Learning Lab

Assessment tasks at university require you to do some research beyond your course notes.

The next stage is about finding credible and reliable information. You also need to be able to reference this information correctly.

Finding information

Read StudyBot's advice on how to find information. Click on the links in the conversation to access the resources.

Reading and note-taking

Uni assignments require a lot of reading. You not only need to become an efficient reader but also a critical reader. You will also need to make notes of the information relevant to your assessment.

Your notes should summarise the key points and record important bibliographical details like the author’s name, the title of the source, the publisher, year of publication and page numbers. If you are referring to a website, make sure you record the url and the date that you accessed the page.  

These details are important for referencing, and it is far better to collate this information as you are taking notes instead of attempting to track down references later. You may be in breach of academic integrity if you aren’t able to show where you gathered the information from and passing off ideas that aren’t your own. Therefore, when planning for your assignments, you should consider academic integrity to save yourself the hassle later! 

Further information regarding academic integrity when planning for your assignments.

StudyBot: Reading and note-taking

Read StudyBot's advice about effective reading and note-taking. Click on the links in the conversation to access the resources.

Visit the RMIT Library's Study Support Hub for extra assistance.