How to Study contains around 1,000 practical tips, taking students at college or university from their first lectures through to their final exams and beyond.
- The ideal companion for all students at college or university.
- Contains around 1,000 practical tips, taking students from their first lectures through to their final exams and beyond.
- Helps students to get through assessments, with suggestions about how to write essays, give presentations, prepare for and sit exams.
- Gives advice on how to handle the ups and downs of being a student, including managing disappointments and getting out of trouble.
- Helps students to get a job, with tips on creating a powerful CV, filling in job applications and succeeding at interview.
- All the tips are written in a jargon-free, friendly style and are illustrated with humorous cartoons.
Table of Contents:
About This Book ix
Part I Managing Your Learning
Wanting to Learn 3
Needing to Learn 7
Learning by Doing 9
Learning from Feedback 12
Making Sense of Things – ‘Digesting’ 14
Taking Charge of Your Studies 16
Managing Your Time 19
Getting Started 23
Take Charge of Your Syllabus 27
Part II Lectures, Labs, Computers, Portfolios and so on
Don’t Just Take Notes, Make Notes 33
Making the Most of Handout Materials 37
Keeping on Top of Practical Work 40
Using Print-based Open Learning Materials 43
Keeping on Top of Your Emails 47
Computer Conferencing 50
Getting to Know Your Word Processor 53
Making IT Training Work for You 58
Getting Your Reflections onto Paper 61
Building Your Portfolio 66
Part III Essays
Planning that Essay 73
Shaping that Essay 77
Drafting and Redrafting that Essay 80
‘I’ve started, so I’ll finish!’ 84
Getting it Back – Marked! 87
Giving Due Credit 91
Part IV Presentations
Preparing Your Presentation 99
Preparing Your Visual Aids 103
Practising Your Presentation 106
Performing on the Day 109
Part V Ups and Downs
Peaks and Troughs 117
Managing Disappointments 121
Recovering from a Disappointment 127
Overcoming Problems 129
Getting out of Trouble! 133
Part VI Revision – Getting Your Act Together
What Will Your Exams Really Measure? 139
Making Your Own Question Bank 144
Using Your Question Bank 149
Putting Revision into Perspective 152
Planning Your Revision Timetable 155
Getting Started with Your Revision 158
Revision Processes 162
Some Final Tips on Last-minute Revision 166
Part VII Exams – Before, During and After!
Just Before an Exam 171
Those First Few Minutes 176
Answering Questions to Score Marks 181
Essays in Exams 186
Calculations and Problems 189
Towards the End of Each Exam 192
After an Exam 196
Open-book exams 200
‘Seen’ Written Exams 203
Multiple-choice Exams 206
Preparing for Your Re-sit 210
Part VIII Job Hunting
Writing Your Curriculum Vitae 217
Choosing and Using Your Referees 221
Application Forms 224
Writing a Letter of Application 229
Preparing for an Interview 232
Giving a Good Interview 236
After an Interview 239
Final Words 242
Further Reading 245
Index 246
About the Author :
Phil Race is Professor in the Educational Development Unit at the University of Glamorgan. He has spent many years working with both lecturers and students to develop their study and transferrable skills.
Review :
"Phil Race has a rare talent for expressing profound wisdom and sound advice in words which his readers find easy to understand and in suggestions which they can and do readily follow to good effect. He does this, again, in his new book – which is not so much a book as a rich library of booklets within one volume. These should guide any student reader through all the different and difficult demands which the university experience generates. ... he has linked chains of advice points into splendid plans of attack for use in dealing with each new challenge. I especially liked the plans for essay writing and coping with examinations, because they contained so much that I wish I had been told as a student, expressed in terms I wish I could have passed on to my own students." John Cowan, Emeritus Professor of Learning Development, the Open University
"I was very disorganised at university so a lot of what is in How to Study left me wincing. It is spot on. Taking control of learning and taking responsibility can be the hardest parts of successful university study. Phil Race shows what is possible with forward planning. Not everyone needs all the tips but all of us I suspect could have done with some of them. And every little helps." Sally Hunt, General Secretary, AUT
"I believe that this is an excellent resource which would, I am sure, be of benefit to all students trying to cope with the demands of higher education." Graham Henderson, Vice Chancellor, University of Teesside
This book is much more than a manual. It is a self-help guide to students of all ages and can be used either by dipping in and out, or reading it, as I did, systematically from cover to cover. I wish I had had a book like this when I was a student and would certainly recommend it to anyone." Susan Bassnett, pro-Vice Chancellor, University of Warwick
"A very readable and enjoyable study guide" Karen Monaghan, BSc (Hons) Psychology - 3rd Year, Glasgow Caledonian University & BPS/SMG Member's Liaison Officer 2002/3 - 2003/4
Featured in The Bookseller's 'Back to School' issue, Friday June 13 2003
