Edge Hill’s St. James’ campus is situated on bustling Oxford Road, the hub of student-life in vibrant central Manchester – and (allegedly!) one of the busiest bus routes in Europe.

It’s home to students on Paramedic, Operating Department Practitioner and Surgical First Assistant courses. It also houses specialist resources and innovative equipment tailored to their becoming professionals, including a clinical skills lab (complete with its own ambulance), and an immersive simulation suite.

Read more about Manchester St. James’ campus.

At busy and challenging times, it can be easy to get distracted, even if it’s by the world going by outside the windows of the cosy library, so if you would like some further support with getting your work back on track UniSkills is here to help! From academic skills queries, to writing an assignment, putting presentations together, literature-searching, or learning how to use citation tools and get your referencing spot on.

You can check out our UniSkills toolkits on our webpages (or your My Library tab) any time but we also offer lots of friendly help and advice in person.  Manchester St. James’ students can self-book one-to-one appointments with our Academic Skills Advisor based on campus.  These 45-minute appointments are tailored to you and cover a wide range of academic and information skills: just pick a time and come along with your questions, assignment information, and any work you want to discuss.  Don’t worry about what stage your work is at – something is always better than nothing as a starting point.

If you have a quick question, you are more than welcome to call into the Manchester UniSkills Drop-In every Wednesday afternoon between 2-4pm for a chat.  If you’re working off campus, don’t forget about Ask Us: an online knowledge base for finding  answers to your questions, getting in touch, and accessing the support you need.

We’re also designing some new UniSkills workshops especially for St. James’ students – so if there is anything you’d like to see academic skills-wise please get in touch – we are here to support you in your learning, so you can achieve your goals!

Spring is in the air and it is beginning to get warmer and lighter throughout the day. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing. It’s enough to fill anyone with joy and happiness. Until you remember that you’re a university student and you have a network of deadlines and exams (full steam) ahead!

Never fear, because UniSkills are here to help you on your revision journey!

We are offering a range of support throughout Revision Central (29th April – 17th May) including workshops to help you prepare for exams, practice those all-important presentation skills and help you arrive at your destination with assignments. Don’t delay, reserve your seat at one of these workshops today!

The full summer 2019 UniSkills workshops timetable is available now – printed copies will be arriving on campus shortly!

And don’t forget, Catalyst is open 24/7 so whether you are a sleeper train, or a morning express we can accommodate your study style. With dedicated silent study areas, individual and group rooms and our unique study pods available to book.

In addition to the workshops, from 7^th to 17^th May we will be hosting Revision Central Station on the ground floor of Catalyst. This is your platform where you can receive revision support to facilitate your assessment journey.

Take a study break and pay us a visit during these weeks and you will be able to pick up a Revision Survival Pack. These nifty little guides are full of top tips and strategies to help you reach your full potential and (if you catch the express!) you may also be in time to collect a FREE Catalyst goody bag! We will also be offering free healthy snacks and drinks, to provide your body with the ‘brain food’ it needs for an effective study session.

Throughout Revision Central you will still be able to access all our usual support services including;

• Drop in (weekdays 11am-2pm) to the Catalyst Helpdesk for any quick queries
• Book a peer to peer appointment with one of our knowledgeable Student Advisors
• Book a 1-2-1 appointment with one of the UniSkills team for academic writing or information skills support
• Ask Us a question anytime…and if you are studying away from campus there is lots of support available online 24/7 including advice and guidance around exam preparation on our UniSkills webpages and your My Library tab.

So, best of luck with your exams and next time you’re in Catalyst be sure to spot our inspiring quote of the day to help motivate and fast track your way to exam success!

Keep in touch with Library & Learning Services throughout your journey via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Last month saw the first gathering of Edge Hill’s UniSpeaks group, and what a beautiful day to get together! The gorgeous February sunshine brought with it a small but enthusiastic group of students to discuss their fears and concerns about public speaking.

The environment was friendly and welcoming, and we were all able to share our worries about situations where we felt out of our comfort zones. Some were anxious about academic presentations, others about prospective interviews, and I am still nervous about delivering sessions to groups of students (despite it being my job!) … public speaking anxiety can happen to us all!

The discussion ranged from how people felt when they presented, to ideas about creating formal structures to follow in different situations. Some of the group also discussed times that they had experienced unusual ways of developing confidence in speaking in front of others, which has inspired an idea for an activity in our next get-together.

February’s UniSpeaks was an inspiring session, why don’t you come along and join us in March?

You can learn more about ways to present, join in the conversation, or simply sit back and watch others practice until you feel confident enough to have a go yourself at a later date.

Unispeaks runs on the last Wednesday of every month, and our next session takes place on 27th March at 2pm. Book here to join us: https://bit.ly/2Sv2yFy

Through UniSpeaks we are building a community of positive support where those new to presenting or nervous about speaking in front of an audience can learn strategies and techniques to develop their confidence. UniSpeaks offers an opportunity for students to develop their own style in a safe space and enjoy peer-to-peer encouragement in a welcoming environment.

