Reading Strategically at University

Making the Transition to University

Associate Professor Prem Ramburuth

Workshop Outline

Managing reading at university

Reading Critically

Reading strategies

Note-taking from written texts

Some materials adapted from:

ELSSA, 2008, Academic Writing: Reading and Note-taking, UTS. Available at: http://www.elssa.uts.edu.au/programs/MKT1.pdf

Managing reading at university

Academic material is not meant to be read.

It is meant to be ransacked and pillaged for

essential content.

(http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/readingX.htm)

Managing reading

•Be selective

•Set realistic time frames

•Never read without specific questions to answer

Read ‘Smart’

Never start reading at page 1 of the text –

skim to get the gist, scan for specific information use SQ3R strategy (to be described later)

– Read only as much as you need

– Always keep in mind what is needed/relevant

Question the source

ask about:

- the website

- the context

- the text

Read Critically

Questions about the website

authority Who is/are the author(s) and are they reliable?

accuracy Do the facts fit with what you already know?

Are there references?

objectivity What is the purpose of the web page? To inform? To

persuade? To sell?

currency Has a date been provided? How recent is it? Are the links still active?

utility Is the web page relevant to your needs?

Presentation

Adapted from

Is the site well designed and easy to read? Is it free from grammar and spelling mistakes?http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/LibraryGuides/eval/shtml

What are the author’s credentials? area of expertise

number of citations

institutional connections

When was the text published?

Is the text a primary/secondary/tertiary source?

How does this text relate to others?

Questions about the context

Questions about the text

How much is fact, how much opinion?

What is the central argument in the text?

What kind of supporting evidence is used?

How is argument developed?

Is language objective or emotive?

Any logical fallacies identified(eg: assumptions, generalisations, evasions)?

GOOD LUCK

What’s wrong with the following arguments?

Poverty causes crime.

‘Poverty causes crime’

is a

GENERALISATION - reductive fallacy.

It is obvious that people who watch a lot of television are mindless idiots.

The statement

is an EVASION - Begging the question, i.e., assuming the conclusion is true; and using the assumption as evidence for the conclusion

How about this argument

One of the scientists had medication for depression not long ago, so his opinions should not be taken seriously.

This statement/argument is an example of EVASION - Attacking the opponent.

the last one

Japanese electronic devices have swept Australian markets because of their reliability. For the same reason, Japanese business practices should be taken up by the Australian corporations.

The Answer

this is an example of OVERSIMPLIFICATION – a false analogy

Reading Strategies

Non-critical vs critical reading

Non-critical reading

- recognises and restates what is written on the page

Critical reading

- recognises and restates what is written on the page

- reflects on the context of the text

- reflects on the purpose of the text

- reflects on the achievement of the text

- makes an evaluation of the significance of the text

The SQ3R approach

Survey

Question

Read

Recite

Review

Survey

Title, headings and subheading

Non-verbal information (graphs, illustrations, etc)

Abstract (summary at the beginning)

Introduction

Conclusion

Reference list (see company the author keeps)

Question

Turn title and subheadings into questions:

- “What part of my assignment question will this chapter answer?”

Turn chapters/sections into questions:

- “What else do I know about this topic?”

- “What is unclear to me at this stage?”

- “What more do I want/need to know about this

topic?”

Read

Look for answers to your questions

Focus - avoid distractions

Reduce reading speed for difficult questions

Note: Speed reading is not the key to effective reading.

Slow reading (to digest the information) and selective

reading is the key.

Stop and reread parts that are not clear

Read one short article, or one section of a longer article, at a time

Recite

Summarise what you have read

Take notes (and/or repeat out loud the key ideas) using your own words

Review

Look through your notes

Ask questions based on your notes and try to answer them

Decide what you think about the writer’s position

Revise the notes and check your own

memory of them

Note-taking from written texts

Forming an overview

Marking text

What to note

A note-taking template

Using abbreviations

Forming an overview

The purpose is to note the main point of the text

(notes may be as brief as one sentence)

In relation to the whole text, write down an answer

to the following question:

'What message is the author trying to get across?'

Forming an overview

Work with the Title:

Reword or expand on a brief title to focus on the main idea

Forming an Overview

If text has no headings/sub-headings

Skim read topic sentences to identify the various sections

Locate cues (eg: The major cause..., Another important factor..., One result...) to identify key sections

Insert your own headings/sub-headings as a basic outline of main ideas

Marking the text

Possible ways of marking the text include:

highlight or underline key words/important points (be very selective)

write summaries/comments/questions in white space use ** or other symbols to mark significant sections use colour-code to identify specific parts of the text stick Post-it notes or other bookmarks onto relevant pages

What should be in your notes

Bibliographic details!

keep a record of sources to avoid plagiarism

Key words

Paraphrases, summaries, quotations

Notes on author’s attitude

Notes on your evaluation

A note-taking template

Reference

Details for

Source & pg nos

Paraphrases, summaries, notes, quotes

Author’s evaluation and your evaluation

Using abbreviations

Note outlines:

indent supporting details

separate points/separate lines

white space between sections

leave wide left-hand margin

Abbreviations: elim. vwls. (eliminate vowels)

use word beg. (beginnings)

use symb. & diag. (symbols/diagrams)

cr. pers. abbrev. (create personal abbreviations)

Note-taking example(from Trzeciak, J. & Mackay, S. 1994, Study Skills for Academic Writing, Prentice Hall,Hemel Hempstead, p.22)

Underwater cameras

Regular cameras obviously will not function

underwater unless specially protected.

Though housings are available for

waterproofing 35 mm and roll-film cameras,

a few special models are amphibious - they

can be used above or below water.

Most cameras are snapshot models, but

one, Nikonos, is a true 35 mm system

camera. Though lenses and film must be

changed on the surface, the camera will

otherwise function normally at depths down

to 70 m. four lenses are available: tow of

these, which have focal lengths of 90 mm

and 35 mm will function in air and water; the

other two, the 28 and 15 mm lenses, work

only under water. Lenses are also available

from other manufacturers.

Underwater cameras

1. Regular cameras

special housing necessary

2. Amphibious

(a) Snapshot models

(b) Nikonos (35 mm system camera)

Lenses:

(i) in air & water - 35 mm

90 mm

(ii) only under water - 28 mm

- 15 mm

References & useful websites

ELSSA, 2008, Academic Writing: Reading and Note-taking, UTS. Available at: http://www.elssa.uts.edu.au/programs/MKT1.pdf

http://www.education.monash.edu.au/students/current/resources/readingacademic.html

http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/learning/crithink.html

http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learningconnection/student/research/documents/levelsunderstanding.pdf

www.library.uq.edu.au/internet/inteval.html