Book excerpt: A Guide to Learning Independently 5e describes techniques to help students succeed in formal education. It helps with learning tasks such as writing assignments, reading textbooks, making notes and concentrating when studying, as well as offering a range of suggestions as to how students can meet the requirements of their teachers and courses. It is also designed to help students discover their own learning goals and how they learn best. The text rests on the premise that it is possible for a person to change the way they approach their learning. It is directed to the individual student because it is the individual who must write the essays and reports, pass the exams and organise themselves in order to be successful in the tertiary education system. As well as offering realistic and well-tested study strategies, this Guide focuses on your reasons for study as you balance the demands of study with the rest of your life. It will help you clarify your particular strengths as a learner and develop a repertoire of independent lifelong learning skills. The comprehensive range of study techniques.