The document discusses study skills and provides an overview of various topics related to developing effective study habits. It defines study skills and highlights their importance for students and staff. It also identifies three major learning styles and explores study skills resources available at the college. Some key study skills covered include time management, note-taking, reading strategies, essay writing, memory techniques, and mind mapping.

1. Study Skills August 2008 Linsey Irvine

2. Aims To raise awareness of Study Skills and highlight their importance as a building block of the Learning Process

3. Objectives To define Study Skills To highlight the importance of Study Skills to both students and staff To identify the 3 major Learning Styles To explore Study Skills resources available at Edinburgh’s Telford College

4. Definitions Study: ‘ to acquire knowledge and gain competence’ Skill: ‘ a learned and developed activity’ Study Skills : ‘ learned and developed activities which enable learners to acquire knowledge and gain competence’

5. Benefits to Learners Awareness of ‘learning’ as a skill Improved understanding of subjects Clear understanding of the demands of diverse Learning Tasks Knowledge of how to improve individual performance Increased self awareness Development of transferable skills Increased confidence Skillful independent learners

6. Benefits to Teaching Staff Students become more independent reducing demands on lecturers Students are engaged in their learning Improved performance Improved retention figures Improved SUMS

7. Study Skills Overview Study Skills Personal Management Self Awareness Time Management Organising Workspace Organising Information Learning Style Group Working Problem Solving

8. Learning Styles

9. Learning Styles: VAK Auditory Kinaesthetic Visual Learning Styles

10. Learning Styles: Sensory Visual - sight Seeing, watching, observing, looking, Pictures, diagrams, flowcharts, videos, text, colours Auditory - hearing Listening, hearing, discussing, rhythm Speech, debating, group discussion, music, taping Kinaesthetic – touch, taste, smell Touching, feeling, doing Hands-on activities, trying out

11. Learning Styles: Kolb Activist Reflector Theorist Pragmatist

12. Learning Styles: Websites Barsch Inventory Hyperlink http://ww2.nscc.edu/gerth_d/AAA0000000/barsch_inventory.htm Vark Questionnaire Hyperlink http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp Kolb Learning Style Hyperlink http://www.brainboxx.co.uk/A2LEARNSTYLES/pages/roughandready.htm

13. Reading Skills

14. Reading Skills Set expectations ‘hours/chapters’ per week Discuss reading materials Indicate recommended reading Active/passive reading Reading Styles & Techniques Be aware of problems – refer to Learner Support

15. Active/Passive Active Passive

16. Reading Styles Reading Style Feature Purpose Skimming Use clues Is this relevant? Scanning ‘ run your eye’ Find specific info. Detailed In depth, carefully Fully understand info. Analytical Identify technique Literary styles? Critical Facts / Opinions? Beware bias! Leisure Lightweight For pleasure

17. SQ3R Skim to assess whether or not to read further Know what you want answered: Why? How? What? Be active, use a pencil, take time, ‘see’, note-take Review information, put in own words, summarise Return 24hrs, 3 days, 1 week: improve and reduce Survey Question Read Review Remember

18. Note-Taking Skills

19. Note-Taking: Why bother? People forget 80% of what they hear in 2 weeks! Become involved in learning Focus attention Demonstrate progress Produce revision items Make sense of your work GOOD NOTE-TAKING SKILLS Essential essay preparation

20. Good / Poor Note-Taking Good Note-Taking Think about what you are listening to or reading Sift through information for what is important Decide the key points you want to make Record these Poor Note-Taking Copy down everything you hear or read

21. Note-Taking Exemplar Passage entitled ‘Thomas Telford’ Thomas Telford Hyperlink

22. Note-Taking Styles Highlight Margin Mark Linear Flow chart Spider diagram Mindmap Use a PC Page fold

23. Essay Writing

24. Essay Writing: The Seven Steps Interpret the Question or Title Gather information Make a Rough Plan Evaluate your sources Write your essay Review and Proofread Learn from Feedback

25. Interpret the Question / Title Read, say out loud, write down: use VAK Underline Key Words: Essay Writing Skills key words.doc Draw a squiggly line under subject matter – focus for reading, research, planning & writing Case Studies and Examples – are they requested? Break the question / title into smaller tasks – this can suggest the number of paragraphs or topics Remember how marks are awarded – helps you to plan how much you need to say about each topic

