Reading Skills for Academic Study FOTINI K. PERDIKI ESP LECTURER DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE TEI OF KAVALA

Introduction Not enough time to read everything line by line. You need to be able to read efficiently The way you read something will depend on your purpose Read quickly to find relevant sections, then… read carefully when you have found what you want Strategies: scanning to find the book /chapter skimming to get the gist careful reading of important passages.

When you pick up a book for the first time Use the index, preface, blurb (publisher's comments on the cover), table of contents and glance through it rapidly to identify the relevant sections Look at the chapter titles. Useful? If yes, then…. Look at the headings and sub-headings. Quickly survey any useful chapters by: reading the first few lines of each paragraph reading the first and last paragraphs. After having identified relevant sections, skim through them, read the conclusion perhaps, to be sure they are relevant

Do not rely on slow word by word reading You will need to practise: 1.Understanding meaning: deducing meaning of unfamiliar words (e.g. from their context/from conceptual meaning, i.e. : comparison, purpose, cause, effect etc.): Types of Context Clues:Definition/Synonym/Antonym/Examples/ Experience/ Explanation/ Knowledge of Subject 2. Understanding relationships in the text: relations between the parts of a text through lexical and grammatical cohesion devices and indicators in discourse.

3. Understanding important points: distinguish the main ideas from supporting detail; recognize unsupported claims and claims supported by evidence - fact from opinion; extract salient points to summarize; follow an argument; read critically/evaluate the text. 4. Reading efficiently: survey the text, chapter/article, paragraphs, skim for gist/general impression; scan to locate specifically required information; read quickly. 5. Note taking.

Advice You need to learn to read efficiently - you cannot read every word of every book. You need to: scan the library to find the correct shelves, scan the shelf to find useful books, use the contents pages, indexes to find the relevant parts skim the chapters to find out if they are useful read in detail Learning about how texts in your subject are structured will help you to read more efficiently. But most importantly, you need to read.

After reading 1. Make a list of the new words which you think will be useful for you in the future. Give: definitions of the words indication of whether they are nouns, verbs, adjectives etc. phrases in which the word occurs other words with the same meaning other forms of the words e.g. counsellor (noun)=a person who gives help and support to people who have problems, an adviser [counsel (noun), to counsel]

2. Evaluate what you have read: How does it fit into what you already think and know? Does it confirm your ideas, add to them, conflict with them? If there are opinions, do you agree or disagree with them?

Critical reading evaluate the arguments in the text. distinguish fact from opinion look at arguments given for and against the various claims be aware of your opinions and assumptions (positive and negative) - so you can evaluate honestly. be aware of the writer's background, assumptions and purposes.

Why are you reading this text? What is your purpose? Questions usefully asked about any text you are reading: A. Purpose and background Why are you reading this text? What is your purpose? What type of text is it: research report, essay, article, book review? What do you know about the subject of the text? What else has been written on the subject of the text? What controversies exist in this area? How does this text fit in?

B The author and the text Who is the author? What do you know about the author? Who is the intended audience? What is the author's purpose? What is the source of the text? Is it reputable? Who is the publisher? What is the date of publication? Is it appropriate to the argument? What is the writer's attitude towards the topic? What conclusions are drawn?

C Evidence used Is there a clear distinction between fact and opinion? Is evidence used to support arguments? In an experimental study, was the sample size adequate and are the statistics reliable? Are there any unsupported points? Are they well-known facts or generally accepted opinions? How does the writer use other texts and other people's ideas? Are the writer's conclusions reasonable in the light of the evidence presented? How do the conclusions relate to other similar research?

D Assumptions made What assumptions has the writer made? Are they valid? What beliefs or values does the writer hold? Are they explicit? Look at the language that is used, e.g. active/passive verbs, nominalisations, pronouns, articles, etc. Is it always possible to identify participants and processes? compare: the government increased taxes; they increased the taxes; taxes were increased; taxes increased; the taxes increased; there was an increase in taxes.

Look for emphatic words such as: it is obvious, definitely and of course. Look for hedges: possible, might, perhaps Look for emotional arguments, use of maximisers: completely, absolutely, entirely, or minimisers: only, just, hardly, simply, merely How else could the text have been written?

Reading an interactive process Two-way process. As a reader you are not passive but active. This means you have to work at : constructing the meaning from the marks on the paper, which you use as necessary. You construct the meaning using your knowledge of the language, your subject and the world, continually predicting and assessing You need to be active all the time when you are reading. It is useful, therefore,…

before you start reading try to actively remember what you know, /do not know, about the subject and as you are reading try to formulate questions based on the information you have. Title, sub-titles and section heading can help you formulate question to keep you interacting.

Reading is purposeful You read different texts in different ways. In everyday life, you usually know why you are reading. You usually know your way around your favourite newspaper. You do not start on the first page. When you read a novel, it is different. You start at the beginning and slowly move towards the end.

In academic reading, you need to be flexible - you may need to read quickly to find relevant sections, then read carefully when you have found what you want. General efficient reading strategies such as scanning to find the book or chapter, skimming to get the gist and careful reading of important passages are necessary as well as learning about how texts are structured in your subject.

…and never forget that: (1632 –1704) “Reading furnishes the mind only with materials for knowledge. It is thinking that makes what we read ours.”

……….. Thank you………..