Study Skill

First Year
Hasibullah Zia
March, 2023
 What is learning?
• Learning is the process of gaining any new piece of
information and transferring it to long term
memory.
Or: the process of gaining knowledge or skill by
studying practicing, being taught or experiencing.

How Learning Happens?

Perception ( the way we take information)

Processing ( the way we deal with information)
 IPS (information processing system)

Processing
attention Storage

Long
Input Short tern Working output
term
memory Memory
Memory

Perception producing
retrieval

memory loss memory loss

 What are inputs and outputs
• Material you use in production process or
whatever data or information you get in (into
your mind) is called input.
In language learning the inputs are READING &
LISTENING skills

• The amount of the information produced is called

output.
In language learning the outputs are WRITING &
SPEAKING.
 IPS
• IPS is the system of how humans store, encode and
retrieve information.

Storage: the process of storing or placing information in

to your long term memory.

Encoding: the process used to change information in

some way before it is stored because information is
not stored exactly as it is presented
Retrieval: the process of remembering, recalling or
finding previous stored information.
 Short Term Memory
• The flow of information begins with input and enters
short term memory- everything that can be seen,
heard, smelled is stored in short term memory, but
only lasts for seconds.

Note: information can be transferred to working memory by attention

 Working Memory
• Working memory is the active and conscious part in IPS.
When we are consciously thinking or trying to remember something you use from your WM.
Working memory is limited in capacity and duration.
Capacity: WM has the capacity to hold (7± 2) chunks of information so by organizing the information in
longer chunks you can remember more information.
For example; it is usually easier to remember a number such as 194781235 if the numbers are grouped in
threes (194 781 235), because the original nine units are reduced to three chunks.
By organizing information into larger chunks, the WM can handle more information, because the
organization reduces memory load.

Duration: According to information-processing theory, information must be processed in WM before it

can move on to LTM. This means the learner must do something active with the information to move
it into LTM. However, because WM has a short duration (about 5 to 20 seconds), the processing must
be completed fairly quickly, or at least rehearsed, until it can be processed.
For example; if an individual gets out of the car to obtain directions to a location, the information could
easily be forgotten by the time he or she gets back into the car. Therefore, after receiving directions,
individuals often rehearse or repeat “left–left–right–left” while driving away to prevent forgetting.
 Long Term Memory
• Long-term memory stores all the information we possess but are not immediately using. It is
generally assumed that storage of information in the LTM is permanent. That is, the
information does not fade from LTM, nor is it ever lost except perhaps as a result of senility or
some other physical malfunction.

• Information enters the LTM through the WM. It takes time and effort to move information
into long-term storage.
Although information must be repeated or rehearsed to stay in working memory, it must
be classified, organized, connected, and stored with information already in LTM so that it is easily
retrieved at a later time.
 Rote Vs. Meaningful Learning
• Rote Learning: Students learn by repetition without trying to make sense of the material.

• Meaningful Learning: Students attempt to make sense of information so that it will be stored
in LMT and retrieved when necessary.

The best way to prepare information for storage is to make it meaningful and to integrate it with
known information already in your LTM. Some learning strategies are better than others for
getting information into your LTM. A number of them are as follow.
 Rehearsal
• Rehearsal strategies can be very effective in some
types of learning.
Copying material, rereading, repetition, taking
verbatim notes, reciting words or definitions, and
underlining material in handouts or textbooks are
all examples of rehearsal strategies.

Note: Research has shown that distributed practice among frequent and short periods is more effective than a smaller number of sessions of
massed practice
 Elaboration
• Is linking new information to information already
in your LTM.
• These strategies can be very useful for improving
and learning new pieces of information.
• For complex texts, paraphrasing, summarizing,
analogies writing notes on ones own words
(making notes) asking and answering questions
can help.
• Discussions, connections and drawing inferences
can make the point more meaningful
 Organizational strategies
It is difficult, and sometimes impossible, for humans to learn unorganized bits and pieces of
information (e.g., definitions, dates, names, ideas). By organizing information, connections
and interrelationships are made within a body of new information. A body of new
information to be learned is stored more effectively and remembered more completely when
it is organized
Ex: challenge yourself; which list can you remember best and most. A or B
A B
Girl Green
Heart Blue
Robin Purple
Purple Man
Finger Girl
Flute Child
Blue Piano
Organ Flute
Man Organ
Hawk Heart
Green Lung
Lung Finger
Eagle Eagle
Child Hawk
Piano Robin
 Learning Styles and Personality Types
• When your personality is matched to the job you are
undertaking, there is much higher possibility of
success.

