Effective Learning Service (ELS)
The Effective Learning Service (ELS) offers guidance and support to students who wish to develop their academic writing and study skills. Our aim is to help you become as self-reliant as possible as you progress through your degree programmes here at ¾«¶«´«Ã½.
For students with a ¾«¶«´«Ã½ login, access our full set of guides, tools and videos at the ELS Resource Hub or Make a 1-1 appointment below:
- 1-2-1 Appointments
- Writing and Study Space
- Study Skills Workshops
- Getting in Touch
- FAQs
1-2-1 Appointments
ELS offers a mixture of online and in-person appointments. In an online appointment we communicate guidance and advice on your assignments via e-mail or Teams. If you have any follow up questions on the advice given, then just contact us by email.If you have an appointment, then please try to send your work to us (along with the assignment brief if possible) at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment time. All in-person appointments will be in the ELS room (1153 in the LRC). We can only look at 1,500 words of writing per appointment. Please note that if you are an online ¾«¶«´«Ã½ student, then you should email ELS@qmu.ac.uk to arrange your appointment.
Please book with only one ELS advisor at a time, once per fortnight, and do not send any work to us if you do not have an appointment.
Writing and Study Space
Study Skills Workshops
Regular study skills workshops on a wide range of topics will be run throughout the academic year. The workshops below are small, informal, and aimed at undergraduate students, although postgraduates can join too if there is space available. These workshops will be delivered online via Microsoft Teams.
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Essay Writing Workshops |
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Planning: Understanding, Exploring & Deciding
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8th October 20th October 28th October |
12 – 1 pm 1 – 2 pm 10 – 11 am |
In-person Online Online |
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Writing: Structure, Style & Paragraphs
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9th October 23rd October 29th October |
10 – 11 am 12 – 1 pm 1 – 2 pm |
In-person Online Online |
Getting in Touch 
What happens in an appointment?
An ELS advisor will discuss any concerns you have, such as taking notes, reading effectively, planning and structuring essays or exam techniques; and then work out various strategies to help.
The ELS does not proofread or check completed essays – the aim of the sessions is for you to build up the skills and confidence you need to tackle academic tasks successfully yourself.
Appointments will usually be held in room 1153. One session is enough in many cases, but students often have several sessions over a semester.
How to book an appointment?
If you need to get in touch for any other reason, then just send an email message to:
 
FAQs
How can I book an appointment for ELS support?
We use for bookings.
How often can I book an appointment?
In the interest of fairness, please book with only one ELS advisor at a time, once per fortnight.
I cannot see any appointments listed, even if I look ahead…
Our appointments tend to get booked up quite quickly, which is likely to be why none are showing. Emailing us at ELS@qmu.ac.uk can be a good way forward. We upload our availability around 2-3 weeks in advance, and each advisor has different working patterns, so bear that in mind if looking ahead, or for a specific day.
Can I book with an international or home advisor if I do not fit that category?
You can, but please notify the advisor in your booking comments. They will do their best, but may have to cancel your booking and prioritise an under-served group of students.
Do I need to have a draft-in-progress to book an appointment?
It is beneficial to have something to share with an advisor, and this can be a previously submitted assignment, including at college. We can support you without a draft, but please mention some specific academic skills when booking, such as essay writing or time planning.
How many words can you look at in a single session?
We can discuss up to 1500 words of your draft with you. If the overall assignment is longer than this, then it’s best to send us the key sections you want us to focus on.
I have a draft, how should I send it?
You can either attach it as a Word document to the StudentCentral booking page or send it to the advisor you have booked with directly. Please include the assignment brief that matches up with your draft.
When should I send my draft?
At least 24 hours in advance of your appointment time, if possible. If you do make changes closer to your slot, then it’s useful to send those too so we have the most up-to-date version.
It is hard to find a slot that fits my studies and placements…
Try one of our ‘email’ appointments, which you can select within our ‘Online’ session types listed on StudentCentral; you can then look over our feedback whenever it suits you.
Can you do a ‘quick check’ or proofread of my essay or reference list?
ELS supports you to become more confident and independent in your academic work and is not a ‘proofreading’ service, and while we do welcome drop-ins at ELS, more sizeable queries will tend to require an appointment.
Guides and Resources
Leaflets:
- Managing and Organising your Time
- Active Reading
- Planning and Writing Essays
- Making Effective Notes
- Presentations
- Reflection
- Critical thinking
- Report writing
- Revision
- Exams
- Planning a critical review
- Writing a literature review
Quick guides:
- Keywords used in assignment titles
- Planning essays
- Writing and structuring assignments
- Reading for study
- Dealing with lectures
- Groupwork
- Coping with stress
- Memory tips
- Revision tips
- Exams tips
- Academic writing
- Editing and proofreading
- The paragraph
- The sentence
- Punctuation one
- Punctuation two
The LRC also has a wide range of study skills books available in individual subject areas.
Key study websites at ¾«¶«´«Ã½:
See our Library section for useful study and information skills.
The Library also runs a wide range of throughout the academic year on topics such as Harvard and APA referencing, how to use the website, and an introduction to reference managers.
The Coming from College area of the website has a collection of seminars and podcasts covering a great variety of topics connected with academic life and study.
Other key study websites:
- A site containing lots of examples of academic English arranged by function.
The ELS Three By Threes are a set of interlinked short videos, which break down key Study Skills topics into manageable steps. We currently have videos on five topics: An Introduction To Academic Culture, Positive Time Planning, Planning Assignments, Using Sources Effectively and Rethinking Reading.
If you are enrolled at ¾«¶«´«Ã½, the best way to access the 'Three By Threes' is by registering on .
If you have not yet enrolled at ¾«¶«´«Ã½, you can access the videos and resources via .
ELS Support Enquiries
The ELS is based in room 1153 in the Library.
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday
09.15 a.m. - 16.15 p.m.
