How To Improve your Study Skills

Study skills are the skills you need to enable you to study and learn efficiently – they are an important set of transferable life skills.

Our pages provide generic study skills advice – appropriate to learners across all disciplines and in different life circumstances: full and part-time students, those returning to education later in life, those engaged in professional development and anybody who wants to learn how to learn 

Key points about study skills:

• You will develop your own personal approach to study and learning in a way that meets your own individual needs. As you develop your study skills you will discover what works for you, and what doesn’t.
• Study skills are not subject specific - they are generic and can be used when studying any area. You will, of course, need to understand the concepts, theories and ideas surrounding your specific subject area. To get the most out of your studies, however, you’ll want to develop your study skills.
• You need to practice and develop your study skills.  This will increase your awareness of how you study and you’ll become more confident.  Once mastered, study skills will be beneficial throughout your life.
• Study skills are not just for students.  Study skills are transferable - you will take them with you beyond your education into new contexts. For example, organisational skills, time management, prioritizing, learning how to analyse, problem solving, and the self-discipline that is required to remain motivated.  Study skills relate closely to the type of skills that employers look for.  (See Transferable Skills and Employability Skills for more.)
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• What are Study Skills?

  Study skills are the skills you need to enable you to study and learn efficiently – they are an important set of transferable life skills.
  Our pages provide generic study skills advice – appropriate to learners across all disciplines and in different life circumstances: full and part-time students, those returning to education later in life, those engaged in professional development and anybody who wants to learn how to learn effectively. 
  Key points about study skills:
  • You will develop your own personal approach to study and learning in a way that meets your own individual needs. As you develop your study skills you will discover what works for you, and what doesn’t.
  • Study skills are not subject specific - they are generic and can be used when studying any area. You will, of course, need to understand the concepts, theories and ideas surrounding your specific subject area. To get the most out of your studies, however, you’ll want to develop your study skills.
  • You need to practise and develop your study skills.  This will increase your awareness of how you study and you’ll become more confident.  Once mastered, study skills will be beneficial throughout your life.
  • Study skills are not just for students.  Study skills are transferable - you will take them with you beyond your education into new contexts. For example, organisational skills, time management, prioritising, learning how to analyse, problem solving, and the self-discipline that is required to remain motivated.  Study skills relate closely to the type of skills that employers look for.  (See Transferable Skills and Employability Skills for more.)
  At SkillsYouNeed we provide quality content on many life skills – and many of these are relevant to studying.

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  You’ll find two types of study skills pages – pages that directly relate to skills you need for study (such as How to Write an Essay) and pages that are more general life skills but which are also important to studying (like Active Listening).

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  Our Study Skills Pages Include:

  • Getting Organised to Study
    Getting organised is an important first step to effective study.  Our page covers the basic organisation skills you need to consider – fundamentals such as where and when to study and the importance of developing a network of contacts who can help you when you need it.
  • Finding Time to Study
    This page covers some of the basic principles of time management – with reference to study. If you manage your time badly then you will be less productive, which can lead to stress and anxiety. This page will help you by outlining the importance of a personal study timetable and how to set goals and prioritise your time.
  • Sources of Information for Study
    Learn what is meant by, and the importance of, primary, secondary and tertiary documents and how you may source such information in a library or online.
  • Styles of Writing
    By understanding different writing styles you can put what you read into perspective. This page covers the main writing styles that you are likely to come across, including academic, journal, and journalistic styles.

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  • Effective Reading
    When studying, it is likely that you will need to read a lot of information – and you will wish to use this time effectively as possible by developing your reading skills. Discover ways that you can engage with your reading, form links, understand opinions and put ideas and research into perspective. In short, develop your reading skills.
  • Critical Reading and Reading Strategies
    This page explains what is meant by critical reading and critical thinking – skills which are fundamental to true learning, personal development and advancement.  The page also covers how to develop a personal reading strategy and use SQ3R to help you manage your reading.