Reading and note taking, editing and proof reading
Changing your reading approach
You may find that academic reading requires a totally new approach.
To do well in your studies you will need to be an efficient reader of academic texts. Some new students come to university with good reading skills, but find that academic reading requires a whole new set of skills. Below are a number of resources to help you develop your reading skills so you can read better and faster.
Resources by topic
Reading and note taking
- Reading (DOC 410KB) - Includes: Academic reading: Coping with the amount of reading; Understanding difficult reading; Using analysis while you read; Tips for effective reading: Reading faster; Learning to concentrate on your reading.
- Taking notes from readings (DOC 2.24MB) - Includes: A four step process for notetaking; Hints to improve the layout of notes; Three effective note-taking layouts;Incorporating notes into the text of your assignments.
- Listening to lectures and note taking (DOC 1.05MB) - Includes: Getting the most out of lectures: what to do before, during and after a lecture; Listening: Noticing cues; Note taking: Cornell method; What to do if your lecture notes seem insufficient.
Editing and proof reading
- Thinking about the stucture of your essay (DOC 45KB) - Some steps for checking that your essay has a clear structure. Reading and editing for sense and argument.
- How do I know if my essay is reaching university expectations (DOC 46KB) - A checklist of common criteria.
- Essay writing checklist (DOC 49KB) - A checklist for self editing.
