Study Skills Interactive Infographic

Posted on: February 28, 2020

Want to improve your study skills? Our interactive infographic provides hints and tips to help you. Simply click one of the images to get started.

What type of learner are you?

Visual Learner: charts, images, and graphics help you capture thoughts and ideas.
Kinesthetic Learner: group settings, hands-on activities and performing experiments help you learn.
Auditory Learner: hearing information from lectures, discussions, podcasts, etc. is key to learning for you.
Read-Write Learner: note-taking, making lists, and reading textbooks are your way of retaining information

Sit right: adjusting your physiology tricks your brain and helps you focus. Smile and your brain will believe you’re enjoying yourself.
Eat well: a healthy diet will help you feel well and make sure your mind is ready to learn.
Getting plenty of fresh air and exercise will boost your memory and brain power
Don’t forget to laugh! Make time for your friends, have fun and relax.
Meditation calms the mind and body, helping our brain to focus. Just a few minutes can make a big difference.
Get plenty of sleep! Taking a short nap has been shown to improve memory.
Reward yourself: set goals and give yourself a treat when you achieve them.

Break your study time into short chunks. 30 minutes followed by a 5-minute break is ideal.
Make sure your study space is comfortable, functional, and everything you need is close by.
Build studying into your routine by keeping to a specific study time each day.
Be organized and keep all your study materials in one place so you don’t waste time by searching.

Keep a diary and write down assignment and test dates so you’re prepared for every deadline
Ask your lecturer for advice on their tips and tricks for studying better.
Turn off all mobile devices while studying and you’ll find it much easier to concentrate
Write down distractions for later and then come back to them once you have finished studying.
Create study lists: do the small tasks first to create a sense of achievement and leave time for bigger things.

Try using tools such as memory palaces and mnemonics to remember key information and facts that you can quickly bring to mind whenever you need to.
Use colours to highlight key points in your notes, with specific colours for related information.
Join a study group. You can help each other understand difficult topics, test each other, and offer support.
Can you teach it? When you can easily explain what you’ve learned to someone else you can be sure you understand the topic.
Make sure you listen while taking notes. There is no need to write down everything, just the key points.
Rewrite your notes in your own words to improve your understanding and identify areas where you need to do more study.
Practice with past exam papers and essay questions to consolidate learning.

Don’t be a perfectionist: Putting pressure on yourself to be perfect increases stress and leads to more mistakes.
No all-nighters: Lack of sleep has been linked to lower grades.
No cramming: Evidence shows that you won’t gain a deep understanding of material.
No multi-tasking: Focus on one thing at a time and you’ll learn better.