What is Academic Literacy?
Academic Literacy is more than being able to read or write. It involves being part of a community of scholars and knowing how to present, write and communicate with rigour, precision and integrity. It means being critical of what you see around you in newspapers, magazines, television, radio, advertising, books, journals and online. And it means understanding the research process, using scholarly references, knowing how to cite according to style, and the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism. It’s also about keeping well and understanding the core skills you need to effectively, successfully and happily (well, most of the time) manage and experience your time at University.
Welcome then, to the Communication Arts Academic Literacy Site also known as CAL. This site has been designed to help you acquire and develop the skills you’ll need to study and undertake research at University level.
The site contains short introductory lecture pods and other resources that deal with different aspects of academic literacy – Online vs Face-to-Face Study; Academic Writing; Critical Reading and Critical Thinking; Referencing and Academic Integrity; Time Management; and Wellbeing. The pods have been written and presented by academics who work in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts with the aim of introducing you to a core competency or skill. Your responsibility will be to use the pods and the supplementary material found on each page as a stimulus for continuing to develop your academic skills. This is essential to your ongoing success at Western Sydney University.
Some of the questions you can expect to have answered here include:
- What is academic writing and how does it differ from other kinds of writing?
- What are the basics of a good academic essay?
- What are the best ways to approach a difficult text or set reading?
- Why do we need theory at University?
- What does it mean when your tutors ask you to ‘think critically’?
- Why is referencing important and when do you need to do it?
- How to manage assignments, uni, life, work and stay healthy?
- Who to talk to if things get too tough?
We encourage you to make use of this site often
There is a lot of helpful information here that will support your learning beyond the first weeks of University. If you have questions after watching the lecture pods take the opportunity to do some further research. Try taking one of the University’s free workshops (online and face-to-face) on academic literacy and study skills. You’ll find information about these on this site and in the Communication Arts Online Handbook. Attend a PASS session if your unit runs one and check out the resources in our Getting Help page. And, of course, always feel free to ask your lecturers and tutors. They’re here to help.
– Dr Rachel Morley, Director of Academic Program, Communication