Study Skills

Learning Styles and Strategies

Your preferred learning style will determine the study techniques that are most effective for you. Let's say you are given the task of assembling a complicated piece of furniture. Would you prefer reading detailed written instructions, following a diagram, receiving step-by-step instructions from someone over the phone, or watching a video of another person assembling the product? Your answer reveals how you prefer to receive information based on your individual strengths.

There are several different types of learning styles, including:

Visual Learners

Can make images of words and concepts.
Will need to write down information from a lecture in order for it to sink in.
Prefer use of visuals such as pictures, diagrams, or demonstrations.
Common phrases: "In other words …" "Tell me word for word …"

Auditory Learners

Are able to learn through listening.
May avoid eye contact with others or take minimal notes during a lecture in order to take in the information.
Common phrases: "That rings a bell." "That sounds about right."

Physical/Kinesthetic/Experiential Learners

Prefer to learn by doing, experiencing, and/or touching.
May need to "act out" information to understand it or take classes that have some sort of laboratory, artistic, or experiential component.
Common phrases: "That feels right to me." "My gut is telling me …"

You may want to search the Internet for websites that can help you determine your preferred learning style (e.g., http://success.oregonstate.edu/learning-corner/learning-styles).

What did you learn about yourself? What difference will it make in the way that you prepare for your next class assignment?

Success as a student depends on adapting your learning style to different classroom environments. The chart that follows suggests some strategies for adapting to professors with teaching styles different from your preferred learning style.

List of Adaptive Strategies	Three Learning Style Titles
Concentrate on spoken words during lecture Rehearse key ideas in your head Summarize key themes out loud to study partner	Auditory learner whose professor doesn't lecture
Supplement class material with videos Use arrows in your notes to draw connections to ideas Rewrite your notes and color-code them Draw your own pictures and graphs in notes	Visual learner whose professor doesn't use visuals
Supplement class material by using computer-generated activities Write notes on index cards and shuffle them into categories of importance Role-play key concepts with other students	Physical/kinesthetic/experiential learner whose professor doesn't use active learning