26. Essay Title: Example ‘ Describe and explain the formation of the major physical features of a Limestone landscape. Illustrate your answer with named examples from the British Isles.’ 10 marks

27. Essay Title: Example Essay Writing Skills title.doc

28. Outline Essay Plans Although …………… and …………... are different …………they are alike in some interesting ways. For example they both …………………… They are also similar in …………………. The …………….. is the same as ……… The ……………………….. resembles ………………………………… .. Finally they both ………………………. Some people think that …………………… because…………… They argue that ……………………………. Another group who agree with this point of view are……………… They say that because …………………………. On the other hand, …………………others agree with the idea that ……………… They claim that………………………. They also say ……………………… My opinion is …………………………… because ………………….. Comparing Discussing Essay Writing Skills outline plans.doc Essay Writing Skills linking words.doc

29. Essay Checklist √ Did I answer the question set in the title? √ Did I cover all the main points that I was supposed to? √ Have I gone into issues or arguments in enough depth? √ Is the content of my essay relevant to the question? √ Does my introduction introduce my essay and explain my approach? √ Have I written my essay in paragraphs √ Does each paragraph contain only one key idea √ Do my paragraphs flow logically using linking words and expressions? √ Have I supported arguments with evidence, key points with examples? √ Have I used accurate statistics and quotes? √ Is my conclusion strong and well linked back to the introduction? √ Is my essay the correct length? √ Have I acknowledged all my references and sources in a bibliography? √ Have I written clearly with acceptable spelling / grammar / punctuation? √ Is my essay neatly written or word processed?

30. Memory Skills

31. Memory Myths? Some people just have bad memories STM can only hold about 7 pieces of data STM lasts for around 5 minutes It is possible to make memories permanent Memorisation is a physical process Constant repetition makes memories stick

32. Feeling Fruity? Lemon Kiwi Apple Banana Melon Pineapple Orange Satsuma Cherry

33. Memory Styles Saw a bowl of fruit Wrote down names Said the list aloud ‘in my head’ Walked in the fruit aisle: saw felt smelled

34. Effective Strategies to Memorise Information Strategy : Chunking Information Chunking Exercise a watch or a clock – this must have a ‘second’ hand a pen some paper Task 1 Task will last 30 seconds

35. Number Fun 247198491152007404999

36. Those Numbers 247198491152007404999 Memory Skills Chunking strategy.doc

37. Effective Memory Techniques Chunking Break item into small pieces Mnemonics Acronym: OIL RIG Acrostic: EGBDF Mindmaps The Roman Room

38. Effective Memory Techniques The Roman Room memory skills Roman Room.doc

39. Mindmapping Skills

40. Mindmaps Activate whole brain Engage creativity Clarify thoughts Organise information Chunk information Encourage focus Highlight connections Give ‘the big picture’ Build effective memories

41. Tony Buzan http://www.youtube.com/user/iMindMap

42. Inspiration www.inspiration.com/quicktours/index.cfm?fuseaction=Insp_Quicktour_QT

43. Mindmanager www.mindjet.com/products/mindmanager_pro/demo.aspx www.mindjet.com/products/mindmanager_pro/demo.aspx

44. Time Management Skills Where does the time go? Planning – use Outlook Calendar Weekly Monthly Whole session Prioritising workload Find a place to work Get equipped for learning Organising course materials

45. Printing a blank calendar using Outlook On the File menu, point to New , and then click Folder . Type a name for the folder. In the Folder contains list, click Calendar Items . In the Select where to place the folder list, click Calendar , and then click OK . On the Go menu, click Folder List . In the Folder List , click the new folder you just created. On the File menu, point to Page setup , and then click the print style you want. Select the print style options you want, and then click Print .

46. Presentation Skills Planning Preparing Practising Performing Do’s and Don’ts Top tips on technology

47. Report Writing Skills What is a Report? The Structure of a Report Ten Steps to Report Writing How to present data How to analyse results How to interpret results

48. Stress Management Skills What is Stress? Causes of stress Stressful situations Effects of stress Physical Mental Emotional Managing stress