Reading Skills
Reading Skills
Reading Skills
What do you find difficult about reading at university? Tick the boxes
below:
Introduction
The reading demands of Undergraduate study are not easy. Unfortunately,
however, it is all too common for students to pay little attention to their own
approaches to reading, that is, how they read, and how they can improve the
effectiveness and speed of their reading.
These notes provide extensive reading advice. Furthermore, it provides reading
tips that are specific for particular text types and for the purposes you may have.
Refer to:
assessment tasks
lecture slides
tutorial questions
textbook questions
Create:
Consider:
Be very clear about exactly what you are looking for. Dont just read aimlessly. Try
to have the purpose in writing nearby so you maintain focus. Purposeful reading of
this nature can help you read faster and more selectively. It can also help your
concentration and your ability to remember.
titles
subheadings
words in that are in bold, in italics or underlined
diagrams
a reports abstract, introduction or conclusion
the first sentence of every paragraph
chapter questions
chapter objectives
chapter summaries
Inrtetsneig fcat!
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosnt mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is that the frist and lsat ltteer is at
the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a
wlohe.
Activity: Read the following paragraph and see if you can get a
sense of the general meaning by only reading the information
words that are fea-tured.
Some advertisements __________ undesirable effects __________. One form __________ advertising suggests __________ buying __________ brings happiness. __________ more
__________
happier __________ feel. Parents in particular __________ under pressure __________ this form
__________. Advertisements __________ expensive toys __________ imply __________
greater pleasure than lower priced __________.
highlighted words
Today it is more important that ever to be able to read fluently. For example, if
you are a car-driver you have to be able to read a great many road signs.
What are the two sentences mainly about? reading writing travelling
Which word completes the first sentence? to read slowly fast fluently
Which example of writing is mentioned in the second sentence? application forms
road signs advertisements
Nouns and verbs are the key words you need to focus on
As mentioned earlier, scan, skim and surface read the text before noting to
help you develop understanding of the text and awareness of what is important
to note. Taking notes of everything is a slow, boring, ineffective exercise.
6. Be creative
Consider how you should note different parts of texts as well as just what you
should note. The process of thinking about how to note can aid understanding as
well
As a university student, you have a great opportunity and need to build you
vocabulary (discipline specific and general), so consult glossaries and use a
dictionary. Keep a list of new words: record their definitions and write example
sentences which show meaning and usage.
When using your dictionary, be discerning. Know which words can be ignored, and
see if it is possible to guess the meanings of words. You may be able do this if you:
Antichocoflavourism
Aquaengineacousticology
Finally
If you continue to find reading difficult, remember this:
Reading at university level is difficult!
However, if you put in the time and effort you may start to enjoy the challenge!
Close Reading
Close reading is thoughtful, critical analysis of a text that focuses on significant
details or patterns in order to develop a deep, precise understanding of the texts
form, craft, meanings, etc. It is a key requirement of the Common Core State
Standards and directs the readers attention to the text itself.
Close reading includes:
Using short passages and excerpts
Diving right into the text with limited pre-reading activities
Focusing on the text itself
Rereading deliberately
Reading with a pencil
Noticing things that are confusing
Discussing the text with others
Think-Pair Share or Turn and Talk frequently
Small groups and whole class
Responding to text-dependent questions
Comprehension
Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able
to accurately understand written material, students need to be able to (1) decode
what they read; (2) make connections between what they read and what they
already know; and (3) think deeply about what they have read.
One big part of comprehension is having a sufficient vocabulary, or knowing the
meanings of enough words. Readers who have strong comprehension are able to
draw conclusions about what they read what is important, what is a fact, what
caused an event to happen, which characters are funny. Thus comprehension
involves combining reading with thinking and reasoning.
Summary
Paraphrase
A summary does not distort the meaning of A paraphrase does not distort the meaning
the original passage.
of the original passage.
A summary can be selective. You can omit
ideas that do not pertain to your purpose
for summarizing as long as the omission is
not a distortion of the meaning.
Translation
Translation is the communication of meaning from one language (the source) to
another language (the target). Translation refers to written information, whereas
interpretation refers to spoken information.
The purpose of translation is to convey the original tone and intent of a message,
taking into account cultural and regional differences between source and target
languages.
Translation has been used by humans for centuries, beginning after the appearance
of written literature. Modern-day translators use sophisticated tools and
technologies to accomplish their work, and rely heavily on software applications to
simplify and streamline their tasks.
Literary Text
A literary text is a piece of written material, such as a book or poem, that has the
purpose of telling a story or entertaining, as in a fictional novel. Its primary function
as a text is usually aesthetic, but it may also contain political messages or beliefs.
Literary texts contrast with informational texts that have the purpose of providing
information rather than entertainment.