Learning Styles Personality Types

Read & Write Extroverted vs. Introverted
Auditory Sensing vs. Intuitive
Visual Thinking vs. Feeling
Kinesthetic Perceiving vs. Judging
 Personality Type learning styles based
Choosing Traits on personality type
Learning styles
Extroverted •Contact with outside Group work, discussions and talking
•Relate with others

Introverted •Individual Working alone, working individually

•Independent situations .

Sensing • Use five senses Structured and organized

•Sequential way

Intuitive • Theories Imagination , focus on general

•Make guesses concept and avoid details

Thinking •Self-esteem is attached to Have ordered fashion and like

achievement . logical consequences
•Decides objectively

Feeling • appreciate high self esteem and Personal connections

social/personal values
•Decide subjectively
Judging • always have plans and stick to their Planned focus one thing at a time.
plans and goals Realistic
Reflection
•Clear closure
analysis
Perceiving • open Negotiations
•Like to have fun and do not like Inductive process
Plans and deadlines feel confusing for
deadlines
them.
 Independent learning & independent learners

Independent Learning ( autonomy in learning): is a

philosophy whereby a learner acquires knowledge
by his/ her own effort and takes control of his/ her
own learning.
Independent learning is processed by:

Independent thinking : to convince others that the information presented is true or reasonable.

Critical Thinking: is used to process and collect information to arrive at a logical conclusion
 Independent Learner
• Independent learners (autonomous learners):
are the ones who are in charge of their own learning and/or takes responsibility of
his/her learning.

• Characteristics of Independent Learners:

Self reliant
Can make decisions about their learning.
Are aware of their strengths and weaknesses
Connect classroom learning with the real world
Take responsibility for their learning
Plan their learning and sets goal
Are motivated
Reflect on the learning process and their own learning
Are seekers
Why it is important to be Independent

• learners needs independency as a skill to assist them for new situations and
experiences
• Encourage students desire to learn
• Helps learners to analyze reflect and make decisions
 How to Become Independent Learner
Being independent learner depends on one’s:

• Personal organization: Know your interest,

weaknesses, strengths in one area, know your
methods and have timetabled programs.

• Personal Discipline: self discipline, being able to

keep decision made about the stages of leaning
To become independent learner one should:

know his/ her learning strategies/ styles

Use/select different strategies of learning
and apply.
Metacognitive strategies:
• Plan
• Check, monitor and evaluate
• Revise
Avoid resistance to changing behavior
pattern.
 Change in Behavior Pattern

1. Time Management
2. Environment
3. Effective Learning Strategies
 Time Management
To ensure the completeness of all the important tasks each day is called time management.
To manage your time you should
Set schedules ( daily, weekly, monthly and semester plan)
Find time wasters
Set regular study periods
Be specific about what and how to plan
Estimate the time needed for each assignment
Prioritize
Do the assignments for the course you don’t like first
Work ahead of your assignments
Avoid procrastination
1. Time telling
2. Reminders
3. Bit and pieces
4. The 5min plan
5. 80% success rule
6. Social support
 Environment choice
Ability to know when you should work alone and when you should work with others.

Environment choice depends on learners’ span of concentration and attention.

Attention: To focus, is a selective process and its span is limited.

Concentration: To refocus.

Even motivated students can be distracted so one needs to deal with concentration and
attention distracters which usually appears as external and internal distractions.

External Distraction: noise, TV. Uncomfortable study area

Internal Distraction: distracted thoughts, physiological and emotional stress.

