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Information for new students: Support for your studies

Key information and links for new students


We offer support in a variety of different ways. Individual online and in person help is available from your Academic Liaison Librarian and our Study Advice team. We also offer further online support via guides and videos. Explore the information on this page to find out more...

We're here to help!

Academic Liaison TeamEach Department/School has an assigned Academic Liaison Librarian.

Your Academic Liaison Librarian can help you with:

  • finding information and using databases
  • referencing and using reference management tools such as EndNote
  • any Library enquiry

Contact your Academic Liaison Librarian, or book an appointment:

The Study Advice Team can help you:
•    develop more effective practices for studying at university
•    make studying less stressful
•    achieve better marks

Study Advice offer weekly webinars, study guides and video tutorials, a drop-in service and appointments.

Maths support is provided via online resources to help if you're finding any mathematical topic difficult during the transition to university study. 

Use the links below to find out more:

IT Service Desk (1st Floor)

IT support is provided by Digital Technology Services (DTS). Go to their Service Desk on the 1st Floor...

  • For IT, wifi and printing queries
  • Open Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 17:00, Saturday & Sunday, 09:00 - 17:00

Online help

A pile of booksReferencing is a key skill you with need to master in your studies at university. Reference correctly and you not only acknowledge the author's contribution to your understanding, but also give your reader the opportunity to reproduce your research by following the same cited texts. You also show that you can work with accuracy and rigour by learning and following a set of rules.

Use the link below to find out more about why, when and how to use references correctly in your academic writing. There are also examples for you to follow.

Two female students studying in the LibraryIf you are a new first year undergraduate based on the Reading campus, you will be invited to join our online course, Study Smart. This brief online course, developed by the Study Advice team, aims to give you the best possible preparation for studying at university level and is exclusively available to University of Reading students. It focuses on three key areas of university-level study:

  • academic integrity (including reading, researching, and referencing);
  • communicating at university (including emails to your tutors, lectures and seminars,  and academic writing for different disciplines including Maths and Science);
  • independent learning (including managing your own time and workload successfully, and becoming an independent and critical thinker).

Completing the course will give you a headstart in your studies, and you can return to the course any time over your first year to remind yourself of what you've learnt.

If you are eligible for Study Smart, you will have received an email with a link to the course at the end of August, so please check your emails. Follow the link below for more information.

We provide a range of online guides and videos you can consult at any time. We've selected a few which you might find useful as you start your studies here.

Explore our full range of guides and videos by following the links below:

Meet your Academic Liaison Librarian

Introducing your Academic Liaison Librarian

Watch this short video to find out how your Academic Liaison Librarian can support your studies.

If you are unable to view this video on YouTube it is also available on YuJa - view the Make the most of your Academic Liaison Librarian video on YuJa (University username and password required)

Introduction to Study Advice and maths support

If you are unable to view this video on YouTube it is also available on YuJa - view the Introduction to Study Advice video on YuJa (University username and password required)