Study Skills

Getting better at a few core study skills will help you get a lot more out of your time as a student. What’s more, they can all be applied to the world of work, too. So, what are the skills you need to study effectively? 

Time management

If you can’t effectively manage your time, then you’re not going to be able to get the best from it. This doesn’t just mean being punctual but structuring your independent study so that you cover all of your bases while still diving deep into the materials.

Organisation

Effective study is organised study. You’ll need to have all your materials within easy reach, and you’ll want to have a system for absorbing them. This might mean skimming through everything, identifying problem areas, and circling back. It might mean dividing your days up into key topics and poring through them, one by one.

Note-taking

When you’re taking on board information, being able to take notes effectively will be hugely helpful. It will give you something to refer to later, and, if you’re writing by hand, help drive the information deeper into your brain.

Essay writing

Essays are a great way of demonstrating that you know what you’re talking about. Writing them can also help you figure out exactly where the gaps in your knowledge lie.If your essay-writing skills could use a bit of fine-tuning, you might look at the University of Reading’s Beginner’s Guide to Writing in English for University Study. We’ve also written on the subject in our Essay Writing 101 post.