To ensure that we continue to offer our students the best experience, we did some research! Public speaking comes in many guises and, for most, the road to becoming a confident presenter has been a long one. Lots of speakers who now appear confident will admit to starting out a bundle of nerves and even doubting their own abilities. With this in mind we felt it was important for us to attend some speaking events, where we could witness for ourselves how these skills are developed.

So, we began big… TED talks are well-known globally for being one of the leading public speaking platforms in the world and they are accessible to the public through independently organised TEDx events. With TEDx Manchester taking place on Sunday 3^rd February 2019, it was too good an opportunity to miss! We were able to witness an array of topics, speakers and styles. From the bold and exuberant to the quietly confident, all the presenters captured our attention and inspired us in numerous ways. Having learned how the seasoned speakers engage their audience, we then moved to focus on how we could successfully facilitate a safe space for public speaking.

To do this we decided to tap into current local events with the same ethos. We spent an evening attending the brilliant Ignite Liverpool, which brings together a range of ‘creators, thinkers, innovators, makers and dreamers’ to present in front of members of the pubic in an informal and intimate setting. By attending this event we identified the value in setting up a space where students can come together and support each other without our intervention. We came away idea-poppingly inspired, not only by the incredible range of fascinating topics presented, but by the enthusiastic, supportive and nurturing environment. The event was so motivating, that we are even considered the possibility of delivering our own presentations at the next event in May!

The combination of seeing public speakers on the big stage at TEDx Manchester, and the small stage at Ignite Liverpool, helped us to really appreciate the need for a small, local Community of Practice where anyone can share their experiences, and develop their confidence alongside their peers.

It was at this point we decided to delve into the pedagogy, identifying that routinely getting likeminded people together to share their knowledge (Wenger, McDermott and Snyder, 2002) could reap benefits in terms of developing communication skills and even a bank of useful resources (Bing-You and Varaklis, 2016). We also discovered that Communities of Practice tend to function well when they’re left to simmer on their own – to grow organically as ‘a process rather than an entity that can simply be set up’ (Pyrko, Dorfler and Eden, 2017: 390). For this reason, we’ve held back on some of our usual marketing, trusting instead in growth generated through the community’s own outreach.

We are proud to be creating UniSpeaks at Edge Hill and look forward to welcoming more students to be part of this innovative new venture. If you’re feeling inspired to join us book your place here (sessions take place on the last Wednesday of every month).

BING-YOU, R. G. and VARAKLIS, K., 2016. Organizing graduate medical education programs into communities of practice. Medical Education Online. 21 (1), pp. 1-6.

PYRKO, I., DÖRFLER, V. and EDEN, C., 2017. Thinking together: What makes Communities of Practice work? Human Relations. 70 (4), pp. 389-409.

WENGER, E., MCDERMOTT, R. A. and SNYDER, W., 2002. Cultivating communities of practice: a guide to managing knowledge. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Press.

With what feels like never-ending dark mornings and a long stretch ahead to Easter, we understand that bouncing back after the festive break is easier said than done. While we hope you found space to relax and recharge for all-important semester 2, we know for some of you the reality would have been more mark schemes and revision than mince pies for Rudolph.

But never fear!

To help switch that study-mode back on and get your critical-thinking cogs turning again, we’re running a January campaign in collaboration with Student Wellbeing jam-packed with informative and inspiring workshops.

Check out our motivational workshop menu below:

Get to grips with mark scheme tips
Monday 21^st January 2019
Willow 12pm-1pm
This session demystifies some common academic language found across marking criteria. Don’t know your evaluation from your synthesis? This one might be for you. Students are also welcome to bring their own departmental marking rubrics for group de-coding!

Building your resilience toolbox
Tuesday 22^nd January 2019
Willow 12pm-2pm 
An introductory session to mindfulness, building resilience and learning to cope with uni life. Come along for some positive time out!
This session is provided by Student Wellbeing.

How to be keen in 2019
Wednesday 23^rd January 2019
Willow 12pm-1pm
Jumpstart your January with tips and techniques to motivate yourself and avoid procrastination. Learn to manage your time, set achievable goals, and make study fun!

Introduction to Mindfulness
Thursday 24^th January 2019
Wilson W13 12pm-2pm
Come along to a calm, safe space for a spot of mindfulness. Learn to be in the moment, de-stress and calm your mind and body.
This session is provided by Student Wellbeing.

Learn to engage to start on the right page
Friday 25^th January 2019
Willow 12pm-1pm
From notetaking and utilising your tutors’ office hours, to accessing your reading list, this workshop will show you how to make the most of your contact (and non-contact!) hours and find a study strategy that works for you.

These all look super, but where do we sign up?! We hear you cry…

The good news is all sessions are ready to book now, but don’t hold back as spaces are limited and sure to fill up fast. Will 2019 be your year?

You are also welcome to join us all week from 10am-4pm at the Catalyst ground floor event space, where you can:

• Pick up a bookmark to gift to a friend
• Contribute to an interactive study spaces map
• Loan an inspirational DVD or book
• Share suggestions for future workshops and toolkits

So dust off those planners and sharpen your pencils, it’s time to make some #UniResolutions!

