EL310

English for

EngineeringSenior Lecturer:

Agenda

• Why academic reading is important?

• What is a Academic Reading?

– Extensive and Intensive Reading

– Scanning and Skimming

• How to read academic Article and Paper

Why Academic Reading?

• Reading is the most critical part of the learning process.

• Reading often appears to students to be the most boring of

all tasks

BUT......

• Your ideas about research will come mainly from reading

• Wide reading expands your perspectives

Reading Skills

• Extensive reading

• Intensive reading

• Scanning

• Skimming

Reading Skills

• Extensive reading – is reading a text for general understanding

• Intensive reading – involves reading in detail, with specific aims and tasks

• Skimming – is reading a text quickly to get a general idea of meaning

• Scanning – is reading a text to find quickly specific information

What is a intensive and

Extensive Reading?

Intensive

What is a intensive and

Extensive Reading?

ExtensiveIntensive

What is a intensive and

Extensive Reading?

ExtensiveIntensive

NOT ALL LIKE THIS!

What is a intensive and

Extensive Reading?

Intensive and Extensive

Reading

Intensive and Extensive

Reading

Reading Strategies

Core

sources

(In-depth)

Extendedsources(Skim)

Peripheralsources(Scan)

All potentialsources

All academic reading has a focus

and a purpose

Reading depth

• Scan read

– Main purpose is to gain overall impression. Reading for relevance, key words and to determine quality/legitimacy.

• Skim read

– Main purpose is exploratory. Reading for key words, vocabulary, key arguments (schools of thought)

• In-Depth read

– Main purpose is reflexive or critical reading

Active reading

• Reading is an active process in which the

reader continually anticipates the meaning

of the text

• Speed reading as a form of active reading

Reading is an active process in which the

reader continually anticipates the meaning of

the text (7 out of 16 words)

Scan read the periphery

Focus/Activity Prompting questions or activities

Look at title What is it about? Do I know anything about this topic?

Can I guess what it might be about?

Look at the author Have I read anything by the author before?

Speed read the TOC /

abstract

What does it suggest about the structure / content?

Can I identify key chapters/sections/ideas (key words)

Speed read the index /

conclusion

Index: Which ideas/terms (authors) are highly

referenced? What are the key words / concepts

Conclusion: Is there a summary of arguments of ideas

Look at headings Does it suggest the content, structure, flow of argument?

Look at tables, diagrams, etc. Does it suggest a structure or content?

Look at references What sort of references are there (coverage, depth)?

Any familiar authors? Can you get an idea of the

intellectual influences of the author? Key authors?

Anticipate, guess, predict What do you think this is about? Where is it heading? Is it

relevant for to your focus?

Skim read the extensions

Focus/Activity Prompting questions or activities

Read the abstract /

introduction

Does it suggest a structure? What are the main

claims / conclusions suggested

Speed read the conclusion What are the conclusions?

Speed read the first and

last paragraph of each

section (topic sentences)

Can you pick up the flow of the discussion? What

are the important points being made?

Speed read the core

section / chapter

What is the central argument or position?

Anticipate, guess, predict What do you think this is about? Where is it

heading? Is it relevant for to your focus?

Read the core in-depth

Focus/Activity Prompting questions or activities

Skim and scan the source

(book journal, etc)

Read actively and critically • Make notes (draw diagram of structure)

• Underline key ideas (one per paragraph)

• Annotate pages / diagrams

• Critically evaluate argument

• Relate to other core and extended readings

Make your own summary of

main points / argument

Keep in safe place for later reference

Reread (multiple times) With each read try and become more critical

about the claims and the argument

- Why do you agree / disagree

How to read effectively?

Academic Reading Exercise #3

• Scan read a number of academic journal papers and a number of academic books (from one of your course reading lists)

• Make some notes

– What was difficult about it?

– What did you learn from the experience?

• If possible discuss it in a group

Thank you for your attention