Study skills
Active study vs passive study
Research has shown that simply reading a study text is not an effective way to learn. It is too passive and doesn't fully engage your brain. The best way to learn is to be more active in your approach.
Take a look at our recommendations for some interactive study techniques to amp up your understanding and retention of your study materials. Try several to find the ones that work best for you.
Preparing to study
The environment you study in can greatly affect how well you focus on study and retain what you’re learnt. Watch this video to find out some of our suggestions.
An informative video on the benefits of group and individual learning, and recommendations for the ideal studying environment.
Planning your time
Having a good study plan means you know what you’ll aim to learn and when. This ensures you aren’t going to panic as you get closer to your assessment. Watch this video to find out our recommendation on how best to plan your time, and more importantly, when you need to start to study!
A video guide to structuring your time, maintaining a schedule, and goal setting.
5 steps to better reading
Reading text sequentially is not the best way to study and retain new knowledge. Our 5 step technique suggests a better way to reading long study texts to improve your understanding and retention.
Mind mapping
As humans we find images easier to remember than words. Mind mapping is a technique of making notes in a visual way. It’s a great way to show relationships and links between different topics. Using colour and images as well as summary words will enable you to create a quick reference guide for the subject. This becomes your new revision material and a handy reminder of the content.
A walk-through video on the construction of a successful mind map.
Additional resources
Here are a couple of links to some suggestions of further study techniques.
Here is a list of useful external resources that may prove helpful in your study journey. Select the links below to access. **
- The Open University - Study skills
This webpage offers practical skills to learners, ranging from time management skills, online study skills, note taking and revision techniques.
- University of Oxford – Study skills
Advice on academic good practice including avoiding plagiarism, managing your time, reading, note taking, referencing and revision.
**Note: website references correct at the time of publication.