Student Academic Success
Academic Success Centre
The Academic Success Centre provides a suite of professional services to enable students across the Kerry Campus to maximise their academic achievement. The service is available to students from all disciplines and at all stages of study. We offer individual guidance appointments, online and in-person workshops, embedded and discipline-specific support, and a range of online resources.
One to One Study Guidance
Book a study guidance appointment for individual advice on any aspect of your study: planning assignments, finding sources, developing your writing process, preparing for presentations, revising for exams, managing your time, and more. Appointments are 30 minutes long and held on Teams. Longer and in-person appointments may be available on request.
Book a one-to-one meeting here
Academic Skills Workshops
These bite-size lunchtime workshops are run throughout the year, online and in-person, on a range of topics including:
- Making notes
- Researching
- Academic reading
- Academic writing process
- Academic writing style
- Citation and referencing
- Giving presentations
- Time management
- Technology for study
- Time management
- Preparing for exams
Details of workshops including rooms and meeting links are distributed through student emails. Investing half an hour in a skills workshop could save you hours, as well as reduce frustration and improve your grades.
Embedded and Bespoke Workshops
Workshops designed specifically to meet the needs of a group can be provided on request from either lecturers or groups of students. If you would like to arrange a session or more for your class, please email jane.brennan@services.mtu.ie to discuss your needs.
Self-Access Resources
Workshop recordings, along with additional resources and help sheets are available on Blackboard under Admin - Academic Affairs & Support Services, Academic Success Centre
Assistive Technology
Students registered with the Access or Learning Difference services may be referred for guidance on technology to support their learning at MTU.
Please contact Jane Brennan, Study skills and Transitions Facilitator, Academic Success Centre: at jane.brennan@services.mtu.ie
Academic Success Campus Library
MTU Kerry campus Library offers a range of supports to students and academic staff. These include: Information Literacy and Library Training classes and tutorials for students at all levels; a range of online Supports and Guides; and specific supports tailored to the requirements of academic staff.
Past Exam papers
The new Exam Papers website is now up and running and can be accessed via the library website here. It is hosted in Canvas and can also be accessed here. The Exam Papers Database is in a Tree Structure and organised by:
> Year > School > Exam Semester-Date (Summer / Autumn / Winter) / Examination Name & CRN
There is a Search Function which allows you to search by Examination CRN or by examination name Keyword. The Search Box opens up once you click on an Exam Paper Year or on the Full Past Papers Listing link.
Academic Staff Support
A service offered to staff and researchers to assist them to carry out searches and the organisation of search results more efficiently and effectively. Lecturing staff can avail of these services to support course development and to find multi-format material to support their teaching.
Information Literacy Classes and Research Support for Students
The library offers a library training programme for undergraduate students. Classes are normally organised in conjunction with Academic staff. Typical topics covered would include:
Year 1:
- A general overview of library facilities and services.
- Details of borrowing rights, renewals, fines.
- How to search for print books on the catalogue.
- Searching and accessing e-books via the catalogue.
- How to search the library’s online databases through Multisearch (Basic Search Skills).
- Finding past exam papers online Introduction to Citations and Referencing.
Year 2:
- Sources available in the subject area in both hard copy and electronic format.
- Searching / accessing e-books via the catalogue.
- Search the library’s online databases through Multisearch (Advanced Search Skills).
- Finding online journal articles and materials for assignments.
- How to access the information on the databases. Print/email/export.
- How to build a search strategy and conduct the search.
- Searching specific databases in the subject area.
- Saving searches, RSS feeds and alerts.
- Citations and Referencing.
For 3rd - 4th year students and postgraduate students:
- Creating a search strategy for your research topic.
- Boolean logic.
- Literature review.
- Finding online journal articles / Inter Library Loans.
- Using relevant subject databases.
- Evaluating information sources.
- Saving searches, RSS feeds and alerts.
- Other sources: Advanced Google, Google Scholar.
- Avoiding plagiarism / Citations and Referencing / Harvard Referencing.
- Exporting bibliographic references from databases.
Postgraduate Research Training
The Library offers a number of training sessions as part of the scheduled Postgraduate Research Training each year, including Advanced Searching and Harvard Referencing.
Academic Liaison Librarians
There are three Academic Liaison Librarians, one in each of the three School areas:
- Business, Computing & Humanities
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
- Health and Social Science / IMCP
In addition to delivering Information Literacy classes, the Academic Liaison Librarians offer one-to-one and small group tutorials that can be booked by students at any level and can be tailored according to the specific research area.
Tutorials are generally offered in Semester II and could cover: Defining the subject area for research; Developing a comprehensive search strategy; Searching library resources; and Systematic Searching for a Literature Review.
Assistive Technology Room
The Library has an Assistive Technologies (AT) Room on the ground floor of the North Campus Library which includes a student networked PC on an electrically height-adjustable table. There is also a table-top magnifier on a fourth, manually height-adjustable table as well as a range of specialist equipment and software available. The AT room can be booked at the library service desk.
Online Supports and Guides
Online Library Guides The Library’s online Guides – or Libguides – are a resource that the library staff have used to create over 40 online guides which support a range of subject areas. The guides highlight, in one online space, details of key print, online and other resources for that subject area. As well as the 20-plus subject guides, there are additional practical guides including: how to use Multi Search, Research Skills and Tips for Smarter Searching.
