Teachers : N.Boufrioua/W.

Aidoud

Course : Techniques du travail universitaire ( Study Skills )

Level : 1st year Licence

Year : 2019-20

Importance of Study Skills

Study Well
Prioritize, organize, revise, Nobel Prize. Study Naturally: the balanced way to increase
your GPA

Study skills is the term that commonly describes the approaches to studying used by
successful students, particularly those at university. As such, study skills are essential for all
students and not only learners of English. They also involve more than just learning language
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.
Learning to Study Smart Is One of the Most Important Skills You Will Learn in
University

It doesn’t matter if you are in your first year or doing a PhD, there are always ways to
improve your academic performance by finding study strategies that work for you.

Why Are Study Skills Important?

“Study smarter, not harder! By actively developing good study skills and
learning strategies, you will keep your motivation high and achieve your
goals more easily and more efficiently.”

 Learning study skills will not only help you in university, they will also help you
succeed in life.

 Good study skills can increase your confidence, competence, and self-esteem. They
can also reduce anxiety about tests and deadlines.

 By developing effective study skills, you may be able to cut down on the numbers of
hours spend studying, leaving more time for other things in your life.

 Good study skills can improve your ability to learn and retain knowledge.

 Students who use effective study skills may feel their work and effort is more
worthwhile.
 Before You Study

Look at the Big Picture

Ask yourself these questions: How many exams do I have to study for? What are the dates of
these exams? How much time do I think I should dedicate to each subject? What is my grade
going into the exam, and what is the exam worth towards my final grade?

Prioritize
In university it may seem like there is always a paper due or an exam coming up. Prioritize
and plan out what needs to be done first, what needs your best effort, and what can wait.

Plan

Schedule what and when you want to study. An agenda is one of the best tools you can use to
organize school life.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Cramming is not the most effective way to study. When you start to study weeks in advance,
you have more time to reach your academic goals. You also have time to ask questions about
everything you do not fully understand.

Set Up a Study Area

Find an area where you can spread out your notes, your computer, and your books. Try to find
somewhere that is well-lit, comfortable, and where there is little distraction. There are good
options for study spaces in all the libraries across campus.

Make Your Own Notes

What are the titles, headings, and subheadings? Are there any bolded words? These can be
great indicators of what information is important.

Having beautiful notes and a perfectly highlighted textbook doesn’t matter if you do not
understand the information. Don’t be afraid to get messy when scrawling out ideas on paper
and connecting them in your head.

Put It in Your Own Words

Paraphrasing is a great technique to help you really understand material. Try reading over a
page or paragraph of information, covering it up, then repeating the information in your own
words.
Teach It

Find someone who does not understand the material and teach it to them. Doing this can help
you understand concepts in less time than studying by yourself.

Should I Study by Myself or in a Group?

At different points in your learning process you may find that you benefit more from studying
on your own than in a group, or vice versa. The key is to know where you are getting the most
from your efforts and are the least distracted.

What Material Should I Start With?

Start with the most challenging sections and move on from there. Spend only a little time
quickly reviewing the material you know well.

Exam Anxiety

Exams are among the most important and stressful parts of university life. Exam anxiety is a
common and normal reaction. It can become problematic, however, when it is intense, persists
over time, or interferes with academic performance.

Tips for Taking Exams

 Get an adequate amount of sleep the night before.

 Give yourself time in the morning to go through your regular routine, eat a good
breakfast, and plan your study strategy for the day.

 Quit studying at least half an hour prior to the test.

 Avoid getting to class too early. Time before exams is usually spent worrying.

 Use strategies to ease tension and anxiety if they start becoming too much.

 Sit where you feel comfortable and will not be distracted.

 Don’t be your own worst enemy. Don’t talk to yourself in a way that discourages you
or makes you doubt your abilities.

 Read each question slowly, twice. Underline or highlight key words and phrases.
Reword the question in a way that makes sense to you.

 If you cannot answer a question, take a deep breath and go to the next one. Return to
the questions you are unsure about later.
 Study Apps
There are many tools and applications that can help you stay organized and
study more efficiently, including:

 Google Calendar (agenda/planner)

 iStudiez Pro (schedule/assignment planner)
 EasyBib (automatic citations)
 Duolingo (language learning app)
 StudyBlue (flashcards)
 Dragon Anywhere (dictation app)
 Wolfram Alpha (answer search engine)
 Focus Booster (pomodoro timer)

Finally there is a lot of advice about study skills available online, particularly on
university websites. One of the best books on the topic is The Study Skills
Handbook by Stella Cottrell, published by Palgrave and now in its 3rd edition

Good Luck!