Study!

A Guide to Effective Learning, Revision and Examination Techniques

Robert Barrass

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2005
• eBook ISBN: 9781134491018
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Whether entering higher education straight from school, or returning to study later in life, students need to develop effective study skills to get the most out of a course.

Whatever the subject, this book will help to achieve the aims of the student by offering practical advice and useful techniques for successful study. These skills are not always taught as part of courses because of time restriction, but with an increased performance emphasis for lecturers they are vital to the success of the course. In addition to this with more and more people returning to education and undergoing Continuing Professional Development the audience for this book is growing rapidly.

The book covers three main areas:

* accepting responsibility for learning: personal well-being, avoiding stress and organising time
* student centred learning: developing the ability to learn and communicate through thinking, listening, observing, writing and talking
* revision and examination techniques: approaching examinations with confidence.

With additional help of choosing the right course and a new section on computer skills, Study! will be a valuable addition to the bookshelf of any student.

Part 1

Accepting responsibility for
your learning

Different people study effectively in different ways, so no one can tell you how to study, but knowing about ways of working that others have found useful should help you to improve your own study skills. You haven’t time to learn only by experience, by making and correcting mistakes.

Obviously, the best time to review your study, revision and examination techniques is at the beginning of your course. You are likely to find the techniques used at school, where you were taught, are not good enough at college or university – where it is up to you to take responsibility for your learning – and you will want to do as well as you can from the start of your course.

1
Study: rules for the game

WHY STUDY?

Whatever your reason for continuing or resuming your studies, make the most of this opportunity to participate in college life, to develop your personality, to undertake more demanding studies of subjects in which you are already interested, to develop your ability to think, and to take examinations which will provide a challenge and a measure of your achievement.

Many students who withdraw from a course early, or fail in their examinations, do so because they are not well motivated. Think carefully, therefore, before deciding upon the kind of course to take (see Appendix A) and before deciding which subjects to study in each year of your course. Then remember that you are taking this course and studying these subjects because you chose to do so.

To maintain your sense of purpose it is best to have clear long-and short-term goals (see Figure 1.1). For example:

Long term:	to progress in a particular career; to achieve grades at the end of your course that are a true reflection of your ability.
Short term:	to devote enough time to recreation including your social life; to attend all classes; to complete home-work on time; to do your best work.
Immediate:	to recognize things that need your attention; to arrange these tasks in order of priority; and then to concentrate on one task at a time.

Figure 1.1 Charting your path through a college course.

ARE ALL YOUR SUBJECTS INTERESTING?

You will probably find some subjects interesting from the start, but others may not immediately seem relevant to your main subjects. Consider why these are part of your course. Recognise their importance to you; appreciate their relevance to everyday life or to different careers. Try to relate them to things in which you are already interested, and remember that they probably do provide a foundation for more advanced work in which you intend to specialise later in your course or as a career.

Most people encounter some difficulties when they start a new subject. For example, it may be necessary to learn new words and their meaning. You can develop a positive approach to your studies, in any subject, by being determined to master its special language and other fundamentals. One way or another, making an effort to learn about and understand a subject is your first step towards success in the subject.

You can develop your interest by devoting more time to a subject rather than less. If the lecturer does not capture your interest, look at relevant parts of your textbook which may provide a different approach. If you find your textbook hard-going, look at other books: you should be able to find one that is easier to understand and yet suited to your needs. If you still cannot understand, ask your tutor for help (see page).

Studying a subject is rather like fitting pieces into a jig-saw puzzle. It is easier to concentrate if you are interested, and as your interest grows you become more and more engrossed. The more you learn, the more you see the subject as a whole and the greater your understanding (see Figure 1.2). Mastering something that you at first found difficult also boosts your self-confidence in your ability to learn.

Pleasure in study comes from acquiring knowledge, from widening your experience, from developing your ability to solve problems or make judgements, and from your deeper understanding of, for example, works of literature or art, or of people, or of the world. Pleasure also comes from the better results achieved in course work and examinations.

Figure 1.2 Links between interest, effort, knowledge and understanding.

DO YOU STUDY EFFECTIVELY?

Adopting effective study, revision and examination techniques is largely a matter of common sense: if someone suggests possible courses of action it is usually easy to decide which is likely to be the most effective. For example:

1 Do you sit trying to study but feel, after several hours (see Figure 1.3) that you have not achieved very much? Do you devote most time to the subjects in which most course work is set? Do you spend most time on your favourite subjects? Or do you work to a time-table, studying all subjects but spending most time (as suggested in this chapter) on those that most need your attention?

