Study Skills for Effe ctive Learn ing
Where to Study
The right place can vary according to personal preference and mood. Some like the library whilst others find too many distractions there - chatterers, buzzing lights even romance in the stack! Some prefer working at home with Madonna or Vivaldi as company. Some can work on the Tube, some in bed. You could be a mover - one hour here, half an hour there.
No matter where you work - it must be an effective place for learning, concentration & absorption. Know what your requirements are. Be in the right spot to access information sources, with confidence and comfort for your purposes.
Working on a train journey can be useful. Read a chapter or article or "BRAINSTORM" some notes for a new assignment. Yet it is crazy to put things off, thinking that you can work on the Tube only to find all seats taken and you are squeezed like a sardine.
Whether you choose home or library you need to ensure:
The rule is - get your office organised! It should make you feel good - a working professional!
- Space: "Your space" with quietness and or the right background noise for you. You need control over interruptions. You may have to negotiate with others to secure sufficient space. This is the first principle in managing study time.
- Fixtures and Fittings: You need a desk/table and a comfortable chair. Sometimes a warm armchair can do - but not to doze in! Posture - chair support and desk height is important. Give your own physiological needs a chance; get good lighting and an ambient temperature (not too cold - not too hot). Buy a cheap angle-poise light to give a good down-light on papers.
- Bits and pieces - some students will spend 45 minutes of a 50 minute study session arranging staplers, rulers, six different coloured pens, formatting floppy disks - all to get started. It's crazy - find a draw or desk tidy with all your bits, organise yourself and get down to work smoothly and quickly.
- Bookcase: A vital component - space to store and file your papers. Some old planks with brick piers will do. The bookcase ideally should house A4 ring binders and folders/envelopes.
Study Skills Index
© This resource was developed by C. Jarvis.