Workshops

We offer a wide range of workshops to help you reach your full potential.

Our workshop programme beginning in September 2023 is published below. Please click on the workshop title to find out more information about it. New students may be interested to know that the programme starts even before you arrive with a range of sessions that aim to help you settle into university life. In these pre-arrival sessions you will meet students who will share their experiences of starting university, along with representatives from the Students Union and a range of university services. Join us if you can!

Zoom links for the Head into Brookes induction workshops are available directly from this page. You don't need to book them, just join from wherever you are.

Our semester 1 workshops in calendar view

Head into Brookes: Starting your student journey

Students standing outside the John Henry Brookes Building

Induction workshops

Leaving home and living Independently

Starting university may well involve living away from home, having to manage your own time, and developing the skills to cope. In this workshop students from Oxford Brookes share their experiences of how it went for them and both staff and students share tips on how to make the process of living independently easier.

Monday 11 September, 12.30-2.00

Work life balance: How should I manage my time?

Independent study involves needing to organise your own time more than was probably the case in school or college days. This session explores how to ensure that your medium to long-term planning is effective enough to make your short-term workload manageable. Time management will also reduce stress and give you the chance to have a life that is not all about work.

Tuesday 12 September, 12.30-2.00

Becoming an independent learner: knowing my skills and helping myself

Moving from school or college to university brings a changing relationship with staff and teachers. There are lots of development opportunities available and many people who can offer support, but you will need to think about how you can get the most out of what is on offer. In this workshop we’ll be thinking about the type of support you can expect, who you can turn to for help, and what the best way of approaching people might be.

Wednesday 13 September, 12.30-2.00

Am I good enough? (Combatting Imposter Syndrome)

We know that stepping up to university can be daunting and many people have moments where they lack confidence. Join us for a workshop where we explore some of the challenges that students face and provide you with some ideas and strategies for overcoming your fears

Thursday 14 September, 12.30-2.00

Getting started: a guide for mature students - JHB203

This session will help you make the most of your university experience, with information on mature student support, and activities exploring learning technology, reading strategies, and building your confidence. By the end of the session, you will have met some interesting new people and developed some great ideas about how to make the most of your first few months at Brookes.

Friday 22 September, 11.00-12.30
Location: JHB203 Headington Campus

Study Skills for International Students - JHB203

Going to university in the UK is an exciting opportunity for international students and also brings new challenges. This session will highlight differences between the UK university system and elsewhere and suggest key study skills for students who are studying in the UK for the first time.

Friday 22 September, 1.00-2.30
Location: JHB203 Headington Campus

Semester one maths and statistics workshops

Thinking statistically

This session will briefly introduce the different areas (descriptive, inferential) and vocabulary related to statistics. By the end of the session you will be able to:

Demonstrate a useful understanding of statistical vocabulary.

Recognise when it is appropriate to use statistics.

Describe the different areas of statistics.

Evaluate when the different areas of statistics are relevant.

Wednesday 4 October, 4.00-5.30 JHB201, Headington Campus - Sign up here
Thursday 12 October, 4.00-5.30 Online via Zoom - Sign up here

Getting Started with a dataset

This workshop is designed to assist students who have a set of collected data and are unsure where to begin. We will briefly define the different areas and types of statistics before discussing how to approach a dataset. We will focus on two main points - understanding the data you have and defining what you want you want to investigate. We will use a mock dataset to put this knowledge into context. By the end of this session you will be able to:

Recognise when it is appropriate to use different areas of statistics.

Demonstrate some practical skills that can be applied to any dataset, e.g. graphs.

Evaluate and manipulate a dataset.

Understand how to develop a strategy to analyse a dataset.

Wednesday 11 October, 4.00-5.30 JHB201 Headington Campus - Sign up here
Friday 20 October, 12.00-1.30 Online via Zoom - Sign up here

Interpreting published data and results

This workshop will demonstrate how to approach published papers and how to interpret and understand the results. We will discuss what factors to consider and and how to determine the relevance and validity of the results. This will be applied to previous literature for practice. By the end of the session you will be able to:

Define how to critically review data and statistics in published work.

Identify relevant information from a text for analysis.

Apply what you have learned to your own research/purpose.

Wednesday 18 October, 4.00-5.30 JHB201 Headington Campus - Sign up here
Friday 27 October, 12.00-1.30 Online via Zoom - Sign up here

Strategies for studying maths successfully

Maths can crop up in unexpected places! You may find that you have to practice your numeracy skills during your degree and are not sure how to prepare. This workshop aims to demonstrate different strategies to aid you in studying and revising maths, how to find appropriate study resources online and to let you know the different kinds of support available. This workshop will be one hour followed by time for you to ask any questions, it's perfect if you need a refresher on these study skills or just want to build your confidence!

