Study Methodology

This is an article that I've adapted from one I'd written a couple of years ago on a different blog. I've updated it to reflect plant/nature studies and hope that you find it helpful. 

I think that the first step to beginning to study is to understand some of the methods of study. This is especially important if you're coming back to studying from a long period away from courses, assignments and exams! When I re-read this before adapting it, it reminded me of a few things (which is great as I've been studying consistently for the past 4 years, so even 'lifers' need a refresh).

 Types of study

· Books- It is important to ensure that if the reading material isn't provided with the course, for example if you're self studying a course, that you research the best books for the course. These days, this is quite easy. You can read reviews on various websites, including Amazon. You can normally also read the first few pages, or first chapter.

Types of reading

1. · Leisure Reading - Probably everyone's favourite. This is useful when needing to understand concepts or to get to grips with the authors style of writing. It is basically just reading the book, no note taking involved.
2. · Speed reading - This can involve skimming the material, to get a quick overview, or reading the introduction and conclusion to each chapter to ensure that you get an idea of the concepts coming up.
3. · Study reading - This entails reading the material while taking notes. This can be done time and time again, refining your notes to only include the things that you don't know well enough.

· Notes - notes can be written or drawn. Notes can begin with highlighting parts of the book that are important, whether it's a physical book or an e-book. You can then write out the notes either in prose, bullet points, or using a mind-mapping application such as xMind (free online). You could also put these notes into tables or draw things like plant cells, appending your notes to the diagrams.

· Videos - probably equivalent to leisure reading. They generally offer very good overviews of the material and can help with understanding the concepts. Web searches will often yield some results, I recently found some excellent videos on plant studies, which are accessible here.

· Flash cards - this can be a brilliant way of hammering the information into your brain – especially when it comes to definitions. The only downside is that you may be remembering the answer because of the question and not because you are working out the answer. Although if you make enough flash cards, or mix it in well with various study methods, then it shouldn't be an issue. I use an online flash card website: http://www.flashcardmachine.com. There is also an offline program called Mnemosyne, which is available via an online search.

· Community - it is important to ensure that you are active in communities that are studying the same certification. With the Open University this is easy, as they provide various forums for each course, along with a dedicated tutor for most courses. With self study courses, it is important to find places that you can ask questions. For plant and nature studies the following websites are very good: wildaboutbritain.co.uk (previous post here) and www.ispot.org.uk/ (previous post here).

· Physical - with courses such as those on plant studies or nature, it’s best to get out and about. Take a camera if you have one. Try to get near to the object of your studies. For me, I’ve been photographing lots of plants and identifying them (sometimes on my own – sometimes with help from the websites above). When I come across an interesting plant, for instance Lords-and-ladies, I research how it works and if there’s a flower damaged then have a good look at it to and make sure you can identify the individual parts, like the petals and sepals.

Time Management

 · It's important to study. We know that. We love to think about studying. We love to talk to people about what we're studying. But getting down to the actual studying can be a hassle! I use the word 'we' loosely, mainly meaning me. It can be hard to find the time to study. Sometimes it's hard to actually study when you do have the time. It's important not to be rigid with how you will study and what you will study. Being rigid can be a real drain and inhibit the success of the study session, if you get to it and don't feel like studying for a solid hour, start with 15 minutes. This may refresh your memory and help you remember why you are studying; it may even lead on to 2 hours of study instead. There are various types of study, including the above, so choose a study method depending on your mood. As long as you're taking in some material, that's a good start.

· It is very important to understand what you are studying. By this I mean you know that you're studying for plant studies or environmental science. But what does this mean? Read the learning objectives either on the relevant website or in the materials that you have. Maybe even write them down, so you can cross reference them with your notes.

· With formal courses you know when the end will be, but with self-study courses people tend to want to know how long it will take. Well, sometimes courses can be over and done within 100 hours. Great, eh! Now you have a certificate to your name – but the reality is that it’s life-long learning and experience that will get you where you want to be in the long run.

· I think that it is important to realise that beginning your study may be very different to bringing your study to a close. In the beginning leisure reading and videos may occupy a lot of your time as you get to grips with concepts. In the end you may be reading and rewriting or refining notes and cramming those important facts with flashcards and lots of practice exams to ensure you have the right focus.

There is no single successful way of doing this - other than doing it!

Most of all, enjoy it! If it's worth doing, it's worth enjoying. Good luck with your studies.