Dealing with Study Skills Problems

Everyone can find studying something of a chore. The purpose of these pages is to show you a number of ways in which you can make this task more profitable and enjoyable. You should find that the skills covered are applicable not only to one subject but to other courses, and beyond. Our aim is to help you develop as a successful, independent learner.

Although this is designed as a self-study guide, some topics will be referred to in your course. The sections need not necessarily be read sequentially; you can just turn to the topics on which you think you need help. But before you begin, bear in mind that you will only master these study skills if you adopt a proactive approach.

At the beginning of each section there is a problems check list , to help you determine whether you have difficulties with a topic. Following this there are skill-building tips , as you read these note down any that are particularly useful to you.

Don't try to make too many changes at once, perhaps just up to three per study skill at any one time. You can review a section, noting your progress and implementing further changes later.
 

Study skills. What skill do you think you need to improve?

Time Management

Studying takes time - lectures, workshops, laboratories, tutorials, additional time to prepare for lectures, laboratory classes and tutorials, review study notes, write up laboratory work. To keep on top of it you need to manage your time efficiently. It is worthwhile thinking about the best ways of doing this. First think of any concerns you have about studying the subject you choose, perhaps drawing on your experiences from school or college.

Problems check list - note those problems which apply to you

Studying takes too much time, and there is little time for anything else.

There is too much work to do.

I am constantly rushing.

I am often late to classes.

If I take a break I find it difficult to get back to studying.

I waste a lot of time.

I never know where to begin studying, and put it off.

Skill-building tips - read these through, noting the ones you find most helpful.

Schedule a regular time for studying. Studying then becomes second nature, and it will avoid you wasting a lot of time putting it off. You will be able to keep up to date with your assignments without feeling pressured, and you will enjoy being on top of it. A series of short study sessions is most effective.

Keep a daily, weekly and semester timetable. On your calendar, write down all your assignments and due dates for written work. Write in all the regularly scheduled activities and include your regular study periods. Each week write down exactly what you are going to work on during your study periods, this will save wasting time deciding what to do. Each day you could write out a reminder about that day's schedule. Be flexible so that you can trade study periods if something comes up, rather than losing them.

Plan study sessions of at least 30 minutes. Take a 5-10 minute break after each 20 minute period to reenergize yourself.

Reward yourself for studying. People work better when they are rewarded for their efforts; but reward yourself afterwards not before. A reward might be seeing a friend, relaxing with a novel, etc.

Schedule some free time. Don't get burned out by studying all the time. If you schedule some free time for yourself during the week, you'll find that you can study more efficiently and enjoy it all the more. Use your free time for socializing, going for a walk, playing sport, daydreaming.

Look after yourself. Do not overdo it, but look after yourself to get the best out of your time here. Make sure you give yourself time to eat regular meals each day, get regular exercise and get regular sleep each night.

Improving Your Concentration

However well you manage your time, if you can't concentrate on the task in hand you are going to achieve little.

Problems check list - note those problems which apply to you

My mind wanders when I am trying to study.

I am easily bothered by noise while studying.

I often get hungry while studying.

I find it hard to concentrate on course work.

I often can't find the materials (pencil, calculator etc.) that I need.

I keep being interrupted by friends.

Reading the textbook is boring.

I end up daydreaming instead of studying.

Skill-building tips - read these through, noting the ones you find most helpful.

Find a study area that is free of distractions and interruptions. You may find it easier to study in the Library rather than your room; use an individual study place and don't sit near a window with an interesting view. If you are interrupted go through a basic ritual, such as straightening the papers on your desk, to tell yourself that you are ready to start studying again.

Only use your study area for studying. This will make it easier for you to focus on your studies while sitting there.

Your study area should be comfortable and well lit. If the lighting is poor you will strain your eyes and find it difficult to concentrate; glaring lights also make studying difficult. Have all your materials handy when you begin studying (textbook, lecture notes, paper, pencil, calculator).

Put aside personal distractions. Set aside other time to deal with personal problems and daydream. If one of your worries keeps bugging you while you are studying, note it on a separate piece of paper and set aside some time to think about it later on.

Don't get discouraged. Try to relax while studying. If you have difficulties understanding or tackling a problem do the best you can but don't worry about it; your tutor will be able to help you. Remember that he was once in a similar position.

Get actively involved with your studying. Engage important phrases or concepts in your textbook. Work through the example problems.

Reading Textbooks

On any course, you will be expected to learn independently from course textbooks, and you will need to become familiar with new terms. Reading a textbook takes time and concentration, but there are skills that you can develop to help you become a more efficient reader and to retain more of the information.

Problems check list - note those problems which apply to you

I often don't remember what I have read.

I don't know the basic terms used in the text.

The problem examples look easy but the end of chapter problems are too difficult.

There is too much to know to understand the text.

I understand things well when I read the book, but then I forget everything.

Skill-building tips - read these through, noting the ones you find most helpful.

Skim through the textbook. Look at the table of contents, the preface and appendices. It is useful to see the framework of the book and know what reference data etc. you have access to.

Skim each chapter before reading it. It is worthwhile getting an idea of what topics are covered. Read the subtitle headings and think how they relate to the chapter title.

Scan the beginning of each paragraph, and the tables, figures and diagrams. If you have a particular section to read, look at the first sentence of each paragraph to see what is going to be important in that section. Don't worry if some terms are unfamiliar, by glancing at them and giving them some thought it will prove easier to understand them later on. The pictorial information offers a brief overview of the highlights and the important details.

Now "actively" read the section. Read the text sentence by sentence, working on each to understand it. Stop periodically and ask yourself about what you have read. Don't go on until you feel you understand each new concept or new term. You won't retain the information unless you understand what you read. If you have difficulties make a note to ask your tutor. By actively reading, asking yourself questions, working at new concepts and testing yourself you will find learning and retention much easier.