Friday 6 October, 12.00-1.30 JHB401, Headington Campus - Sign up here
Wednesday 1 November 12.00-1.30 Online via Zoom - Sign up here

SPSS Training on Moodle (from IT Training)

Our colleagues in IT Training offer a course on SPSS that takes you through downloading and setting it up and then using it for data organisation, presntation and analysis. It is a course you can enrol on yourself via Moodle but there are no assignments or assessments. Its purpose is to support you in using SPSS for your work.

Enrol on SPSS Moodle course

Semester one study skills workshops

Weeks 1 to 3

Week 2 - Build Your Academic Skills

Being an effective student involves developing the skills and qualities you already have and acquiring new ones. This workshop will provide you with the tools to analyse how you can reach your full potential at university and make the most of the developmental opportunities that are available to you. If you are looking for springboard for change, this could be it!

Monday 2 October, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Week 2 - Reading 1: What to read and how to read it?

A key skill you will learn at university is how to take control of your independent reading. It is quite common to feel unsure about whether you are finding the right sources, or if you are making the best use of your reading time. This workshop will look at some key skills for deciding which texts will and won’t be useful for you, and getting what you need from them as efficiently as possible.

Tuesday 3 October, 12.00-1.30
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Week 2 - Digital organisation for learning (Headington Campus)

As a Brookes student, you will use computers a lot. This session is aimed at anyone who is not that confident with technology and covers some of the main software we use at Brookes. It will help you understand the strengths and limitations of the devices you use, navigate the world of saving information online with confidence, and ensure that the computer you use is part of the solution, not the problem! This workshop is running in-person at the Headington Campus.

Wednesday 4 October, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

This workshop is repeated in weeks 3 and 4.

Week 2 - Effective note-taking

Why do we take notes and how can we ensure the notes that we take are useful? This workshop focuses on the importance of effective note-taking when reading and will help you improve your practice and confidence.

Thursday 5 October, 12.00-1.30
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Week 3 - Grammar Workshop: What makes a good paragraph?

Knowing how paragraphs work is essential in ensuring that your ideas are effectively expressed in your writing. Poor paragraphing can result in really important arguments being hidden among minor details, and can also leave your writing feeling disorganised and not well-focused on the topic. This workshop will help you reach your paragraphing potential!

Monday, 9 October, 12.00-1.30
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Week 3 - Writing clearly: making it easy for the reader to see how good your ideas are

When you’re focusing on what you want to say, it can be easy to forget that your reader needs to easily follow and understand your ideas. This one-hour session will show you some simple ways to keep your reader engaged and clear about the points you want to make, allowing your good ideas to stand out and be noticed.

Tuesday 10 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 10.

Week 3 - Digital organisation for learning (Headington Campus)

Wednesday, 11 October, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

This workshop is repeated in week 4.

Week 3 - Assignments: What do they want you to do?

Have you been given an assignment that you’re not sure how to approach? Perhaps you’ve struggled in the past to understand exactly what you need to write? This session will show you how to use your task instructions and other resources to get a clearer idea of what your lecturers are hoping to see. Perfect for undergraduates or anyone who wants more confidence in this area, this session will last one hour and be followed by a chance for you to ask questions and discuss your specific assignments.

Thursday 12 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 10.

Week 3 - Writing with Sources

Using sources in your writing is an important part of academic study. This workshop will introduce and practice the most common ways of incorporating references in your writing and will highlight good habits that will help you avoid plagiarism.

Friday 13 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 5.

Weeks 4 to 6

Week 4 - Planning and Delivering Presentations

As well as having strong content, outstanding presentations must also be well planned and communicated clearly. In this session we will learn some essential strategies for deciding what to include, and how to include it, in order to make it easy for your audience to understand your ideas. We’ll also work on verbal delivery, using pace and intonation to keep your talk clear and engaging. The workshop will be one hour, with an extra 30 minutes at the end for you to ask questions and discuss your own presentation assignment.

Tuesday 17 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 7.

Week 4 - Digital organisation for learning (Headington Campus)

Wednesday 18 October, 12.00-1.30
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Week 4 - Understanding Harvard Referencing

Are you struggling to get your Harvard referencing conventions right? Perhaps you’ve had feedback about your referencing and you’re not sure what you need to fix. This interactive session will focus on the content, formatting and punctuation of referencing, so you know what to include and how. The session will be one hour, followed by an optional 30 minutes for you to ask questions and discuss those tricky sources you’re not sure about. It’s perfect if you’re new to Harvard referencing, or just want to build your confidence.

Thursday 19 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in weeks 6 and 9.

Week 5 - You need more analysis!

What exactly is analysis? Why is it so important in academic writing? How can I include more in my writing? Join us for this session where we will take the mystery out of analysis. We’ll also practice distinguishing between analysis and description and learn the types of questions you need to ask yourself when analysing a topic.