MTU Kerry Library Live Chat - Online Library Support Live Chat is a live online support service from Library staff that normally operates from 9am-5pm via the Library website. Staff also provide email support from the library email account as well as support on the phone throughout the day.
Referencing, Citations and Avoiding Plagiarism (MTU Kerry) Online and Print Guides
The Library has developed a comprehensive online library resource guide on Referencing, Citations and Avoiding Plagiarism. This guide supports the MTU Kerry Campus adopted Referencing Style, which is the Anglia Ruskin University Harvard Referencing Style. The online guide includes links to the ARU online referencing guide, as well as MTU Kerry’s Brief Guide to Citations and Referencing and A Guide to Secondary Referencing. The online guide also includes videos explaining what plagiarism is - 'Plagiarism: how to avoid it' - and also a video introducing the key concepts of referencing. Topics such as referencing software, how to paraphrase and how to use quotations are also featured. Copies of all print guides are also available in the Library.
Please see the following link to the library: https://library.ittralee.ie/
MTU prioritises supporting students to define what success means for them, to identify their own goals and support them to meet their goals.
REACH Academic Mentoring and Coaching Programme
The REACH initiative commenced in Semester 1 in the academic year 20/21 as an emergency response to support student engagement and retention during the Covid 19 pandemic, when staff and students moved to teaching and learning remotely. REACH started from the Bishopstown Campus and was rolled out in semester 2 in Kerry, North Campus as a pilot initiative in the School of Business.
REACH Academic Mentors (AM)
REACH is currently in its second iteration and this year Kerry has 13 REACH Academic Mentors (AM) who mentor over 480 students from the School of Business and School of Health and Social Sciences. The majority of these students are 1st years, but there are some 2nd year groups included. Academic Mentors are appointed by Heads of Department, following the completion of an expression of interest form and are allocated a maximum of 2hrs per 50 mentees per semester. Academic Mentors are asked to maintain an engagement log so the REACH core team can assess the impact of REACH at the end of the academic year.
The over-arching aim of REACH and the Academic Mentors is to provide academic support for students through their initial years at MTU. The AM serves as a contact person that the student can turn to for information regarding the support services available to them, and to provide guidance and support on academic matters. This involves building a relationship of trust with the students and Mentors arrange weekly group or individual meetings with their students according to the student needs at a particular time in the semester eg a time management session to help students plan their work schedules, or arranging a writing workshop when preparing an essay. Other areas that students may require assistance with is, the initial transition to higher education eg belonging needs, coming to terms with a new way of learning etc and the Academic Mentor is often the point of contact for such matters.
Contact Point
For further information contact Reach coordinator siobhan.creedan@mtu.ie or the following Reach mentors
deirdre.browne@mtu.ie Deirdre Browne Social Sciences Early Childhood Care and Education
ann.fitzgerald@mtu.ie Ann Fitzgerald Creative Media and Information Technology computing, tv and radio broadcasting, multimedia
marian.mckenna@mtu.ie Marian Mc Kenna Creative Media and Information Technology Animation, Visual Effects & Motion Design , TV/radio & New Media
martha.farrell@Mtu.ie Martha Farrell Creative Media and Information Technology Business Marketing
majella.pierse@mtu.ie Majella Pierse Hotel, Culinary & Tourism Event Mgt & Hotel Mgt
mary.burke@mtu.ie Mary Burke Social Sciences Social Care Placement
maryellen.oshea@mtu.ie Mary Ellen O Shea Nursing and Healthcare Mental Health Nursing
patrick.mcgarty@mtu.ie Patrick Mc Garty Social Sciences BA in Social Care
sabina.oconnell@mtu.ie Sabina O Connell Nursing and Healthcare BSc Nursing, General and Mental Health
sheila.omahony@mtu.ie Sheila O Mahony Business Bachelor of Business Studies
siobhan.creedon@mtu.ie Siobhan Creedon Social Sciences BA Early Childhood Care and Education
ciara.rodgers@mtu.ie Ciara Rogers Nursing and Healthcare General Nursing
dawn.farrell@mtu.ie Dawn Farrell Nursing and Healthcare BSc in General Nursing
tj.oconnor@mtu.ie TJ O'Connor Hotel, Culinary & Tourism TMDP/Food Innovation and Business
REACH and CPD professional training
REACH provides CPD professional training for the mentors in the form of the EMCC Foundation Course in Coaching in Higher Education (provided by Edelia Training) and to date 11 of the Kerry mentors have successfully completed or are currently taking this coaching training program. In addition to the provision of the Coaching in Higher Education course, the REACH co-ordinating team (3 based in Cork, 1 based in Kerry) run workshops throughout the semester and mentors are required to attend these informative sessions. The REACH core team also run a weekly drop in coffee morning, so mentors have the opportunity to liaise with the other mentors across the University and report back that they feel well supported by other mentors as well as the core team. Some mentors are also currently involved in the Early Alert initiative. For further information contact Reach coordinator siobhan.creedan@mtu.ie
Class Tutors
A member of the lecturing staff team is assigned to class groups across all programmes to act as an identified point of contact for students. To find a class tutor for any class group contact the relevant academic department administration offices.