You may feel like the amount of reading you’ve been assigned feels impossible to complete. And you may be right, but here are some pro tips to help you get started:
- Know why the reading has been assigned. The course syllabi is your friend when trying to understand the point of an assigned reading. Refer to the broad course themes and the weekly focus to situate the reading before beginning.
- Readings will take longer than you expect, and sometimes you may need to read a chapter a few times before you understand it. Keeping this in mind, plan to do your readings when you feel alert and focused and keep your reading sessions short.
- Learn what skills you need for different types of readings.
- A research article taken from a Journal often provides you with an abstract. Start with the abstract, then read the introduction, any headings and finally the conclusion. You now have a roadmap for where this article will take you and what you’re supposed to know by the end.
- If you’re assigned a chapter from a book, look at the book in its entirety before diving in. Often overlooked, the introduction may provide insight into the specific chapter you’ve been assigned.
- A Learning Strategist can help you to develop critical reading skills, teach you how and when to skim a reading and to get the most out of the readings you know you will be tested on.
