Study Skills Book

Jonathan Weyers and Kathleen McMillan both work at the University of Dundee. Both have been teaching and lecturing for over 25 years and latterly have specialised in the transferable skills area. They have a track record of collaborative writing and achievement in this area.

• About the Authors Preface Acknowledgements 1. How to use this book Part A - A toolkit for understanding what university involves 2. Preparing for university - what you and you family need to consider 3. Starting out how to get the most out of Freshers' Week 4. General expectations - how the university system works and how this impacts on students 5. What makes university education different - how to get off to a good start 6. Graduate skills and attributes - how to learn what employers expect you to gain from being at university Part B - A toolkit for managing yourself 7. Personal development planning - how to reflect on your achievements and set yourself future goals 8. Time management - how to balance study, family, work and leisure 9. Financial tips - how to balance your budget 10. Campus orientation - how to identify the key facilities at your university 11. Social life at university - how to create new social networks and support existing ones 12. Contributing to the academic and outside community - how you can benefit and give something back by participating in extra curricular activities 13. Dealing with stress - how to cope with the pressures of university life Part C - A toolkit for developing your learning skills 14. Your learning personality - how to identify and capitalise on your preferred learning style 15. Studying independently - how to organise yourself and develop good study habits 16. Lectures - how to learn effectively from this teaching method 17. Listening skills - how to understand what lecturers say and how they say it 18. Note-taking in lectures - how to refine what you hear into note form 19. Co-operative learning - how to study successfully with others 20. Participating in a team - how to make a contribution when working with others 21. Laboratory sessions and field visits - how to gain hands-on experience and skills 22. Tutorials - how to prepare and participate 23. Thinking critically - how to develop a logical approach to analysis and problem-solving 24. The library as a resource - how to make the best use of the facilities 25. Analysing and evaluating information - how to filter and select reliable material and discuss it properly 26. Effective academic reading - how to efficiently and with understanding 27. Note-making from texts - how to create effective notes for later reference 28. Computing literacy - how to make the best use of computers and software in your learning 29. E-learning - how to make the most of online teaching 30. Number crunching - how to solve problems in arithmetic and algebra 31. Interpreting and presenting data - how to understand and produce graphs, tables and basic statistics 32. Shaping up in maths - how to use basic geometry and trigonometry to solve spatial problems Part D - A toolkit for improving your academic writing 33. Tackling writing assignments - how to get started 34. Academic writing format - how to organise your writing within a standard format 35. Planning writing assignments - how to respond to the task 36. Citing and listing references - how to refer appropriately to the work of others 37. Plagiarism and copyright - how to avoid being accused of 'stealing' the ideas and work of others infringement 38. Academic writing style - how to adopt appropriate language conventions 39. Shaping your text - how to create effective sentences and paragraphs 40. Improving your grammar - how to avoid some common errors 41. Better punctuation - how to use punctuation marks appropriately 42. better spelling - how to spell competently 43. Enhancing your vocabulary - how to develop your word power 44. Editing and proof-reading - how to make sure that your writing makes sense 45. Presentation of assignments - how to follow the appropriate academic conventions Part E - A toolkit for performing well in assessed coursework 46. Assessment at university - how tests and examinations work 47. Multiple-choice and short-answer questions - how to tackle short answer formats 48. Numerical questions - how to approach quantitative problems 49. Essay-style assessments - how to maximise your marks 50. Tutorial assessment - how to make your contribution count 51. Assessment of practical and laboratory work - how to improve your marks 52. Tackling a dissertation or project - how to make the best possible start 53. Choosing a dissertation or research topic - how to decide on a them for your investigation 54. Writing a proposal - how to structure a successful dissertation or research proposal 55. Principles of quantitative research - how to obtain and analyse numerical information 56. Principles of qualitative research - how to obtain and analyse descriptive information 57. Ethics in researching and reporting - how to follow good research practice 58. Report-writing - how to select and shape your content appropriately 59. Literature Surveys - how to conduct and write up a literature survey62. Exploiting feedback - how to understand and learn from what lecturers write on your work and exam scripts Part F - A toolkit for succeeding in exams 63. Physical and mental preparation - how to gear up for exams 64. Creating a revision timetable - how to get yourself organised for exam study 65. Revision tips - how to build understanding through active learning 66. Memory tips and techniques - how to develop tools and strategies for remembering information and ideas 67. Focussing your revision - how to make full use of learning objectives, past papers and other assessment information 68. Study buddies - how to work with fellow students to improve the revision experience 69. Improving your exam performance - how to avoid common pitfalls 70. Exam strategies how to ensure you have the appropriate tactics 71. Combating exam nerves - how to reduce anxiety and perform well under pressure Part G - A toolkit for the future 72. Planning for a career - how to focus on your future 73. Assessing yourself - how to evaluate your skills, qualities, motivations and values 74. Your curriculum vitae - how to describe yourself to potential employers 75. Kick-starting your career - how to find suitable job vacancies and apply for them