.
 How to deal with internal & External
distractions
1. External Distractions:
• Establish a study area with minimal distractions
• Have necessary materials ( be equipped)
• Control noise level

2. Internal Distractions
• Determine when you have full concentration
• Deal with boredom and emotional stress
• Set goals
• Self reminders
• Manage your time
• Active learning strategies
 Effective learning Strategies
Strategies Goals How ?
1. Rehearsal Recall information Rereading
Repetition
Underlining
Reciting

2. Elaboration To learn/ understand new Connection new info with your

information background knowledge
Summarizing
Paraphrasing
Create analogy
Relate to personal feelings and
real world
3. Organizational Strategy Learn new but unorganized bits
and pieces of information. Outlines
Prose passages Graphs
Representations
Charts

4. Monitor Comprehension Meta cognitive strategies test, revise, evaluate and self
questioning.
5. Affecting Strategies Maintain effective learning Set goal
climate Remove distractions
Set schedule.
Emotions & Learning
 The Positive and Negative Emotions
Your academic emotions are closely linked to your learning, self-control, and
educational achievement Academic emotions influence your learning and
achievement.

Positive emotions foster your control over your learning and predict high achievement.
whereas negative emotions lead to more passive behavior and predict low
achievement.
Eight Irrational Thinking Patterns that Influence
Emotions

1. Filtering: You focus on the negative details and ignore all the positive aspects of a
situation.
Example: Your boss in a summer job tells you that your work
is good, but he thinks you socialize too much with the other personnel in the
workplace. You go home thinking that your boss doesn’t like you.

2. Polarized thinking: Things are black or white, good or bad. You have to be perfect
or you’re a failure. There’s no room for mistakes.
Example: “ Either get 100 in a subject or fail the subject”

3. Overgeneralization: You reach a general conclusion based on a single incident or

piece of evidence.
4. Mind reading: You know what people are feeling and why they act the way they
do. In particular, you have certain knowledge of how people think and feel about
you.
Example: “She is acting that way toward me because she is jealous of me.”

5. Catastrophizing: You expect, even visualize, disaster. You notice or hear about a
problem and start asking, “What if?” “What if I fail? “

6. Magnifying: You exaggerate the degree or intensity of a problem.

Example: “This term assignment is difficult. I cant do it.”
“ I am too busy. I don’t have the time to study”

7. Personalization: You assume that everything people do or say is some kind of

reaction to you. You also compare yourself to others, trying to determine who is
smarter, more competent, better looking, and so on.
Example: “Everyone in this class appears smarter than me.”

8. Shoulds: You have a list of ironclad rules about how you and other people should
act. Cue words used for this type of thinking are should, ought, need to or
must.
Example: “I never should get negative feedback.”
 How to Avoid Negative Emotions
Where do emotions come from?
Your own thoughts directed and controlled by you create emotions.

emotions have nothing to do with actual events. In between the activating event
(A) and the emotion (C) are realistic or unrealistic beliefs and self-talk (B). It is the
self -talk that produces the emotions.

B. C.
Emoti
Realisti
A. c,
ons
Activati unrealis And
ng tic and physic
event self- al
talk reacti
on
Self talk: is the running dialogue inside your head. It is an important factor that
actually portrays your actions, emotions and behavior.

influence Control
Self Talk cognition and emotion Behavior
Guide

Since self talk is both the cause and solution for negative emotion, so one should;

• Rehearse positive self talk

• Write down positive self talks
• Self talks should always be in PRESENT TENSE e.g. “I can do it”
Reading Textbooks
 Who are Good Readers?
According (Dole, Duffy, Roehler, & Person, 1991)

• Determining importance.
• Summarizing information.
• Drawing inferences.
• Generating questions.
• Monitor understanding.
 How to become a successful Reader
• The strategies used by successful are divided in three stages:

• Before/ Pre Reading Strategies

• During Reading Strategies
• After/ Post Reading Strategies
 Before Reading Strategies

A student should not just sit down with a textbook and begin to read. It is important first to
examine and think about your material for few minutes preview the reading.

