ARTedUK Services > academic writing  Online Academic Writing Study for International Art and Design Students.       Art and Design courses in the UK rarely use exams as a means of assessing students. It is likely that a proportion of the credits you receive during your course will be gained as a result of practical work, and some will come from essays and a dissertation or thesis. The ARTedUK Academic Writing Study Units are designed to prepare you for the written part of your course in the UK. We recognise that every student is different, and so each study unit will be tailored to suit your specific needs, and you will be personally guided via on-line tutorials. The study units are each comprised of 4 elements: A ‘Writing Toolkit’ to download Lessons on using the Toolkit Assignments On-line personal tutorials. ARTedUK Online Study Units are not English language lessons. You are expected to already have an appropriate level of English language skills . These study units are designed to improve your academic writing techniques and help you understand what will be expected of you during your new course in the UK.         Reading for Academic Writing   Understanding the question and structuring your essay         Unit AW1 The UK model of learning places emphasis on constructing your own knowledge of a subject, rather than simply being taught what you need to know. This unit explains techniques for this type of study and helps you to develop personal strategies for research.   Unit AW2 A common mistake is a failure to answer the essay question properly. An important factor in presenting a coherent response to a question and displaying your understanding of a topic, is a well organised and carefully structured essay.  This study unit concentrates on interpreting the language used in essay questions in order to identify exactly what you are being asked to do, and constructing successful essay plans based on your response to the brief.          more about this study unit >>   more about this study unit >>                       Critical interpretation of the text and forming your own argument   Referring to the work of other writers and avoiding plagiarism         Unit AW3 Students in the UK are encouraged to form their own interpretation of a topic by reading, discussing and asking questions about a number of sources. Forming and presenting an argument in academic writing is a means of discussing the topic and demonstrating what you have read in a particular way. Critical reading has already been looked at in study unit AW1. This unit focuses on ‘critical thinking’ when interpreting existing texts and using appropriate language when presenting your own argument.   Unit AW4 This unit explains how to refer to the work of other writers and use existing material in your writing whilst avoiding plagiarism. The consequences of using somebody else’s work in an essay, without acknowledging it, using the correct system of referencing, are very serious. It can mean an essay being marked as zero or the student having to repeat a section of the course. In extreme cases the student will be asked to leave the institution.          more about this study unit >>   more about this study unit >>