Study skills
Studying can be daunting. These free courses will refresh your study skills and prepare you for success.
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Society, Politics & Law
Reading evidence
What is active reading? It is reading with the aim of understanding and grasping something. While studying this free course, Reading evidence, you will be focusing on the variety of methods for presenting and organising qualitative and quantitative evidence in the form of numbers and text. You will learn how to understand the ways in which ...
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History & The Arts
Studying the arts and humanities
This free course is an introduction to studying the arts and humanities. It takes you through a series of exercises designed to develop your approach to study and learning at a distance and improve your confidence as an independent learner.
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Education & Development
Using Turnitin effectively: building integrity into your writing
This short online course introduces you to Turnitin and demonstrates how it can be used formatively to enhance your learning and strengthen your understanding of academic integrity. Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of honest education and assessment, reflecting your commitment to producing and submitting work that is authentically ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Building motivation and resilience in research
Facing setbacks and demotivation in research? Progress is rarely linear, and challenges like failed experiments or rejected proposals are a natural part of the journey. This course is designed to help you stay motivated, handle setbacks constructively, and turn obstacles into opportunities. This course equips researchers across all fields and...
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Education & Development
Making social media work in Higher Education
This free course explores the potential of social media as a space that can be used in higher education/University to enhance educational experiences. It examines how students can take advantage of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp to engage and connect with other fellow students and their lecturers. While, also examining the ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to algebra
This free course is an introduction to algebra which builds on the idea of using letters to represent numbers. Section 1 looks at finding, simplifying and using formulas and includes useful tips on learning algebra. Section 2 introduces some of the terminology used in algebra and techniques such as evaluating and checking equivalence of ...
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Education & Development
Introducing multidisciplinary study at The Open University
This free course, Introducing multidisciplinary study at The Open University, provides an overview of the materials and resources there are to support you if you’re studying or thinking about studying an Open qualification (Degree, and/or Masters) with The Open University. It provides useful background information to the qualifications and helps...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Maths skills for Science
Want to study science but worried you don't have the maths skills required for higher education? Fret not! We have a handy interactive guide to get you on track...
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Digital & Computing
Presenting information
Tables and charts are a great way to present numerical information in a clear and concise form. This free course, Presenting information, explains how to use the Windows calculator to carry out basic operations and calculate percentages. You will then learn how to use charts and tables to represent and interpret information.
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Education & Development
Good Academic Practice Collection
Explore our range of free resources on developing good academic practice and discover how to build them into your studies.
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Languages
Write it right: seven common writing mistakes
Tutors told us about common writing mistakes which can impact the grades students receive for their Open University assignments.
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Time management and study
Whether you’re a full or part-time student, studying is likely to mean adding another commitment to your life. Having a lot to balance can sometimes affect our wellbeing and leave us feeling overwhelmed.
Find the right course for you
At The Open University, we're pioneers of flexible learning that's respected by employers and affordable for you. That's why more than 170,000 students are studying with us right now.
Whatever subject you want to study, and whatever qualification you want, we've got the right course for you.
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