# Staying on top of your study #

**Learning means doing something new**, so everyone in this class will be doing something that they have never done before. It is OK to ask for help and advice along the way; **it’s not a sign of failure to ask for help.** Our best advice for students is that whenever you have any concerns about what you are doing, or your progress in the unit, you should immediately get in touch with your tutor or the lecturers and ask to discuss the class. Consultation times (see cover) are open for students to drop in and talk about anything that interests them. You can also write an email to the lecturers or your tutor to make an appointment. Send three blocks of time when you are available, so they can pick a good time when you can both meet. 

**Help is most useful when you seek it early, so don’t wait till the last minute.** This also applies to all the different resources the university and faculty of arts and social sciences offers for staying on top of your work.
For full information visit http://sydney.edu.au/arts/current_students/staying_on_top.shtml 

The **Learning Centre** assists students to develop the generic skills, which are necessary for learning and communicating knowledge and ideas at university. Programs available at the Learning Centre include workshops in Academic Reading and Writing, Oral communications Skills, Postgraduate Research Skills, Honours, masters Coursework Program, Studying at University, and Workshops for English Language and Learning. Further information about The Learning Centre can be found at http://sydney.edu.au/stuserv/learning_centre/. 

The **Write Site** provides online support to help you develop your academic and professional writing skills. All University of Sydney staff and students who have a Unikey can access the WriteSite at http://writesite.elearn.usyd.edu.au/. 

Another **Learning Centre** site, //Clearer Writing//, provides a variety of different concepts for thinking about how you make your own writing clearer and what to look for when you revise your drafts. It can be found here: http://learningcentre.usyd.edu.au/clearer_writing/.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has **undergraduate units that focus on writing** across the curriculum or, more specifically, writing in the disciplines, making them relevant for all university students. To find out more visit http://sydney.edu.au/arts/teaching_learning/writing_hub/index.shtml and http://sydney.edu.au/arts/teaching_learning/pg_writing_support/index.shtml.  

In addition to units of study on writing, The **FASS Writing Hub** offers drop-in sessions to assist students with their writing in a one-to-one setting. No appointment is necessary, and this service is free of charge to all FASS students and/or all students enrolled in WRIT units. For more information on what topics are covered in a drop-in session and for the current schedule, please visit http://sydney.edu.au/arts/writing_hub/writing_support/index.shtml

Pastoral and academic support for **Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students** is provided by the STAR Team in Student Support services, a dedicated team of professional Aboriginal people able to respond to the needs of students across disciplines. The STAR team can assist with tutorial support, mentoring support, cultural and pastoral care along with a range of other services. More information about support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can be found at http://sydney.edu.au/current_students/student_services/indigenous_support.shtml. 

The **Library** offers students free, online tutorials in library skills at http://sydney.edu.au/library/skills. There's one designed especially for students studying in the Humanities and Social Sciences at http://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/. And don't forget to find out who your Faculty Liaison Librarians are.

## Other support services ## 

**Disability Services** is located on Level 5, Jane Foss Russell Building G20; contact 8627 8422 or email disability.services@sydney.edu.au. For further information, visit their website at http://sydney.edu.au/stuserv/disability/.

**Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS)** are located on Level 5, Jane Foss Russell Building G20; contact 8627 8433 or email caps.admin@sydney.edu.au.  For further information, visit their website at http://sydney.edu.au/current_students/counselling/.

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