Self-guided resources
Do you like to learn things on your own, on your own time? Or perhaps you want to ask for help, but no one is available?
Learn valuable strategies and information by exploring the free resources available to you. Whether you are looking to improve your skills, reach new goals, or try something different, our online resources can provide strategies and tips to help you grow.
On this page
Grammar practice
- University of Victoria English Language Centre Study Zone: Provides explanations and practice exercises for a variety of grammar points organized by level.
- Purdue OWL Grammar Exercises: A collection of common grammar points used in academic writing and exercises organized by themes (e.g. punctuation, sentence structure, and tense consistency).
- INTERACTIVE, Online Exercises: Exercises to help improve sentence structure (e.g. fragments, run-on sentences, and subject-verb agreement).
Vocabulary building
- Using English for Academic Purposes (UEFAP): Academic Vocabulary and Exercises: Exercises with vocabulary from the academic word list used in context.
- British Council Word Family Framework: Use this website to find out the different word forms (e.g. publication, publicize, public, publicly).
- BBC: Learning English: Improve your knowledge of English through news stories. This site provides a good mix of everyday English and grammar reviews.
- Quizlet: Create and print vocabulary flashcards with pictures.
Academic writing
- Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL): The essential online resource for all questions regarding academic writing, including essay formats, academic writing styles for different disciplines, grammar, and citation styles.
- Academic Phrasebank (University of Manchester): A collection of useful academic expressions that you can use to help write research reports and essays (e.g. comparing, describing statistics, and explaining causality).
- Using English for Academic Purposes (UEFAP) Writing Genres: An overview of the most common elements and writing genres found in academic writing. The overviews and exercises can help you organize your essay and reports.
- Excelsior Online Writing Lab: A wide array of modules to support university-level writers throughout the writing process.
- Don’t miss checking out the Academic Integrity and Referencing & Citing sections below.
English for special purposes
BUSINESS
- Breaking News English: Vocabulary exercises based on current business news articles
- Business English Pod: A range of audio/video business vocabulary lessons
- Professional Word Web: Frequently used vocabulary of Business and Economics
HEALTH
- Breaking News English: Vocabulary exercises based on current health news articles
- Englishclub.com: English for nurses and medical professionals
- Eslflow.com: Resources and links to sites that cover body/health vocabulary, communication, and doctor/patient dialogue
- YouTube: Medical Terms: Covers medical terms based on prefixes, roots, and suffixes
- Voice of America Health WordBook: Glossary of basic health terms that are defined, optionally read aloud, and illustrated
MATH
- Mathwords: Defines, illustrates, and exemplifies terms and formulas from beginning algebra to calculus
Academic Integrity Resources
Do you have a passing grade in Academic Integrity? These resources can help improve your knowledge of all things related to being a successful and honest scholar.
Check out our Academic Integrity page for more information on academic integrity, misconduct, learning opportunities, and support available at UBCO.
Academic Integrity
This section includes resources that offer overviews of academic integrity, misconduct, and plagiarism. See the Referencing section for specific resources on citing and managing sources.
UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar POLICIES
- Expectations of Academic Integrity
- Academic Misconduct
- Disciplinary Measures for Academic Misconduct
Learn all about academic integrity
- Unauthorized Collaboration and Cheating Canvas Course (AIM Program): Self-guided course for UBCO students to learn about what constitutes academic misconduct and situations where it may occur.
- Understand Academic Integrity (Chapman Learning Commons): Resource guide and videos on academic integrity at UBC.
Avoiding plagiarism
- Writing and Plagiarism Canvas Course (AIM Program): Self-guided course for UBCO students to learn to recognize plagiarism in its various forms and to develop writing skills for avoiding plagiarism.
- Avoiding Plagiarism (Purdue OWL): Overview of strategies for avoiding accidental plagiarism.
- Academic Integrity Press Book (KPU Library): Modules about academic integrity, plagiarism, citation & writing skills, APA, MLA, and Chicago.
- Plagiarism and Multilingual Writers (Purdue OWL): Understanding plagiarism for English language learners and multilingual writers.
