1 NUI Galway Library and Academic Skills

Academic Skills Team in the Library

Who we are

The Academic Skills Team in the library support the information needs of all staff and students at NUI Galway.

We offer a virtual service Monday to Friday 9-5 and you can contact us at academicskills@universityofgalway.ie

We can answer queries over email but also can facilitate online consultations over Microsoft Teams. If you have any questions during the year, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Our team: Skills Assistants

Our team: Skills Librarians

1. How to I find relevant books and articles for my research/assignment?
2. How do I find and use eBooks for my research?
3. How do I find information on the library catalogue?
4. How do I know which databases are suitable for my subject area?
5. How do I know how to evaluate information I find on websites?
6. How do I avoid plagiarism?
7. How do I cite and reference correctly?

The library is an excellent place to go for further help on transitioning to third-level education. To keep learning, check out the following from our collections.

Skills Resources from the Library Collections

We have lots of self-directed help as part of the Library’s collections. Have a look at the following.

Starting University

O’Connor, C. (2013) Cracking the college code: a practical guide to making the most of the first year college experience. Dublin: CJ Fallon

Topics include:

• making informed choices
• preparing for change
• getting to know how the third level system works
• the first weeks and months at college
• the challenges of living at home or away

Citing & referencing

Pears, R. (2019) Cite them right: the essential referencing guide, 10th edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave

Cite them right provides clear and comprehensive coverage of citing and referencing. This 10th edition continues to provide detailed examples for all print and electronic sources, business, government, technical and legal publications, and works of art and images.

Study Skills

Cottrell, S. (2019) The Study Skills Handbook, 5th edition. London: Macmillan Education, Ltd.

An invaluable guide for undergraduates of all disciplines as well as postgrads, mature students and international students. Prepares students for what to expect before, during and after studies at university. This guide shows students how to tailor their learning to their individual needs in order to boost their grades, building confidence and increase employability.

Critical Thinking Skills

Cottrell, S. (2017) Critical thinking skills: developing effective analysis and argument, 3rd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Essential resources for students looking to refine their thinking, reading and writing skills. This student-centered approach demystifies critical thinking and breaks down a complex subject into manageable chunks. Clear explanations, relevant examples and plenty of exercises.