraphrasing.

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  • Academic writing
A journalism student writing shorthand in a notebook.

How to structure and plan an essay

Organise and plan your essay using the hourglass model.

Student using computer equipment

How to structure and write lab reports

Communicate your research clearly in lab and scientific reports.

A student working at a laptop in the Diamond

How to reference

Include accurate citations, format reference lists and bibliographies in the appropriate style to avoid plagiarism.

Typing on a computer

How to structure a paragraph

Structure critical paragraphs with unity and flow.

Picture of a person's hands typing on a laptop with a mobile phone on the desk.

How to paraphrase and quote

Incorporate others’ work into your own and avoid plagiarism.

Student writing in a book

How to write in an academic style

Use an academic communication framework to share your knowledge and ideas.

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Study Skills A to Z

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Contact us

Get in touch with us with any queries about research skills.

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