Record  important points and make notes of terms. Recording these in your notes will help you to remember important material. Read the paragraph first and then go back and record the important points. As you read the chapter also make notes on unfamiliar terms and definitions.

Work through example problems. It is easy just to read through a sample problem and learn nothing. Working through the problem tests your understanding and will make it easier when you come to the end of chapter questions.

Review the section you have read. Cover the text with a piece of paper and try to recall, in your own words, the key concepts, and terms - using your margin cues as a guide. Then remove the paper and check. This is an ideal way of learning, and in gaining confidence in your ability to master the material. Immediate review is important but you should also review the material later in the semester; but remember that active review is much better than passively reading a chapter - you will spend more time on the material you find most difficult.

Problem Solving

Short questions, such as those found at the end of chapters in textbooks, may be easy to understand. Some of the workshop and tutorial problems are rather more involved, and more interesting. You usually need to dissect these longer problems to understand what is being asked.

Problems check list - note those problems which apply to you

I have trouble reading and understanding problems.

I never know where to begin.

I get frustrated when trying to do the tutorial work.

I have no idea if I have got the right answer.

I can't follow the answers given in the tutorial.

Skill-building tips

Read the entire problem and note everything you are unfamiliar with. There is no point starting to tackle the problem until you are sure what is being asked. Underline anything you are unfamiliar with and look it up (?polymorph).

Identify the topic of the problem. Identify the type of question being asked and what format the answer should take.

Write down all the information given. What information is important to the question.

Identify the real question. Work out what you are being asked to solve, and write this down.  It is not always so obvious, but you will soon learn to see through the confusion.

Plan your method of attack. Don't jump straight in; sit back and think about how you are going to solve the problem; then write down your strategy. Decide what information allows you to connect given information to the potential answer.

See if you have enough information. Write down any extra information you need that may not be outlined in your question but is part of your solution.

Make sure you discard irrelevant information. Many times questions have additional information that is not necessary, ignore this for it is not part of your solution pathway.

Solve the problem in an organized way. Setting out your answer neatly will make it easier to check if you make a mistake and easier to review at a later date. For essays-type questions, organize your writing.  For mathematical problems, demonstrate the sequence of solutions (dimensional analysis).

Include units in numerical solutions. Double check to see if the answer requires units.  Also look in your solution to ensure the answer contains the appropriate units.

Check your answer. Make sure that your answer makes sense. Remember to quote numbers to the appropriate number of significant figures.

Listening and Note Taking

Listening to and understanding any lectures is easy once you have grasped the basic terms and concepts. Of course, some material will be new and you will not be familiar with it. It is then valuable to make notes so that you can take stock later to understand the material, and so that you can revise from them. It is difficult to concentrate if you don't understand a lot of the material; nevertheless it is important to take coherent and well organized notes.

Problems check list - note those problems which apply to you

I often find it difficult to pay attention during a lecture.

I often can't follow the lecture.

I don't seem to be able to write fast enough.

I feel overwhelmed by the amount of material covered.

I tend to fall asleep in lectures.

I can't decipher my own lecture notes.

I never feel that I understand the material.

Skill-building tips - read these through, noting the ones you find most helpful.

Attend all the lectures. You will be better able to understand and remember the important concepts and follow the major themes if you hear the lectures yourself. However, if you happen to miss a lecture, copy up notes from a friend before the next lecture.

Complete any self-study assignments and review your notes. You will find it much easier to listen if you are familiar with some of the terms that are being talked about.

Be prepared. Get to the lecture in good time and have pen and paper ready for when the lecture starts.

Focus your attention on the lecturer and take notes. "He listens well, who takes notes" (Dante). By taking notes you will become more involved with the lecture, and will have written notes for later review. Research shows that most people forget 80% of what they have heard within two weeks, and in four weeks you perhaps retain just 5%.

Just listen to complex explanations, subsequently making notes. If the lecturer moves on before you have finished then ask for more time.

Ask questions. If material is unclear be sure to ask the lecturer for clarification. The rest of the class is sure to be just as mystified as you.

Organize your notes :- • use A4 ruled paper with a margin. Keep it in a loose leaf file so that you can easily add handouts and extra sheets. • leave space and write on only one side of the paper. Give yourself room to annotate your notes. Spreading the notes out will make them easier to read. • label your notes. Date your notes and number the pages and write down topic headings. This will be useful for later reference (and if you accidentally drop them). • write legibly. There is no point wasting time later trying to decipher your scrawl.

Use abbreviations and symbols. But make sure that you know what they mean and that you use them consistently.

Write notes in outline form. Write headings for each topic, starting at the left margin. Indent secondary headings and supporting detail. Leave a space when the lecturer moves from one aspect to another. Don't try to write everything down, just the key points and phrases; you can add to these later when reviewing your notes.

Mark important points. If the lecturer emphasizes a point make an appropriate mark in the margin of your notes. Make sure that everything the lecturer writes down, on the board or overhead, is in your notes or on a handout.

Note any questions and any ideas you miss. Write your own queries within brackets so that you can easily identify them later. Leave spaces when you miss material, and as a reminder make a mark in the margin. You may be able to figure things out later for yourself, but if you can't be sure to see the lecturer.

Take notes right up to the end of the lecture. Sometimes lecturers will try to finish off a topic before the end of a lecture, and may speed up a little if time is short.

Edit your notes soon after the lecture. Going over your notes will allow you to fill in the gaps and correct any mistakes, but you must do this while the lecture is still fresh in your mind. You could add extra information in a different color.

Add highlights when reviewing your notes. You will be able to use your notes to help you with your tutorial work and to help you revise. You may find it helpful to highlight important points and add margin notes, in the same way that we suggested for textbook reading.