Referencing & citing
When you use the words or ideas of others in a paper or presentation, you must remember to reference your sources.
Learn more about citations
- How to Cite Guide (UBC Library): Introduction to citations and overview of how to identify the basic elements of a citation for common sources.
- Citation Style Guides (UBCO Library): Very detailed, UBCO-specific overview of formatting citations and adhering to a reference style.
- How to Cite Sources (Chapman Learning Commons): Who, what, when, where, and whys of citing sources and avoiding accidental plagiarism.
- How to Cite Media (Chapman Learning Commons): Guidance on citing materials that aren’t text-based (i.e. images).
- How to Cite Data (Chapman Learning Commons): Learn more about citing datasets with this guide.
- Citing Self-Assessment (Chapman Learning Commons): Test your knowledge about common citation errors and how best to solve them.
Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers
- Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers (UBC Library): An overview of citational politics and relations and guidance for citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, Traditional Knowledge or Oral Traditions of Indigenous Peoples, and information from your own experience and/or community. Guidance for specific citation styles is also available: APA, MLA, Chicago.
Managing your sources
- Citation Management Tools (UBC Library): List of tools available to manage references.
- Note-Taking & Plagiarism (Excelsior Online Writing Lab): A short slide presentation on proper note-taking strategies to avoid accidental plagiarism.
- Evaluating Sources (UBCO Library): Guide to help you learn how to evaluate resources for research.
Get citation and research help from the library
- General Library Questions: email your question to libquestions.ok@ubc.ca.
- Subject Librarians: Get subject specific help with citations and research in your subject/discipline.
- AskAway: Librarians provide instant responses to your citation and research questions through live text chat.
Copyright
- Student FAQ (Copyright at UBC): Everything you need to know about copyright as a student.
- Open Licensing for Students (Chapman Learning Commons): Understand what openly licensed work is, how you can use it, and how to share your own work openly.
- Creative Commons Guide (Copyright at UBC): What Creative Commons is, how to find CC materials, and how to give attribution.
- Public Domain (Copyright at UBC): What Public Domain is and how to find PD materials.
Back to Basics Recordings
Couldn’t attend a Back to Basics session or want to review what was discussed? Check out these recordings.
- Readiness for University Math – Muddled about math? This self-guided session reviews foundational concepts so that you can gain the prerequisite skills needed for UBC math.
- Foundations of Physics – Fuzzy on physics? Watch this session to review fundamental concepts in physics and take a self-guided approach to practicing prerequisite skills.
- Chemistry Essentials – Confused about chemistry? Review this session to re-discover essential concepts and develop positive approaches to learning chemistry at UBC.
- Academic Reading & Writing – Worried about academic reading and writing? By watching this session, you can review fundamental concepts and gain the skills needed to succeed in your university writing assignments.
- Academic Integrity & Plagiarism – Concerned about academic integrity? Watch this session to learn about how new students can join UBC’s academic community with integrity.
Some of the common learning tools that your professors may use will be Canvas, Collaborate Ultra, and Proctorio. Below are some student user guides, tips, and FAQs to help you feel prepared.
Exam Prep Canvas Course
The Chapman Learning Commons (CLC) has a self-enrol course for students to practice taking different types of online exams and gain confidence using the various technologies. The CLC’s Exam Prep Canvas Course is available to all students.
Once enrolled, you can practice different quiz and assignment types, including Proctorio, Lockdown Browser, Webwork, and more, to feel comfortable with online exam technology. You can self-enrol in the Exam Prep course.
Basics of Canvas
Learning about all the different technologies you’ll be using this year can feel overwhelming. That’s why you should always start with the basics. The nice thing is the basics of Canvas take less than two minutes. Feeling less overwhelmed already? Good! Now check out this video introduction to Canvas, made for you by your peers here at UBC Okanagan.
Remote workstation access
In an effort to support remote teaching and learning, UBC has implemented technology that provides students with remote access to public workstations and specific labs pre-configured with computer software required to complete coursework.
Respondus LockDown Browser
LockDown Browser is a custom browser used during a testing environment. It prevents you from copying, printing, accessing other applications, or visiting websites while taking a test or exam.
