research and study skills module

Teaching study skills (not just study tips) in introductory psychology

Using the science of learning to bolster students’ academic and career success.

• Learning and Memory

Back in 2010, I approached my university’s office of communications with the idea of making a series of brief videos aimed at teaching effective study skills to college students. They were enthusiastic. They envisioned a video full of study tips, like get plenty of rest, find a quiet place to study, and set up a regular study schedule. No, I told them. I want to teach students some key principles of cognitive psychology. Their enthusiasm faded. Students want handy, memorable tips; they don’t want to be taught abstract principles of how people learn. It’s true; they do want the former, but they really need the latter. Luckily, they still let me make the videos.

I have several problems with a “study tips” approach to better studying. First, tips tend to be general and vague. “Study harder,” for example. A good idea, but it isn’t at all clear how one goes about doing it. “Get plenty of sleep.” Good advice, but I doubt students are pulling all-nighters because they think it is good for their health. Second, study tips aren’t necessarily tied to valid research and can be wrong. I’ve seen tips such as, “Chewing gum while you study helps you learn,” or “Listening to Baroque music improves memory,” or “Study with the right, intuitive side of your brain.” None of these have valid empirical support (and don’t get me started on learning styles). Next, study tips are usually presented as practices without theoretical context. “Don’t cram,” for example, and “Study in the same room where you will be tested.” There is no explanation of why these practices are supposed to aid learning. Finally, even when study tips are validated by research, just knowing the tip won’t tell you how or when to use it. Retrieval practice and interleaving are good ways to learn (Agarwal and Bain, 2019; Weinstein, Sumeracki and Caviglioli, 2019), but that tip won’t help you if your problem is studying while distracted. Psychologists should have study advice that is both rooted in research and theory, and rises above conventional wisdom and general knowledge. Instead of just saying students should get a good night’s sleep, psychologists should explain how sleep deprivation affects the brain and hurts both cognitive functioning, including learning, and overall health.

What students really need is a basic understanding of how they learn, a model or schema of the mind’s strengths and limitations when it comes to learning. Such a mental framework would allow students to diagnose the problems they are having in learning and craft effective solutions. A valid model would give students the ability to identify good versus bad study strategies, and to adapt good study strategies to particular subjects, teachers and testing methods. 

I’ve been involved in the APA Introductory Psychology Initiative for the past two years and part of our work is producing a teaching module on developing effective study skills. Guy Boysen and I took the lead on developing the module, which is based on a simplified information processing model that includes attention, short-term or working memory, and long-term memory (Weinstein, Sumeracki and Caviglioli, 2019). Students study the principles of learning within a connected framework. 

The study skills module includes a complete lesson plan, slides, activities and assessments. The goals of the module are to teach students the principles of learning based on cognitive research that will allow them to identify the components of effective studying and to design an effective study plan. 

The module begins with a class survey to identify common misconceptions about learning that students might have that hurt their learning. The teachers shows students a set of 20 statements about studying, and the teacher can have the students rate each statement on whether or not it represents a good learning practice. Half the statements represent evidence-based study practices, such as “Mixing up material from different classes rather than studying for just one class at a time,” and “Coming up with questions to test your understanding.” The other half are relatively ineffective study strategies, such as “Reading the material over and over.” and “Memorizing definitions of key terms.” 

The next section addresses different aspects of attention relevant to studying. Students learn about inattentional blindness, the lack of awareness of most anything that happens outside the focus of awareness, through two suggested videos. Students learn how much they can miss when their attention is distracted and how they are unaware of all that they missed. The lack of awareness can lead students into a false confidence that they can pay only partial attention in class without missing anything. Next comes an activity which shows the cost of multitasking on performance, which shows how much time students waste when trying to study while distracted. 

Students then learn about the bottleneck of short-term or working memory and how effective study strategies are needed to create long-term memories (Weinstein, Sumeracki and Caviglioli, 2019). The module covers the following set of empirically validated study strategies: distributed or spaced practice, interleaving, chunking, elaboration, retrieval practice and overlearning. Teachers can add to or skip certain strategies if they wish. The module cites a depth of processing demonstration to reinforce the importance of study skills and teachers can use those videos I made on how to study . 

The final concept in the module is metacognition, which is explained as the student’s awareness of their own level of understanding of a topic (Agarwal and Bain, 2019). Students are warned of the dangers of overconfidence and how it can undermine learning. 

The module is not just about the principles of learning, students are given specific advice about putting the principles into practice. There is a discussion activity about how to distribute their study time for an exam. Alternatively, teachers can use the included assignment to have students develop a study plan based on the information in the module. The module includes a concrete plan for students to structure a study session to optimize learning. 

The complete study skills module (PDF, 38KB) can be found online. It includes a lesson plan with outline, slides, activities, assignments and resources. The module includes both formative assessments for checking student understanding and summative assessments for evaluation. For teachers not up-to-date with principles of learning, the module has a list of suggested readings for learning more about learning science. 

