Learning Skills: Identifying Study Styles

Self-Scoring Study Style Questionnaire

(SSQ)

If you need to use a Self-Scoring Study Style Questionnaire, you can download it from my slideshare site at: http://www.slideshare.net/rajatwit/study-style-questionnaire-publication. In order to understand and use the SSQ, you must read this article. Below is the coding for the SSQ questionnaire.

Questionnaire Coding

Study Styles Question Items

Auditory Style: Q1; Q16; Q26, Q35; Q47

Visual Style: Q2; Q14; C29; Q43; Q51

Tactile/Kinesthetic Style: Q3; Q12; Q24; Q36; Q53

Verbal Style: Q4; Q13; Q32; Q39; Q49

Logical Style: Q5; Q18; Q28; Q45; Q55

Social Style: Q6; Q21; Q34; Q41; Q48

Solitary Style: Q7; Q23; Q31; Q44; Q56

Intuitive Style: Q8; Q22; Q25; Q38; Q50

Reflective Style: Q9; Q20; Q33; Q42; Q52

Sequential Style: Q10; Q17; Q30; Q40; Q54

Global Style: Q11; Q15; Q27; Q37; Q46

What Are Study Styles?

A study style is basically one’s preferred way of studying which could be one or a combination of Auditory Style, Visual Style, Tactile/Kinesthetic Style Verbal Style, Logical Style, Social Style, Solitary Style, Intuitive Style, Reflective Style, Sequential Style, and Global Style.

Why Knowing One’s Study Style is Important?

Knowing one’s study style is important because:

1. There is no one study style that will work for all type of learners, as each learner will have his/her preferred learning style.

2. Study styles are influenced by gender, economic, social and cultural backgrounds of a learner.

3. Study styles would determine the preferred designs and type of materials an individual learner would like to use.

4. Study styles would determine whether a learner feels motivated or bored in learning.5. Study styles would influence and determine the manner in which a learner would plan a

study program for each subject that needs to be learned.6. Study styles also affect the choices of institutions of learning, fields of study and type of

classes selected by learners.7. Success or failure of learners in achieving a desired standard or grade is determined by

existence or non-existence of study styles in one’s learning skills.

What are the types of Styles?

Study styles in this article are divided into basic and other styles. Basic study styles includes: Auditory Style, Visual Style and Tactile/Kinesthetic Style. Other styles (Felder & Silverman, 1980) include Verbal Style, Logical Style, Social Style, Solitary Style, Intuitive Style, Reflective Style, Sequential Style, and Global Style. All styles are useful in their own ways and are suited for specific learners. Thus, ranking is irrelevant in the choice and use of study styles. However, combining study styles to counter balance weakness or lopsidedness in study styles would be a more holistic way of learning. What is needed is to identify and use one’s preferred study style by appraising or assessing oneself using the Self-Scoring Study Style Questionnaire.

Basic Styles

Auditory Style

Learners who prefer an auditory style would prefer auditory material formats, media, and presentations. This kind of learners would verbalize aloud to reflect and digest what is being presented or learned. Listening becomes the main avenue for learning.

Visual Style

Learners who prefer a visual style would prefer visual material formats, media, and presentations. Visual formats include pictures, diagrams, charts and drawings. These kinds of learners would prefer using mind maps for note taking. Seeing becomes the main avenue for learning.

Tactile/Kinesthetic Style

Learners who prefer a tactile/Kinesthetic style would prefer Tactile/Kinesthetic material formats, media, and presentations. Tactile/Kinesthetic formats include the use of tangible objects, laboratory learning, tactile manipulations, model building and experimenting. Touching and tactile manipulation becomes the main avenue for learning.

Other Styles

Verbal Style

Learners who prefer verbal style would prefer audio-visual style material formats, media, and presentations. Verbal Style formats include the use of audio-visual materials and media like videos, slides, projectors and CD-ROM(s) Verbal style combines auditory and visual styles. Audio-Visual becomes the main avenue for learning.

Logical Style

Logical learners prefer hard facts. Factual learners also tend to restrict themselves to what they are familiar with and would be hesitant in exploring anything new. These kinds of learners prefer researched and established facts rather than theories. Logical thinking and perception would be the highlight of these types of learners. The drawback would sometimes be the loss of creativity through the exclusion of intuitive learning as it is not factual to them.

Social Style

Social style learners prefer anything that involves many persons. They prefer study groups, group projects and lively classrooms. They learn best through group discussions and brainstorming. They love feedbacks and suggestions. However, social style learners might face learning problems when they are expected to function independently with minimum input or interaction from others. Group learning becomes the main avenue for learning.

Solitary Style

Solitary style is reflected in learners who opposite of social learners. They avoid distractions of any type. They look for quiet venues for study. They can be quite introspective. They prefer to study and carry out projects independently with either minimum or no input from others. Solitary style produces the thinkers who can initiate new ideas on their own as they are very highly self-motivated. They perform best on their own.

Intuitive Style

Intuitive style learners are the opposite of logical style learners. They don’t prefer facts and logical thinking. They prefer to go by their feelings. They have problems with decision making as they tend to vacillate according to their moods and feelings. They like theoretical and conceptual thinking. These kinds of learners can be very creative as they are not afraid of exploring new and unknown frontiers of knowledge. Their drawback however is their weakness in relying too much on feelings and lack of attention to details. They learn best through conceptualizations.

Reflective Style

Reflective style learners are prone to be philosophical in their thinking. They are a combination of the logical and the solitary types of learners. They prefer to employ critical thinking, analyze, evaluate and appraise before making any decision. They are very independent in their thinking which affects the learning behavior. They usually take a longer time in making decisions. They learn best through reflections.

Sequential Style

Sequential style learners prefer linear and orderly thinking and learning. In learning, they prefer the jig-saw puzzle form of learning. They like to piece details together until they get a complete picture. They meet with difficulty when they are presented with random facts and are expected to come out with a panoramic picture. Details are their forte.

Global Style

Global style learners are opposite of sequential style learners. They are extremely good at panoramic thinking and perceptions of knowledge. However, their drawback is their lack of attention to details that causes them to become impulsive. They would like to run before they can walk. Panoramic thinking is their forte.