Task: Academic writing
Most universities have advice about writing in an academic style with guides for planning, layout and references. The University of Southampton has an Academic Skills website which includes many aspects of writing for essays, projects and dissertations.
The University of Sheffield English Language Teaching Centre and Learning and Teaching Services have produced an interactive on-line guide on a wide range of study skills for students with dyslexia with several sections on writing skills.
Bournemouth University offer academic study skills for new tutors. "These notes have been written primarily to support new members of staff who may wish to take advantage of some suggestions offered to aid them when writing assignment briefings."
Issues students have with this task
- Language switching when writing
- Excessive mouse use
- Dictionary comparison
- Mouse speed across the desktop
- Writing by hand
- Coursework issues
- Quick access to tools - Office 2007
- Note making and writing
- Spelling complex words
- Essay writing accuracy
- Mouse use difficult.
- Spelling and vocabulary
- Black text on white background
- Formatting in Word
- Works does not save well into Word or PowerPoint
- Word dictionary not helpful
- Essay structure
- Changing colours for writing
- Writing too much for an assignment
- Spell checking for assignments
- Keeping on topic
- Word finding difficulties
- Going off on a tangent when writing
- Sharing documents
- Spell checking whilst writing
- Spell checking assignments
- Problems with lectures and research