People sometimes question the usefulness of taking psychology courses. Effective study skills are a great example of the kinds of knowledge and abilities that students can learn in psychology courses that are critical to their academic and career success. They demonstrate the value of studying psychology. 

About the author

Agarwal, P.K., & Bains, P.M. (2019). Powerful teaching: Unleash the science of learning . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 

Weinstein, Y., Sumeracki, M., & Caviglioli, O. (2019). Understanding how we learn: A visual guide . New York: Routledge. 

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Initial Thoughts

Perspectives & resources, is it the responsibility of teachers to teach study skills strategies (opinion question: no resources), which study skills strategies can improve students’ academic performance, page 1: introduction to study skills.

• Page 2: Graphic Organizers
• Page 3: Comprehension Strategies
• Page 4: Mnemonics
• Page 5: Note-taking
• Page 6: Materials Organization
• Page 7: Time Management
• Page 8: Self-Regulation
• Page 9: References & Additional Resources
• Page 10: Credits

Did You Know?

As early as in the fourth grade, teachers begin to present many of their lessons in the form of lectures, something that is different from how their students have previously received classroom instruction. This type of content delivery requires students to quickly process information, to identify important details, to take good notes, and later to retrieve this information for tests. As students move into middle and high school, the demands placed upon them continue to increase. More and more, they are expected to independently read and glean information from content-area textbooks, complete multi-step assignments, and select and use appropriate study strategies. It’s largely due to these increasing expectations and more difficult content, however, that secondary students with learning difficulties—particularly those with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—are more at risk of academic failure than are their peers without disabilities. One reason that these students struggle is because they have deficits in executive functions , the mental processes that control and coordinate activities related to learning, such as:

• Processing information
• Retaining and recalling information
• Organizing materials and time
• Using effective learning and study strategies

As Ms. Flemming pointed out in her classroom reflection, her students Erin and Kyra are struggling in a few of these areas this year. Erin seems to have great difficulty organizing her materials, and Kyra has trouble remembering information. To get a better idea of the challenges these students face, view their profiles below.

• Able to Adequately Process Information
• Some Difficulty Retaining & Recalling Information
• Difficulty Organizing Materials & Managing Time
• Difficulty Selecting, Monitoring & Using Strategies
• Difficulty Processing Information
• Difficulty Retaining & Recalling Information
• Some Difficulty Organizing Materials

Click here for more information about the executive function processes of Hannah, Kyra, and Erin, the three students introduced in the Challenge video .

Student Profiles

Although the Challenge video to this module was simulated, the three students you met were portraying themselves. Their profiles reflect their actual abilities, just as their interview responses throughout this module capture their own experiences. Additionally, all work samples and questionnaire responses are genuine.

• Strong Processing Skills
• Good at Retaining & Recalling Information
• Good Organizational & Time Management Skills
• Employs Effective Study Skills Strategies
• Adequately Processes Information
• Difficulty Selecting, Monitoring, & Using Strategies

(Close this panel)

If they are to learn how to gain and use information effectively, students with executive function deficits must be explicitly taught how to strategically approach academic tasks. That is, they need to be taught effective study strategies, often referred to as study skills . As can be seen in the table below, individual strategies can be used to address problems students might be experiencing with four critical activities related to learning.

To make sure that students learn to use study skills strategies in an automatic or fluent manner, teachers need to use a research-validated strategy instruction model. When teachers do not make use of a validated approach, students often do not learn how, when, or where to use the strategies. Before teaching any of these strategies, it is recommended that you complete the following IRIS Module:

• Study Skills Strategies (Part 1): Foundations for Effectively Teaching Study Skills

Research and study skills

Our research and study skills support programme provides learners with access to a range of activities and resources to excel in their research assignment and hone their study skills.

Extended project qualification

The extended project qualification (EPQ) is an independent research project undertaken by students in post-16 education. It’s a great way for students to develop their academic research skills, prepare for university study and can often make a difference to their application success. 

A variety of online resources can also be accessed by students, in their own time, on our digital hub .

We offer a range of activities to support students, and teachers delivering the taught skills element of the EPQ. All our sessions are interactive, requiring an element of class participation – this can be facilitated by us in person, online, or as a bespoke on campus visit. Please note that delivery method is subject to availability.

The following workshops are listed in the order in which they can provide support to your students across their EPQ journey. If you would like to book an activity, please email the education outreach team at [email protected] .

Why do the EPQ

Duration: 60 minutes

This workshop introduces the EPQ, its benefits, challenges and the work involved to complete one. It helps students consider whether an EPQ is appropriate for them, and if it is, provides direction on what they might want to research. This workshop is most appropriate for the launch of the EPQ and for students who are considering undertaking it.

Production logs

This workshop breaks down the production log component of the EPQ. It helps students understand the value of the production log and how to effectively complete one as part of their EPQ journey. The workshop also explores each page of the log in detail, so students understand what they need to complete and when. It is most appropriate for those at the beginning of their EPQ.

Choosing a topic and writing a research question 

This workshop focuses on selecting a topic for the EPQ and writing a research question. We help students identify their topic and plan their research around an appropriate EPQ question. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those at the beginning of their EPQ journey.

