STUDY SKILLS
The most important factor for being a good student is to have a good mental attitude about yourself and the course.
Be kind and flexible, set obtainable goals and don’t be too hard on yourself. Imagine you are talking to a friend, what advice would you give to them for tackling a course like this?
Write down some positive affirmations on a piece of paper and stick it on the computer to remind you why you are here. What was it that inspired you to start on the path to becoming a medical herbalist?
Stella Cottrell’s Study Skills Handbook has all the advice and guidance you need to succeed as a student: From learning styles and improving memory, to time-planning, essay writing and critical thinking. The most successful students are those that engage with the whole learning process. You will also have study skills training each year, building up your skills to do an Independent Research Project (IRP) in Year 4.
Students are taught study and research skills throughout the course.
If you feel you require extra support, contact your Personal Academic Tutor or kim@betonica.co.uk
STUDY SKILLS
WORKBOOK
PLEASE NOTE
The Study Skills Workbook is a live document and subject to change. If you choose to download this document, please remember to check for new versions on a regular basis. Notifications of changes will be posted on theHerbal Forum thread.
LEARNING STYLES
At the beginning of your journey, start with finding out how YOU learn best
What are learning styles, and how do they specifically influence the way individuals absorb, process, and retain information over time? Learning styles refer to the various ways in which people prefer to learn, which can include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic methods, among others. Understanding these different styles can significantly help students tailor their learning approaches to suit their unique preferences and enhance their overall educational experience.
3 COMMON
LEARNING STYLES
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Visual learning style refers to a method of acquiring and processing information primarily through visual means. Individuals who favor this learning style often understand and remember information more effectively when it is presented in the form of images, diagrams, charts, or other visual aids.
These learners tend to benefit greatly from color-coded notes, mind maps, and videos, which help them establish clear connections between concepts. Engaging with visual materials allows them to grasp complex ideas with greater ease and enhances their overall comprehension and retention of the subject matter.
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Auditory learning style refers to a preference for acquiring knowledge primarily through listening rather than reading or observing.
Individuals who exhibit this learning style often benefit from lectures, discussions, and audio materials. This approach enables them to absorb information more effectively when it is delivered in spoken form, as they are able to process and understand the content through sound and verbal communication.
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The kinesthetic learning style refers to a preferred method of learning that significantly relies on physical movement and hands-on activities. Individuals who identify with this learning style often find that they retain information more effectively when they engage in experiences that allow them to touch, manipulate, and practice tasks rather than just listening to lectures or reading text. This approach encompasses a range of activities, from performing experiments and simulations to participating in role-playing exercises, which facilitate a deeper understanding of concepts through active participation and physical involvement.
LEARNING
QUIZZES
Here are two learning style quizzes - one specifically identifies the type of learner you are, while the other assesses the various ways in which you learn best. These quizzes serve as an uncomplicated and accessible method for helping you implement changes to help you get the most out of your learning experience with Betonica.
studying technique, personal management
& wellbeing
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Planning study time is essential for success.
Buy an academic year planner and mark up all your deadlines.
Use a monthly and weekly planner, download and print the Betonica Weekly and Monthly Study Planner, or use a digital app
Read: Stella Cottrell’s Study Skills Handbook section on ‘Managing your time’
Watch: Effective study planning [4 min 44 s video]
Watch@ Doctor Shaene How to manage your time | The 5 Step Guide [9 min video] or read the Blog version
SMARTER goal planning [2 min video]
Bullet Journaling for time management [4 min video]
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Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
Please also see the Wellbeing page in the Support section
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Pomodoro technique productivity tool [5 min video]
Forest App plants trees as you pomodoro and blocks your phone. It also partnered with a real forest planting scheme.
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Interactive whiteboard: Google Jamboard
STUDY TIPS & TRICKS
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ESSAY GUIDANCE
Writing general essays (short video) can be found here.
Writing a scientific essay [video] - How to write the best scientific essay [8 min video]
Short essay writing course: Nature of Writing - basic formal language, sentence, paragraph and foundations of essay writing for those that have no experience of writing at levels above High School.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
The above Nature of Writing resource also covers fundamentals of grammar, punctuation, sentence and paragraph structure.
How to write concisely: Redwood
Academic writing skills, e.g. logical fallacies, building arguments at Turnitin Resources
Other Essay Writing Tips from the Open University
Free Future Learn course on Essay writing and critical thinking
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Great for learning facts and figures
AnkiApp (Has a card rating system to show you difficult facts more often)
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Did you know we have access to many online herbals? Explore the online library on the learning platform (At the top of the page). In here are many books to support your research, and there is also a technical section to help develop your skills in Books>Research/Study Skills.
NEURODIVERSITY
STUDY TIPS
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List of resources from Diversity & Ability
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My Study Bar is a tool which helps overcome problems that students commonly experience with studying, reading and writing.
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Academic Phrase bank for academic writing
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(also see the section on ‘changing betonica google docs’ below)
Colour overlays (these can be helpful when reading online)
Mac users: How to turn on Mac text reader
For PC users, this varies depending on brand. Find out more on switching on text reader by using the help function on your computer or using google.
Dyslexia font (convert documents to make them easier to read) - Download here
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The below tips requires you to ‘File>Make a copy’ of the document to your own google drive files.
Video - Readability: How to change the line spacing on google docs - Choose the line spacing you prefer.