April 14, 2022, by Sarah

Easter Break key resources 

Do you have an essay to write over vacation? Or perhaps you’re preparing for an exam? In this blog, we share some of the tips for finding resources, accessing study space and preparing for exams and assessments.  

Library Subject Guides 

Our subject guides are designed to help you locate key resources specific to your subject area. They contain numerous resources, from: 

• books and journals 
• specialist resources
• subject databases and walkthrough videos 
• literature searching support

Library Access 

Library Access is a browser extension that makes it much easier to access journals, databases, ebooks or other websites when working off campus. 

The extension will notify you when you’re on a website that the University has a subscription for. Follow the link to get simple access to all licensed material on that site without having to visit NUsearch first. 

If the material you’d like to use doesn’t seem accessible, the extension will automatically check for open access versions. 

Library Access is available for the following browsers on laptop and desktop computers: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari or Opera.  

Ask Libraries 

Do you have questions about our library services or resources? Library staff are available to help via phone, email and Live Chat.  

• Email library-helpline@nottingham.ac.uk 
• Phone 0115 95 16393 
• Live chat (Monday – Friday, 11am – 1pm and 2 – 4pm) 

Please note, our helpline will be closed from Friday 15 – Monday 18 April but our online resources will still be available.  

Visit our Easter break guide for information about your loans and our opening times. 

Access other University libraries 

Finding a comfortable, well-lit place to study that is free from distraction and that you associate with working is important to make the most out of your studying. 

Over the break if you happen to be off-campus or back home you might want to consider applying for the SCONUL Access Scheme. It’s a scheme that allows University students to access libraries across the country.  

Once registered, you’ll gain access to resources and library spaces that may be closer to home. There are over 150 university libraries registered, so you’ll have plenty to choose from.

Join your Faculty’s Academic Skills Moodle 

Join your Faculty’s Student Academic Skills Moodle for study tips as well as webinars and resources.  

These include methods to make your study periods more active, and therefore more effective. You’ll find resources ranging from tips to engage your memory, using visuals like drawings and concept maps, to getting creative and putting concepts into your own words, for instance combining reading and writing with speaking and listening. 

Organise your studies 

First things first, whether you’re planning to write an essay or preparing for an exam, being organised helps you to get more out of your studies. Plan your study periods to break revision down into small chunks that include regular breaks. Organise your notes and materials so you can retrieve the information you need easily.  

Here are some useful strategies and tools that can help:   

Organise your references 

Referencing and citing are crucial aspects of constructing a successful essay. Finding an effective method to record and access sources can improve your chances of achieving a higher grade and save you valuable time.  

EndNote is a software available to University of Nottingham students both on and off-campus, it can help you:  

• organise your references 
• import references from your literature searches on NUsearch, subject databases, and Google Scholar 
• import references from PDFs 
• search databases from EndNote  
• attach full-text PDFs to appropriate references 
• add notes to PDFs 
• select and edit appropriate reference styles for use in your writing 

We’ve also got some great guides and tutorials available if you’re unfamiliar with the software.  

HealthyU exams toolkit 

Over the vacation period, you might be busy with the plans you’ve made but it’s always important to make time for your health and wellbeing. Whether it’s taking regular breaks or eating healthy food, there are plenty of simple things that you can do to make sure you are in the best possible frame of mind to tackle your exams and assessments.  

The HealthyU exams toolkit offers a range of simple tips you can follow to help you stay calm and maximise the effectiveness of your revision time.   

Exams checklist and past papers 

If you’re preparing for exams over the break then our Exams Checklist could be an invaluable resource. It’s a handy guide that contains all the information you could possibly need, including: 

• Travelling to campus and campus maps  
• Past exam papers 
• Exam timetables 

Turnitin 

Turnitin is an online subscription service which helps prevent plagiarism by checking submitted work. It is used in a number of ways, including: 

• Turnitin is integrated into Moodle, which means assignments can be set up in any module and used via the Moodle assignment activity.  
• Coursework can either be submitted directly via Turnitin or manually uploaded by staff. 
• Students can also use Turnitin at any time to check their own work via the Test Your Text Moodle page. 
• Additional services such as the Feedback Studio also allow for grading forms and qualitative or quantitative rubrics if desired. 

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