In the June 2011 edition of Education Bookseller, Victor Glynn characterised Cottrell's books as "concise, clearly laid out and covering a wide range of subjects.
Whether they were successful at study in the past or not, Stella contends that all students benefit from taking an individualised approach that suits them, as they are now, and looking with fresh eyes at each new challenge.
[4] Prominent themes in The Study Skills Handbook include: The book featured activities and self-evaluations as well as cartoons intended to appeal to visual learners.
Within an academic context, she presents the challenge of thinking critically as rigorous verification and, if justified by the evidence, having the confidence to argue for an alternative view.
[9] Her books take the position that each student is unique in the particular details of: Stella sees reflection as a central component of study skills.
[16] The textbook design featured reflective exercises and self-evaluations, as well as cartoons similar to those seen in The Study Skills Handbook.
The benefits and importance of social inclusion within the higher education system is a common theme in Stella Cottrell's writing.
In an article written for Times Higher Education, she argued that "A variety of needs has been made manifest by larger class sizes, working students, broader social and international participation, the requirements of students with disabilities and better understanding of individual learning preferences.
[10] In 2010, Palgrave Macmillan launched skills4studycampus, an online e-learning resource based on the third edition of Stella Cottrell's The Study Skills Handbook.
Skills for Study is divided into twelve areas: In 2011, the University of Bedfordshire announced that an honorary doctorate was to be awarded to Stella Cottrell "in recognition of her 'outstanding contribution to lifelong learning and widening participation'".