Study Resources

The Student Learning Service (SLS) works with all students to enhance their academic skills including academic writing, maths skills and study skills. They also offer support for students with dyslexia and other specific learning differences.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Adequate referencing is a vital part of academic writing. The University defines plagiarism as:

the use, without adequate acknowledgment, of the intellectual work of another person in work submitted for assessment. This definition includes the unattributed use of course materials. A student cannot be found to have committed plagiarism where it can be shown that the student has taken all reasonable care to avoid representing the work of others as his or her own.

Checklist for avoiding plagiarism:

1. When taking notes, be sure to put ‘inverted commas’ around direct  quotes, so that when you return to your work , it is clear what is a quote, and what is a paraphrase in your own words. Always write down exactly where the material comes from, including page number or URL.
2. When taking notes, use the correct citation / reference format. If you are not clear about this, check your course guide or ask your tutor
3. Familiarise yourself with the citation / reference format you are expected to use. Remember that paraphrases, as well as direct quotes, need to be referenced.
4. Once you have written a draft of your essay / assignment, look at the balance between your own ideas and the ideas of others which you have referenced. It should be clear to the reader or marker which is which, because  the ideas from others will be referenced. Your own argument (your ideas) should provide the main framework for the essay / assignment, and your evidence (the ideas of others) should be in support of your argument.

Books can be very expensive, so before you buy, why not try:

1. Visit the Library or search their online database.
2. Bookends is AUSA's second hand charity book shop, based in the Students' Union Building on Elphinstone Road.
3. Blackwell's is at 99 High Street (Old Aberdeen), stocking new and second hand copies of core reading list texts.
4. Check your course or departmental noticeboard as students often post adverts selling their old text books cheaply.

Or you could try these websites:

• Amazon
• eBay
• Sell Student Stuff
• Abe Books

The University has three libraries: The Sir Duncan Rice Library (main library) which also contains the Special Collections Centre; Taylor Library (law); and the Medical Library (dentistry, medicine, medical sciences, health & nutrition). With over a million books, more than 500,000 ebooks and over 25,000 e-journals, library services provide flexible access to resources on and off campus at a time to suit you.

The libraries are open daily during term time and have hundreds of study places in silent and quiet study areas as well as group project rooms and areas.

There is a good support network of staff and resources including subject help, instructional talks, printed and electronic information guides, vodcasts, podcasts, Twitter.

• Library Website
• Exam Papers Database
• Library Guides
• Museums
• Opening Hours
• PRIMO (print & electronic resources)
• Special Collections Centre

There are computer classrooms available for use throughout campus; the largest being in Edward Wright and MacRobert buildings in Old Aberdeen. The university computers can be accessed by logging in with your student ID and password.

• For a list of computer classrooms in Old Aberdeen, the Sir Duncan Rice Library and Foresterhill visit Where do I find a PC?

Gartner is a leading information technology firm that provides research and analysis services to inform and support decision making across a wide range of industry sectors. Over the past 40 years they have provided insight and expert guidance to leading businesses across the globe.  The University has negotiated entry for all students to Gartner’s Campus Access to give you access to a rich trove of up-to-date, published research developed by the some of the world’s leading technology research consultants.  

You can log into Gartner using your University username and password.

Further details on Gartner can be found here.

Referencing and Citing

There are many styles of referencing and citing. Check your course guide or ask the teaching staff which style they expect you to use. For more information you should also consult the Library webpage on Referencing. As well as a range of guides, they also have a team of Information Consultants who can advise students on referencing and citing.

Undergraduate students - Graduate attributes

The University's Graduate Attributes are a wide-ranging set of qualities, which you will develop during your time as a student in preparation for future employment, further study, and citizenship. You will have many opportunities to develop and achieve these attributes. These will include learning experiences on credit-bearing courses and co-curricular activities such as work placements, study abroad, and volunteering.

How do I find staff email addresses?

Email addresses of University staff and research students, if available, are published through the Staff Directory. Email addresses are subject to Data Protection and therefore some staff may have chosen to opt out of this publicly available directory.

Access the University's Student Hub

From here you can view, check and update your personal details, course enrolments, class timetable, exam timetables and results, and more.

• Login to the portal at www.abdn.ac.uk/studenthub

Virtual Learning Environments

The University’s virtual learning environments are MyAberdeen, MyMBChB, MyBDS.

• Find out more information here: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/it/student/get-started/portal.php

When they are not booked for teaching, computer classrooms are open for you to use. For more information on study spaces please visit the Study Spaces on Campus page which details term, vacation and exam time opening hours as well as PC availability across campus

TurnitinUK is an online service which compares student assignments with online sources including web pages, databases of reference material, and work previously submitted by other students across the UK. It matches sections of the text that have been found in other sources. This assists the marker with checking whether resources have been appropriately referenced and whether plagiarism has occurred. Find out how to avoid plagiarism here.

You can find out more about using Turnitin here.