Study skills at the college level may be quite different from your previous learning and skills. The most significant difference is that studying in the pre-college setting is based more on knowledge level content, or in life experiences need to know content. Many of you may not have had to pick up a text to excel from one class to the next or found yourself exerting little effort for any previous learning. College level content is based on both knowledge and application with most of the emphasis placed on application. Here is the difference between rote learning or memorization and understanding. Once you identify the differences between each you will understand how processing content occurs and the necessity of true understanding.
Below are some helpful links that will assist you in learning how to study for nursing school.
Memorizing vs. Understanding-adapted from the University of Central Florida
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Memorizing |
Understanding |
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Attempts learning ideas and concepts word for word |
Converts ideas and concepts into own words (paraphrases). |
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Difficult to explain ideas to someone else other than word for word. |
Able to use own words to explain something clearly to someone else. |
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Relevance of ideas outside the classroom is difficult to see and are typically not sought. |
Can apply ideas to real life situations or case studies. |
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Does not see differences, similarities, and implications of ideas. |
Seeks connections between knowledge from the classroom and the outside world. |
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Interprets ideas literally. |
Can identify differences, similarities between ideas and implications of these ideas. |
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Strives for rote learning and has trouble solving problems when numbers or components are changed. |
Realizes that there can be figurative as well as literal interpretations of ideas. |
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Believes there is 1 "right" answer for every question. |
Strives to understand and can solve problems even when components are changed |
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Has trouble seeing beyond the basic concept or idea. Only sees the little picture |
Accepts that there may be more than 1 "right" answer to a question depending on circumstances. |
|
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Can see meaning, effects, results, consequences beyond the basic idea or concept. Can see the big picture |
Adapted from the University of Central Florida, author Dennis Congos
Study skills are an important component of college level academic success. One way to identify what study skill set you currently possess and areas you may need to focus on is through taking an inventory. Individuals are unique and everyone learns a little differently. Encompassing different learning methods will allow you to retain information longer and more effectively. Please take a few moments to go through this inventory and review your results.
Study Skills Inventory-author Dennis Congos
Scoring Procedure & Analysis Provided by Dennis Congos & the University of Central Florida