Effective Reading skills

EFFECTIVE READING

Effective

Ø Producing the result that is wanted, intended.

Ø Successful result.

Effective reading thereby means reading with a purpose, an intention to achieve something from the text being read.

--To Note--

Ø Academic reading should not be seen as a passive activity, but an active process that leads to the development of learning.

Ø Reading for learning requires a conscious effort to make links, understand opinions, research and apply what you learn to your studies.

Academic reading therefore means understanding the author’s interpretation of reality, which may be very different from our own.

Reading types

*we read to gain factual info- for practical use e.g. reading your notice board, timetable.

*we read fiction to be entertained, depending on the reader.

*when reading academic textbooks, notes and journals, read to interpret and analyze.

Strategies for reading academic text

Before reading

1.     Think about your reasons for reading the text.

          <Each reason will influence the way you read>

2.     Look at the title, headline, any sub-headings, photo or illustrations.

          <Use this to predict what the text will be about (the topic)>

3.     Think about what you already know on this topic.

4.     Write down what you would like to find out from the text.

          <You could write actual questions you would like answers to>

5.     Make a note of words or phrases connected with the topic that you may find in the text.

When reading

       I.            Survey the text: first and last paragraph mostly, then all; do you have a general idea of the structure of the text? What the different parts are about?

    II.            Identify your purpose for reading the text.

          *if you are looking for specific information.

                   <Read the part where you feel this information will be>

          *if you want a general idea of the whole text, read the whole text>

Note- in both cases ignore words or sections you don’t immediately understand.

          *you should now have a general idea of what the text is about.

 III.            Write down in one or two sentences;

-what you think the main ideas are

-how logical it is to you

IV.            Do a second more careful reading; marking any new words that maybe important for your understanding.

          *check the main idea and revise what you wrote if necessary.

After reading

       i.            Evaluate what you have read.