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Efficient Reading
What is reading?
Understand why you are reading a particular text. Are you preparing for a lecture
or a tutorial? Are you researching an assignment or essay or preparing for exams?
Do you need to gain an overview of a topic or to find specific information? Do you
need to evaluate the material?
Know what you want to get from the passage. Ask yourself the question “What do I
expect to learn from this passage?” Ask yourself specific questions. For instance if
you are reading a chapter headed The effect of heredity and the environment on
humans the kind of questions you should be able to answer after your reading would
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be “What does the author understand by the word heredity? What does the author
understand by the word environment?” If your reading has been successful you will
be able to formulate in your own words what the author thinks the effect of the
environment and heredity is on people.
In an article:
♦ read the title and the date which should give you the
article's main idea and how recent the information is
♦ read the abstract (the summary at the top of the
article)
♦ read the first paragraph
♦ read all the headings
♦ look at any diagrams/ graphs/ charts or
illustrations
♦ read the conclusion
In a book:
♦ note any goals or objectives in the preface or introduction
♦ read the introductory paragraph
♦ read the chapter heading and the sub headings
♦ look at diagrams/ graphs/ charts or illustrations
♦ read the first couple of sentences under the main headings
♦ read the summary or conclusion
Now start reading! If you find that the theory and/or key concepts are difficult to
follow, refer to the glossary at the back of the book (an alphabetical list of terms used
in the book and their definitions). However, if there is no glossary or it is not very
helpful, most disciplines have very good textbooks explaining terminology and concepts.
You might want to make your own glossary of new and unfamiliar expressions as you
encounter them in your readings and lectures.
Ensure that you understand what you are reading. Take it slowly and re-read if you don’t
understand. Saying “I’m going to read 100 pages before I go to bed” is not a good idea
if you are tired, because you won’t be able to absorb any information. It is more
productive to sleep and wake earlier to continue reading.
Make notes as you read or draw diagrams, charts, tables – anything that helps you to
understand the material.
Ask your lecturers and Te Tari Āwhina staff for help and discuss readings with your
friends. If we take time to discuss topics or concepts they will become clearer and
more understandable in our minds.
Happy reading!
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Check out these books in the Self Access Learning Lab to help improve your
reading skills:
Abraham, P., & MacKey, D. (1997) Contact USA: A reading and vocabulary text. USA: Prentice
Hall Regents.
Greenall, S., & Swan, M. (1986). Effective Reading: Reading skills for advanced students.
Australia: Cambridge University Press.
McGovern, D. (1994). Reading: English for academic study series. Hertfordshire: Prentice Hall
International.
Msoback, G., & Mosback, V. (1999). Practical Faster Reading: A course in reading and vocabulary
for upper-intermediate and more advanced students. Australia: Cambridge University Press.
Pakenham, K.J. (1998). Making Connections: An interactive approach to academic reading.
Australia: Cambridge University Press.
Widdows, S., & Voller, P. (1996). Open Minds: Exploring global issues through reading and
discussion. USA: The University of Michigan Press.
Check out these web sites to help you with your Reading Skills.
http://english-zone.com/reading/index.html.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/index.htm
http://www.comenius.com/fables/index.tpl
http://www.comenius.com/index.tpl
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/learning
http://literacynet.org/cnnsf/archives.html
http://www.msnbc.com/local/pencilnews/default.asp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtml
http://english.ttu.edu/uwc/rbreading.html – Reading Strategies
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Drop in to meet our skilled and helpful team of administrators and lecturers.
Services include:
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