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Organisational Behaviour

‘What is meant by study skills and how; are they important’
The following paper will look at the various and wide range of study skills, how to understand them and most importantly implement them effectively to better your educational experience. The main focus will be on how the individual responds to the diverse study skills that are available and how essential they are not just in education but everyday life as well. Firstly I will begin by looking at various types of study skills.
The term study is defined as the pursuit of knowledge as by reading, observation or research. The term skill is defined as proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training or experience. However the is no one definition that defines study skills as it is a very broad subject and includes several different relevant ideas that are all important. Cottrell (1999) defines a skill as ‘a learned activity – something you can develop through practice and reflection. You can fine- tune skills just as runners perfect their movement, breathing and pacing. To be able to fine tune the qualities you possess you must develop personal qualities such as awareness, commitment, dedication, perseverance and time management. These essential building blocks are extremely important because they provide you with the platform to further develop your skills.
Each individual skill consists of sub-skills. Sub-skills are the component skills that make up the overall skill. A weakness in one sub-skill could hinder what would have been a relatively good performance.
Elliott stressed the importance of study skills when he stated ‘our belief that many students are failing to reach their true potential, but rather to an inability to study effectively’.
To identify your strengths and weaknesses is the essential starting point. It is vital for you to be able to evaluate your self and make your self aware of what your current position is. To develop such awareness may require...