Geoffrey Cooper

The Intelligent Student's Guide to Learning at University Geoffrey Cooper

You're about to start a university degree, and whether you have just left school or are returning to study after some years there are many things you need to know about learning at university. This invaluable guide will assist you to understand all facets of your university study and to become a successful and satisfied student. It will enable you to: ? become an active, independent and self-directed learner; ? adjust to the academic expectations (of ten assumed and unspoken) and the university environment; ? gain practical skills and strategies for learning: ? develop transferable skills and attitudes for lifelong learning; ? concentrate on understanding as the key to university learning; ? be self-confident as a university student; ? avoid some of the common mistakes made by students in their first year; and ? become a successful learner. Reflection and evaluation exercises at the beginning of each chapter provide an opportunity to evaluate your current learning habits, prepare you for new ideas and make you more aware of the experience of learning. Advice from other students-genuine voices taken from a survey of exiting first year students-will assist you to see some of the pitfalls and methods of recovery. Finally, useful templates for a weekly study timetable, testtaking strategies and a semester planner are also provided.