How?
1. consider what you already know
2. Review learning aids
Chapter objectives or questions
Glossaries
Boldface or italics
Questions
Summary or review sections
Tables and figures
Heading and subheadings
 During Reading Strategies

• Think of the text as a conversation between the author

and Yourself.
• Turn the headings & subheadings into questions
• Underline and annotate textbooks.
• Read paragraph by paragraph
• Relationship among ideas
• Comprehension monitoring.
• Associate to what you already know
• Use context clues
 Symbols Used for Annotations in a Textbook

Symbols Explanation

? Use a question mark to show material

you don’t understand

* Use a star to identify important ideas

def Use an abbreviation to identify

definitions

Use a vertical line to identify important

ideas that are several lines in length

Use circle to identify unknown words

 After Reading Strategies

1. Answer the questions

2. Consider summarizing the issue

• Consider outlining the issue

• Consider mapping or representing ( sequencing, metrics
diagram, Hierarchies…)

3. Connect the new information to what you knew

previously.
 Some other Strategies for Reading
• SQ3R ( Survey, question, read, recite, recall)

• PQRST (preview, question, read, summarize and test)

• OK4R (overview, what I know and get the key points, read, review, recite and
recall).

• KWL ( k= what I know about the text

w= what I want to learn about the text
l= what I learned from the text)
What is Critical Thinking
 What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to think rationally,

and clearly to understand the logical
connection between ideas.
 Why Critical thinking?

• To become an active learner rather than a

passive learner ( passive recipient of
information)
• To identify, analyze and solve problems
systematically
 How to Become Critical Thinker
The skills that we need in order to be able to think
critically are varied and include observation, analysis,
interpretation, reflection, evaluation, inference,
explanation, problem solving, and decision making.
Specifically we need to be able to:
• Evaluate
• Analyze
• Apply
• Comprehend
• Learn
Critical Reading
 What is Critical Reading

• Critical reading is a more ACTIVE way of reading. It is

reading deeper to be more engaged with a text.
• When we read critically, we use our critical thinking
skills to QUESTION both the text and our own
understanding of the reading.
Critical reading is a process of:
1. Analyzing:
Analysis means looking at the parts of something to identify it. In analyzing you need to
think critically:

• What is the main idea?

• What are the supporting points that create the argument? How do they relate to
each other? How do they relate to the main idea?
• What are the examples used as evidence for the supporting points? How do they
relate to the points they support? To each other? To the main idea?
• How the ideas are organized

2. Interpreting: thinking and explaining what a phrase, sentence and idea mean

3. Evaluating. Evaluating and making judgment about the value of the text.

Are the ideas/reasons/ arguments convincing?

What are the weaknesses and strengths of the theory? ……
 WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PREPARE FOR CRITICAL
READING?

There are two steps for preparing to read critically:

1. Think : how much you know about the text?

2. Read to Understand:

a. Examine the text and context: use 5W+1H strategy ( Who is the author? Who is
the publisher? Where and when was it written? What kind of text is it?)
b. Skim the text: What is the topic? What are the main ideas?
c. Resolve confusion: Look up unfamiliar words or terms in dictionaries or glossaries.
Go over difficult passages to clarify them.
 Once you understand the theory of critical thinking and critical reading, improving
your critical thinking and critical reading skills needs practice.

Try this simple exercise to help you to start thinking and reading critically.

Think of something that you recently read. Then ask yourself the following questions:
Who wrote it?
Someone you know? Someone in a position of authority or power? Does it matter who
wrote it?
What did he/she write?
Did they give facts or opinions? Did they provide all the facts? Did they leave anything
out?
Where did he/she write it?
When did he/she write it?
Was it before, during or after an important event? Is timing important?
Why did he/she write it?
Did they explain the reasoning behind their opinion? Were they trying to make and
argument, give an idea or discuss a fact?
How did he/she write it?
Through reasoning, giving examples, statistics or so on? Could you understand what was
said?
How to Learn from Lectures
 Learning from Lectures
The amount of information one learns from
lectures depend on one’s note taking skills and
activities in three important stages:

