Study Skills

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Study skills and study strategies are abilities and approaches applied to learning. They are

generally critical to success in school, are considered essential for acquiring good grades,

and they are useful for learning throughout one's life, in support of career and personal

interests. They include removing distractions, time management and note taking.

Educational institutions often offer student counseling, or provide resources for

improving study skills. There are a vast number of resources marketed as study skills.

The learning methods offered for sale range from how to manage time, to note taking, to

smart drugs and nutrients for improving performance during study

Despite considerable research on subjects dealt with in study manuals, many lack

evidence to support their ideas. Some are paternalistic, offering philosophy and advice

about personal problems and, as with study skills, advice may be based on the author’s

own beliefs. For example, an author may offer suggestions for students on dealing with

stress without referring to any expert on the subject. Before going into detail on this to

note, let us get the objectives of the note.

2.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE NOTE

After studying through this note, you should be able to:

· List different types of study skills

· Explain study methods

· Understand the note taking process

· Discuss listening processes

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Study skills

3.1.1 Types of study skills

· Removing distractions to improve concentration, and studying in quiet areas

· Self motivation

· Reducing stress and test anxiety

· Time management

o Scheduling study

 Balancing between homework and other activities

o Avoiding cramming

· Studying when alert

· Collaboration

· Active listening

· Note taking

· Completing practice tests

· Memorisation

o Flashcard training

o Being quizzed by someone

· Using multiple sources

· Avoiding hunger and drowsiness

· Using study methods

3.1.2 Study methods

A study method, study system, or study technique, is a formalised learning process or

procedure of study. Each is considered a study skill, and each may in turn be comprised

of many study skills, combined for effectiveness.

1. The PQRST method

A student studies for his final exams, using the PQRST method. One method used by

structured students to keep them on track is the PQRST method. This method prioritises

the information in a way that relates directly to how they will be asked to use that

information in an exam. The method can also be modified to suit any particular form of

learning in most subjects. It allows more accurate timing of work rather than the student

having to decide how much time to attribute to a topic. PQRST is an acronym for

Preview, Question, Read, Summary, and Test.

i. Preview: the student looks at the topic to be learned by glancing over the major

headings or the points in the syllabus.

ii. Question: then questions to answer are formulated once the topic has been

thoroughly studied.

iii. Read: reference material related to the topic is read through, and the

information that best relates to the questions is chosen.

iv. Summary: the student summarizes the topic, bringing his or her own ways of

summarizing information into the process, including written notes, spider

diagrams, flow diagrams, labeled diagrams, mnemonics, or even voice

recordings.

v. Test: then the student answers the questions created in the question step as fully

as possible, avoiding adding questions that might distract or change the subject.

2. The Black-Red-Green method

This is a thoroughgoing method [developed through the Royal Literary Fund] which

helps the student to ensure that every aspect of the question posed has been considered,

both in exams and essays The student underlines relevant parts of the question using

three separate colours (or some equivalent). BLAck denotes 'BLAtant instructions', i.e.

something that clearly must be done; a directive or obvious instruction. REd is a

REference Point or REquired input of some kind, usually to do with definitions, terms,

cited authors, theory, etc. (either explicitly referred to or strongly implied). GREen

denotes GREmlins, which are subtle signals one might easily miss, or a ‘GREEN Light’

that gives a hint on how to proceed, or where to place the emphasis in answers

3. Re-writing notes

Re-writing notes is time-consuming, but one of the most effective ways of studying There

are two types of information that can be written over again: notes taken in class, or

information out of a text book. Highlighting important information prior to re-writing

notes is an effective use of time management.

4. Summary skills

Summary methods should vary depending on the topic. Some methods are better suited to

different subjects and tasks, e.g. mnemonics may fare better for learning lists or facts

while spider diagrams better for linking concepts.

5. Mnemonics is a method of memorising lists and organizing  them.

Example: Learning the points of the compass. Never Eat Shredded Wheat reminds us not

only of the points of the compass but in the order they occur when encountered

clockwise.

6. Spider diagrams: Using spider diagrams or mind maps can be an effective way of

linking concepts together. They can be useful for planning essays and essay responses in

exams.

7. Diagrams: Diagrams are often underrated tools. They can be used to bring all the

information together and provide practice reorganizing  what has been learned in order to

produce something practical and useful. They can also aid the recall of information

learned very quickly, particularly if the student made the diagram while studying the

information. Try buying a notebook with no lines and make a sketch, diagram, or

pictogram of the information you have just learned. This could form part of the Summary

part of the PQRST method or in any other way. These pictures can then be transferred to

flash cards that are very effective last minute revision tools rather than rereading any

written material.

8. Flashcards (A5 index cards): These are effective revision tools but students often set

out to make them and they become more of a chore. It is much more effective to make

cards at the time that you are revising. If these cards are made during the summary part of

the PQRST method then are directly associated with what you learned. The cards are less

effective when students set out to make them late in a revision cycle merely as tools to

look at during the 20-30 minutes before an exam. The cards are indeed useful for last

minute reading as they offer nothing new and therefore is more likely to focus on what

you know and not alert you to something you don't know so well.

