Study Skills — Advanced
The Good Study Guide is a best-selling guide to basic study skills. It can be used as an introductory workbook or as a source of reference. It deals
with reading and note-taking, essay writing, working with numbers, and preparing
for examinations. On learning techniques it covers learning in groups, talks and lectures, and
(specially for distance learning students) learning from radio and television.
Studying at a distance covers preparation for studying, showing you how to assess your existing skills and identify what you will need. It deals with the basics of note-taking, essay writing, and revision and examination skills. A chapter on E-learning includes
submitting electronic assignments, conferencing, and using virtual learning
environments. Also covers what equipment you will need, how to plan your time, and how to
make the best use of the support and resources.
Student's Guide to Exam Success offers practical information on the most effective study and exam techniques:
organising your revision, how to write essays, speed reading, taking effective
notes, mind-mapping, and improving your memory.
Students Must Write
covers taking notes in lectures, choosing words
to make your writing more effective, how to deal with numbers, diagrams,
graphs, charts, and tables; and exam techniques. He even covers writing letters
- applying for that job after you have graduated, plus tips on using
word-processors, a few words on punctuation, and a brief guide to spelling and
how to overcome some of the common problems.
The Arts Good Study Guide starts with getting yourself organised and managing your time, then goes on to
the core study skills for subjects in the arts and humanities. These are reading
skills and taking notes, various approaches to studying, writing skills, and
then the central issue of writing essays. There's a useful section on what is
particular to studying the arts - questions of analysis, meaning, and
interpretation; how you communicate your ideas and opinions; what constitutes
evidence; and how you might conduct your own research or projects.
Reading at University includes useful tips on analysing academic books and reading lists, as well as how to take notes whilst reading. They even include a chapter which explains how to quote and cite references in academic writing; and another called 'Reading your
Own Work' which is effectively how to edit and proof-read your writing before
submitting it for assessment.
Passing Exams without Anxiety deals with all the common issues of time management, confidence, motivation, and
study conditions, as well as the techniques you need in the exam room itself.
The approach he takes encourages you to ask questions and break up tasks into
smaller parts. The logic of this is that it helps you to analyse what you need
to do to complete tasks. He also recommends a pick-and-mix strategy - dipping in
and out of the book and choosing those tips and techniques which suit you best.
The Sciences Good Study Guide
deals with reading and note-taking, essay writing, working with numbers, and
preparing for examinations. It contains lots of good advice on general study skills - note-taking,
reading, time-management, and confidence building - but the centrepiece is a
section on maths - one of the most daunting topics for most beginners. It also
covers working with diagrams, flow charts, and graphs and tables; working with
numbers and tables; using a computer efficiently; conducting experiments, and
writing essays and reports.
Doing your Reasearch Project Topics covered include the selection of a research subject, collecting data and
keeping records, reviewing the literature, designing questionnaires,
interpreting evidence, and presenting the findings. Each chapter has a summary
checklist and its own suggestions for further reading. There's also a full
bibliography and index.
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