• Before the lecture

• During the lecture
• After the lecture.
Before the Lecture

1. Read assigned material before class.

2. Review notes from the previous class.
3. Be equipped and bring all necessary materials (e.g., Notebook, Pen,
Handouts, Syllabus, and Textbook) to Class.
4. Sit toward the front of the room if you have difficulty concentrating.
5. Date and number each day’s Notes.
During the Lecture

1. Listen carefully to the lecture for an overview of the main topics.

2. Write down and condense main ideas and supporting details in short
phrases and sentences.
3. Use abbreviations whenever possible.
4. When the instructor moves to another idea or topic, show this shift by
skipping two lines.
5. Listen carefully at the end of the lecture for a summary of the main points
from the lecture.
After the Lecture
1. Review your notes soon after the class. (preferably within 24
hours.)
2. Make any additions or correction.
3. Locate information you did not understand in the lecture from
the instructor, another Student, or the textbook.
3. Write questions that the note answers.
4. Underline the key terms in your note that answers the question.
5. Read and review the key terms to recall
6. If Appropriate, Construct Representations to organize your note.
7. Write a Summary Question
How to Prepare for Exams
Preparing for Exams

Students usually have difficulty recalling information while answering

questions in exam because most of students only use reciting, recopying or
rereading ( rehearsal strategies).

But the goal of learning is to move material into long-term memory, where it
can be stored for retrieval. This goal can best be reached by using
– elaboration Strategies
– organizational strategies

students must use a variety of study strategies appropriate for the different
types of questions asked on exams.
For scheduled exams develop a study plan.
 Study Plan
An effective study plan includes

• What:
Content will be reviewed

• When
It organizes and separates material into small sections for
study over a period of days.

• How
it includes a variety of learning and study strategies that will
help the student respond correctly in exams
 How to Make a Study Plan

• Determine the content coverage and question format of

the exam
• Organize and separate the content into parts
• Identify specific study strategies
• Allocate time for each study strategy in a weekly
schedule
• Modify the plan as necessary
Taking Exams
 Strategies for Taking Exams

1. Manage Your Time

• Always know how much time you have for the test divide and budget your time. (Budgeting time does
not necessarily mean giving an equal amount of time to each question. You need to consider both the
difficulty level and value of the question, in terms of the number of points. )

• When you begin the test:

a. Answer questions you know first.
b. Do not spend too much time on hard questions. Skip hard questions and go back to them at the end of the
test.
• When you have answered all the questions, go back and check your work.

2. How should you come up to each question

• Read
• Reread
• Try to mark and answer the best
• If you do not know the answer guess the answer do not leave any question blank.

3. When should you change the answer

• Make a mistake

• When you think another answer is better. After you finish the test and start going back over the questions,
if a different answer seems better, you should change your answer.
 Strategies and Question Types

• Open- ended Questions:

e.g. usually essays

• Close Ended:
e.g. usually objective ( multiple choice , true /
false, Matching, and fill in blank or
completion)
Strategies for True/False Questions

1. Read carefully and analyze the questions

2. If one part of the question is wrong then all the question is wrong.
3. If you do not know the answer, guess. You have a 50–50 chance of being
correct. Carefully read key words such as all, most, some, always, little,
none, completely, better, and more and guess the answer.

( * Question which provides reasons are often false

*Questions which contain the words such as “always, all, never, none, only and every”
are often false.
* Questions which contain words such as “ often, seldom, many, rarely and sometimes
” are often true.)

4. Do not make decisions regarding a question based on the pattern or

number of true and false statements. Incorrect response to previous
questions make such assessments inaccurate
Strategies for Multiple Choice Questions

1. Read the question carefully and look for the clue

2. Try to answer the questions without looking at the choices.
3. For multiple choice questions with similar options, translate the similar
choices into your own words and then analyze how the choices differ.
4. Use caution:
e.g. when “all of the above” and “none of the above” are included as choices.
Look carefully at each choice. If you can eliminate one choice, you can
eliminate “all of the above” as a response. Then you have 2 options
choose the best or use 50-50 process.
Strategies for Matching Questions

