Study Skills

Essential Study Skills: Strategies for Ultimate Success

WHAT WE WILL COVER?1. five types of study

2. how we learn

3. ways to read

4. condensing, summarising & cue5. note taking

6. how to study from books

7. prioritisation methods

8. visual & auditory techniques

9. don’t miss anything out / prioritising answers

10. study strategy

apps and web based resources

1. to gather info

2. to learn info

3. to check for understanding

4. to refresh ourselves

5. improve our learning / study skills

reasons to study

4. mnemonics 3. analogies 2. acronyms1. acrostics

condensing & summarising

ACROSTIC • Sequence of words• form a poem or sentence • 1st letters help you

remember

PLANETS My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us

Nothing MercuryVenusEarthMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptune

ACRONYMS • combination of letters• pronounced as if a single

word • each letter remembers a

word

IPMAT the stages of cell

division InterphaseProphaseMetaphaseAnaphaseTelephase

ANALOGIES

comparison between unlike things that have something in common

sound waves = water ripples from a stone

MNEMONICS

organising & memorising info3 principles:• imagination• association • location

READING

3 MAIN STYLES• speed• skim • scan

SPEED READING

technique:• relax • focus • use pen, ruler, card to guide eyes• force eyes to keep up• don’t fixate on each word

SKIM READING • general ides / gist / overview• more info in less time• read 1st & last bit of each section • see where it’s going/what it covers

SCAN READING • read quickly for specific info• use; heading, titles formatting etc• don’t read every word • not aiming to understand everything

SUMMARY/ CONDENSING

method

read a sentence

“does it have a keyword”?

if “no” read on , if “yes” highlight it

repeat

what can you recall using that keyword?

TREE DIAGRAM relationships

WBS

genealogy faultsorganisational chart

SPIDER

DIAGRAM

• overview

• complex topic - 1 page

• memorable

• colours, pictures, keywords

MIND MAPS

visually organise infosingle concept in middle

images, words, ideas ‘fan out’

can add more as you go along

major elements centre use colour for visual clues / connections

CONCEPT MAPS

relationship -ideas, images ,words everything

connects develop logical thinking enhances meaningful learning

CUE METHODS

2 sided aidside 1 = Q, concept, imageside 2 = answer / expansion

requires active recall‘train’ your brain

CUE METHODS • flash / cue cards

• 2-sided• cue / Q/ concept side 1• answer side 2 • use word, pictures, maps• active recall learning• forces your brain to

remember • card or electronic version

(pre-loaded cards available)

NOTE TAKING

Skeleton ProseThe Cornell Note Taking System

SKELETON PROSE

• numbered points

• not so easy to revise from

• easy to copy verbatim & not understand

• don't show relationships / connections

• difficult to add to / amend

• sequential building

• headings / indentations

• paragraphs

Cornell templatekeywords

& Q’s

notes

summary

record notes during lecture

expand abb. laterkey wordsideasQ’s

produce a summary here

leave space to add/amend(within 24 hrs)

STUDYING FROM BOOKS

PQRST SQ3R

• concentrates on key info• prioritises like an exam• modified for all subjects• helps with timing

PQRSTPreview

Question

Read

Summary

Test

skim maj. headlines / points

your ability to answer Q’s

summarize

material that relates to Q’s

formulate

SQ3RSurvey

Question

Read

Recall

Review

general ‘gist’ - big to small

do you understand?did you id all main points?are there gaps?

think, assimilate, recall

skim-overview, again-notes, look for answers

active process - why, what, ?

essential

study first(important but 'simple')

label notes / info greenessential to know (for your exam)

should be studied 1stfundamental concepts

maybe1st on a syllabus

desirable

studied after green(important but time consuming)

label notes & info amber / yellowdesirable/not time consuming to learn

good ROIgreen+amber=study essentials

lowest priority - complex/low return

limitless time

label notes / info redno time limits

everything you want to knowmay add marks

take a lot of energydon’t study instead of amber /

greenmay get stuck on red if you 'like' the topic @ expense of

amber/green!

METHOD OF LOCI

great for visual learners (VAK)

organisation, visualisation & association

based on places of familiarity

locus = place

developed by the Greeks

I’ll put this ‘poster’

in separate lecture

PEG OR HOOK SYSTEM

associate no. 1-10 with words that rhyme associate words with info to remember

alter for your accent

Earth = 3rd planet

tree rhymes with three

AUDITORY STUDYING

listen to:

module summarieskey points

another student your tutoraudio bookspodcasts

spoken 'files'

videos

DON’T MISS ANYTHING OUT

BRG PEE

GREen = GREmlins / GREen light(signals you might miss / hint)

Royal Literary Fundevery part of Q is considered

BRG

BLAck = BLAtant instructions (must be done)

REd = REference / REquired(input of some sort - definitions, terms,authors, theories etc)

PEE - Point Evidence Explain (Examples, Evaluation)

breaks Q's down, maximising marks

a great paragraph:• makes a Point

• provides Evidence

• Evaluation

• includes Examples, Explanation

• approach with a +ve attitude

Aapproach / attitude / arrange

• arrange schedules

• limit distractions

Sselect / survey / scan

• select block of material to study

• survey; headings, graphics & Q’s (overview)

• scan for keywords

• mark what you don't understand

PPiece together the parts

• put books & notes to one side

• piece together what you've studied

• piece together what you understand

IInvestigate, Inquire, Inspect

• Investigate alternative sources of info

• Inquire from other sources, prof, experts

• inspect what you don’t understand

RRe-examine, Reflect, Relay

• Re-examine - what Q’s do I still need to ask?

• Relay -how would you tell someone else?(this info)

• Reflect on how you can apply this info

• Re-examine -am I missing anything?

EEvaluate, Examine, Explore

• Evaluate exam / test grades

• Examine your progress

• Explore options for further development

(teachers, prof., study groups etc)

Sarah Simpson dragontoothtraining@gmail.com

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39 lectures, 26 videos