Academic Learning Centre Workshops
Looking for ways to be successful this term? Study smarter, not harder! Attend one of our sessions where you’ll learn practical strategies that you can put into action right away. We’ll introduce you to proven approaches that will help you to:
- Improve time management and avoid procrastination
- More easily read and understand textbooks
- Take good notes and study more effectively
- Write academic papers and use source material properly
- Prepare for tests and exams
On this page:
Academic Skills Fall Workshops
Please register to attend!
Creating a Study Schedule
Thursday, September 11, 2025; 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Want to create a sustainable study routine? This workshop offers tools that will help you feel in-tune with your academic schedule and course material early-on.
Preparing for Midterms
Thursday, October 2, 2025; 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Want to feel confident going into midterms? This workshop discusses research-backed study strategies that will help you make the most of your preparation time.
Finding, Evaluating, and Citing Academic Sources
Wednesday, October 8, 2025; 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Online
Learn how and where to look for sources. This workshop provides a structured approach to the research process and gives an introductory overview of the ways students can use library resources to help them through the process.
Academic Writing Strategies for Success
Thursday, October 9, 2025; 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Learn how to understand assignments, organize your ideas, and write clearly and confidently. This workshop covers the basics of academic writing to help you succeed in university-level coursework. Perfect for students looking to strengthen their writing skills at any stage.
Integrating Sources: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
Thursday, October 16, 2025; 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
This workshop will cover how to integrate quotations effectively, when to paraphrase or summarize, and how to paraphrase correctly. The focus of this workshop will be on how to paraphrase, and time will be spent creating a paraphrase together.
Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence
Thursday, October 23, 2025; 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Learn to make good choices about using generative Artificial Intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, QuillBot, Google Gemini, DALL·E, etc.), while also following UM academic integrity policies. This workshop is aimed at undergraduate students.
Academic Reading
Thursday, October 30, 2025; 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Wondering how to keep-up with readings? This workshop offers practical strategies for reading efficiently, managing large volumes of material, and retaining key information.
Preventing Procrastination
Thursday, November 6, 2025; 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Struggling to start or stay focused? This workshop discusses how to build motivation, manage time, and maintain momentum in your academic work.
Preparing for Finals
Thursday, December 4, 2025; 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Want to make the most of your time as you prepare for finals? This workshop will discuss mindset and strategies that will help you end the semester well.
Academic Skills Winter Workshops
2026 schedule coming soon!
Creating a Study Schedule
Thursday January 9, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | Online
Learn how to organize your whole academic term, create a weekly study schedule, and keep yourself on track with daily study sessions.
Preparing for Midterms
Wednesday, January 29, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | Online
Learn top study strategies that successful students use to prepare for tests and exams, as well as tips on time management and self-care so you can head into midterms feeling prepared and confident.
Getting Started on your Academic Writing
Thursday, January 30, 2025 | 3 PM - 4 PM | In-Person
Writing at the university level is harder than you think! Learn strategies for getting started with your essays and other writing assignments—understanding assignment guidelines, idea gathering, thesis development, outlining.
Finding, Evaluating, and Citing Academic Sources
Wednesday, February 5, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | Online
Learn how and where to look for sources. This workshop provides a structured approach to the research process and gives an introductory overview of the ways students can use library resources to help them through the process.
Academic Integrity and Artificial Intelligence
Thursday, February 13, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | In-Person
Learn to make good choices about using generative Artificial Intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, QuillBot, Google Gemini, DALL·E, etc), while also following UM academic integrity policies. This workshop is aimed at undergraduate students.
Integrating Sources: Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing
Thursday, February 27, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | In-Person
Clarify when and how to use sources when writing (APA style). This workshop is aimed at undergraduate students.
Revising, Editing, and Proofreading
Thursday, March 6, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | In-Person
Your first draft needs work! Learn strategies for reviewing your written drafts to be sure they are organized, coherent, and easy to understand.
Preventing Procrastination
Thursday, March 13, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | Online
Everyone struggles with the feeling of “I’ll do it tomorrow…” This workshop provides tools on how to break the cycle of procrastination and get stuff done.
Preparing for Finals
Tuesday, March 25, 2025; 3 PM - 4 PM | Online
Review effective learning strategies and time management tips introduced in earlier workshops. Discuss how to prioritize your health and well-being so that you feel well-rested and ready to tackle your final exam.
English, Theatre, Film & Media Writing Workshops
Fall 2025 Writing Workshop Series, no registration required!
Approaching the Assignment
Are you having difficulties starting your first assignment? In this workshop, you will learn how to effectively read assignment guidelines and identify key information to help you get started. This 45-minute workshop will be in-person on September 17, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in 627 Fletcher Argue and online on September 18, 7:00-7:45 p.m. on UM Zoom.
Meeting ID: 652 5828 4307
Passcode: 068815
No registration required. We hope to see you there!
The Body Paragraph
Having trouble with paragraphs? Do you want to write strong and convincing paragraphs? In this workshop, you will learn how to construct a body paragraph, how to integrate evidence, and how to write strong topic sentences. This 45-minute workshop will be in-person on September 24, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in 627 Fletcher Argue and online on September 25, 7 - 7:45 p.m. on UM Zoom.