Tuesday 24 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in weeks 6 and 8.

Week 5 - What does it mean to be ‘critical’?

Students are often told that their writing should be more critical, but how do you do this? This workshop explores the value of questions in moving from being descriptive to more critical, and where your own ideas fit in the research process.

Wednesday 25 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 7.

Week 5 - Planning an essay and staying on task

Essay tasks come in many different forms, and it may be hard to decide what to include and how to structure your main body. Making a plan based on your instructions will help you to get started, stay on task, and feel more confident that your finished assignment is clear and focussed. This session is suitable for undergraduates and any student lacking confidence in their essay planning. It will show you both how to make a plan, and how to use it! The workshop will be one hour, followed by a chance for you to ask questions and start planning your own assignment.

Thursday 26 October, 4.00-5.30
Sign up here

Week 5 - Writing with Sources

Friday 27 October, 4.00-5.30
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Week 6 - Essay Writing: Introductions and Conclusions

It seems logical to write the introduction to an essay first, but in fact it can be easier to perfect this part later on, once you know what the essay is really trying to say. Whenever the time comes, it is useful to know the typical features of introductions and conclusions, so you can write them with confidence and efficiency. This session will outline the most common “moves” that these key sections include, and the language to make them clear and effective.

Monday 30 October, 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 9.

Week 6 - You need more analysis!

Tuesday 31 October, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Week 6 - Understanding Harvard Referencing

Tuesday 31 October, 4.00-5.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 9.

Week 6 - Kickstart your dissertation

How do you choose a dissertation topic? How can you know whether your idea is any good? This session explores the challenging early stages of the dissertation process, including topic choice, choice of methods and time management.

Thursday 2 November, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Students working at a table in the library

Weeks 7 to 9

Week 7 - Improving Academic Style

Would you like to make your writing sound more “formal” or “academic”? Effective academic writing follows certain conventions of style and clarity, which help you communicate your ideas in an appropriate and convincing way. This one-hour session will cover some top tips for writers who are new to the style of writing required at university, or who wish to improve in this area. There will also be time at the end to address any specific questions you may have.

Tuesday 7 November, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

This workshop is repeated in week 9.

Week 7 - What does it mean to be critical?

Wednesday 8 November, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Week 7 - Planning and Delivering Presentations

Thursday 9 November, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Week 8 - Eliminating common grammar mistakes

Grammar is more than just a set of rules to follow when constructing sentences; it is an agreed code and structure for writing that helps us communicate ideas clearly to avoid misunderstanding. Clear and accurate communication is needed when writing about complex ideas in our academic work. This workshop explores some of the key rules, and the reasoning that underpins them.

Monday 13 November, 12.00-1.30
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Week 8 - Using your reading to develop strong arguments

Reading and research is an important part of the writing process. At university, your job is not just to repeat what other people have said, but to reach your own conclusions and present your own arguments based on what you have researched. This session explores how good notes can be used to help you find your writing ‘voice.’

Tuesday 14 November, 12.00-1.30
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Week 8 - You need more analysis!

Thursday 16 November, 12.00-1.30
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Week 9 - Essay Writing: Introductions and Conclusions

Monday 20 November 12.00-1.30
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Week 9 - Improving Academic Style

Tuesday 21 November 12.00-1.30
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Week 9 - Understanding Harvard Referencing

Thursday 23 November 12.00-1.30
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Week 9 - Editing and Proofreading

This workshop aims to help you submit your work with more confidence. We’ll consider what you need to check, and how. You’ll also have the chance to try out some strategies that might help you see your work as you’ve never seen it before.

Friday 24 November 12.00-1.30
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This workshop is repeated in week 11.

Four students working on laptops at a table

Weeks 10 to 12

Week 10 - Assignments: What do they want you to do?

Tuesday 28 November 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Week 10 - Writing clearly: making it easy for the reader to see how good your ideas are

Thursday 30 November, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Week 11 - Editing and Proofreading

Monday 4 December, 12.00-1.30
Sign up here

Calendar view of all semester 1 workshops

Frequently asked questions

Who can attend a workshop?

Most of our workshops are open to any year and any department. Some of our workshops are tailored specifically for UGs or PGs, or for specific faculties. This will be specified in the workshops description.

How are they run?

Our workshops are in the form of a one-hour interactive Zoom session with other students. You are encouraged to have your camera on at all times. The workshops are an hour long with half an hour at the end for Q and As.

How to book a slot?

Please use the registration forms which can be found in the workshop description. You will receive a calendar invite containing the joining instructions for the workshop you booked. Please accept this calendar invitation to confirm your place. You will also receive an email containing the workshop information.

How to cancel a booking?

Please email academicdev@brookes.ac.uk to let us know if you can no longer attend.