Time and project management 

This workshop introduces students to the basic frameworks which support time and project management. Students will learn the skills needed to manage their time more effectively and productively, whilst developing an awareness of health, safety and risk management. Students will also explore the importance of communication skills to help them develop an understanding of using appropriate language and tone when working with others. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those at the beginning of their EPQ journey.

Starting to research

This session gives an overview of academic research and provides students with a basic framework to support them on their research project journey. Students will follow a case study and develop ideas around a topic to strengthen their understanding of research skills in relation to their own work.  This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who have decided on the topic of their EPQ and are finalising their question.

Research ethics and methodologies

Duration: 60 minutes 

This workshop introduces students to the principles of ethics and the research methods to inform their EPQ projects. Students will engage with different research methodologies – including those which are most common in university level study – and be guided through the ethical considerations when undertaking a research project.  This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who have finalised their EPQ question.

Critical thinking 

Duration:  60 minutes  

This workshop introduces students to critical thinking and explores some of the skills students need to develop their critical thinking. Students will analyse a wide variety of sources and learn to think critically about the information presented to them. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are about to begin researching for their EPQ.

How to read an online journal

Duration: 60 minutes   

This workshop helps students to start navigating the world of online journals. Students will explore what online journals are, why they are useful, the challenges they can create, and how to overcome these to successfully use them in their own EPQ. A fully interactive workshop with guided activities which will help students practice their newfound skills. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

This workshop focuses on the themes of artificial intelligence and academic integrity. It explores what artificial intelligence is, its uses and its pitfalls, and it defines academic integrity and why it is important for researchers. Through interactive elements, which can be incorporated into the student’s production log, the session develops students’ understanding of when AI can and cannot be used for their EPQ. This workshop is most appropriate for those in the research phase of their EPQ journey.

Note making 

This workshop explores academic note making and the different techniques that can be used. Students will reflect on their note making abilities and develop their understanding of how to create meaningful notes.  This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are currently researching for their EPQ.

Referencing and plagiarism

This session explores referencing and the different styles students may encounter while researching their topic. Students will consider what it means to plagiarise the work of themselves – or others – and learn how to avoid doing so. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are currently researching for their EPQ.

Academic writing 

Duration : 60 minutes  

This workshop explores academic writing and the different writing stages involved when undertaking an independent research project. Students will reflect on their research question and develop their skills around understanding the key elements of composing an essay, including editing and proofreading. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are finishing their research phase and about to undertake writing their final report or extended essay.

Presentation skills 

Duration: 60 minutes  

This workshop introduces students to the different skills needed to deliver a strong presentation at the end of their research project. Students will reflect on their research and develop ideas for their presentation such as a PowerPoint or poster. This workshop is designed to build students’ confidence and prepare them for the final stage of their EPQ. This workshop uses interactive elements to incorporate into the student’s production log and is most appropriate for those who are preparing for the presentation element of the EPQ.

Study skills

Our range of interactive study skill workshops are designed to support the development of students’ study skills for exam success. Our programme provides tools and techniques for students to prepare for exams and supports the student journey from further education to university study. The following sessions are listed in order of how they can support the academic lifecycle from Year 11 onwards.

Subject to availability, our workshops can be delivered in person, online, or as a bespoke on campus visit for your students. If you would like more information, or to book an activity, please email the education outreach team at [email protected] .

Preparing and revising for exams: Note making

We explore the skills required to make good notes and the different techniques students can use when revising. Students will reflect on their note making abilities and develop their skills around understanding the importance of making effective notes for revision. This workshop uses interactive elements for students to discuss note making scenarios and reflect on their approaches.

Preparing and revising for exams: Managing your study time

This workshop explores the skills required to manage independent study time effectively. Students will learn how to effectively manage competing pressures and obstacles. This workshop also showcases different strategies that can be used to avoid and manage distractions. This workshop also uses interactive elements for students to discuss time management scenarios and reflect on their decision-making processes.

Managing exam anxiety

This session explores anxiety within the context of exams. It is designed to normalise exam nerves by helping students understand where their anxiety stems from and what they can do to help manage it. This workshop also considers student mental health/wellbeing and provides advice on where students can get support if they are struggling.

Understanding the question and writing an essay

This session is designed to support students in their understanding of a question and how to approach writing an essay. The skills covered in this workshop are applicable to both exam-based and coursework-based questions. Students will develop their skills around breaking down an essay question, understanding instructional verbs and writing within the parameters set in the question. The workshop guides students through a basic essay framework and provides tips on how to develop an academic writing structure, form a conclusion and incorporate evidence into an essay.

Online course: Skills to Succeed at University

This online course helps students transition to higher education smoothly. Designed to be flexible so students can learn at a time and pace that best suits them, the course covers essential academic skills such as essay writing and independent learning. 

Current students who came to the University through different routes – after completing a BTEC, A-levels or as mature students – also provide first-hand advice on how to start and thrive at university. 

Interested students can  register on the skills to succeed at university course via the FutureLearn platform .

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