Getting the most from your reading

Writing Development CentreUniversity Library

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The Writing Development Centre

Contact: [email protected]

Getting the most from your reading

mailto:[email protected]



@ncl_wdc

Session outline

Reading in a more focused way: selecting appropriate reading techniques to suit your purposes

Reading critically

Taking notes from your reading: organising your material and developing your critical thinking



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Session materials

After the session, the slides will be made available at: http://www.slideshare.net/WDCNewcastle

http://www.slideshare.net/WDCNewcastle

http://www.slideshare.net/WDCNewcastle



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Part OneReading strategies



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Academic Reading

How strongly do you agree with the following statements? Assign each a number using a Likert scale:

Strongly agree Strongly disagree

1 2 3 4



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There’s no such thing as speed reading….

But…. You do get faster with practice Speed reading is partial reading

Certain sections of the text only Abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion,

bibliography Certain elements of the text only

Key words First paragraph of each section First line of each paragraph

The key is to know what you are reading for



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Why Read?Different purposes for reading

To find a specific bit of information To orientate yourself in a new topic To get an overall grasp of the main idea and its significance To see if it’s worth reading To pull out the main stages of the argument To see how they solved a problem To critique their findings To see how many scholars agree on a topic To see what else has been published and what others think of it To see how far their findings went



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Case Studies:

What reading strategies would you suggest for the following students? A student who: Needs to get a broad understanding of a topic Needs to demonstrate that a key paper in a field doesn’t

go quite far enough Needs to develop a critical response to a paper but isn’t

sure what they think Needs a quick fact or bit of information to back up a

minor point Wants to use the findings of a paper but just wants to

check that they are legitimate



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Critical readingPart Two



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Spectrum of critical views

RIGHT WRONG

Long established as orthodox, not (yet) challenged

Likely to be true as other literature supports it

Probably true – well argued and evidenced

Accepted by a small no. of scholars at cutting edge but not yet widely known

One way of looking at it, but there are other valid views

Generally valid, but there are exceptions

Valid only in limited contexts

Partly valid, but not the whole picture

Used to be widely accepted, now superseded

Flawed, not credibly argued



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Critical reading

“What is the point of trying to find something wrong with research that’s been peer reviewed?”

“Who am I to comment on the work of eminent academics? I’m just a student!”

“I don’t know enough about this to critique it yet – I don’t know what to think about it!”



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Reading Critically

Read the abstract on your handout, then:

1. List the questions you could ask of the text2. List the questions you could ask of your use of the text



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Questions to ask of the text

Stage One: establishing credibility Who is the author? What is their background? Where was this text published?

Stage Two: identifying the text’s aims and objectives What is the purpose of this text? Who is the target audience?



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Questions to ask of the text

Stage Three: looking beyond the information presented

What is the text’s main claims? How are they argued? Are there any gaps, leaps in logic, and/or inconsistencies? How is evidence used and interpreted? Are the conclusions consistent with the evidence presented?



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Questions about your use of a text

Do I need to read this?

Why do I need to read it (your purpose)?

What is my ‘take’ on this text; what is my critical position?

How does this text relate to others I have read?

How does this text fit into my overall argument/agenda?



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Critical Questions

Leeds University has devised a very useful Critical Reading checklist:

http://library.leeds.ac.uk/tutorials/thefinalchapter/documents/printable/Critical_reading_checklist.pdf





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Part ThreeNote-taking strategies



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Note-taking pitfalls

The Human Photocopier

Forgetting to note your own interest/agenda/response/ opinion/intended use

Omitting referencing details

Not distinguishing the difference between the original words and your own



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Note-taking: Three Domains of Critical Reading

Validity: On its own terms

Synthesis: In relation to others

Relevance: Usefulness to you

Context: discipline/profession, authors, currency, bias What are they doing? Research Question/Aims/Hypothesis How did they do it? Methods, Models and Materials How do they know? Argument, evidence, logic and reasoning What do they say? Findings and conclusions



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Note-taking: the Cornell System



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The Writing Development CentreLevel 2, Robinson Library

Undergraduate - Masters - PhD

Our team of expert tutors offers:- Individual tutorials - Workshops - Online resources

Visit us online to book: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

HASS – SAgE - FMS

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/



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The Writing Development CentreDevelop your academic skills

Take effective notes Think critically Interpret essay

questions Understand

assessment criteria Read efficiently Argue convincingly Plan assignments Manage your time Express ideas

confidently

• Revise effectively• Critically review

literature • Structure essays• Use drafting & editing

techniques• Make the most of

lectures & seminars• Manage your

dissertation or PhD thesis

• Avoid plagiarism• Improve your exam

technique

Notice and Take Down PolicyNewcastle University seeks to observe the highest standards of compliance with the law and the rights of rights holders, while publishing research and teaching resources to support our students and staff and contribute to academic practice.

If you are a rights holder and are concerned that you have found material on our website or legitimately under our name elsewhere, for which you have not given permission, or is not covered by a limitation or exception in laws of the UK or other countries (as relevant), please contact us in writing stating the following:

your contact detailsthe full bibliographic details of the materialsthe exact URL or other location where you found the materialproof that you are the rights holder and a statement that, under penalty of perjury, you are the rights holder or are an authorised representative

Contact detailsEmail: [email protected]: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/info/legal/takedown.html

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/info/legal/takedown.html



Date post:	21-Jan-2017
Category:	Education
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Getting the most from your reading

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