9. Traffic lights

It is a common pitfall in studying to set out to learn everything that you have been taught

in an orderly and precise fashion. If time, boredom, and fatigue were not variables that

can impact on your studying and even health then this may always be possible. More

normally you will have a set amount of time (that doesn't encroach on leisure time for

any reason) to learn a set amount of topics. An easy way to separate what is really

important to know (likely to constitute the majority of exam marks) from what you would

like to know if you had infinite time and energy is the traffic light system.

i. Green: Take a green pen and label or place a star next to everything that is

essential to know for your exam. These topics should be studied first and allow

you to progress to the less number of amber and red topics. These should

generally be the first few on a syllabus and be the easiest concepts to learn but

also the easiest to underestimate.

ii. Amber: Take an orange or gold pen and label everything that is neither essential

to know or is not too time consuming to learn. This should form the mainstay of

your learning and range from topics leading from the green range of topics to ones

leading to the red range of topics.

iii. Red: Take a red pen and label everything you would want to know if you had all

the time and energy necessary but not at the expense of the essential green topics

and desired amber topics. This would include overly complicated ideas and

subjects that may add one or two marks but may cost you if you focus all your

attention just on knowing the more difficult bits and underestimating the

importance of accumulating the green and amber topics first and to a greater

extent. A greater focus on green and amber topics may also lead to topics that

seemed red to become more amber as time goes on.

The colour system reminds students that it is easier to get moving on green topics, and

discourage wasted time on red and amber topics. It reminds students to keep learning in a

progressive manner, and not to stagnate when topics become redder in nature owing to

tiredness and boredom.

3.2 LISTENING SKILLS

Listening is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to

spoken or nonverbal messages.

People can think approximately 500 words per minute.

And the average person speaks 125 - 150 words per minute.

People can give their full attention for approximately 20 seconds.

45

The average time spent on various communication skills.

53% listening

14% writing

16% speaking

17% reading

3.2.1 WHY DO WE HAVE PROBLEMS LISTENING?

Cognitive Dissonance, a psychological theory that applies to communication, states that a

person feels conflict it they hold two or more attitudes that are in opposition to each

other. One way people reduce dissonance is by ignoring the conflict that is causing the

conflict.

· Anxiety-Sometimes we can't listen because our anxiety is too high.

· The Controlling Listener-always looks for a way to talk about themselves and

what they are thinking about.

· The Passive Listener-Exerts little listening effort-listen like a couch potatoes

3.2.2 Types of Listening

· Listening for information

· Critical listening

· Empathic listening

· Listening for enjoyment

3.2.3 Forms of Non-listening

· Pseudo listening-pretending to listen

· Monopolizing-Hogging the stage by continuously focusing communication on

ourselves instead of the person who is talking

· Selective listening- We screen out the parts that don't interest us. We reject

communication that bores us or makes us uncomfortable.

· Defensive Listening- Perceiving personal attacks, criticism, or hostile undertones

in communication where none is intended.

· Ambushing- Listening carefully for the purpose of attacking the other speaker

· Literal Listening-Listening only to the content level of meaning and ignoring the

relationship level of meaning.

3.3 NOTETAKING

Note taking is the practice of writing pieces of information, often in an informal or

unstructured manner. One major specific type of note taking is the practice of writing in

shorthand, which can allow large amounts of information to be put on paper very quickly.

Notes are frequently written in notebooks, though any available piece of paper can suffice

in many circumstances—some people are especially fond of Post-It notes, for instance.

Note taking is an important skill for students, especially at the college level. Many

different forms are used to structure information and make it easier to find later.

3.3.1 Systems of Note taking

1. Cornell Notes

When using the Cornell note-taking system a column of white space is left to the left side

of the notes that are written as they come up. Questions or key words based on the notes

are written in the white space after the session has ended. The Cornell method requires no

rewriting and yet results in systematic notes.

2. Charting

Charting is creating a graph with symbols, or table with rows and columns. Graphs and

flow-charts are useful for documenting a process or event. Tables are useful for facts and

values

3. Outlining

While notes can be written freely, many people structure their writing in an outline. A

common system consists of headings that use Roman numerals, letters of the alphabet,

and the common Arabic numeral system at different levels. A typical structure would be:

I. First main topic

A. Subtopic

1. Detail

2. Detail

B. Subtopic

II. Second main topic

A. Subtopic

However, this sort of structure has limitations in written form since it is difficult to go

back and insert more information. Adaptive systems are used for paper-and-pen

insertions, such as using the back side of the preceding page in a spiral to note insertions.

It is possible to simply leave large spaces in between. (See Category:Outliners for more

about application software that supports outlining.)

4. Mapping

Here, ideas are written in a tree structure, with lines connecting them together. Mind

maps are commonly drawn with a central point, purpose or goal in the center of the page

and then branching outward to identify all the ideas connected to that goal. Colors, small

graphics and symbols are often used to help to visualize the information more easily. This

note taking method is most common among visual learners and is a core practice of many

accelerated learning techniques. It is also used for planning and writing essays.

5. Sentence method

Every new thought is written as a new line. Speed is the most desirable attribute of this

method because not much thought about formatting is needed to form the layout and

create enough space for more notes. Also, you must number each new thought.

6. SQ3R

SQ3R is a method for taking notes from written material, though it might be better

classed as method of reading and gaining understanding. Material is skimmed to produce

a list of headings, which are then converted into questions. These questions are then

considered whilst the text is read to provide motivation for what is being covered. Notes

are written under sections headed by the questions as each of the material's sections is

read. One then makes a summary from memory, and reviews the notes.

4.0 CONCLUSION

Study skills are very important part of knowledge impartation. It helps in mental

preparation to learning. In order to acquire proper communication skills, various methods

in study skill must be thoroughly mastered. Their suitability for an individual varies but

they can achieve the same result where appropriately selected

5.0 SUMMARY

In this note, we have examined study skills as an important aspect of business

communication. Discussed under these are: types of study skills, listening skills and note

taking skills.

<<<Previous Note

View Course Content

Next Note>>>