1. Read both columns carefully make sure you understand the

directions. For example, determine whether you can use an answer
more than once
2. Match the items you know first cross them off the list
3. Cross off items on the second list when you matched.
4. Draw a line through all terms that you have matched so you do not
use any term more than once.
Strategies for Fill in the blanks/ Completion
Questions:

1. Read the questions carefully and look for clue words (e.g., as,an, the, and,
these), especially just before the blanks to answer the question.
2. Be sure the answer makes sense.
3. Do not leave any blanks. If you cannot think of the exact word, write a
synonym for the word or phrase. You might receive partial credit for your
response.
 Strategies for Essay Questions
1. Read the direction carefully and highlight key terms in question( explain,
describe, compare etc.) Observe the multiple responses required in each
of the following questions:
Ex : Name three types of questions and explain them with an example?
List several categories of speeches and describe their primary functions
and uses.

2. Consider the organization of your answer/ essay.

3. Budget your time ( allow part of your time to revise and edit your
answer.)
How to Give Presentations
 Steps in Giving presentations

1. Plan
2. Prepare
3. Practice
4. Present
1. Plan

Who is your audience?

Why are they there?
What is your goal?
How long will it be?
Where will it take place?
2.Preparation

1. Personal Notes
2. Visuals

3. Handouts
4. Plan A an Plan B
 Power Point Basics

• Font Type:
Use a standard font like Times New Roman or a sans serif
font like Arial

• Font Size :
Depends on visibility
Titles should be around 36 – 40 point or more
Body text should be about around 18 – 32 point

* References can be in 14 point font

• Layout:

✔ Use a color of font that contrasts sharply with the

background Ex: blue font on white background

✔ Use color or bold face fonts to emphasize a point

✔ Stick to the colors

✔ Do not mix fonts

✔ Integrate pictures or graphics whenever possible.

Visuals should match your key points, creating added
value to your presentation, but do not overuse them

✔ Minimize number of words and maximize free space

✔ AVOID USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS BECAUSE IT’S

REALLY HARD TO READ!
 Structure of Presentation

Introduction Get attention.

Tell them what you are going to
tell them

Main Theme/ Body Content or Argument

Tell it to them

Summarize/ Key Message

Summary / Conclusion Tell them what you have told
them.
3. Practice

• No matter how experienced you are, still you need practice.

“Practice makes perfect”

You can practice:

With your friends
In front of mirror
With your family
Practice saying the words out loud.
Practice using your visual presentation with the words you plan to
use.
4. Present or Deliver

The most powerful visual aid

• words
• voice
• body language
Words

Think about your audience…

Do not use slangs, jargons. When you do,
define!
Insure that you can pronounce each word
properly
Voice

• Speak at an audible level

• Speak slowly
• Draw attention to key notes
• Fluctuate your voice
• Use a higher pitch for new points
• Don’t be afraid of silences and pauses!!
Body Language

• Maintain an upright and comfortable posture

• Do not look at the ground and keep your head
up
• Make eye contact with individuals and smile
• Use open body language
• Use your hands and facial expressions
Maintain the Structure of a
Presentation

Introduction

Main Theme/ Body

Summary / Conclusion
1. Introduction

• Greeting the audience - Calling for attention

* Ladies and gentlemen. Good morning. It's a pleasure to
be here with you today.
• Introducing yourself
*I'm…….. the researcher in ……………
• Stating the purpose of a talk - giving a short introduction.
Begin by telling the audience why you are there.
* I'm here today to .....
• Or begin by giving a short introduction to your subject.
• The overview - presenting the structure of the talk.
2. Content

• Don’t Read – State it

• Build Bridges
Create transitions (build bridges) from one topic to the next
Relate different pieces of information and show the context
of different facts
• Less is More
Avoid information overload, reinforce the core message, not
the details
Limit the number of slides in the presentation
• Engage the audience if possible
3. Conclusion

• Conclude with the main ideas you want

people to remember
• Use only one "conclusions" slide, and make it
• the very last one
 Take Questions

1. Thank the questioner

2. Repeat the question
3. Answer the question
4. Check with the questioner if they are
satisfied
5. Thank them again