Issue 27(1)
How
to Study (Sixth
Edition). (2005). Ron Fry. Clifton
Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning, 238 pp. $12.99. ISBN # 1-40188-911-5.
Review
by: Linda Mayhew
Department
of Asian Studies
The University
of Texas at Austin
When students
enter college, they must adapt to coursework more rigorous than
their high school curriculum. This challenge continues throughout
their college education, as they transition into advanced classes
where they read more sophisticated texts and produce more insightful
research papers. The ability to adapt to these increasingly higher
expectations ensures academic success and empowers lifelong learning
after graduation. As an advisor, my individual
meetings with students often include a discussion of how to modify
study techniques to meet various levels of academic demands. In
reading Ron Fry's How to Study , advertised on the cover
as one of the "best selling study books of all time,"
I hoped to find some innovative ideas to incorporate into these
conversations about study skills.
How
to Study guides students
through the entire process of developing a plan of action for
studying. The book begins with some short quizzes to help students
evaluate their current study skills and consider their ideal study
conditions. It demonstrates how to break down various aspects
of the study plan, such as managing time and researching and writing
papers. Fry's suggestions to improve reading and test-taking
skills are straightforward and practical, i.e. skim through a
chapter before trying to absorb all the details; answer all the
easy questions on a multiple choice test first.
Fry
does an excellent job of addressing his book to a wide audience.
Students will find his writing style extremely accessible; his
wording is clear and not weighted down with terminology. The annotated
questions in the introductory quizzes wonderfully exemplify the
broad appeal of this book, as the author's comments guide the
reader through analysis of his or her own educational predilections
and enable a more accurate response. In keeping with the theme
of breadth, non-traditional students receive attention in the
section "Studying with Small Kids" (p 46-47). In addition,
Fry tailors many of his time management suggestions for both types
of students, writing: "No one tends to telephone you at the
library and little brothers (or your own kids) will not find you
easily among the stacks of books" (p. 39).
Advisors, professors,
and experienced learners will recognize the tips in How to
Study and find few thought-provoking insights. Likewise students
struggling with learning disabilities receive little assistance
from this book. The suggestions in this book will be most useful
for students who sit down to work and either don't know where
to begin or cannot accomplish their tasks. The study techniques
will be especially valuable for students new to college, especially
ones who succeeded in high school without putting much effort
into reading textbooks or researching papers. All in all, Fry's
How to Study provides simple and solid advice on organizing
study time and planning out memorization, research, and writing.