2 Do you think that being a good student is simply a matter of knowing how to study and how to communicate your knowledge and understanding? Or do you agree that it is just as important to look after yourself (see Chapter 2), and have a good social life (see Chapter 3), if you are to do your best work?

Study may be compared with a game: your purpose is not only to master your subjects but also to score points in course work and examinations. As in playing any game, the first step is to know the rules (see Figure 1.4).

Figure 1.3 Let your friends know when you will be studying – so that you will not be disturbed at these times.

Study skills

Part-time students must be well motivated, self-reliant, and able to work alone, but even full-time students should accept that they must take responsibility for their own learning. Whether you are studying part-time or full-time, think of yourself as working for a qualification rather than as being taught.

In addition to attending formal lectures and other organised classes, and sitting formal examinations, you will be assessed on the quality of your written course work: including short compositions and longer dissertations, extended essays, term papers, and project reports. The academic staff may advise, direct or supervise the work upon which these compositions are based, but these activities are intended to give students opportunities to develop their abilities: to organise their time, to think for themselves, to co-operate with others, to make use of libraries and other resources, and to communicate their thoughts in speech and in writing.

Figure 1.4 Rules for study

If your long-term objective in study is to achieve your full potential, you must develop not only your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you are studying, and your interest in these subjects, but also the personal skills which – because they are the basis for success in any subject – are called core skills or study skills. Because they are needed for success in all careers, they are also called common skills, enterprise skills, key skills or transferable skills (see Table 1.1). It is perhaps because their importance is recognised by people with different interests (academics, employers and customers – as well as students) that they are given so many different names.

Table 1.1 Some skills needed in studying any subject and in any career

2
Look after yourself

At college or university you make a fresh start, with different people in unfamiliar surroundings. The methods of instruction are different from those used at school and you will need to adopt new techniques that help you to think, to learn and to communicate your thoughts. If you go straight from school to college you will probably look forward to making the break from being cared for to caring for your self, and enjoy the new experiences that provide both challenges and opportunities. If you are returning to full-time study after a period of other employment, or studying part-time while engaged in other employment, you will have to get used to being a student again – or to leading a double life – fitting study in with other your responsibilities. However, irrespective of your previous experience or your current responsibilities, to keep fit for study you must look after yourself.

LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF

Deciding where to live

Most colleges provide a good working environment. To study most effectively, good living accommodation is also necessary. Preferably you should have your own room in which you can relax by yourself, when you wish to do so, or study without distractions.

If you are away from home it is probably best to live with other students, in college accommodation, at least for your first year at college. This increases your opportunities to make friends with students who are studying different subjects – and so to broaden your interests. In this first year you will also get to know about other kinds of accommodation that may be available, and can consider their advantages and disadvantages. Wherever you live, you will need a place in which to study effectively – without spending too much time or money on travel. You will probably also want to take advantage of the opportunities for recreation and friendship that college life provides.

If you are studying part-time, or studying full-time at a local college, you will probably live at home and have no accommodation problems. However, changes in your living arrangement may be needed. For example, it is not possible to work effectively in a room shared with other people who are doing different things (such as talking, listening to the radio, watching television, or playing games). You will also need the encouragement and support of other members of your family. The same applies if you share accommodation with other students: you need appropriate conditions during the hours that must be devoted to private study.

If you cannot go into another room to study, when you are at home, try to fit as much of your study time as possible into your timetable so that you can work regularly in the reading room of a local library or in your college library. Then study at home at times when you expect other people to be out or busy in other rooms.

Looking after your money

If you have saved while in employment, so that you could attend college full-time, or have to work part-time so that you can afford to pursue your studies, you will have experience of budgeting and are unlikely to need advice. But if you have never been in paid employment, you may have responsibility for more money than has been available to you before.

If you have received a grant or award it is best to put your money into an account in which it will earn as much interest as possible, but from which withdrawals can be made either immediately or at short notice. Similarly, if you have access to a loan, it is best to withdraw no more than you really need: even an interest free loan has to be repaid. Estimate how much you must spend during the term (for example, for ...

Table of contents

• COVER PAGE
• TITLE PAGE
• COPYRIGHT PAGE
• PREFACE
• DEFINITION OF TERMS
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• PART 1: ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LEARNING
• PART 2: STUDENT CENTRED LEARNING
• PART 3: REVISION AND EXAMINATION TECHNIQUES
• APPENDIX B: COMPUTER APPRECIATION
• APPENDIX C: FURTHER READING
• REFERENCES