Effective study skills are important if a student or any learner is to achieve academic excellence without straining unnecessarily. In whichever field that one chooses to study, different study skills are essential in order to enhance the ability to concentrate, perceive and remember what has been learned. Study skills also help in enriching the learning experience.
Different study skills are required for different individuals. Some learners do well when the learning environment is quite and devoid of any physical destruction which other learners will do well regardless of noise or distractions This paper explores the different study skills that exist with an aim of establishing the most important of these needed to make the academic experience pleasant as well as to achieve excellence.Conducting library and internet search.Ellis, David B (1993) states that developing effective study skills will involve gaining knowledge in conducting successful library and internet search in order to find relevant information necessary for any particular study. The ability to acquire the needed information may sound simple and obvious but it is very important for any study. The first step is to identify the topic and the information that is to be sought.
The other step is to look for primary sources which could be books, journals, periodicals, government statistics and so forth. It also involves searching for information from the World Wide Web or navigating institutions or public libraries. It is also important that one be able to evaluate the strength of any source materials.Managing TimeTime is an important resource to any learner and it should be managed wisely in organizing, prioritizing and avoid wastage.
Time management skills require that one understand their own concentration time and be able to plan for blocks of study time. It also requires that one prioritize their different study commitments from urgent to important. McWhorter, Kathleen (1996) suggests that it is important to plan one’s time putting the most difficult task before the simple ones. Including break times in the plan is also important. In order to be able to make maximum use of the available time it is necessary for learners to create a “to do list”, write down short term commitments and also plan for long term commitments.
Learners should always keep at their finger tips the short term events and should always revisit their planners before going to sleep.Study MethodsThere are different study methods that have been designed to assist individuals to derive the most benefits from their studies. The whole idea of studying is to be able to first of all concentrate on understanding certain information, synthesize it and eventually be able to remember what is learned in order to apply it in practical situations. Some study methods have been developed through cognitive research and are aimed at enhancing concentration, perception and retention. Additionally these methods can be used by individuals in accordance to their study needs.
According to Fleet et al (1987), study methods include SQ3R, SQ4R, and PQ4R among others. Basically they include:· Surveying, basically is acquainting one with the topic of study.· Question: this are formed after surveying and they are the questions that are expected to be answered during the reading.· Reading: simply going through the material carefully and trying to answer the formulated questions.· Recite: this involves repeating to oneself or another what has been read.
· Review: is going back to what has been learnt.The study methods assist learners to be systematic in their studies and the effective use of such methods teaches learners how to be disciplined as they begin to monitor their level of learning as well as develop good study habits.Setting GoalsGoal setting is an important aspect in life but more so in developing effective study skills. It is always important for individuals to know where they are going and to be able to evaluate their progress otherwise, there is a tendency to wander aimlessly or to mark time. All learners should set short term and long term goals for their studies.
It is important that they understand the objective of studying. Short term goals would include activities such as finishing assignments on time and passing exams while long term goals could include graduating from school or even beyond school to having a fulfilling life. The learner should have a system of overcoming obstacles that would prevent them from achieving their goals.Goals should have a time frame, an action plan and a list of the right people to make that goal be achieved.
In every step of the way, a learner should always evaluate the progress made and reassess the goals to make sure that they are still on the right track and also to make the necessary changes if need be.Study EnvironmentEllis, David B (1993), explains that identifying suitable study environments is key to developing effective study skills. It is important to know the study places that allows for most comfort and concentration. A study environment should have few distractions or interruptions.
When selecting a study place it is imperative one takes into account such factors as the sitting position, temperature, lighting and noise.ConclusionLearning and studying is a complex process and developing effective study skills is a vital requirement for all learners. It must be emphasized however, that different individuals will have different study styles and any learner needs to know what is best suited for their different learning needs and environment. This paper has explored the general strategies that can be universally utilized to develop good study habits and effective skills.
