Academic Support Zone

asz logo

At the Student Success Centre, we strive to provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your academics and your future professional career. We offer digital and print resources, workshops and events, and individual advising appointments to support your goals and help you to become a successful student.  In Orillia, you can find the Student Success Centre in OR 1017. In Thunder Bay, you can find the Student Success Centre in the tunnels down the hall from the LUSU office (SC 0008).

The Academic Support Zone (ASZ) is pleased to offer free daily academic support to all students. Undergraduate group tutoring and writing assistance take place on a set weekday schedule in the ASZ. Outside of the times when academic supports are being offered, the Zone is an excellent place for quiet study and functions as a drop-in group project meeting space. Check us out in Orillia (OR 1013 - 1st floor residence building) or Thunder Bay (LI 2004 - 2nd floor of the Chancellor Paterson Library)!

Academic Prep Sessions

Attending an Academic Prep Session is a great way to receive strategies, tips, and tricks on the topics of academic writing and integrity, effective textbook reading and note-taking, study skills and exam prep and time management. We offer a variety of sessions throughout the first six weeks of Fall term. Please check lakeheadu.ca/firstsixweeks for a complete listing. 

 

Bounce Back (First-year guidance program in Winter term)
The Student Success Centre offers an academic program called Bounce Back geared towards first-year students. Bounce Back provides students with the attention, guidance and support they need to help achieve academic success in their Winter term. Bounce Back is delivered through a series of interactive and reflective sessions where students focus on improving their academic skills, setting SMART goals, and creating action plans to advance their academics.  Click here for more information on Bounce Back.
Tutoring Information

Tutoring is regular instruction or review aimed at students to help promote independence and academic success. Our tutors have content knowledge, a desire to help others, and a positive outlook. Tutors are not homework machines, miracle workers, or your instructor. Tutoring is a two-way street where you are required to play an active role in engaging with what you're learning. As a Lakehead University student, you can access tutoring in two ways:

  1. Lakehead University offers free group tutoring in major program areas for years 1-2 of many programs. This means that the tutor will be able to answer most questions from a variety of courses within a program area. Group tutoring takes place in the Academic Support Zone and is run on a drop-in basis. 
  2. Students who want a course tutor or private tutoring can hire tutors from the Tutor Registry. Students make their own arrangements regarding the schedule and payment with the tutor. The tutor registry can be accessed at mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca
Tutoring Schedule - Orillia

All tutoring takes place in the Academic Support Zone (OR 1013 - first floor of the Residence Building). Everyone is welcome in the Zone.  Outside of the times when academic supports are being offered, the Zone is an excellent place for quiet study.  Stop by and check it out!

 

Tutoring Schedule - Thunder Bay

All tutoring takes place in the Academic Support Zone (LI 2004 - second floor of the Chancellor Paterson Library). Everyone is welcome in the Zone.  Outside of the times when academic supports are being offered, the Zone is an excellent place for quiet study.  Stop by and check it out!

 

 

Writing Support

We are here to help you from the planning to the publishing stage of your assignment! We are not an editing service, but we are here to guide you! Our writing coaches can help with the following:

  • discover what you're trying to say and how to say it
  • develop an argument
  • structure of your paper
  • organization of ideas
  • proper referencing and citation and provide resources for you
  • self-editing skills 

One-to-one writing support is available through the Academic Support Zone by booking an appointment online at mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca with a Writing Coach. It is best to book an appointment well in advance of a due date. Writing appointments are designed to teach you skills, not edit your paper, and you need time to apply what you've learned! 

You can also access a variety of writing resources in our Resource Library below.

The Academic Support Zone is where Lakehead's free academic supports take place. Everyone is welcome in the Zone.  Outside of the times when academic supports are being offered, the Zone is an excellent place for quiet study.  Stop by and check it out!

Thunder Bay - second floor of the Chancellor Patterson library (LI 2004)

Orillia - first floor of the Residence Building (OR 1013)

Meet with a Student Success Advisor

Our Student Success Advisors can help you learn and develop important skills to maximize your education at Lakehead University. All students are welcome to book appointments with one of our advisors at any point throughout the year.

How can a Student Success Advisor help me?

