Study Skills and Reference Skills (Dictionary, Note-Making, Summarising)
What the domain tests
Study Skills and Reference Skills tests your ability to use a dictionary, arrange and interpret information, make notes, and summarise. Typical tasks include locating a word by guide words, reading pronunciation and part-of-speech labels, completing a note-making frame with headings and sub-points, and reducing a passage to a summary within a word limit.
Core rules and concepts
- Dictionary entry: the headword is in bold; guide words at the top of the page show the first and last entries. Use alphabetical order letter by letter, ignoring spaces and hyphens. The entry gives pronunciation, part of speech, numbered senses, and examples. Choose the sense that fits the sentence.
- Abbreviations in dictionaries: 'n.' noun, 'v.' verb, 'adj.' adjective, 'adv.' adverb, 'C' countable, 'U' uncountable.
- Note-making: give a title, use main headings and indented sub-points, write phrases not full sentences, and use standard abbreviations and symbols ('&', '+', 'e.g.'). Keep the notes compact and parallel in form.
- Summary: read the passage, identify the main idea and supporting points, then rewrite them in your own words in about one-third of the original length. Leave out examples, repetition, and your opinion.
- Reference skills: use contents for chapters, index for topics, and glossary for subject terms.
Worked example
Passage: 'Trees cool the air. Their roots hold soil, and their leaves slow rain. Cutting them causes heat and erosion.' Note-making: Title: Benefits of trees
- Cool air
- Hold soil (roots)
- Slow rain (leaves)
- Cutting leads to heat and erosion Reasoning: The title names the topic; each sub-point keeps the key noun and the relationship, not the full sentence. Symbols replace words without changing meaning.
Traps that cost marks
- Copying full sentences into notes.
- Using abbreviations you never introduce.
- Summarising by copying the first and last sentences.
- Ignoring guide words and turning to the wrong page.
- Adding opinion or examples to a summary.