Faculty of Science and Engineering

Reading

Here are some top tips on reading effectively:

Use the reading list.

Books suggested for the course are listed at the end of the syllabus for each module. Guidance on the books listed and other suggested reading will be detailed to you by individual lecturers. Reading will be a familiar study skill by now but it can still seem overwhelming when you have a large number of journals and books to read in a short amount of time, so be selective.

Warning!

Highlight

If using a library book or journal, take a photocopy and use different coloured highlighters to identify key points whilst you are reading.

Consider the purpose of your reading; what is your goal?

Looking for a specific point? Refer to the index and scan the pages to find the information you need.

Expanding on lecture material or researching for an essay? Take notes whilst you’re reading.

Reading out of interest in the subject or with a desire to learn from an author’s style? Read at a more leisurely speed.

Use markers

Use markers to identify which pages are useful.

Underline

Underline important sentences and key words in the text from either a photocopy of the book, or the book itself if it is yours.

Try reading aloud

Try reading aloud and recording yourself using a Dictaphone or tape recorder. Then you can listen to the information again when you’re walking to university.

5 Steps to follow when reading:

  1. Survey - Obtain a general overview of the book, chapter, notes, etc.
  2. Question - What is required from the subject matter? What point is the writer trying to make? What can you learn from this text? Is the detail in this text relevant?
  3. Read - Read through quickly, and then study in detail.
  4. Recall - Actively recall all the main ideas.
  5. Review - Check that you have understood and can recall all the main ideas before proceeding to note taking or revising.

 

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