Are you unhappy with your grades? Are you not achieving the grades you need to meet your long-term goals? A Student Success Advisor can help you develop an action plan to help you get back on track. This plan can help you develop each of the skills listed below. 

Academic Support
  • Transitioning to university
  • Time management: learn how to manage your time effectively by prioritizing, scheduling, and handling procrastination
  • Goal setting: set manageable long-term and short-term goals with a plan on how to achieve them
  • Studying for exams: understand different exam formats ad how to write them, create a study plan
  • Note taking: learn proven note-taking strategies to help you develop effective study habits
Career Counselling
  • Career exploration: work with an Advisor utilizing different tools to explore career paths that may be of interest to you
  • Job search skills and mock interviews
  • Assistance with creating/modifying a cover letter and resume
Co-op Advisor Meeting
  • Questions regarding co-op program
  • Assistance with application and job search
  • Employability skills
Student Engagement
  • Student Ambassador Program
  • EXCEL Leadership Certificate
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Co-curricular Record
  • Orientation
How can I book an appointment with a Student Success Advisor?

You can book an appointment with a Student Success Advisor by logging into the mySuccess portal. Once you login, select "Student Success Appointments" on the left-hand side. Review the online schedule and choose a time that fits your schedule. We look forward to helping you achieve your academic potential! 

Resource Library

Our library of digital resources is designed to offer strategies, tips, and tricks to help you succeed. You can access these below by signing into your Lakehead email address. (At our Thunder Bay campus, you can also find printed versions of our career resources outside of the Student Success Centre.)

Academic Success Resources
*In order to access the resources below, you need to be signed into your Lakehead email account. If a "request access" link shows up, you are not signed in and must do so in order to access the resources.  
 
Academic Skills/Preparation
 
Exam Preparation
 
Career Resources
*In order to access the resources below, you need to be signed into your Lakehead email account. If a "request access" link shows up, you are not signed in and must do so in order to access the resources.
  
 

Writing Resources
*In order to access the resources below, you need to be signed into your Lakehead email account. If a "request access" link shows up, you are not signed in and must do so in order to access the resources.
 
Writing Specifics
Developing an Outline (University of Toronto)
 
Types of Papers and Genres
Types of Essays (University of Toronto)
Writing an Annotated Bibliography (University of Guelph)
Writing Lab Report (University of Toronto)
Writing a Literature Review (University of Guelph)
Writing a Book Review (University of Guelph)
Writing Centre Resource Library (University of North Carolina)
 
 
Reference Style Guides:
AMA (OWL at Purdue)
APA (Curtin University PDF Reference Guide)
APA (OWL at Purdue)
ASA (OWL at Purdue)
Chicago (Chicago Manual of Style)
Chicago (OWL at Purdue)
Chicago (Simon Fraser University)
IEEE (IEEE Editorial Style Manual)
MLA (OWL at Purdue)
NRMT (Lakehead University)
Lakehead University Library Research Guide
AWARE (Support academic skills, knowledge, and strategies)
 AWARE, the Academic Writing and Research E-Learning site is a resource to help support academic skills, knowledge, and strategies that are essential to being a university student. Each module consists of a combination of text-based resources, videos, and links to additional support materials to enhance your learning. After completing each module, you will receive a certificate of completion.

Please use the following instructions to access the Aware Training modules:

1. Please go to http://mycourselink.lakeheadu.ca/

2. Log into MyCourselink using your Lakehead username and password.

3. Under the "Help" menu on the right-hand side of your screen, click the "Self-Register" link.

4. Click the "AWARE" link and complete the self-registration.

5. Complete the modules.

Beyond the Spellchecker (Improve spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and style in your writing)
While 'autocorrect fails' may provide a laugh or two, there is no joke about it when it comes to addressing problems with your writing. There are many free or low-cost options available for students to utilize in order to improve spelling, grammar, punctuation and style. The Lakehead University Teaching Commons has put together a list that is worth checking out!
LinkedIn Learning (Access to more than 140,000 individual videos in software, technology, and creative skills)
 All Lakehead students, faculty, and staff have free, unlimited access to more

lynds.com logothan 3,500 courses and over 140,000 individual videos in software, technology, and creative skills through LinkedIn Learning.  Click here to access more information about this resource!