ASk (Academic Skills)
Academic advice, skills workshops and resources.
The Academic Skills (ASk) service is a resource for the whole university.
We are here to help you with your assignments, whatever stage you're at.
We can provide:
- Feedback on your assignments
- Academic and digital skills workshops
- Advice on academic referencing
- Help with maths and statistics.
Find out more
Appointments
Book an appointment with an advisor at a time that suits you.
In-person and online appointments are available Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm.
If you've chosen an online appointment, you'll be sent a calendar invite so that you can log into the appointment at the correct time.
In-person appointments are available across our BSU campuses:
- Newton Park: Commons building (opposite Cafe Commons)
- Locksbrook: G14 on Tuesday and Thursday, 9am–2pm (during term time)
- BSU London (Hackney): ASk appointment room D057 on the ground floor.
Here’s what you need to know:
- You can book up to two appointments per assignment, or up to four for a dissertation. PhD thesis chapters are treated as individual assignments.
- You need to book appointments one at a time. You can book a second appointment once you’ve attended your first appointment.
- Please have some work or drafts ready to share during the appointment.
Maths and Stats appointments
Speak to our Maths and Stats Advisor about any aspect of numeracy and statistics including support with tools such as Excel, JASP, SPSS and R.
Appointments are available Tuesday–Thursday, 10am–3pm (during term time).
Drop-in
Do you want some quick help with your assignments?
You can have up to 20 minutes with an advisor to get advice on referencing or another aspect of your assignment such as presentation, structure or conclusions:
- Newton Park: Commons G06 (opposite Cafe Commons), Monday–Friday, 11.30am–1.30pm (during term time)
- BSU London (Hackney): Common Area (next to the student kitchen) Wednesday–Thursday, 1pm–2pm
- Online drop-in: Monday–Friday, 12.30–1.30pm (during term time).
Workshops
We offer a wide range of Academic and Digital Literacy Skills workshops to all students and staff. To book, simply scroll to an event or use the filters to narrow down your search.
Students – are you and your peers interested in a workshop? We may be able to offer workshops to groups of five or more. Please contact us at academicskills@bathspa.ac.uk
Staff – do you want us to deliver a workshop for your students? Please click the button below to book a workshop request.
Students on low residency courses and placements
Feedback is available by email for students on placement or low residency courses.
Please send us a query, attach your work and let us know what kind of help you need, for example, referencing or structure. Please include the assignment brief as well.
We do our best to reply to queries within 3 working days, but at busy times there may be a delay of up to 5 working days before your essay feedback is available.
Alternatively, you can book an online appointment.
Peer Learning Development Assistants (PDLA)
The Peer Learning Development Assistants (PLDAs) are here to support you with your referencing queries.
No need to book! They have a desk in Commons (opposite Cafe Commons) and will be there: Monday–Friday, 10am–2pm (during term-time).
Extra resources
Guidance on the use of Gen AI
Ever wondered how to use AI tools as a student - or if you should use it at all?
Our guide on Generative AI for students will clear up some of your questions, and you can also view our workshop and videos on how to use Generative AI ethically for your assignments.
Online resources
Resources in our Ultra space (find us under 'Organisations') offer advice on a wide range of skills including academic writing; referencing; Maths and Statistics; digital literacy and critical thinking.
Referencing
Cite Them Right Online: clear and concise referencing guidance with examples to help you confidently create references in your academic assignments.
How to reference: a quick interactive resource on our Ultra page that shows you how to reference.
RefWorks: A reference management system that you can use to create bibliographies. Please note: the University will no longer subscribe to RefWorks from 30 September 2026.
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is one of the most important principles in Higher Education and research. It means making sure that the work you produce for assessment is your own.
For more information on how to make sure your work keeps to the principles of academic integrity and how to avoid academic misconduct, we've put together a detailed guide. There's even a section on how to use GenAI with integrity.
Guidance on the use of Gen AI
Ever wondered how to use AI tools as a student - or if you should use it at all?
Our guide on Generative AI for students will clear up some of your questions, and you can also view our workshop and videos on how to use Generative AI ethically for your assignments.
Online resources
Resources in our Ultra space (find us under 'Organisations') offer advice on a wide range of skills including academic writing; referencing; Maths and Statistics; digital literacy and critical thinking.
Referencing
Cite Them Right Online: clear and concise referencing guidance with examples to help you confidently create references in your academic assignments.
How to reference: a quick interactive resource on our Ultra page that shows you how to reference.
RefWorks: A reference management system that you can use to create bibliographies. Please note: the University will no longer subscribe to RefWorks from 30 September 2026.
Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is one of the most important principles in Higher Education and research. It means making sure that the work you produce for assessment is your own.
For more information on how to make sure your work keeps to the principles of academic integrity and how to avoid academic misconduct, we've put together a detailed guide. There's even a section on how to use GenAI with integrity.
Contact us
- If you are a BSU student or member of staff, please send us a message via our queries page
- For external visitors please email academicskills@bathspa.ac.uk
- Visit us in Commons, at Newton Park Campus (opposite the cafe) and in the Common Area or D057 on our BSU London (Hackney) campus.