Study Skills

259 Pages·1989·17.288 MB·English

by  Kate Williams (auth.)

Macmillan Professional Masters
Study Skills
MACMILLAN LAW MASTERS
Law Series Editor: Marise Cremona
Basic English Law, 2nd edition W. T. Major
Business Law Stephen Judge
Company Law, 2nd edition Janet Dine
Constitutional and Administrative Law, 2nd edition John Alder
Contract Law, 2nd edition Ewan McKendrick
Conveyancing, 2nd edition Priscilla Sarton
Criminal Law Marise Cremona
Employment Law Deborah J. Lockton
European Community Law Josephine Shaw
Family Law Kate Standley
Land Law, 2nd edition Kate Green
Landlord and Tenant Law, 2nd edition Margaret Wilkie and Godfrey Cole
Law ofTrusts Patrick McLoughlin and Catherine RendelI
Legal Method Ian McLeod
Torts Alastair Mullis and Ken Oliphant
MACMILLAN BUSINESS MASTERS
Company Accounts Roger Oldcom
Cost and Management Accounting Roger Hussey
Employee Relations Chris Brewster
Financial Management Geoffrey Knott
Management (third edition) Roger Oldcom
Marketing Robert G. 1. Maxwell
Operations Management Howard Bamett
Personnel Management (second edition) Margaret Attwood and
Stuart Dimmock
Systems Analysis John Bingham and Garth Davies
Study Skills
Kate Williams
~
MACMILLAN
© Kate Williams 1989
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of
this publication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or
transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with
the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988,
or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying
issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court
Road, London WIP9HE.
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this
publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil
claims for damages.
First published 1989 by
THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 2XS
and London
Companies and representatives
throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-333-48778-5 ISBN 978-1-349-19936-5 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-19936-5
109876
00 99 98 97 96
v
Contents
Foreword vii
Acknowledgements viii
Introduction x
Part I Finding Out
1 Reading 3
1.1 How to tackle reading 4
1.2 Reading techniques 5
1.3 How writing is structured 7
1.4 How writing is linked 12
1.5 Key words 18
1.6 How we read 25
2 Mate Notes Make Sense 27
2.1 Why make notes? 28
2.2 Guidelines for note taking 30
2.3 How to make branching notes 33
2.4 Practical points for linear notes 41
2.5 Taking notes from lectures 42
2.6 What to do with notes 47
3 Library Research 50
3.1 Periodicals 52
3.2 Reference books and materials 53
3.3 The dictionary 53
3.4 The lending Iibrary: how books are organised 54
3.5 How to find a book 57
3.6 Surveying a book 60
3.7 Keeping records 61
4 Fact and Interpretation 64
4.1 Case Study 1: Pursuing an inquiry 64
4.2 Case Study 2: But is it true? 80
5 Life Goes on 91
5.1 Problems with studying 91
5.2 Son1e suggestions 92
5.3 Dos and don'ts 96
vi
Part 11 WRITING
6 Putting Pen to Paper 101
6.1 Paragraphs 103
6.2 Instructions 108
6.3 Articles 110
6.4 Letters 114
6.5 Reports 117
7 Essay Writing: Analysing the question and planning the
answer 121
7.1 What is the question asking? 123
7.2 How to analyse the question 124
7.3 Types of questionlStyles of answer 129
7.4 Judgement essays 131
7.5 Factual essays 136
8 Writing the Essay 142
8.1 Paragraphs: structure 142
8.2 Paragraphs: relevance 145
8.3 Writing introductions 153
9 Remembering 159
9.1 Case Study: Make up your mi nd 159
9.2 Memorising 164
10 Being Assessed 169
10.1 The assessment process 169
10.2 The revision period 171
10.3 Exams 173
Part III
11 Reference Section 181
11.1 How to get the most from your dictionary 181
11.2 How to check alphabeticalorder 183
11.3 How to punctuate 184
11.4 How to check your work 189
11.5 How to interpret instructions in essays 192
11.6 How to make up exam questions 198
11. 7 How to set out letters 200
11.8 How to draw up a questionnaire 202
11.9 How to carry out a survey 203
11.10 How to draft areport 205
11.11 How to fix an average 207
12 Answers Section 209
Index 241
vii
Foreword
This book is the outcome of my realization that most students have
sufficient knowledge to do weIl in their exams. When results are
disappointing, it is because people have not made full use of that
knowledge. There is a knack, or skill, to success in exams and the studies
leading up to them; I have been teaching these 'study skills' for some
years, and many students have contributed to my understanding of what
makes study successful and enjoyable. To them, and especially to those
who have allowed their work, often in an unvarnished form, to be
included in this book, many thanks. Time and space are the other
essential requirements for study and work at horne, and for this I owe
thanks to Nick, who kept first two, then three children at bay while I
worked.
viii
Acknowledgements
The author and publishers wish to thank the following who have kindly
given permission for the use of copyright material.
The Associated Examining Board, The Institute of Chartered Secretaries
and Administrators, University of London School Examinations Board
and the University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations for
questions from past examination papers
Tony Buzan for Fig. 22 from Use Your Head, BBC Publications, 1982
Causeway Press for extracts from Sociology: A New Approach by M.
Haralambos, 1986, 2nd edition
Child Poverty Action Group for an extract from National Welfare
Benefits Handbook,1987
Conservative Central Office for extracts from the speech by Norman
Fowler, Secretary of State for Social Services, to the Conservative Party
Conference, October 1986
Daily Mail for an extract from their 3.6.87 issue
Daily Mirror for an extract from their 8.6.87 issue
Equal Opportunities Commission for material from Wornen and Men in
Britain
Richard Freeman for an extract from Mastering Study Skills, Macmillan,
1982
The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office for material from
Social Trends 17, 1987 and Social Trends 18, 1988
Longman Group Ltd. for an extract from The Making of the Welfare
State by R. J. Cootes, 1966, pp. 28-33
ix
Macmillan Publishers Ltd. for extracts from The Business of Communi
cating by Nicki Stanton, Pan Breakthrough, 1986; Employee Relations
by Chris Brewster; and Personnel Management by M. Attwood,
Professional Masters, 1989
Methuen Childrens Books for an extract from 'An Old Sailor' by
A. A. Milne
National Examinations Board for Supervisory Studies for an extract from
the syllabus for the Diploma in Supervisory Management
New Society for material from New Society, 23.1.87
Tbe Observer for 'Great Bed Robbery' by Annabel Ferriman, The
Observer, 1.2.87
Open University Educational Enterprises Ltd. for extracts from Teach
ing Students to Learn by G. Gibbs, Open University Press, 1981
Royal Society of Arts for an extract from R. S. A. syllabus 'Background
to Business'
Sussex Publications Ltd. for an extract from a discussion tape Poverty
and Welfare, Sussex Tapes
Every effort has been made to trace all the copyright holders, but if any
have been inadvertently overlooked the the publishers will be pleased to
make the necessary arrangement at the first opportunity.