Professional Documents
Culture Documents
You will develop your own personal approach to study and learning in a way that meets
your own individual needs. As you develop your study skills you will discover what works for you, and
what doesnt.
Study skills are not subject specific - they are generic and can be used when studying
any area. You will, of course, need to understand the concepts, theories and ideas surrounding your
specific subject area. To get the most out of your studies, however, youll want to develop your study
skills.
You need to practise and develop your study skills. This will increase your awareness of
how you study and youll become more confident. Once mastered, study skills will be beneficial
throughout your life.
Study skills are not just for students. Study skills are transferable - you will take them
with you beyond your education into new contexts. For example, organisational skills, time
management, prioritising, learning how to analyse, problem solving, and the self-discipline that is
required to remain motivated. Study skills relate closely to the type of skills that employers look for.
Academic skills are a collection of study habits, learning strategies, and time management tools
that help students learn and absorb school lessons. For most students, learning is about much
more than access to information. Teachers often include academic skills in their lessons in order
for students to really master certain concepts. These skills not only benefit the students when it
comes time to take tests, but can also help in the future: solid study skills are essential for college
success, for instance, and learning to balance multiple demands at once is valuable to many
different career paths.
Reinforce continuity
3. Recite: To study properly, you must recite all the information in your own words without looking at
our notes or the text.
4. Reflect: Think about your own opinions and ideas as you read over your notes. Raise questions,
then try to answer them creatively. Record original ideas in your notebook and review them
regularly. Use your creative ideas when answering exam questions, in classroom discussions,
and when writing papers.
5. Review: Before reading or studying new material, take ten minutes to quickly review your older
notes. Skim over the main ideas and details. Review enhances your retention of old material
while adding new material to your memory.
- Pauk, W. (1989). How to Study in College (4th Ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton
Mifflin.
studying will become much less effective and you may not get everything accomplished that you need
to. Procrastination also leads to rushing, and rushing is the number one cause of errors.
10. Review your notes, schoolwork and other class materials over the weekend.
Successful students review what they've learned during the week over the weekend. This way they're
well prepared to continue learning new concepts that build upon previous coursework and knowledge
acquired the previous week.