Diagnostic, self-guided, interactive pocket mentor: a rare blend of generic and applied academic skills development exercises: a book review of: Hopkins, D. and Reid, T., (2024) The Academic Skills Handbook: Your guide to success in writing, thinking and communicating at university, 2nd edition. Sage: London

Abstract

Moving from college, or even another country and trying to manage settling into university life is exciting but also, can be daunting. There’s so much to consider from making new friends, catering for yourself, living in a new environment, managing money, adapting to larger lecture and seminar class format, trying to understand new terminology used in a university setting, as well as living up to the expectations to learn read, adjust, do well and get a great job… that it can feel overwhelming for students as they enter university. The second edition of ‘Academic Skills Handbook: Your guide to success in writing, thinking and communicating at university’ has carefully considered each of these important adjustments, providing chapter-by-chapter guidance which university students at all levels can read alongside any course of study, by encouraging engagement in interactive learning tasks, checking progress and understanding, at the reader’s own pace. Part of the ‘Student Success’ series from Sage, this updated edition helps guide students through each transitional phase of university life, providing diagnostic exercises to boost self-confidence, academic performance, inter-personal communication, wellbeing and employability prospects.

Written and contributed to by experienced and caring university lecturers Diana Hopkins and Tom Reid, the authors have chosen an informal tone, with concise coverage of key aspects of settling into university life and preparing to do well in academic study. There is a stimulating blend of text with imagery and visuals, combined with online interactive skills development tasks, which is a novel feature of this text, taking it to the realms of being a learning device, rather than simply a book. The tone of voice is conversational; reassuringly informal and accessible, like a pocket academic mentor.

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ORCID for Karen Clinkard: orcid.org/0000-0002-0715-2723

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