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Study skills

Discover how you can develop study skills, including academic writing, and how to find resources at the OU Library.

Developing academic English

Do you want to develop your English language skills to enhance your chances of success with Open University study? These resources are specifically aimed at students looking for support and guidance to improve their academic English. They focus particularly on how to enhance your writing skills.
 

Writing for university

When writing university assignments for particular disciplines, you’ll usually be expected to follow some conventions. Your module materials will give you more information about which conventions to follow, but this webpage will give you a general introduction to writing for university, with examples of different writing styles.
 

Study skills booklets

Here you’ll find a selection of booklets to download on study skills and studying with a disability.
 

Open University library

Discover more about the OU library. You can use the 'Getting started' guide to learn about the Open University's online library, and how to find and manage resources.
 

Library training and events

The library also runs regular training sessions and events.
 

Referencing and plagiarism

Here you can find guidance and support on referencing and plagiarism.
 

Generative AI for students

This document provides general guidance on how to use Generative AI responsibly and effectively.
 

Dictionaries, thesauri and encyclopaedias

Here you’ll find a short list of online reference databases covering encyclopaedias, dictionaries, thesauri and almanacs.
 

Past exam papers

Past exam papers can be downloaded from the OU Students Shop.
 

Library services for international students

Take a look at this Hoot article to find out more about the library services available for international students.
 

Using other libraries and SCONUL Access

The section 'Libraries near you for overseas students' should be of particular interest.
 

External libraries and catalogues

Here you’ll find a list of external libraries and catalogues which should be of interest to you.
 

OpenLearn free courses

If you’d like to get into online learning before or between modules, you will find many free courses on OpenLearn.

 
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