LSC University Study Skills Report: Goals, Memory, and Methods

This report, prepared for a Study Skills for Higher Education module, explores the significance of goal setting and the implementation of memory improvement techniques for university students. The report begins by emphasizing the importance of setting both short-term and long-term academic goals, highlighting their role in providing direction, increasing motivation, and improving the overall educational experience. It introduces the SMART approach for goal setting and provides examples of short-term and long-term goals relevant to university students. The main body then evaluates several methods to improve information retention, including focusing attention, organizing information, elaborative rehearsal, and visualization techniques. The report underscores the importance of active engagement, structured learning, and the use of visual aids in enhancing memory and learning. Finally, the report concludes by summarizing the key skills discussed, such as IT, time management, and analytical skills, and reiterates the necessity of setting goals and employing effective study methods to achieve academic success. The report references various academic sources to support its findings.

Study Skills for Higher
Education
1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1) Discuss why it is important to set goals. Identify some important short-term and long-term
goals for university students...................................................................................................3
2) Evaluate some methods students can use to improve how much they remember new
information.............................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
2

INTRODUCTION
In order to study higher education, it is very essential for students to have good skill and
knowledge so that they can develop their personal as well as professional career growth and
success (Boud, Cohen and Sampson, 2014). The market is full of competition where individual
has to learn different skills to enhance and build themselves for attainment of their career goal
and objectives. The main aim of this essay is to discuss about important of setting short and long
term goals by university students. It also highlights about methods which help students in
improving their new information system.
MAIN BODY
1) Discuss why it is important to set goals. Identify some important short-term and long-term
goals for university students
Academic goals are defined as significant performance targets which assist students in
forwarding progress in educational field (Cottrell, 2019). These serve them as leading indicators
in success by establishing roadmap of both small as large benchmark which guide towards
intellectual growth and success of students. It helps them by providing transparent picture of
what they wanted to achieve through taking different steps. It is not very easy to set right
academic goals. Teachers, students, parents uses tool in order to enhance and improve success in
terms of academic. It is very important to set goal as it provide purpose as well as direction to
students. This is significant as it improved focus, measuring results, increasing motivation,
academic success and improving education experience. Moreover, setting goal keeps motivated
for continuing work, creating focus and staying on track and evaluate in changing actions to meet
goal. While setting academic goals, SMART approach should be followed that includes specific,
measurable, achievable, results focused and time bound.
Short term goals are defined as those which will be completed in short time period. This
can be current time, next week, months and so on (How to Set and Follow Through on Academic
Goals; Examples for Success, 2020). For example, student studying at University wants to
achieve good marks on given project work. This includes getting assistance for particular topic,
forming group study, studying for SAT exam, getting good grade, taking help from teacher and
so on. Short term goals are important for university students as they provide them guideline and
direction to achieve their long term with help of short term goals. This is significant in making
3

good grades, deciding major problems, planning for studying at abroad, making connection with
mentors, progress on their writing, completion of their courses timely.
Long term goals are defined as those which will be completed in long time period. It can
be six month, one year and other (WHY SETTING GOALS IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS.
2019). For example, student wants to become class topper by the end of semester. This includes
achievement of particular grade, getting high SAT score, completion of graduation on timely,
passing exams and so on. It is important for university students to set long term goals because it
keep students in moving forward, breaks insurmountable mountains, making accountable,
performing better and preparing for adulthood.
2) Evaluate some methods students can use to improve how much they remember new
information
Students studying at university learn many new information and have their regular
projects and exams which they have to submit in given time period (Fallows and Steven, 2013).
It is not possible for them to learn all the things at same time so they need to use different
methods and tools to improve and remember new information in most diligent manner. They are
as follows:
Focus your attention is important element of memorizing things in proper manner. In
order to move information from short term to long term memory, students has to actively focus
on their attention and listen to their teachers in proper manner. They have to study in those places
which does not create any distractions like music, televisions. It is also important to set time
period to study alone at room so that none would disturb.
The student has to make proper structure and organise it so that they can learn new things
and information in most effective manner (Hosseini and et. al., 2013). According to researcher,
each and every information are organised in human memory in related clusters. Students has to
group similar terms as well as concepts together, making notes, reading textbooks in order to
assist group type concepts.
Elaborate and rehearse is another way of memorizing new information and learning by
the students. For recalling information, students has to encode what they are studying in their
memory. The most useful encoding technique is elaborative rehearse. For instance, reading
definition through key term, studying those definition and defining description of it. After this,
process should be repeated few times and recalling information become more easier.
4

Visualising concept is also the method to learn new things. In this students pay attention
to charts, photographs, graphics in textbooks (Hux and et. al., 2010). The visual helps in easy
capturing and learning of new things in an effective and efficient manner. In case if there is no
clues of visual images then students should create their own for easiness and making their study
more simple and effective. They can draw figures in their notes along with highlighting with
different pen colours in group related ideas in written study materials.
Reading out loud helps in improving memory of people. According to research published
in 2017 has concluded that students should read loud in order to improve as well as learn new
things in an appropriate manner. This is the most easiest and simple method which can assist
students for better learning.
Therefore, these are some effective techniques and methods which should be adopt by
each and every students studying at schools, colleges and university for making their learning
better and reach to high level.
CONCLUSION
From the above assignment it has summarised that students requires different types of
skill such as information technology, time management, communication, goal setting, analytical
skills. It is essential to set short term and long term goals by students which assist them in
showing their career path for achieving their life aim and goal in most effective manner. This
should be made by following SMART objectives for their career growth and success. There are
different methods which can be used by students to improve their study such as online, google,
website and others.
5

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Boud, D., Cohen, R. and Sampson, J., 2014. Peer learning in higher education: Learning from
and with each other. Routledge.
Cottrell, S., 2019. The study skills handbook. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Fallows, S. and Steven, C., 2013. Integrating key skills in higher education: Employability,
transferable skills and learning for life. Routledge.
Hosseini, S. A. and et. al., 2013. The relationship between students’ study skills and academic
achievement. Iranian Journal of Medical Education. 13(1). pp.66-71.
Hux, K. and et. al., 2010. Exploring the study skills and accommodations used by college student
survivors of traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury. 24(1). pp.13-26.
Kalberg, J. R., Lane, K. and Lambert, W., 2012. The utility of conflict resolution and study skills
interventions with middle school students at risk for antisocial behavior: A
methodological illustration. Remedial and Special Education. 33(1). pp.23-38.
Online
How to Set and Follow Through on Academic Goals; Examples for Success. 2020. [Online].
Available through: <https://strategiesforparents.com/how-to-follow-through-on-
academic-goals-examples-for-success/>.
WHY SETTING GOALS IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://armyandnavyacademy.org/blog/why-setting-goals-is-important-for-students/>.
6

7