Students walking in front of exterior Imperial sign

Join our suite of live sessions to set yourself up for success in your first term at Imperial

Where do the Primers take place?

On-campus (OC) sessions take place in the Centre for Academic English, accessed via Sherfield. From the main entrance or walkway, take the lift or stairs to Level 3 and follow the signs.

Online (OL) sessions take place on Teams. As these are interactive, please join from a quiet, private space where you can use your microphone and camera.

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Starting a STEM degree at Imperial can feel like a big step up. Understanding complex ideas is only part of the challenge; you also need to communicate what you know clearly and confidently.

Our practical Primers will help you tackle communication challenges you will meet from the start of your degree. Each session is hands-on and interactive, with practical strategies you can apply immediately. Together, the Primers will help you communicate with greater clarity, confidence and precision, setting you up for success at Imperial and beyond.

Primers

Poster presentation by a researcher working on decarbonisation

1. Explaining your work clearly

Discover how to use narrative to explain technical ideas clearly and help your audience understand why your scientific work matters.

  • Mon 28 Sept, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC
  • Wed 7 Oct, 17.00–18.00, OL
  • Thurs 15 Oct, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC

2. Making your writing flow

Analyse how paragraphs function within larger STEM texts, and practise planning and editing for precision, coherence and flow.

  • Wed 30 Sept, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC
  • Thurs 8 Oct, 17.00–18.00, OL
  • Mon 12 Oct, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC
UG students doing a group work

3. Contributing effectively in group discussion

Explore common barriers to participation and practise strategies for entering, extending and guiding discussions appropriately.

  • Thurs 1 Oct, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC
  • Mon 5 Oct, 17.00–18.00, OL
  • Wed 14 Oct, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC

4. From results to meaning: making data make sense

Move beyond describing data to interpreting it through explanation, comparison, calibrated claims and discussion of unexpected findings.

  • Mon 28 Sept, 17.00–18.00, OL & OC
  • Thurs 8 Oct, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC
  • Wed 14 Oct, 17.00–18.00, OL
Fourth year poster exhibitions Mech Eng

5. Communicating to different audiences

Examine how the knowledge, needs and expectations of a particular audience shape content, narrative and structure, and practise techniques including definition, contextualisation, transition and emphasis.

  • Wed 30 Sept, 17.00–18.00, OL & OC
  • Mon 5 Oct, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC
  • Thurs 15 Oct, 17.00–18.00, OL

6. Using AI to improve, not replace, your thinking

Use AI as a resource to support your academic communication and critically evaluate its outputs, while retaining agency, accountability and your own academic voice.

  • Thurs 1 Oct, 17.00–18.00, OL & OC
  • Wed 7 Oct, 12.00–13.00, OL & OC
  • Mon 12 Oct, 17.00–18.00, OL

Register now

View our full Primers timetable

Week 1: 28 September - 1 October

Date

 Time Session Delivery format

Monday 28 Sept

12.00–13.00

Primer 1 - Explaining your work clearly

OL1 & OC2

Monday 28 Sept

17.00–18.00

Primer 4 - From results to meaning: making data make sense

OL & OC

Wednesday 30 Sept

12.00–13.00

Primer 2 - Making your writing flow

OL & OC

Wednesday 30 Sept

17.00–18.00

Primer 5 - Communicating to different audiences

OL & OC

Thursday 1 Oct

12.00–13.00

Primer 3 - Contributing effectively in group discussion

OL & OC

Thursday 1 Oct

17.00–18.00

Primer 6 - Using AI to improve, not replace, your thinking

OL & OC

1Online and 2On campus

Week 2: 5–8 October

Date

Time

Session

Delivery format

Monday 5 Oct

12.00–13.00

Primer 5 - Communicating to different audiences

OL1 & OC2

Monday 5 Oct

17.00–18.00

Primer 3 - Contributing effectively in group discussion

OL

Wednesday 7 Oct

12.00–13.00

Primer 6 - Using AI to improve, not replace, your thinking

OL & OC

Wednesday 7 Oct

17.00–18.00

Primer 1 - Explaining your work clearly

OL

Thursday 8 Oct

12.00–13.00

Primer 4 - From results to meaning: making data make sense

OL & OC

Thursday 8 Oct

17.00–18.00

Primer 2 - Making your writing flow

OL

1Online and 2On campus

Week 3: 12–15 October

Date

Time

Session

Delivery format

Monday 12 Oct

12.00–13.00

Primer 2 - Making your writing flow

OL1 & OC2

Monday 12 Oct

17.00–18.00

Primer 6 - Using AI to improve, not replace, your thinking

OL

Wednesday 14 Oct

  12.00–13.00 Primer 3 - Contributing effectively in group discussion

OL & OC

Wednesday 14 Oct

17.00–18.00

Primer 4 - From results to meaning: making data make sense

OL

Thursday 15 Oct

12.00–13.00

Primer 1 - Explaining your work clearly

OL & OC

Thursday 15 Oct

17.00–18.00

Primer 5 - Communicating to different audiences

OL

1Online and 2On campus

Other writing opportunities

Laptop screen showing a CfAE self-study learning block

Work on your writing in your own time​

Use our self-directed learning resources to produce effective lab reports, literature reviews, research papers - and more!​
Student participating in 1:1 coaching

Work on your writing with a coach​

Develop a deeper understanding of how to take your written communication to the next level.

Work on your writing in a workshop​

Join others in our interactive on-campus and online workshops to learn how to write successfully in STEM​.

Other speaking opportunities

Man writing in a notebook next to a laptop

Work on your speaking in your own time​

Use our self-directed learning resources to successfully present, conduct Q&As, interact with your peers - and more!​
Participating in workshops

Work on your speaking in a workshop​

Join others in our interactive on-campus and online workshops to learn and rehearse successful speaking strategies​.
Student participating in 1:1 coaching

Work on your speaking with a coach​

Develop a deeper understanding of how to take your spoken communication to the next level​.