To be a successful university student, you need to be an active and critical reader. This information sheet identifies ways to read more effectively, by being organised, prepared and strategic.
Type, Structure and Purpose
The way in which you read something will depend on:
The type of material
- Is it a textbook? A novel? A journal article? A newspaper article?
Your purpose in reading it
- For enjoyment? For assignment, lecture or tutorial preparation?
The structure of the material
- How is it set out? Is the format familiar to you? What will you look at first?
It is important to identify each of these elements before you continue your reading. They will help to determine which technique you will use to read the material more effectively.
- When first attempting to read material, try the following process:
Scan - do an initial assessment of the material’s relevance for your purposes. - Skim - get a general sense of the material’s content by briefly reading main headings, etc.
- Key - read relevant sections carefully.
- Full - read the material in full, in the order that the author intended.
SQ3R Reading Strategy
‘SQ3R’ is one strategy that can be applied to many different kinds of material. Once you have assessed the relevance of the material (through ‘Scanning’ and ‘Skimming’), and have decided to continue reading it, the following steps should help you to do so more easily and effectively.
Survey: looking for clues
Clues about the content can be found by looking at a book or article’s:
- Title
- Table of contents; chapter headings; Index
- Abstract and introduction; summaries and conclusion
- Headings and sub-headings
- Pictures and diagrams
- Key points – What message is the author trying to communicate?
Question: asking before you read
Before continuing to read the material, ask:
- What is my purpose in reading this? What do I need to understand?
- What information is important? What should I remember from this material?
Turn subheadings into questions (e.g. ‘Methodology’ becomes ‘What methodology was used?’; ‘Rational Choice Model’ becomes ‘What is the Rational Choice Model?’).
Compare and contrast this material with other information that you have gathered.
Read:
Read for a purpose – Try to find answers to the questions that you have set for yourself.
Recall:
Use recall to master the topic, especially for exams. Pause while reading, and after reading, to recall the main points of the material, and to answer the questions that you have set for yourself.
Review:
Reviewing your notes progressively will help you to reflect on what you have learnt. It will also help you to fill in any gaps in your understanding of the material.
Asking Questions after You Read:
After you have read the material, remember to ask questions about its: main points; evidence; assumptions; reliability; flaws; and its relationship to other texts.
This is part of the process of SQ3R, and will help you to further develop your ability to make links and think critically about the material.
Rowntree, D. (1988) Learn how to study: A guide for students of all ages (revised edition). London: Macdonald Orbis.
Wallace, A., Schirato, T. & Bright, P. (1999) Beginning university: Thinking, researching and writing for success. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
External Links
‘Reading effectively’ (University of New South Wales):
www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/read.html