Improving Academic Performance: Reading and Note-Taking Techniques

This report explores essential study skills for higher education students, focusing on reading techniques and note-taking methods. It identifies various reading techniques such as scanning, skimming, active reading, detailed reading, and speed reading, highlighting their importance in efficient information processing. Additionally, the report discusses four note-taking methods: the Cornell method, the outline method, the mapping method, and the box and bullet method, emphasizing their role in enhancing information retention and academic performance. The report concludes that mastering these skills is crucial for students to succeed in their academic careers and beyond. Desklib offers a wealth of similar resources for students seeking academic support.

Study Skills for Higher
Education

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
Identify important reading techniques that can help students become more efficient readers....3
Discuss four methods of note taking that will help students remember new information..........5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
The development of skills and abilities are one of the important part of student life which can be
possible in the university. There are large number of courses and degrees are conducted in the
University which makes the student more competitive and productive in the market. All the
efforts and hand work done by the student in their working has played important role in the
development of their career. This report is based on experience of the student. It stated various
reading techniques which helps the student to become more effective reader. It also provides
brief discussion related to various methods of note taking.
TASK
Identify important reading techniques that can help students become more efficient readers.
Reading is one of the analytical habit of students which has many positive dimension instead
they have done in great way. The habit of reading the books, newspaper and articles makes the
person more aware about different aspect of the organisation. There are different types of skills
are required by the students if they want to successfully read any books. Reading skills is one of
the essential skill which is used by the students in all their academic aspect (Alt and Raichel,
2020). The habit of reading not only valuable in academic purpose of the student but it also helps
them to make their career effective and successful. There will be many problems has to faced by
the student in their professional life which is one of the important phase of life. The requirement
of these reading skills skills becomes essential in these scenario. There are different types of
reading techniques are present which can helps the student to become successful and the brief
discussion related to the same are given below:
Scanning
It is related to those technique of the reading under which the reader has scanned the whole
matter and then point out some important points from the text. It is not possible for any student
to read the whole matter because it makes them bored which is not good for the achievement of
the goals and objectives of their career. Under this techniques of reading the reader only focus in
the main points which are important for their goals. This technique of the reading are used to find
the particular number from the book.

Skimming
Skimming is one of the important technique of the reading under which the reader has only focus
on the central idea of the whole text. All the information which is written in the paper providing
general information has skip by the reader. It is very helpful and time saving technique of
reading because the time of getting whole information remains with the reader. Under this
method the reader has doing quick reading of the paper and get the information from the key
points. This method of reading are generally used while reading the newspaper.
Active reading
It is related to those technique of the reading under which the student is required to engage with
the matter. In this method, reader has read all the matter and not skip any information. No the
information remains to be unread in this method (Amini, and Samani, 2021). It is one of the
important method because it helps the reader to evaluate the actual message of the text and helps
to develop effective judgement about the topic. It is very important for the student that they
evaluate the whole matter which can helps them to becomes effective reader in their University.
Detailed reading
It is one of the most important and valuable method of the reading under which the reader has
read each word of the text strictly. The main aim of the reader behind this style of reading is to
extract the useful information from the text. The reader has evaluate all the words in different
aspect so that actual meaning of the words came out and becomes beneficial for the reader.
Under this method, the reader has skim the text and then go to the details of the text so that
actual message of the text.
Speed Reading
Speed reading is one of the important method of reading which is in those places where the
reader is required speed reading without wasting the time on unusual understanding. The main
aim of the reader behind the use of this method is to increase the speed of the reading without
sacrificing the actual understanding of the text. Under this method, the reader has identified all
the world without focusing on each letter of the text. Only spend time on those phrases which are
important for the actual aim of reading and make skimming of some matter of the whole text.
Structure proposition and structure
It is one of the interesting and valuable technique of the reading which is developed by Mortimer
Adler by their book named How to read a book. The method of reading which is described in this

book are applicable on nonfiction writing. There are three patterns are present in this writing
method.
 It is important for the reader that they study the whole structure of the matter so that the
overview of the matter can be analysed.
 It is their duty to study the local proposition and made them systematic chain of
command.
 Evaluates the merits and the arguments of the matter so that valid conclusion can be
made out.
Discuss four methods of note taking that will help students remember new information.
Note taking is related to those process under which the person has gather and record the
information and data from different source of data and platforms. It is one of the effective form
of recording a data which is very valuable and useful for the students of the University. There are
different types of classes and session are held in the university which is taken by the student in
single day. It is not possible for them to memorised these diversified range of data so note taking
is one of the effective method which helps them to reminds the data (Canché, 2018). The students
is required to prepare the notes in the class which helps them to remind the points at the time
when they read the topic again in the future. It is very helpful for them at the time of examination
because it helps them to understand the topic with the help of notes. Note taking are very
important in business world because it helps the employees to record the meeting in term of
minutes which is advance form of note taking. There are four methods of note taking are present
which can be used by the student and the brief discussion related to the same are given below:
The Cornell Method
It refers to those method of note taking which makes the process easier and fast. It enables the
user to make the note effective which is very helpful in reminding the information. Under this
method student is required to add the margin on left side of page and taking the notes of the class
on the larger section of the page. It is important to leave the gap between all the points and write
key worlds at the left side which helps to remind the notes.
The Outline method
It refers to those methods which is used to do indenting the information on the basis of
relationship and importance. Under this method it iis required to list the main points separately
and indent all the information.

Mapping Method
It refers to those method of the Note taking under which the student has develop raw structure of
all the topic with the use of arrows. It is one of the most effective method.
Box and Bullet method
Under this method of the note the student is required to draw aa box on each main idea and write
all the related information in bullet points. This method helps to differentiate the data.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded from this report that it is not easy for the student to become effective in the
university because they have to make great efforts and herd work. All their efforts and hard work
are based on development of integrity in their personality. This report provides description
related to different types of reading techniques which helps the student to become effective in the
market. It also concludes various methods of note taking which is used by the student in their
academic career.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alt, D. and Raichel, N., 2020. Problem-based learning, self-and peer assessment in higher education:
towards advancing lifelong learning skills. Research Papers in Education, pp.1-25.
Amini, S. and Samani, S., 2021. Causal modeling of student social support, academic skills and academic
self-efficacy. Biannual Journal of Applied Counseling, 11(1), pp.1-20.
Canché, G., 2018. Nearby college enrollment and geographical skills mismatch:(Re) conceptualizing
student out-migration in the American higher education system. The Journal of Higher
Education, 89(6), pp.892-934.
Chowdhury, V. and Nizam, N., 2018. Religiosity, gender, and study skills. College Student Journal, 52(3),
pp.315-328.
FREy, N. and Fisher, D., 2018. Ready for college English? Try study skills. The English Journal, 108(2),
pp.68-73.
Hodge, S., Knight, E., Rawolle, S. and Webb, S., 2022. Higher Education in Vocational Institutions in
Australia: What’s Going On?. In Equity and Access to High Skills through Higher Vocational
Education (pp. 189-214). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Mason, H.D., 2019. Evaluation of a study skills intervention programme: A mixed methods study. Africa
Education Review, 16(1), pp.88-105.
Ragula, M.R., 2019. A Case Study on Faculty Perspectives in Fostering Inquiry Skills and Cultural
Influence in Higher Education Classrooms (Doctoral dissertation, Indiana State University).
Suleman, F., 2018. The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into conceptual
frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education, 76(2), pp.263-278.