I’ve listed some resources and recommendations of books and products I have purchased over time that have helped me with my studies. While text books and course materials are extremely important sometimes organisation, creativity and mindset can be vital to our success.

I only recommend things here that I have tried out myself know have helped me in a positive way. Us Open University students have to put up with enough without piling more rubbish on to our plates.

People have been asking me recently who I host this WordPress blog with and I use Outstanding Setup . After some negative experiences with a couple of better known hosting companies I was recommended OS and the transfer was seamless. I hope that you now find STOU faster and more reliable when loading up.

Surviving the Open University: Hints, Tips and Experiences from Current Students was produced by the team at STOU by bringing together a host of articles and essays into one easily accessible spot. Available for purchase through Amazon for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Click on the book cover below or here to access and if you grab one then please consider leaving a review so that fellow Open University students can also find it. Once you click on to the page you will get a full description of what is included inside.

10 Skills I Learned from an Open University degree: Take your Knowledge from the Classroom and into the World is the follow up to our previous publication. Again, priced at less than a cup of tea so that everyone can grab a copy, this takes 10 vital skills that David (editor at STOU) took from his undergraduate degree and applied to his everyday working life. Again, either click here or on the link below to access. We’ve had some really good feedback already about this so it’s pleasing to see it helping out already.

The OU Good Study Guide has been going for as long as I can remember and it’s still a valuable component to getting through a course. “Developing your learning skills is one of the best investments you can make. We all need to be lifelong learners now. Whether you are an experienced student or just starting out this book will stimulate, guide and support you. It will make you think about yourself and how your mind learns. And it will change forever the way that you study.”

Branching out into slightly more niche areas you will find The Arts Good Study Guide. It was been updated since I first purchased it and freshened up a little to keep in sync with the times but the advice is solid and useful even to this day. As my first major 60 point module was AA100 I needed something like this to help me and in fairness it delivered the goods. There was plenty of information for the OU newbie or a seasoned campaigner and seeing as I was brand new the advice on taking notes, essay structure and general study skills were helpful. As time went on I worked out my own strategies and ways of working around the course materials but this offered a solid base. Anyone studying for the Arts, English lit, History will find value inside.

Writing good assignments may not come naturally to any of us but you will find useful guidance and tips within this booklet on Preparing Assignments.

Do you have any books or resources to add to this page? Give me a shout and I’ll put them in so that other students can take advantage of them as well.