Study Smart Officer FAQ

Study Smart Officers are available face-to-face at major campus libraries during semester time – look for them in the Study Smart Zone. Visit the operating hours page to find out when and where you can see a Study Smart Officers.

When you come to see a Study Smart Officer, you will need to give the Officer your student ID number and your unit code. You should also bring a hard copy version of your work if possible, and the Turnitin Originality Report if you have used Turnitin to check your work. Please also bring the Learning Guide for the unit and/or a copy of the assignment question.

The Study Smart Officer will ask you what you need help with and spend approximately 20 minutes working with you in a face-to-face session. You can bring an assignment draft in for the Officer to look at, but Study Smart Officers are not proofreaders and it is not a proofreading service. They can, however, give suggestions and show you how to proofread for yourself. Study Smart Officers can also help with interpreting the assignment question, communicating your ideas, refining the structure of your work, preparing for exams, and general study skills. It is good to come prepared so that you can make the most of the 20 minute session.

The Study Smart Officer will not usually have time to read your whole essay or assignment in a face-to-face session. However, they may be able to go through a paragraph or two with you, and you can then apply their feedback to the rest of the assignment and improve it yourself. The Study Smart Officer service is not a proofreading service.

Study Smart Officers can help with referencing to a certain extent. They are not experts in every referencing system and so Library staff or the Library website (opens in a new window) should be your first port of call. Study Smart Officers can do things like point out where a citation is missing or is not listed in the reference list.

First please look at the Turnitin for students resource (opens in a new window) (PDF). Study Smart Officers can help you interpret your report if you need further assistance.

Our Study Smart Officers are experienced and successful senior students (Honours or Postgraduate) who have been selected and trained to assist you with academic writing.

You should see a Study Smart Officer whenever you need help, but the earlier is usually the better. If you leave it to the last minute before your assignment is due, a Study Smart Officer may not be available and you might not have time to implement the feedback that you receive. Remember that Study Smart Officers are not proofreaders, and that proofreading is the final step before submission and ultimately your responsibility.

Unfortunately the Study Smart Officers service can get very busy during peak periods. Try to get to the library early and if you have to wait, be patient. There are plenty of other resources available to help you with your work including this website and the Study Smart Online service.

All enrolled students at Western Sydney University and The College can use the Study Smart Officers service. When you see a Study Smart Officer, you will need to provide the Officer with your student ID number and the code for the unit you are seeking help with.

Study Smart is a general advisory service and the Officers are not intended to be experts in unit content. Each has their own area of specialty but you cannot expect an Officer to know everything about your subject or major.