We have lots of exciting UniSkills workshops coming to Catalyst this term.

This term we have workshops to help you develop your academic writing skills, sessions focused on searching for academic information, techniques on how to give powerful presentations and support with Harvard Referencing. We have also introduced 7 new workshops for 2019! These workshops range from creating a bullet journal to conducting a Literature Review.

Find out more about the workshops below and how to book your place.

Create a Bullet Journal *NEW for 2019*

Staying organised is one of the biggest challenges of university life. Bullet journaling is a great way to stay organised and can help you with planning your assignments and keeping track of your deadlines. Providing all the supplies and #BulletJournal inspiration aplenty, we’ll show you how to set up a fun and creative system that means no essay deadline can ever go amiss.

• Monday 4th February 1pm-2pm
• Tuesday 2nd April 12pm-1pm

Book your place here. 

Finding Academic Information

Help improve your search strategy, find resources for your assignment (including books, eBooks and journal articles) using the Library Catalogue and Discover More and learn how to evaluate your sources.

• Tuesday 5th February 12pm-1pm
• Monday 25th February 1pm-2pm
• Thursday 28th March 12pm-1pm

Book your place here. 

Maximise Your Reading List *NEW for 2019* 

Your Reading List is an essential gateway to a wide range of resources recommended by your tutor. This workshop will explore using some of the additional features of our reading list software such as changing the referencing style, writing a personal note on a reading list item and what steps to take if all items are out on loan – all of which will help you maximise your academic research.

• Tuesday 5th February 1pm-2pm
• Friday 15th March 1pm-2pm

Book your place here. 

Conducting a Literature Review  *NEW for 2019*

You may be asked to write a literature review as part of your assignment or dissertation to demonstrate that you have an in-depth grasp of both your subject and where your own research fits into or adds to an existing body of knowledge. Find out more about how to survey the literature in your chosen area of study, synthesise the information in that literature into a summary, critically analyse the information, and present the literature in an organised way.

• Wednesday 6th February 12pm-1pm
• Tuesday 26th February 12pm-1pm

Book your place here. 

Reading Academic Texts  *NEW for 2019*

Are you daunted by the amount of reading you are expected to do? Do you feel overwhelmed by the thought of reading difficult texts? This session will give you some great tips for active reading and to learn about strategies to help you develop intensive and effective reading skills.

• Thursday 14th February 12pm-1pm
• Thursday 28th February 1pm-2pm

Book your place here. 

Introduction to Academic Writing

An introduction to the style of academic writing used at University; discover how to plan, structure, use feedback and Harvard referencing.

• Monday 28th January 1pm – 2pm
• Friday 22nd February 1pm – 2pm
• Thursday 14th March 12pm-1pm

Book your place here. 

Developing Academic Writing

Building on previous experience learn to recognise and understand assessment criteria, apply critical reading and show critical analysis in your writing and the importance of integrating referencing.

• Tuesday 29th January 12pm -1pm
• Wednesday 20th February 12pm -1pm
• Thursday 7th March 1pm -2pm

Book your place here. 

Become a Paraphrasing Pro *NEW for 2019*

Putting complex topics into your own words can be a confusing task. This workshop teaches you handy techniques to avoid plagiarism, as well as how to strike that all-important balance between paraphrased sentences and direct quotes.

• Friday 1st February 1pm-2pm
• Wednesday 27th February 12pm-1pm

Book your place here. 

EXPRESS Harvard Referencing

Introduction to the Harvard referencing guide including in-text citations, bibliography/reference lists and the importance of referencing to avoid plagiarism.

• Friday 8th February 12pm-12:45pm
• Tuesday 12th March 12pm-12:45pm

Book your place here. 

Effective Exam Preparation  *NEW for 2019*

Banish pre-exam dread with a procrastination-busting workshop. With handy revision strategies and memory techniques aplenty, leave inspired to thoroughly prepare and ultimately, perform your best!

• Monday 18th March 1pm-2pm
• Monday 1st April 12pm-1pm

Book your place here. 

Powerful Presentations

This workshop will cover the different stages of putting together a powerful presentation. Recognise the importance of planning and structuring your presentation, how to create an accessible yet visually appealing presentation and tips for presenting with confidence.

• Wednesday 13^th February 12pm-1pm
• Tuesday 5^th March 1pm-2pm
• Thursday 21^st March 12pm-1pm

Book your place here. 

UniSpeaks  *NEW for 2019*

Do presentations make you feel nervous? Wish you were more relaxed and confident? Need a safe space to practice your presentation skills? Then UniSpeaks is for you. UniSpeaks offers a safe space to come together with other students in the same boat to practice presenting in front of an audience. These sessions will take place once a month – you can come along and listen to others present, have a go yourself and learn strategies to present with more confidence.

• Wednesday 30th January 2pm-4pm
• Wednesday 27th February 2pm-4pm
• Wednesday 27th March 2pm-4pm

Book your place here.