8 Summary

This week, you have been thinking about academic skills, and you will have developed some more of your own. Why not add your new knowledge and skills to the Johari Window you drew in Week 4? You have also seen that developing learning – or ‘academic’ – skills is not very different from the situation faced by anyone who takes up a new interest or job role. So don’t be afraid about getting any of them slightly wrong to start with. After all, trial and error can be a very good way to learn.

You have learned about:

• what is meant by the term ‘academic skills’
• different types of reading; such as skimming and scanning
• different types of writing; such as for essays or for reflective pieces
• using mind maps
• evaluating information found online, using PROMPT
• the purpose of referencing.

So you now have an academic tool kit!

Next week you will be introduced to two theories about learning, and thinking about their relevance to your own life. You will also be practising one of your academic skills – note-taking.

You can now go to Week 6 [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .