The text is designed for use in study skills or strategies courses in which instructors want a strong focus on helping students become active, independent learners.

Active Learning is unique because it teaches students about how their characteristics as a learner, their knowledge of the task, the materials to be learned, and their strategies for learning interact to influence academic success in college. Text topics include: motivation, time management, finding and using campus resources, dealing with professors, active learning strategies, test taking strategies, and rehearsal strategies. It takes a hands-on approach to learning new strategies for academic success. Each chapter contains a Research into Practice section, which translates studying and learning research into practices that will benefit the college student. Scenarios in each chapter present students with situations they can identify with and asks them to recognize and solve study problems. Students have ample opportunity for self-evaluation, critical thinking, and practice.