Reading

Seven strategies to manage academic reading

Decide which texts are important

  1. Start with any readings in your subject guide that are listed as essential.
  2. Next, move on to any suggested additional readings.
  3. If you’re not sure which texts will be useful to you, make use of the Library Lib Guides.

Set realistic goals

  • Set yourself specific tasks (10 pages, 1 journal article, 1 chapter, 1 section of a chapter).
  • Work within a time frame (30 or 45 minutes), then take a break. This aids concentration.

Use the structure of the text

The kind of text you’re reading will help you decide which sections to concentrate on.

General textbook

  1. First, check the table of contents and/or index to work out which parts of the book are useful.
  2. Next, read headings, summaries, and questions at the end of chapters.
  3. Once you know which parts are most useful, spend your time reading these closely.

Journal articles

  1. First, read the abstract and skim through to find key words.
  2. Next, read the introduction and conclusion.
  3. If the article is definitely useful to you, spend time reading the method, results and discussion sections.

Reports

  1. Start by reading the executive summary and contents.
  2. Next, read through the introduction and recommendations sections.
  3. If necessary, work your way through the remaining sections of the report.

Adjust your reading speed

Read quickly for information; read carefully when you analyse a text.

  • Read with a purpose
  • Ask questions to direct your attention; read to answer your questions.
  • Make predictions about what might come next as you read.
  • Don’t read every word – skip over conjunctions 'and', 'but' and 'to'.
  • Don’t read from left to right – move your eyes up and down the page to find important words and phrases.

Scan for key information

Scanning means reading quickly to find key terms and concepts, rather than reading every word. Things to look for when scanning include:

  • titles
  • headings and subheadings
  • bold, italics and underlines
  • graphs, charts, maps, tables or diagrams
  • abstract, introduction and conclusion
  • first sentences of each paragraph or section
  • chapter objectives
  • chapter summaries
  • study questions.

Read critically

As you read, ask yourself these questions:

  • Are the key concepts and purposes clear?
  • Is the structure and the argument clear?
  • How strong is the evidence?
  • Does the reading relate to my experience?
  • Are there limitations to the writing, i.e. is more research needed?
  • Is the information applicable to other situations, contexts or cultures?
  • Do other reputable writers support this viewpoint?

Build up your academic vocabulary

  • Use glossaries and subject-specific dictionaries (available in the Library).
  • Keep a record of new subject specific words and their meanings.
  • Discuss the meaning of difficult concepts with other students in the class.