Meeting ID: 652 5828 4307
Passcode: 068815
No registration required. We hope to see you there!
Intros and Conclusions
Starting and finishing an essay can feel like the hardest part. In this workshop, you will learn how to write strong introductions and conclusions by discussing common mistakes and interactive activities. This 45-minute workshop will be in-person October 8 1:30-2:30 PM in 627 Fletcher Argue and online on October 9, 7 - 7:45 p.m. on UM Zoom.
Meeting ID: 652 5828 4307
Passcode: 068815
No registration required. We hope to see you there!
Writing Effective Sentences
Making sure your argument and ideas are clear is the most important part of writing in university. In this workshop, you will learn how to identify and fix common grammar errors to help you write clear sentences. This 45-minute workshop will be in-person October 15, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in 627 Fletcher Argue and online on October 16, 7-7:45 PM on UM Zoom.
Meeting ID: 652 5828 4307
Passcode: 068815
No registration required. We hope to see you there!
Using Feedback for Growth
Getting feedback can be scary. But feedback is an essential tool to help you improve as a writer. In this workshop, you will learn what feedback is, how to receive it, and how to use it to grow as a writer. This 45-minute workshop will be offered in-person October 29, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in 627 Fletcher Argue and online on October 30, 7:00-7:45 p.m. on UM Zoom.
Meeting ID: 652 5828 4307
Passcode: 068815
No registration required. We hope to see you there!
Preparing for an In-class Essay
In-person writing exams can seem daunting and feel overwhelming. In this workshop, you will learn tools and strategies to help prepare for in-class essays and exams. This 45-minute workshop will be offered in-person November 26, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in 627 Fletcher Argue and online on November 27, 7:00-7:45 p.m. on UM Zoom.
Meeting ID: 652 5828 4307
Passcode: 068815
No registration required. We hope to see you there!
Academic Skills Video Workshops
Learn anytime, anywhere!
Creating a Study Schedule
Recorded Thursday, September 12, 2024
Learn how to organize your whole academic term, create a weekly study schedule, and keep yourself on track with daily study sessions.
Preparing for Midterms
Recorded Thursday, October 3, 2024
Learn top study strategies that successful students use to prepare for tests and exams, as well as tips on time management and self-care so you can head into midterms feeling prepared and confident.
Preventing Procrastination
Recorded Thursday, November 7, 2024
Everyone struggles with the feeling of “I’ll do it tomorrow…” This workshop provides tools on how to break the cycle of procrastination and get stuff done.
Preparing for Finals
Recorded Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Review effective learning strategies and time management tips introduced in earlier workshops. Discuss how to prioritize your health and well-being so that you feel well-rested and ready to tackle your final exam.
Graduate Student Workshops
Fall 2025 GradSteps Workshop Series
Writing at the Graduate Level
Tuesday, September 23, 2025; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
This session aims to help students transition smoothly to graduate-level writing by exploring some of the differences between undergraduate and graduate-level writing, including the different expectations related to content (complexity of ideas, critical thinking), research (depth and breadth), organization and writing style (clarity and conciseness).
Writing Concisely
Tuesday, October 7, 2025; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Throughout graduate school and beyond, you may find yourself encountering stifling word count expectations for grant applications, conference proposals, abstracts, and more. This workshop offers practical strategies to reduce wordiness, strengthen your argument, and improve readability.
Citing Sources: Why, When, and How
Tuesday, October 14, 2025; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Knowing when and where to cite is confusing for many students but citations are as important as good data and clarity in academic writing. This workshop will explain why we cite in academia, outline basic citation rules and style expectations, and how to incorporate citations correctly and effectively.
Integrating Sources: Synthesis and Analysis
Tuesday, October 21, 2025; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Effectively integrating existing research into your writing takes practice! This workshop explores how to move beyond description by synthesizing multiple sources, analyzing arguments, and strengthening your academic voice.
Thesis: Structure and Organization
Tuesday, November 4, 2025; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Completing a thesis requires a feat of sustained effort. To manage this feat, a student needs to have clear thesis structure and organization expectations. This workshop will cover strategies and tools to help you begin and complete your thesis. Attendees are encouraged to share their writing, organization, and time-management strategies.
Writing a Literature Review
Tuesday, November 18, 2025; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Tier Building Room 213
Wondering what is expected in a literature review? Not sure how to start? This session will address the purpose and objectives of a literature review and offer strategies for starting, tracking, and synthesizing the information you have gathered.
Graduate Writing Retreat
The Academic Learning Centre, in partnership with the Faculty of Graduate Studies, hosts writing retreats designed to help graduate students progress toward completing their theses and dissertations. These writing retreats are based on the Australian National University “Thesis Bootcamp” model which focuses on:
- Skill building
- Support and guidance
- A focused environment
- Writing goals
These writing retreats focus on producing text. Attendees are challenged to write as many words as possible throughout the retreat with a word count goal to aim for.
Reference
Australian National University. (n.d.). Boot Camps for Higher Degree Researchers. Retrieved September 12, 2024 from https://services.anu.edu.au/training/boot-camps-for-higher-degree-researchers
Graduate Thesis Writing Retreat
Watch this space for updates coming this Fall 2025!