University of Canterbury students can now book 30-minute online workshops to jump-start assignment skills.
The University of Canterbury Library is running the free ‘Get Started’ series, aimed at students who want faster searching and more accurate referencing. The workshops focus on two basics that often derail early assignments, finding credible sources and using APA style correctly.
The university’s notice asks: “Getting started on your assignments or keen to get confident with Library Search and APA referencing?”
What are UC’s ‘Get Started’ workshops?
The workshops run online and last 30 minutes. UC is pitching them as a quick way to build study skills “quickly and easily”.
Students can choose between two sessions titled “Find it!” and “Reference it!”. The first is designed to improve use of Library Search, while the second is an introduction to APA referencing.
The Library Search session promises to show “tips and tricks to make your searching faster and more effective”. It is aimed at students looking for books, journal articles, and other course material.
The APA session covers “the most common types of sources you’re likely to use”. It targets citation accuracy, a common point of confusion for new university students.
How to register for the online workshops
UC is directing students to an online registration page for the series via a Library calendar booking form. The sign-up link sits on the university’s workshops listing and requires selecting a session time.
Students who miss a slot can still use the library’s online tools, but the workshops are framed as a guided, live option. UC has not published capacity limits in the notice.
The workshops come as first-term assessment periods begin to fill up across campuses. For students returning from summer work, a short refresher can be easier to schedule than a full study seminar.
Why Library Search and APA referencing matter for assignments
Finding sources is not just about typing keywords and downloading the first PDF. University libraries increasingly sit behind databases and paywalls, which means students need to learn the fastest path to full-text access.
UC’s Library Search session is designed around that reality, focusing on discovery and access. It also signals a broader push by universities to teach information literacy alongside content knowledge.
Referencing mistakes can carry academic penalties, but they also reduce a student’s credibility when markers check how evidence is used. APA style dominates in many UC subjects, particularly in social sciences and health-related courses.
UC is not alone in emphasising citation skills. The University of Auckland’s academic integrity guidance, including expectations around acknowledging sources, sets out why correct referencing underpins fair assessment and trust in scholarship.
That guidance is available through the University of Auckland academic integrity page.
How this fits UC’s wider student support push
The workshops land as UC continues to market student support and pathways into study. The university has also promoted its broader recruitment messaging through its ‘Shape your future’ push, which targets prospective students and families.
Short, skills-based sessions can also help new enrolments settle into university routines. Students juggling work and study often need targeted help rather than long workshops that clash with labs or tutorials.
In Christchurch, student life also includes major events and distractions. UC students attending large conventions at Te Pae, including weekends where Armageddon VIP sells out, may be trying to keep assignments on track around travel and rostered shifts.
Good searching and tight referencing can shorten study time without lowering standards. For students still getting used to academic writing, that efficiency can be the difference between meeting a deadline and missing it.
What students can expect in 30 minutes
The university’s description is blunt about the goal: build skills quickly and build confidence. For Library Search, that means learning how to discover and access material rather than relying on open web results.
For APA, it means a structured introduction that focuses on the sources students use most, rather than every edge case. That suits first-year courses where markers want consistency, not perfection.
UC’s notice sets the tone with a direct promise to students: “Join our series of 30‑minute online workshops designed to help you build the skills you need, quickly and easily!”
Christchurch education advisers say short workshops work best when students arrive with a current assignment question, even if they are still choosing a topic. UC’s format allows students to target the help they need, rather than sitting through material they already know.
The workshops were posted by UC on 18 February 2026. Registrations remain open through the library’s booking page.
UC students can register online now, with workshop times listed at the UC library workshops calendar.
“Getting started on your assignments or keen to get confident with Library Search and APA referencing?”
Getting started on your assignments or keen to get confident with Library Search and APA referencing?
The next available sessions can be booked through the calendar, with students selecting a date and time at registration.
