Communication Skills Guidebook

1. Finding Out: Researching
Becoming familiar with the library
Finding resources listed on a reading list
Using the library’s searching tools
Locating material in the library building
Using electronic collections
Finding information for your assignment
2. Writing Up: Essay Writing
General advice for writing a good essay
What are essay markers looking for?
3. Arguing Through: Written Argument
Effective academic argument
Deductive and inductive arguments
Acceptable reasoning and evidence
Unacceptable reasoning and evidence
A word of warning
Structuring a strong argumentative essay
4. Stating Facts: Presenting Research Findings
What are report readers looking for?
General layout of a report
Written expression and presentation
Writing a laboratory report
5. Writing Well: Language, Sentences and Paragraphs
Developing your vocabulary
Choosing the right word
Using inclusive language
Structuring clear sentences
Paragraphing effectively
6. Dotting ‘I’s: Using Punctuation Correctly
Using abbreviations and other shortened forms of words or phrases
Using apostrophes
Using capital letters
Using colons
Using semicolons
Using commas
Using ellipses
Using the full stop
Using numbers
Using quotation marks
More about punctuation
7. Owning Up: Referencing
The author–date (Harvard) system
The note system
The Vancouver system
Notes and note identifiers
Acknowledging electronic sources
Further information
8. Speaking Out: Public Speaking
Preparing for a talk
Delivering your talk
Coping with questions
9. Teaming Up: Working in Groups
What makes a team effective?
How can you make your team effective?
Maintaining an effective team
Supportive behaviour within the team
Problems with working in teams
Collaborative writing of a team project
Making a team presentation
10. Facing Up: Succeeding in Exams
Preparing for an exam
Advice for sitting written exams
Advice for other types of exams
Glossary
References and Useful Resources
Index