Deese, James, and Ellin K. Deese. How to Study. New York:
McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1969.
How to Study is an introduction to
study skills for on-campus students. The book covers time management, reading, and
essay writing, and also provides tips for studying foreign languages, math, and
science.
Ellis, David B. Becoming a Master Student. Rapid City, South
Dakota: College Survival, Inc., 1993.
Becoming a Master Student
is one of
the best study skills books available. The book is updated yearly but the
essential ideas remain constant. Ellis believes that studying is a skill that can
be learned and improved. There are chapters on just about any issue that can
perplex students, from time management to memory, reading, note taking,
relationships, health and money. The ideas, exercises, and self-tests, encourage
students to interact with others and become active learners. The writing style and
layout are informal. The pages have bold, colorful headings and illustrations,
charts to emphasize main points, and lots of white space for notes.
Fleet, Joan, Fiona Goodchild, and Richard Zajchowski. Successful
Learning. London, Ontario: University of Western Ontario, 1987.
Successful Learning is an introduction
to study skills, an earlier version of Learning for Success. There is an
inventory at the beginning to help students identify their strengths and
weaknesses followed by chapters on time management, essay writing, science problem
solving, exam preparation, and others. The authors encourage students to be
strategic, to study "smarter not harder."
---. Learning for Success. Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,
1990.
Learning For Success covers the usual
study skills?topics, such as writing and note taking, as well as non-typical
topics such as memory and seminar presentation. Much of the information is
presented in points, exercises, and inventories. At just under 150 pages, the book
is one of the briefest introductions to study skills.
Frew, Robert, Richard Guches, and Robert Mehaffy.
Writer's Workshop.
Palo Alto, California: Peek Publications, 1984.
Writer's Workshop provides information
and exercises on every aspect of writing, from sentences to formal essays. The
book is effective for acquiring new skills or as a reference book for writers. It
contains a thorough table of contents and index.
Kennedy, Mary Lynch, and Hadley M. Smith. Academic Writing.
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1986.
Academic Writing examines, analyzes,
and gives exercises for understanding university readings and for writing many
types of assignments. The book also discusses how to approach various kinds of
essay topics (e.g. compare and contrast).
Lewis, Roger, and John Inglis. Report Writing. Cambridge:
National Extension College, 1982.
Report Writing is a clear and concise
book that demonstrates an approach to writing effective reports for school or
business. The book contains numerous examples and exercises to help the reader
interact with the information.
MacFarlane, Polly, and Sandra Hodson.
Studying Effectively and
Efficiently: An Integrated System. Toronto: University of Toronto, 1983.
Studying Effectively and Efficiently: An Integrated System
provides a brief introduction (46 pages) to study skills. Topics include
concentration, time scheduling, listening and lecture note taking, reading and
learning from textbooks, writing papers, and preparing for exams. The book
contains a brief, clear explanation of the mechanisms of learning and memory.
Nilsson, Virginia. Improve Your Study Skills. Athabasca,
Alberta: Athabasca University, 1989.
Improve Your Study Skills is a
handbook in seven modules covering everything from reading to note taking, essay
writing, and maintaining motivation. The modules present study skills that
research has shown to be effective with adult students. Athabasca University
students can obtain the modules, free of charge, from the Athabasca University
Students Association (AUSA).
Norton, Sarah, and Brian Green. The Bare Essentials, Form B.
Toronto: Holt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada, Limited, 1988.
The Bare Essentials, Form A or Form B,
is an excellent source of information on spelling, grammar, and essay writing. The
spelling section uses standard Canadian spelling. The Bare Essentials uses
a conventional, top down approach to essay writing: finding a thesis, writing an
outline and draft, and polishing the final draft. The book is in standard textbook
format, but the content is presented in workbook form. The language is informal
and encouraging.
---. Essay Essentials. Toronto: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston of Canada, Limited, 1991.
