1. Effective Reading Strategies
This workshop will
Explore what ‘reading’ means when using scholarly texts
Examine the difference between preliminary reading and reading for ‘depth’
Offer practical ideas for managing your reading effectively
Louise Livesey
Academic Skills Adviser
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

2. Academic Skills Advice
Today’s Plan
Why and what your read at University
Preliminary reading versus reading for ‘depth’, and their corresponding reading strategies.
Strategies for managing your reading effectively
All in one click
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

3. Why you read at University
1.Why and what your
read at University
Why you read at University
Putting in reading time
Must read for success
Reading for a purpose
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

4. Academic Skills Advice
1.Why and what your
read at University
Activity 1: What you read at University
Webpages
Non-official documents
Policies
Guidelines
Design specifications
Committee papers
Conference proceedings
Reports
Official documents
Acts of parliament
Patents
Statutes
Books
Textbooks
Monographs
Periodical
Professional digests
Research journals
News sources
Popular media (e.g. newspapers)
Visual texts
Click for all to appear
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Academic Skills Advice

5. Getting an Overview: books
2.Preliminary reading, and strategies
Getting an Overview: books
Contents page
Index
Introduction
Chapter headings
First and last chapter
Summaries
SKIM
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Academic Skills Advice

6. Getting an Overview: journal article
2.Preliminary reading, and strategies
Getting an Overview: journal article
Abstract
Introduction
Conclusion
SKIM
Getting an Overview: websites
No two websites the same
Home page
Search engine
SKIM
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Academic Skills Advice

7. Academic Skills Advice
2.Preliminary reading, and strategies
More careful reading
Active reading
Taking notes
Highlighting
Pens
Post-it notes
Annotation tools
SCAN
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Academic Skills Advice

8. Academic Skills Advice
2.Preliminary reading, and strategies
Looking for detail
From start to finish
See between the lines:
What is writer’s overall point?
Why is ‘x’ relevant?
What does ‘x’ add to the argument?
What lessons can be learnt?
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

9. Academic Skills Advice
2.Preliminary reading, and strategies
and Activity 2: Reading with purpose
TALKING POINT
Press conference: Scan to see what Amnesty says about political prisoners and their detention Secretary job: Skim for an overview and then scan to identify those things that were discussed at the last meeting and were to be raised again at this meeting. Novel: Not wanting to miss anything, you read for depth. Grant: Your read them carefully and with depth, like you would a legal document, until you are completely clear one way or the other whether you qualify
Click for each separately
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

10. Academic Skills Advice
3.Strategies for managing
your reading effectively
Active reading
Concentrate
Retain
Note-taking
Chosen sections to read
Part of your ‘job’ as a student
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

11. Academic Skills Advice
3.Strategies for managing
your reading effectively
Planning your reading
Allocate time
Start and finish times
Pizza Principle
Little and often
Breaks
Get your sources early
Open the module handbook for this slide
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Academic Skills Advice

12. Academic Skills Advice
3.Strategies for managing
your reading effectively
Tips
Get into a routine
Find the right environment
Choose the right time
Quality over quantity every time
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

13. Academic Skills Advice
References
Burns, P. (2010) Dogs Are Not Kids. [online] Available at: [Accessed ] Buzan, T. (2006) The Buzan Study Skills Handbook. Harlow: BBC Active Greetham, B. (2013) How to Write Better Essays. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Place, E., Kendall, M., Hiom, D., Booth, H., Ayres, P., Manuel, A., Smith, P. (2009) Internet Detective: Wise up to the Web. 3rd ed. Intute Virtual Training Suite. [online]. Available from: [Accessed ] Student Learning Advisory Service. Effective Reading. Canterbury: University of Kent. [online] Available at: [Accessed ] Clip art: Question
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Academic Skills Advice

14. Academic Skills Advice Service
Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23. Give us a call or come speak to us Monday- Friday 9am-5pm (closing at 4pm Fridays).
Who am I? Louise, the dedicated workshop adviser.
Who can help me with study and writing skills? Lucy and Russell run Instant Study Skills Advice sessions every weekday and Writing Skills Clinics three times a week. You can also access self-help resources on our webpage.
Who can give me maths advice? Helen and Michael specialise in Maths support for students though clinics and pre-booked appointment.
How do I get in touch? Telephone:
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice

15. Academic Skills Advice
Any questions?
Produced by Louise Livesey May 2014
03/01/2019
Academic Skills Advice