Describe the three major types of study skills
Study skills are the skills you need to enable you to study
and learn efficiently – they are an important set of transferable life skills.
Our pages provide generic study skills advice – appropriate
to learners across all disciplines and in different life circumstances: full
and part-time students, those returning to education later in life, those
engaged in professional development and anybody who wants to learn how to learn
effectively.
Key points about
study skills:
·
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
doesn’t.
·
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,
you’ll 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 you’ll
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.
Our Study Skills
Pages Include:
·
Getting Organised to Study
·
Getting organised is an important first step to
effective study. Our page covers the basic organisation skills you need
to consider – fundamentals such as where and when to study and the importance
of developing a network of contacts who can help you when you need it.
·
Finding Time to Study
·
This page covers some of the basic principles of
time management – with reference to study. If you manage your time badly
then you will be less productive, which can lead to stress and
anxiety. This page will help you by outlining the importance of a personal
study timetable and how to set goals and prioritise your time.
·
Sources of Information for Study
·
Learn what is meant by, and the importance of,
primary, secondary and tertiary documents and how you may source such
information in a library or online.
·
Styles of Writing
·
By understanding different writing styles you
can put what you read into perspective. This page covers the main writing
styles that you are likely to come across, including academic, journal, and
journalistic styles.
·
Effective Reading
·
When studying, it is likely that you will need
to read a lot of information – and you will wish to use this time effectively
as possible by developing your reading skills. Discover ways that you can
engage with your reading, form links, understand opinions and put ideas and
research into perspective. In short, develop your reading skills.
·
Critical Reading and Reading Strategies
·
This page explains what is meant by critical
reading and critical thinking – skills which are fundamental to true learning,
personal development and advancement. The page also covers how to develop
a personal reading strategy and use SQ3R to help you manage your reading.
·
Note-Taking
·
Learning to take notes effectively is not only
important to study but also in many other situations, at work and in your
personal life. Develop your note-taking skills with our pages: Note-Taking
for Verbal Exchanges and Note-Taking for Reading.
·
Planning an Essay
·
It pays to carefully think about and plan an
essay or other piece of written work before you start writing. This page
provides you with a framework for planning which will help ensure your work is
relevant, well-constructed and produced efficiently.
·
Essay Writing
·
Learn about the processes involved in writing an
essay, or other piece of assessed work. Avoid common mistakes and follow
best practice to help ensure that the work you produce is of a high quality.