Essay Essentials is a thorough guide
to planning, researching, writing, and revising essays. There are chapters on
grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The authors describe the book as combining the
"bottom up" and "top down" approaches to essay writing. The bottom up approach
uses free writing and brainstorming whereas the top down approach proceeds from
defining a topic, to writing, revision, and a final draft. Students may be
inclined towards one method or another depending on their experience and the
topic. The book is organized with headings, sub-headings, tables, anecdotes,
exercises, and self-tests.
Roth, Audrey J. The Research Paper: Process, Form, and Content.
Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publising Company, 1986.
The Research Paper: Process, Form, and Content
is a book that takes you through the process of writing a research paper. The book
begins with a planning guide and proceeds to examine each topic in detail.
Although the information on library searches is dated?libraries have changed
dramatically in the past few years?the information is sound and helpful.
Smith, H. Wendell. Readable Writing. Belmont,
California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1985.
Final drafts of students? essays can sometimes fail to live up to
the students? or their professors? expectations. Readable Writing is a book
that can help. The author uses a step-by-step approach to manuscript preparation,
examining everything from writing the first draft, to revising for substance,
order, and clarity. There is a detailed table of contents and index, and check
lists for revising drafts.
Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New
York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1972.
If you have time to read only one book on writing, make it this
92-page classic, The Elements of Style. There are chapters on grammar,
composition, and an especially useful one on word usage that could save students
from embarrassing errors.
Sullivan, Kathleen E. Paragraph Practice. New York: Macmillan
Publishing Co., Inc., 1984.
If professors or tutors criticize students' paragraphs,
Paragraph Practice can help. It explains what a paragraph is and how it
differs from other writing. The author breaks the paragraph down into its parts,
and shows how several of them can be united to form a brief composition?the kind
of composition written for exams and tutor marked assignments.
English Grammar
Frew, Robert, Richard Guches, and Robert Mehaffy.
Writer's Workshop. Palo Alto, California: Peek Publications, 1984.
Writer's Workshop provides information and exercises on every aspect of
writing from sentences to formal essays. The book is effective for acquiring new
skills or as a reference book for writers. It contains a thorough table of
contents and index.
Lewis, Norman. Instant Spelling Power. New York: Amsco College
Publications, 1976.
Instant Spelling Power may not be
quite as fast as the title promises but does provide tactics for remembering how
to spell tricky words. There are chapters on words with "ly" endings, "ie" or "ei"
in the middle, and many others. If you know that particular types of words
sabotage your best efforts, you can choose a specific chapter to help.
Norton, Sarah, and Brian Green. The Bare Essentials, Form B.
Toronto: Holt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada, Limited, 1988.
The Bare Essentials, Form A or Form B,
is an excellent source of information on spelling, grammar, and essay writing. The
spelling section uses standard Canadian spelling. The Bare Essentials uses
a conventional, top down approach to essay writing?defining a thesis, writing an
outline and draft, and polishing the final draft. The book is in standard textbook
format, but the content is presented in workbook form. The language is informal
and encouraging.
---. Essay Essentials. Toronto: Holt, Rinehart and Winston of
Canada, Limited, 1991.
Essay Essentials is a thorough guide
to planning, researching, writing, and revising essays. There are chapters on
grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The authors describe the book as combining the
"bottom up" and "top down" approaches to essay writing. The bottom up approach
uses free writing and brainstorming whereas the top down approach proceeds from
defining a topic to writing, revision, and a final draft. Students may be inclined
towards one method or another depending on their experience and the topic. The
book is organized with headings, sub-headings, tables, anecdotes, exercises, and
self-tests.
Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New
York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1972.
If you have time to read only one book on writing, make it this
92-page classic, The Elements of Style. There are chapters on grammar,
composition, and an especially useful one on word usage that could save students
from embarrassing errors.
Sullivan, Tony. Grammar. Cambridge: The National Extension
College, 1979.
Grammar is an introduction to the
subject for those who have never studied it formally, or don't remember what they
studied.
Reprinted with permission from
Selected Study Skills Books in the AU Library
http://www.athabascau.ca/html/services/advise/ssbib.htm#sec6
An Annotated Bibliography by
Arlene Young
Counselor, Athabasca University
(January 5, 1999)
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